20 The 23 Day

23 Single Release Plan

By Damian Keyes

DK Music Business Academy Presents:

23 DAY
THE

SINGLE RELEASE PLAN

The ultimate release strategy to By Damian Keyes
skyrocket your music and build a
genuine fanbase.

Created for:
Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Welcome to the 23 Day Plan.

Congratulations on downloading the 23 Day Plan for your next single
release. I'm honoured to be a part of your journey and I wish you the best of
luck for your music career.

This plan helps on the surface level for your release. For in-depth, step by
step instruction, head over to my Academy where you can get a 7 Day Free
Trial (this option isn't for everyone).

As an exclusive (for this release plan only), you can also get
23% off your DK-MBA Membership using the code:

23DAYPLAN

All you need to do to get your free trial and discount is the
following:

1. Go to dk-mba.com (or click this link)

2. Sign up for your Free Trial and add in the code
23DAYPLAN to get 23% off forever

See you inside,

Damian Keyes

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

The Goal of 2023.

The goal of 2023 is to get attention for you and your music. This diagram
illustrates how you are going to promote your music in 2023:

MUSIC PROMO
CREATIVITY MARKETING
PERFORMANCE SALES
FUN EFFECTIVE WORK

GET ATTENTION

Created for:
Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

The 23 Day Plan.

Welcome to the 23 Day Plan. Everything has changed in the last year for the
industry and this is the most up to date release plan in 2023. Let's get your
music heard!

Tips to maximise your release

Work forwards not backwards. Rather than planning the lead up to the
release date, plan what happens after completing your single.

Understand and prepare for the golden rule: what can go wrong will go
wrong.

Allocate at least 4-5 weeks of planning after you receive the mix and
master of your song.

International release day is a Friday. Most labels and musicians release on

a Friday as it gives them the weekend to crunch numbers and promote
their songs.

Be careful when releasing music around big holidays – e.g., Christmas or

Thanksgiving. They can take away from the excitement of your release.

The Lead Up.

Before we get to the 23 day plan, we should map out the lead up. This is what
you should be doing 5 weeks before releasing your single, so that you are as
prepared as possible.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

5 Weeks Before
Look into your target audience and perform an analysis – e.g., who is
your ideal listener, who is going to be a fan and why will they care?
PRO: I have a branding course in DK-MBA which takes you through
everything you need to define your target audience which saves a lot
of money and time.

Shoot your official video so that there is enough time for it to be edited
for your release.

Order your artwork so that the artist has time to design it, or make any
changes.

4 Weeks Before
Have your photoshoot. These official images are important
because they show that you’re taking yourself and your
music seriously.
Start researching and collating bloggers, playlist curators,
and radio stations.
PRO: I have databases of all of these, so if
you don't want to spend hours researching,
you can grab them there.

3 Weeks Before
Upload your finished master track to Spotify via your chosen distributor.

Once your track has uploaded to stores, write a pitch to Spotify to pitch
to editorial playlists. The sooner you can do this, the better.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

The 23 Day Plan.

Brought to you by dk-mba.com

Day 1: Setting Up The Party

Day 1 is about getting your socials ready for new fans to join your party.

The first step is to fill out your Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Set up
your hero picture, your bio, your highlights, and your links. Make them
relevant to you as an artist.

Pin your top content to your page, or content that explains who you are
to new fans.

PRO: In The Roadmap To 1 Million Streams course in DK-MBA I take

you through everything you need when setting up your socials.

Day 2: Optimising Linktree and

Spotify
Set up a Linktree with multiple branches. Don’t just have Spotify as a
link. Give your fans options to choose from – e.g., YouTube, Instagram,
TikTok, Facebook, Spotify, your website, etc.

Your Spotify should be set up and ready. Fill in your about section,
make a banner, choose your hero picture, and set up your links. Make
it as professional and informative as possible.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 3: Budgets
Establish a budget and think seriously about where you are going to
use that money.

Consider people. Who are you going to bring in to help, what are they
going to do, and how are they going to do it?

Consider content. What resources do you need – e.g., a new phone, a

new camera, better lighting? What can make your content better?

Consider ads. What types of ads can you run on each platform and
how much budget will you allocate to each?
PRO: Please don't run ads without learning the most effective way
first, you'll end up losing money (I teach this in DK-MBA).

Consider tours. If you have the funds, discuss whether it would be

beneficial to do a tour.

Set targets – e.g., 1000x streams in one week.

Day 4: Making Content

I recommend prioritising micro-content. Today, aim to make at least 20
pieces of content.

Use the chorus of your song and record yourself either performing or
miming it in an interesting location.

Split this recording into clips and give each of them different contexts,
all relating to your single.
PRO: I teach you exactly how to do this in this YouTube video where
I got an artist nearly 1M views in just 1 week with this method.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 5: The Song Tease

Put 15 seconds of your song out on each platform. People should be
familiar with your song well before the release.

Every single day from hereon in, release one piece of content including
your song.

Work on presaves. Encourage people to presave with incentives – e.g.,

giveaways, an extra song, a merch drop, etc.

Day 6: Playlists…
Consider your budget for playlists. I recommend allocating no more
than 20% of the total budget.

Use Submithub and Playlist Push, and approach curators at least a

week before. This gives people time to listen and plan ahead.

PRO: I have a playlisting tool called Sonar and communication

templates for how to reach out to curators. You can access this
here

Day 7: Setting Up Ads

Establish your budget. I recommend allocating 30-50% of the total
budget on ads.

Figure out your demographic. Decide who you are going to be

promoting your music to – e.g., their age, interests, location, etc.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 7: Setting Up Ads (continued)

If you have the time, consider learning more about Facebook and
Instagram ads to really hone in on your audience.

PRO: I wouldn't recommend setting up ads unless you know what

you're doing. I have ads specific courses in DK-MBA for this reason.

Day 8: The Press Release

Write a press release that sums up the important information about
your song. It should be no longer than 500 words. Be concise and only
include the best bits!

Make sure to add links to the music and any socials. Also remember to
include your contact info to save people the time of having to search
you up. Start sending your press release.
PRO: I have a press release template in DK-MBA which you can
access here.

Day 9: Research Time

Brainstorm the types of playlists your music would fit onto. Look at
artists similar in genre and make notes of playlists they are on.

Don’t limit yourself to genres; think outside the box – e.g., reading
playlists, holiday vibes, etc.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 9: Research Time (continued)

Explore different ways to find and

contact playlist curators yourself.
For example, there is a useful tool
in DK-MBA called Sonar, a
database you can search with
Sonar keywords and phrases. It will bring
up the contact info of a curator so
you can contact them yourself.

PRO: Be savvy when contacting

curators. Ask them how you can
send them a song, and how they
operate. I have a template you
can access here.

Day 10: Artwork

Now we start counting down to your release. If you have the time, try
to increase your content output to 2 pieces a day.

Work on new banners. These should include your artwork and a

countdown to release. You can also use these as assets – e.g., by
sharing them to your stories.

Don’t forget to give the artwork context. Rather than just posting it,
create a story that people can get behind. E.g., “This artwork is inspired
by my upcoming single / which is all about / If you’re a fan of classic
rock, you’ll definitely like our upcoming single etc

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 11: Radio Stations

Research radio DJs and stations, and make a
list of the people you could potentially get in
touch with.

Choose stations based on specifics – e.g.,

genre preference, location, how your single
might appeal to them in particular. Tap into a
niche and make a connection.

PRO: I have a database with over 1000+ radio

stations worldwide which you can access at
DK-MBA. Click here to access.

Day 12: Blog Day

Look for music blogs and local blogs you could send your press release
to (I also have a database). Approach them respectfully and mention
how you would love for them to consider mentioning your upcoming
single on their blog.

Day 13: The Merch Drop

Create a limited merch drop. Limited availability breeds interest. You
could offer 50 pieces of merch, 10, or even just print on demand.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 13: The Merch Drop (continued)

Use sites like Bandmerch, Teespring, Zazzle, Printify, and Redbubble to

design and print your merch.

Promote the merch drop over all of your socials, and mention how you
are only offering it for a limited time (e.g., a week) to celebrate your
upcoming single.

Day 14: Content Creation

Since your pre-made content should be starting to run out, it is time to
batch create another 20-30 pieces of micro content, or alternatively,
make a piece of long form content.

If you have a bigger budget, you can make a music video (if you haven't
already) which you can split up into micro content to post across your
socials.

PRO: I have a Social Media Manager in DK-MBA which gives you

ideas for content creation every single day. Get it here

Day 15: Live Performance

Record a piece of long form content for YouTube. This can be a live
performance of your song, an acoustic version, or even a collab with
another artist.

This will build excitement for your song, and if the quality of the
recording is high enough, you could even upload it to Spotify after
release.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 16: Collecting The Assets

The day before release, it is important to organise your assets on
either Google drive or Dropbox. It makes the process much smoother
to have everything in one place and labelled properly.

Prepare your friends, family, and contacts for the following day. Create
a messaging group and brief them for promotion. Ask them what they
would be willing to do to help you, and give them easy instructions on
how to do so – e.g., how to create a playlist with your song in it.

Set an alarm for 8am on the day of release, and get an early night to be
ready to go in the morning.

Day 17: Release Day

It’s release day! Wake up early and check the song has actually been
released.

Change your artist pick on Spotify, update your banners to announce

that your song is ‘out now’, and change your links so that they take
people to your new track. Or, you can even link them to a full playlist
that begins with that track.

Start interacting 1:1 with people. You will want to DM fans, email
people, send links to your contacts. Rather than treating your audience
as one collective, engage with them on a personal basis.

PRO: I have communication templates where you can copy and

paste to contact fans. Access them here

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 17: Release Day (continued)

Make sure to remind people to listen to the song in full, and put it into a
playlist (with other songs) to help the algorithm. When it comes to a
music video (if you've done one), you can drop this today or at a later
date.

Post stories on Instagram. Try to get people to interact with question

stickers and polls. Make sure to include links in your stories that take
people to your track, and your MV if you have one.
Boost your content with ads. Make sure they have context – i.e., they
introduce who you are to new fans, and explain your new single.
Choose your best content and promote it across all platforms.

Send your press release to more stations, playlist curators, blogs, etc.

Towards the end of the day, host a live party on either Instagram or
TikTok. Celebrate the release and thank fans for streaming your song!

Day 18: Playlist Competition

The goal for today is to target 20-50x people, and get them to build a
playlist around your song. You can incentivise this with a raffle or
giveaway. Perhaps even use your merch as the prize.

Continue to make 2x pieces of content a day to promote your new

single.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 19: Going Live

Today, you’re going to host a live on either TikTok or Instagram. Both
of these platforms are designed to encourage people to go live, so
they are likely to show your live to a few new viewers.

This will also be a good opportunity to direct people to your new song,
so make sure to spend a good portion of the live thanking people for
their support, playing the song, or answering relevant questions.

Day 20: Promoting The Merch

Use your song to announce another merch drop.

Host a giveaway for the merch, but include an entry clause that will
help promote your music. E.g., “If you share our new single and tag me
in it, I’ll enter you into the giveaway.”

Get a few friends to do it, and share their posts on your story. This
feeds into social currency, as other fans will want you to share them on
your story.

Day 21: Collab Day

Reach out to other musicians you know and ask them to collab. This
doesn’t have to be with a singer. It can be with a choir, drummer, DJ,
etc. The more unique, the better.

Try to create something quirky and interesting to post. Either it will be

a fun idea that you enjoyed implementing, or it could be something that
has the potential to go viral.

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com
20 The 23 Day
23 Single Release Plan
By Damian Keyes

Day 22: Content Batch

Here we go again… Today, I want you to make another 20x pieces of
micro content.

Remember, this song doesn’t die; It just stops being managed. Every
time you do a gig, it’ll come back to life. So, we need to be prepared
with content.

I want you to keep pushing this song for at least another month.

Day 23: First Week Analysis

Congratulations on reaching the last day! Today, I want you to analyse
your release. Make a list of what worked and what didn’t. Consider
what you can tweak. Apply that feedback to your next release.

Take time to make your thank yous. Message your fans 1 on 1 and
thank them for streaming your song. Make it personal with voice notes,
selfies, etc. They helped make your day special, so the least you can do
is return the favour.

That's not all...

I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming release.

Music can be overwhelming and I'm on hand to make sure

you have everything you need to be successful this year.

To pick up your 7 Day Free Trial at DK-MBA and get 23%

off your Membership, go to dk-mba.com and add the code
23DAYPLAN

Brought to you by
DK Music Business Academy
Join at dk-mba.com