Before starting your radio promotion campaign you need to make sure you have the three important ingredients, necessary for working your record to the radio.

1) The money to fund the campaign.
2) The time to spend working all the stations consistently.
3) A product that is ready for a national airplay.

If you have money to invest in your radio promotion campaign, you can hire an independent promoter. He may be able to open some doors to these shows for you. You have to be prepared to spend several hundred dollars a week for their services.

Considering the options available, a non-commercial side of the FM dial (88.1 FM to 91.9 FM) is a more realistic approach for music promotions. In the combination of college radio stations, community stations and even some of the larger National Public Radio affiliated stations you increase chances of getting your record played.

Below is offered an outline, based on how professional record labels plan for their radio promotion campaign.

You have to prepare two things: a database of commercial and non-commercial stations that you realistically think may play your music and the timeline you will use to put the promotional material together.

Do not forget that your plan may be distributed to employees and you may hire any independent promotion people. It may also be the plan they will base their work on.

1. Design a detailed overview of your radio promotion plan.

· All marketing and promotional ideas listed below should be considered.

· In order to help the market record the radio, you should propose what you think would work best in each of the areas.

· Keep cohesiveness between all the areas. Give reasons why your music is appropriate to each station you approach.

· You will need to use several practical tools/materials (computers, hardware/software, office supplies, etc.) in order to achieve your goals.

Make sure you address the following specific topics in your plan

· Goals. Do not forget to describe the goals of your plan and to give a brief history of an artist.

· Image. Make sure that you describe an artist's image consistently in all promo materials.

· Radio. Answer the following questions in your plan: What radio format(s) will be targeted? What markets? Which songs? Any station promotions? (On-air concerts?) Hiring any independent promoters?

· Publicity. Explain how you will create a "buzz" in the print media.

· Sales. Describe distribution and retail plans.

· Video. Define whether the video is cost effective and what airplay opportunities there are for the video.

· Touring. Describe a time frame for touring and other promotional events to coordinate while on the road and consider specific clubs, halls, fairs, festivals, etc.

· Advertising. Design an ad to be placed in the media.

2. Design a twelve week plan for a product and promotional tools

· Describe what has to be done each week to get the record out.

· Take into consideration the following: artwork, mastering, credits, sequencing, printing, pressing, booklets and design.

· Design a timeline with deadlines for each element of your project.

As you can see, a radio promotion campaign is something that is done as part of a wider marketing plan, thus, you need to have distribution and sales plans, publicity, advertising and touring plans, coordinated carefully with your airplay campaign.