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I had planned for my article this month to be something totally different than what you are about to read. I tried to put together a little research project that would allow me to share my results with you in this months article. Unfortunately, I only received responses from 4 of the 19 groups I contacted so I don't have enough information to put the whole thing together. Let me say a huge "Thank You!" to Rodney Griffin, Ernie Haase, Steve French, and Wendi Bartlett (from the Kingsmen office) for taking time out of their busy schedules to answer my questions. And for the other 15 of you out there, I have a word of advice. If you are going to provide a way for people to contact you via your web sites or email addresses, at least have the courtesy to take time and respond back!! NO ONE is so busy that they can't take 2 minutes and answer an email even if it's to say, "Sorry I don't want to participate."

Ok, I've ranted enough so on to this month's article.

It really seems the last 4 months or so have been nothing but change in the SG world.

Gold City gets rid of the band and then Channing leaves
Tim Surrett leaves the Kingsmen and gets replaced by Tony Peace
The Journeymen Quartet disbands
Eric Dove takes a sabbatical from the Dove Brothers
Kenny Bishop is back on the scene and gets a recording contract
Bryan Hutson joins the Blackwood Gospel Quartet
OTGH Quartet changes tenor and bass singers
Frank Seamans leaves and then doesn't leave Legacy 5
David Phelps is out and Wes Hampton is in for GVB
Salem Communications buys the Singing News

Now I'm sure I've missed some and please don't read anything in to the order in which I listed things - that's just how they came to mind. I think it will be curious to see over the next year which direction things turn for the SG industry. I think we're at a definite turning point right now. If people can grasp the fact that some, not all, things need to change in order to bring in a new audience to the SG world (I wrote about this a couple of articles back), and can successfully put those changes in place, then I think we will see growth in the industry. I know full well that what we do as artists is also ministry, but we also need to realize that the business side of things needs to be run properly. It amazes me when I hear of "top tier" groups going to sing somewhere for an offering. That's kinda like me trying to get Brad Paisley to come and sing for a donation since he'll be passing right through my area and is not scheduled to sing anywhere. I was nearly crucified (verbally speaking) on the message boards for saying that the industry needs to take business lessons from Bill Gaither. But I think history, experience, and the numbers (dollars - lots of them) speak for themselves. Unfortunately, it seems that most think in order to adopt the business principles, we have to imitate the product. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Here's a perfect example. The Perry's were in concert right here in my home town on October 22nd. I did not see one flyer, hear one announcement on the radio, see any advertisement in the paper, or see one commercial on TV promoting the event. From the reports I heard (we were singing elsewhere and couldn't attend), they did not have a good turn out at all. Contrast that with the Gaither concerts. When they come to town, or some close proximity, there are promotional flyers everywhere and commercials on tv and radio. The area is flooded with concert promotion and they draw great crowds (15,000 plus in my area) for every concert.

What I'm saying is there are no big secrets as to what makes a successful business (and yes, I do run my own). Find your niche market, have a great product, promote the heck out of it, and provide great service so you build your customer base. How do we improve as an industry and make our businesses successful? Well, I think we already have a great product (even though we do need to do some pruning). In my opinion, where we can make huge improvements is in the areas of marketing and promotion, quality of recordings and videos, and adding new stations and quality programming for SG radio. Bill Gaither is not the only person in gospel music that can buy television time or advertise concerts. PBS, PAX, TBN and the like will gladly take your money and give you a half hour time slot to sell your product. Don't believe me? Call and ask them. Now I'm sure there was a time when Mr. Gaither would say that he couldn't really afford to buy any tv time to promote and sell his product but decided to make an investment in his business and did it anyway. Do you think if people saw a good quality video being shown on tv they would be more likely to go and see that artist in concert? You betcha!

I just know if my livelihood depended on the success of my concerts and product sales, I sure wouldn't leave the promotion and marketing of my product up to Jim the promoter guy or Joe the DJ guy I never met - I'd do it myself!

Reader Comments

Hey Jim...I agree. You gotta let the public know your coming. I think it would have been hard though for the Perry's to do their own publicity with their schedule being the way it is. But for a local group. I would promote the heck out of it. If I was a promoter, I would be scared not to because the lack in ticket sells would mean that I would have to dip in my pocket to pay the artists. I agree with the first post. There is not possiable way to take Business out of SGM. Unless you aren't traveling.

Great article!

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