By Cari Cole
The music biz is a tough nut to crack. Period. It’s tougher than being a real estate agent, working for a company, or even than being a regular entrepreneur.
Because:
- It takes a long time to develop and become a viable contender.
- You don’t make money up front or at the get-go like most businesses.
- There is no school that shows you this shit. You’ve got to figure it out as you go.
- There is a no guarantee you’ll be successful, even if you’re really good and smart.
How the heck do you climb this mountain? Mount this camel? Tame this beast? And avoid the trappings of overwhelm, and desperately trying to do everything yourself, but doing nothing well?
By getting the right help, informing yourself, knowing where you fit and pursue the industry that’s right for you, and knowing how to build a solid strategy that aligns with success – your success (not someone else’s – every artists’ climb is completely different.) And then to tweak the hell out of it. It’s a step by step, minute by minute, plan by plan kind of thing that needs your constant attention, love and badass inspiration.
Let’s face it. The only reason you want a career in music is because you love music. Period. And it’s not going to go away, even if you try to hide if from yourself — so you might as well go about the process of doing it well, before you die — or before another year slips by. Yes and yes. Hear you! With you. Been there.
However… if you’ve got the goods, a rock solid drive & determination as well as a steely will and stick-to-it-ness, you can absolutely carve your way to profits and even more importantly, to artistic success and critical acclaim.
But —-you’ve seriously got to know a few things first. Well, more than a few…. Over the past decade of helping artists master their music, here are the top tips that helped them stand out, and get a serious leg up.
Top 15 Ways to Be a Badass Musicpreneur and Stand Out Among the Sea of Submissions
- Know Who You Are and Where You Fit In the Music Industry
No two artists rise the same way. So don’t follow generic advice. Knowing who you are and where you fit informs your path. Also, do your research. Music is a pretty subjective thing. If you’re a hard rocker, don’t try to get licensed by a company that works with singer-songwriters or Americana artists. You want to be sure you are pitching to the right people.
- Know the Industry and How It Works
Mary J. Blige says “the music business is no place for people that don’t know things.” And add to that, if you don’t know what you don’t know, you don’t know what could be sinking you. Learn, invest, study, try things. And for gosh sake, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Learn from those who have gone before. The music industry is a complex place. Do not hesitate to get help when you need it. Start with these two books: The Soundtrack of My Life by Clive Davis and All You Need To Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman.
- You Don’t Need a Manager, You Need An Assistant
Most artists don’t need managers, they need a really good assistant. A manager comes into the mix when you’re making upwards of $100k. Until then, grow your team. Start with one person. Find the right one who is a killer assistant, and helps you grow your musicpreneurship.
- Create Systems and Automation
Save time, resources and precious cash by creating a system for everything you do and automate everything that you can. Use a project management system like Asana and a mailing list platform like Mail Chimp. Make life simpler and easier to manage.
- Set Goals (and build the tasks to the goal)
Harvard University has proven over the years from their alumni, that those who keep a list of goals achieve more. So always keep pointing your arrow to the target, and be sure to put the tasks in place to achieve the desired destination.
- Don’t Take It Personally.
Nothing anyone does is about you, so do your best not to take it personally. If you can achieve this one thing, your life (and career) will radically improve – and — you’ll feel calmer, more focused and way less stress.
- Follow Up Like a Boss
Most artists don’t follow up. I think it’s a psychological thing. You just assume they didn’t like your music, when the email probably is still sitting in their inbox, or worse, their spam folder. Follow up like a boss, and you’ll stand out right there.
- Don’t Take No As a Final Answer
Just because someone says no once, doesn’t mean they won’t say yes at another time. Keep working at it and don’t be afraid to ask again.
- Make Your Brand Speak for You
Your brand is your music at first glance. Your brand will determine whether people will click play or click away. It’s that critical. Make sure it speaks for you and not against you. Hint: if you hear crickets, this could be it. Make sure everything is congruent across all platforms and that your visuals match your genre. Your visual brand should look like your music sounds. Be sure it’s saying exactly what you want it to say.
- Market Until You Are Blue in the Face (and for longer than you think)
Most indie artists don’t market their records or singles long enough. Given that you have much less marketing muscle than bigger artists, you have to market for a longer period of time to experience results. Try marketing a single or a video for 8-10-12 weeks. Be sure to plan a serious campaign, schedule out your posts, using the 80% value and 20% promotional rule. The 80% value should be in line with the emotional tone of your content. People respond most to things that matter to them. Reach them where they live.
- Build Your Community of Artists and Mentors Who Are More Experienced Than You
DIY, Do it Yourself has turned into DIT, Do It Together. It’s important to get help from other artists and music mentors who have more experience than you to help you get there better and faster.
- Build A Team
Start with one assistant and then grow your team to build your business. Grab a social media intern and hire them if they’re good, and get a second assistant after you promote the first one. Pretty soon, you’ve got a Team that is supporting you and helping your grow. If they’re not helping you grow, they’re not the right team. Be slow to hire and fast to fire. Try people out first on projects (don’t jump into hiring them – make them prove their worth first) and don’t stay with people that don’t support you and the Team. And for gosh sake, find people who are smarter than you in their respective roles. You’ll benefit tenfold.
- Build the Right Connections for Your Music and Ignore the Rest
Not all industry people are created equal, nor are they the ones who are right for you and your music. After you figure out where you’re going in this business (touring, licensing, house concerts or being a local artist, a songwriter, DJ or a music producer), then research the people in your field who can help. Research people doing what you want to do and who they are working with. It all starts with finding the right people and ignoring the rest.
- Create a Plan and Strategy to Seriously Build & Leverage Your Career
If you are driving from Austin to LA with a roadmap or GPS. The same goes for your music career. If you don’t know where you’re going, chances are you won’t arrive. Work with professionals who can help you carve your path, identify the goal posts and build a tangible strategy. Priceless.
- Don’t Hope For It More Than You Work For It
It’s been said that success is when preparedness meets opportunity. Yep. Nothing is more true. If you are not working for it, you won’t seek it out. Those who work hard and stay focused on their goals are the ones who arrive. You can do this.
- Be Open, Enthusiastic & Generous Minded
No matter how long you’ve been at this. The truth is, the right people want to help. Make it easy for them. Positive, open people attract opportunity and the right people. Stay open, enthusiastic and be generous minded. It will come right back to you.
I hope this helps you knock it out of the park this year and next. Never give up ever. You got this!!!
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