OK just a recap - I searched on the web and found a quick and dirty list of Ten Rules For Succeeding in Your Own Business by Janet Attard (http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/startupsuccess.htm). In bold is what Janet says. Beside it is my application of this to the music business.
4. Make realistic estimates of your expenses... then double them. I cannot tell you how important this is. This became INCREDIBLY true in 2008 when I was touring around Texas and paying $4/gallon for gas in a 15 passenger van. That SUCKED! Remember this when recording as well. . .
5. Be true to your customers and prospects. I’m going to put in a quote from my friend Janet – “Don't promise what you can't deliver. Don't lie or exaggerate the benefits of what you sell and always deliver a quality product or service. Word-of-mouth marketing has always been one of the primary ways small businesses find customers. The Internet and social networking sites spread the word (good or bad) to even more potential customers.” I want to make a couple of comments on this.
1) Beware of booking agents. They can be great, but they can be so into trying to get you a gig that they oversell you. I want to play gigs – no doubt. But when you play a gig and someone’s breakdancing to George Jones? That’s just wrong (true story folks). 2) WORD OF MOUTH is the order of the day – and this can happen online more than anywhere else. More on that below. 3) FANS FANS FANS. Fans are awesome. Love them. Give them whatever they want. Fans are the heart and soul of this business, but they are the ONLY ones that are ALL about the music. They’re just like you – only most of the time they can’t sing or play an instrument. But they GET IT and they are worth their weight in gold.
6. Understand the importance of marketing and learn how to do it effectively. This is all about the music, but the biggest problem we musicians have is that we think that because we sound great, we’ll have big crowds at our shows. It just does NOT work that way. There are some great albums that no one’s ever heard. Why? Because even if you are with a record label, the market is so flooded with new artists and CDs that no one knows what to pay attention to and what is just another load of crap that someone is trying to sell them. So how do you market yourself? You can be conventional – you can hire a publicist and CD promoter and try to get your CD played on the radio. But unconventional avenues are going to yield better results. See the next blog for this.
I do want to state one thing - and I'll say it in the next blog. Do NOT waste your money on web advertising. Do you buy products or services just because you saw it on the web? NO you don't. I don't either. WORD OF MOUTH is the order of the day. Now the question is: How do you get people talking about you? Of COURSE the music has to be good. But the biggest hurdle is getting people to hear about it. More on that on the next blog. . .
Your ideas? That's what I'm posting this for!! Spill your guts.
4. Make realistic estimates of your expenses... then double them. I cannot tell you how important this is. This became INCREDIBLY true in 2008 when I was touring around Texas and paying $4/gallon for gas in a 15 passenger van. That SUCKED! Remember this when recording as well. . .
5. Be true to your customers and prospects. I’m going to put in a quote from my friend Janet – “Don't promise what you can't deliver. Don't lie or exaggerate the benefits of what you sell and always deliver a quality product or service. Word-of-mouth marketing has always been one of the primary ways small businesses find customers. The Internet and social networking sites spread the word (good or bad) to even more potential customers.” I want to make a couple of comments on this.
1) Beware of booking agents. They can be great, but they can be so into trying to get you a gig that they oversell you. I want to play gigs – no doubt. But when you play a gig and someone’s breakdancing to George Jones? That’s just wrong (true story folks). 2) WORD OF MOUTH is the order of the day – and this can happen online more than anywhere else. More on that below. 3) FANS FANS FANS. Fans are awesome. Love them. Give them whatever they want. Fans are the heart and soul of this business, but they are the ONLY ones that are ALL about the music. They’re just like you – only most of the time they can’t sing or play an instrument. But they GET IT and they are worth their weight in gold.
6. Understand the importance of marketing and learn how to do it effectively. This is all about the music, but the biggest problem we musicians have is that we think that because we sound great, we’ll have big crowds at our shows. It just does NOT work that way. There are some great albums that no one’s ever heard. Why? Because even if you are with a record label, the market is so flooded with new artists and CDs that no one knows what to pay attention to and what is just another load of crap that someone is trying to sell them. So how do you market yourself? You can be conventional – you can hire a publicist and CD promoter and try to get your CD played on the radio. But unconventional avenues are going to yield better results. See the next blog for this.
I do want to state one thing - and I'll say it in the next blog. Do NOT waste your money on web advertising. Do you buy products or services just because you saw it on the web? NO you don't. I don't either. WORD OF MOUTH is the order of the day. Now the question is: How do you get people talking about you? Of COURSE the music has to be good. But the biggest hurdle is getting people to hear about it. More on that on the next blog. . .
Your ideas? That's what I'm posting this for!! Spill your guts.
Comments