Greetings Friends!

As the subject implies, I am seeking advice on how to better promote my new broadcast. My average is somewhere around 2-3 listeners per broadcast...and I would like to see that grow significantly in the next month. After all, I see this as not only entertainment and edification for my brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, but also as an outreach music ministry opportunity.

I have created a MySpace account (Myspace.com/MastersMetal). I have created a Facebook group connected to my profile. I have added all of the labels and artists to my friend's lists for both pages. I have had a few people post my banner on their websites. However, non of that seems to have made much of a difference, if any at all.

I also posted a message about my program on my church website (I go to a HUGE church), but that seems to have come up in vain as well. I kind of figured that would happen because most of the members of my church are more into the Christian Rock like Thousand Foot Krutch, Pillar, Skillet, Echoes the Fall and etc.

I am sitting here right now with my broadcast running and have ONE person listening (according to the SHOUTcast Administrater). I just expanded to a three hour format and was excited to share all of the new music I received this week...but now I am actually feeling a little defeated, honestly.

Sure, I have had some of you claim that to have between 5-10 listeners is about as much as you can expect...and even a couple that say 3-5 is your average. However, this is the internet with millions of potential listeners out there at any given time! Sure, the "Christian Metal" scene is nowhere near the popularity of "Mainstream/Secular Metal". Sure, there are probably a hundred other aspects to take into consideration. However, I think we could do better...can't we?

For those of you who DO have a larger audience for your live broadcasts, what advice do you have for those of us who want to attract more listeners? Do not get me wrong, I love everything about this hobby...but...it sure would be nice to have others enjoying the work that I put into it.

Although I don't have a broadcast, I know well the disappointment of putting a lot of hard effort into something and through no fault of your own, having it fall flat due to poor attendance. I organise a monthly metal gig in my town, and it's not easy, yet frequently the turn out is poor and I never know why. I thinking about throwing in the towel after every gig. Same with my webstore, I've spent a lot of time and money on it, yet average one customer a month. I'm hoping things will pick up now that I've started a record label, but the pre-sale on out first album has only sold 10 copies... it's heart breaking, to be honest.

Promotion is not something which comes easily to most people, as you have to step out of your comfort zone, and start being overly assertive. You have to sell your product, and have the balls to trample over your competition, in one way or another. James (DMD) manages to do that, but it is rare in most genuine Christian activities. It's not easy to think like a businessman and a Christian at the same time. It's not easy to be loving, and a hard bastrd at the same time... which is often what is needed to succeed.

You not only need a product/broadcast which is superior to the others (why would anyone want it otherwise?), but you also need to let people know. You need to find a way to reach the masses, as well as offering something the other shows don't. In a niche market such as Christian metal, this can be tricky, as there are only so many people. You can either try to compete with the current group, and poach listeners from the other shows... or find some completely new people who don't already listen in.

You mentioned your church, that's a great place to start. Do you go to a Bible study? Try there as well. Get your real life friends to listen in, and remind all your online buddies to as well. Be persistent, bug the hell out of them. But don't be put off when they don't listen in. I'm good mates with FishingD and Necromanice, and most of the other DJs, yet I rarely listen into their shows anymore, for a variety of reasons. I'd like to, and I always enjoy listening, but it's not always possible. Out of every 10 people you ask, only expect 1 to end up listening, if you're lucky. Reach a lot of people, tell them about it, remind them weekly, but understand the poor turnout rate is natural and to be expected.

While you might only have 2-5, and another show might have 8-10 listeners, it might seem like their show is more successful, but the reality is that both have failed miserably. Considering the 'market' out there for Christian metal, those numbers are rather pathetic. Don't think of your own show as being any worse of than the others, instead look at the whole BJRadio as having the problem. If one show gets 10 listeners, while another gets 200, then there is a problem with that show. Despite the inbuilt competition between DJs, work together, even if just to offer emotional support and advice at the end of the day. You want your 'competitions' respect, not their hate. Work together, build up a family environment, and learn from each other what works and what doesn't.


Apologies if this came across more like a rant than advice, just in the middle of one of those "Why do I bother continuing with all this?" moments myself

Sorry for dragging this thread down with my innate negativity :/

actually rowly,its negetive but,stuff that garrison can learn by.i agree wholeheartedly.this is a tuff business.promotion is hard and even harder in the christian metal market.i agree,one must stay on top of things and often reinvent yourself to make yourself more creative and interesting.i tell everyone i know that i promote a thrash christian metal band.one thing that helps is networking on myspace.garrison,go on others sites and check out bands.mine is mostly bands.leave comments on their pages like you are happy to play their songs on your show.create interesting and eye catching bulletins.make yourself a tshirt advertising your show w/the webpage on the page.above all pray for doors to open and people to hear.pop in the chats like you have and remind folks when your show is on too.this is all i can think of for now.pls know you can pm me or message me on myspace anytime perhaps i can think of more.god bless, and rem.you are doing great! what i have caught of your show,i like alot.gods best!!

I appreciate all of the advice...and most of all the honesty on the topic!

Since I began this thread my aggregated tuning hours have tripled. This was due mostly in part to my experimenting with different styles of promotion to see what worked. I spent a solid two weeks, countless hours per day, seeing what the other stations were doing and what effect their methods had.

At this point I think that I have hit a wall...the wall is that BJR only draws so many people here. So, now my goal is to help get the word out about the station as a whole (as opposed to just my own show).

Garrison4JC wrote:

At this point I think that I have hit a wall...the wall is that BJR only draws so many people here. So, now my goal is to help get the word out about the station as a whole (as opposed to just my own show).

Yup, this was kinda what my whole rant was about. Worry about the individual shows after the whole radio station gets more listeners.


I noticed that the Strictly Stryper show got a mention in an old issue of Metal Hammer