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Now you all know how important it is to pay attention to the small details in this business. There is no room for carelessness when it comes to your music. When sending emails, you need to be professional in order to get the response that you’re looking for.This is one business where you usually only get one chance to prove yourself, and you wouldn’t want to mess up that chance with a tiny mistake like sending out an unprofessional email. Here are a few tips to make sure your emails are as professional as possible:

• Always put a subject that gives the receiver a clear idea of what’s in the email.

• Always introduce yourself and be sure to leave your contact info.

• Don’t CC a bunch of people on the email. If you are sending it to a few people BCC so that everyone’s email addresses are not visible.

• When forwarding a message, delete the previous info that shows who it was already forwarded to. (You don’t want everyone in your business.)

• Do not send a whole album/mixtape full of tracks. Pick 3-5 that show you at your highest potential and send those.

• When sending music to a DJ, radio station, etc – always be sure to send the ‘radio edit’ (clean version) first, as well as the explicit version. You don’t want to limit yourself. You want to be able to have your music played in clubs as well as on the radio etc.

• It’s usually better to send a link to your songs instead of sending an mp3. You don’t want the person to have to download your track before they even hear it.  Pay attention to how the sender wants to receive music, some people specifically ask for links. If you are sending to a gmail account, you might be safe sending mp3’s but you are always safe sending links.

• Try to personalize each email instead of sending a generalized mass email. (Save that for your mailing list!) You will always get a better response talking to each person directly instead of sending the same message to a bunch of people and hoping that someone responds. #GetPersonal

• Always have a pretty clear idea of what you would like to accomplish with that person before you send the email. If you want them to just listen and give their opinion let them know. If you need help with promotion, tell them. Never just blindly send someone music without a goal in mind.

• Always… ALWAYS proof read your emails before you send. Good grammar is more important than you think!

If you follow these few small steps you will be on your way to getting a much better response!

So you just spent plenty of time and money in the studio recording great original music that everyone is going to absolutely LOVE, buuuuuuut now what? What’s the next step? Now is the time to really buckle down and make sure your business is in order. How are you going to get your music out there? (link to last blog about marketing tips) What tracks are you going to promote as singles? (need help let me know!) How do you copyright your music? How do you register it for Mediabase so that you can track your music when it hits the radio? What are some dope venues that book artists? Do you look for a manager? What should you spend your money on? Lets iron some things out…

First off, lets start with the music.

Examine the album and make sure it’s exactly how you want it.

• Does every track have a dope concept? Catchy hook?

• Really listen to it closely, are your verses on point? or do you hear some tiny mistakes?

• Do you have at least three tracks that you can promote as singles that will make everyone hype about your album?

• Do your lyrics really show who you are, or are you using a lot of basic fillers? (by basic fillers I mean: you were almost done your track but needed a few more bars so you just said anything to fill it in)

Sometimes you swear you’re done, but then once you review everything you realize that you might have a few kinks to work out – don’t be lazy, make sure you correct whatever you feel needs to be corrected. If it’s not where you want it to be, go back in on it and work until you get it to 110%. In the end its all about the music, so you don’t want to move any further until thats as close to perfect as you can get it. You’re about to spend time and money getting it out there so you want to make sure you’re not wasting your time. This is your career on the line here, not something to play with!

TEST OUT YOUR RECORDS! It’s very rare that artists do this, and it saddens me. Before you release records to the public, allow a select few others to hear it. Write down a list of 25 people (can be a mix of friends + family members, but you should also include a few others outside of your circle that you know will give you their honest opinion.) Either have a listening party or a private studio session where you invite special guests to take a listen, or if you don’t want to do that then at least get everyones email address and send out a few tracks for them to preview. Be sure to let everyone know that this is a special release before you make the actual release. You might also want to hit a few open mics and do some special performances to make sure that your record catches the crowd. If you know any dj’s (which you should really try to get to know some) you might be able to get them to spin your record at one of their events/venues so that you can see the crowds reaction. This will not only allow you to get opinions on your new music, but it will build up the hype around your release.

Before you start to promote, you must examine your presentation. Your presentation must be as professional as possible. This will not only help you to promote better, but it will get you a much better response once you do start promotion. Ask yourself the following questions and be sure to get everything in order:

• Do you have a website with bio, music + videos, photos, gigs etc?

• Are all of your social networks updated and being utilized properly?

• Do you have a mailing list?

• Do you have any merchandise that represents your brand?

• Do you have business cards to hand out at your shows?

Once your music and presentation is up to par, now it’s time to get it heard. Of course before you decide to release your music it’s best to get it copyrighted. Check out this dope blog by my girls over at xxiiiv.com, it does a great job at explaining copyrights.

Once you are ready to copyright your music you can do so online here.

Performing is a major part of promotion. You need to line up performances: whether its an open mic, a party, a college event, a competition or your own show; whether the performance is 10 minutes long or a whole hour set – YOU NEED TO BOOK SHOWS. You don’t have to get paid but you have to perform. You can also check out this website (http://www.indieonthemove.com/) to find a list of venues + booking info from all different cities.

Promotion, promotion….PROMOTION!! What good is it to have great music if no one hears it? 

There are some great resources out there to help with promoting your music. You need to get your music on some dope music blogs and you should also put a small budget aside for other promotional services. I actually have plenty of great promo services for you to utilize right here at exclusivepublic.com!

Now it’s time to also think about getting some radio spins. However, before you do this you MUST register your music so that it can be tracked. Tracking sales and spins of your music with SoundScan and BDS is extremely important. If you are not tracking your spins with BDS how are you going to know where your fans are? If you are not tracking sales with SoundScan how are you going to know what is working and what is not working?

* BDS – Broadcast Data Systems. This is how you track how many spins you are getting on the radio. REGISTER HERE.

* SoundScan – This is how you can track your actual sales online, in retail, and at venues. REGISTER HERE.

Now is a great time to think about selling your music online. It’s always cool to give away free downloads of your music in the beginning of your career (usually in your ‘mixtape phase’) so that people can get to know your sound, but there comes a time when your buzz starts to grow and you are creating dope singles/EPs and it’s time to start earning money from your music.

Check out this blog post by Paul Porter (@industryears) that has great information on outlets to sell your music online.

Get your music to our speakers! Online streaming, itunes, amazon, etc. Hit up your local media outlets. Do interviews, make special guest appearances, set up a speaker on a corner and rock out, just get your music heard LOUD AND CLEAR.

If all of this seems a bit overwhelming, it might be a good idea to figure out if it’s time to hire a manager. Check out my blog “do I really need a manager” to help you with your decision. I will say that if you still feel you can do everything on your own without taking time away from your music, continue to do so as long as you can. Usually a manager will look for you once you are making a nice impression so you might want to continue working and eventually you will start to get attention from managers.

Everyone’s situation is different, but there are some basic steps that everyone needs to take. You have to remember to always examine your current situation. I do this at least once a week. Lay everything out on the table. See what you currently have in place and make sure it is working. Figure out what you lack, and know what you’re great at. Do as much as you can by yourself. Utilize your network and build your buzz up a bit, teach yourself the business before you try to reach out to managers, publicists etc. Prove to everyone that you are a hard working, dedicated artist before you try to hire a whole team to do things for you. The more you learn the more you earn.

Now we’ve all heard it before, and might even be guilty of saying it “This year is it. This year I’m gonna take my career seriously” but really… what’s your plan to make this happen?  I’ve decided to write this article to help hungry artists accomplish their mission of taking their career to the next level in 2013. Below are just a few things to focus on that will give you a jump start to the year. Remember its not always about working harder, it’s about working smarter.

Say BYE to Mixtapes, Focus on Singles – I’ve discussed this before and have had many debates about it with artists that are stuck in the ‘I must put out a mixtape’ mindset. But lets just get this out of the way…The reason why you need to focus on creating catchy singles instead of giving everyone a whole mixtape is very simple: YOU NEED TO BUILD AN AUDIENCE. As an indie artist, your main focus should be to do things that will help you gain new fans and make new connections. If you release a great single with a video, and get that posted to blogs and really start spreading it around, it will have much more of an impact than a mixtape. Why would you release a mixtape if you don’t have people checking for it? A single will make much more of an impact. People don’t like to search through 14 songs from an artist that they haven’t heard of, but they will check out a single (especially if it’s referred by someone they know, or posted on popular blogs). Once people start to catch onto your single, they will anticipate more of your work and they will even go back to check out records that you’ve released in the past. So while most artists like to take the time out to record tons of music but then only spend 5% of that time actually promoting it, this year you should spend less time recording and more time marketing. Record 5 singles instead of 14 mediocre records – and all that extra time that you would have spent on the rest of your mixtape, spend it heavily marketing and promoting your singles. So are we clear? No mixtapes until people are asking for it (and I don’t mean your circle of friends).

Create A Demo – This is almost a no-brainer, but still so many indie artists would rather create a mixtape instead of a professional demo. Using those singles that we talked about in the previous paragraph, create a DEMO that’s 3-5 tracks long. So then you will have 3-5 strong records that you can use to promote yourself and build your fan base. Your demo will also help when booking shows and finding other major opportunities for your career.

Brand Yourself – Know who you are and be able to describe who you sound like and what you stand for. Use one name for all of your social networking sites (so that it’s easy to find you), get professional photos with a few different looks that make you stand out, get your own personal website, and make sure your bio is up to date. All of these things matter more than you think (and that is actually the least you can do). You are not selling your music, you are selling your brand. Artists that have a clear branded image stand out from the crowd and look a lot more professional.

Get Your Paperwork in Order – This can be the annoying part, but it is all very necessary. Paperwork makes the world go round and sets apart those who are only pursuing music as a hobby from those who are pursuing this as a career. Once you create your demo, you need to get all of your music copyrighted and registered with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI). If you are expecting radio play this might also be a good time to get your songs BDS registered. I am not going to go into all of this here because we have already discussed this in previous articles on this site. But if you do your research, you will find all of the details you need. Which leads me to my next point…

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH! – Everything that you don’t know, someone else has mastered. If you don’t know something, be sure to look it up! The more you learn the more you earn. This music industry is rough, so why would you blindly go into a business like this and expect to be successful? Make it a point to research something new everyday. You’re reading this article (so salute to you!), but make sure you are reading articles like this all the time. Also, there are many books on the industry that are inexpensive but extremely useful. You can start by downloading an amazing book by Wendy Day (@RapCoalition) entitled “How to Get a Record Deal” (click here to buy it on Amazon).

Get Your Mingle On – with DJs, artists, managers, venue owners, promoters, producers, music execs and most importantly, your FANS. This industry is all about relationships, so artists need to do a better job at making those connections. Instead of spamming everyone with your music link, start conversations with people and ease your music in later. Make it a point to engage with people. Don’t talk at them talk with them, and I promise you will see a big difference in the outcome of your networking.

Stay Consistent With Your Content – Instead of solely focusing on gaining followers and fans, focus on keeping everyone entertained with great content. From music videos to behind the scenes footage, live performances and in-studio vlogs etc, there are so many ways to provide great content which will not only please your fans but attract new ones as well. And while you’re keeping us updated with great content, be sure to keep all of your social networks and websites updated. When you have a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reverbnation, plus your own website, it can be easy to slack in the updating department so be sure to keep a close eye on this.

Identify Your Sound – This is another part of branding. As an artist it is always great to be diverse when it comes to the type of records you can make, but it is also important to develop your own sound. For example: when you hear a Timbaland beat, you usually know it’s a Timbaland beat. You know a Kanye record when you hear one. Singers from Rihanna to Alicia Keys to Mariah Carey, all have their own distinct sound. This also plays a part in the longevity of your career. A great way to get started is to find a producer (or a select few) that really understand and are able to deliver the sound that you’re aiming for. This will also benefit you in the promotion department because you can now cross market each other, or maybe even become a team.

Utilize All of the Tools Given to You – Reverbnation has so many resources for artists to utilize – from a mailing list program, to a gig finder, to press kits and great tools for promotion – but artists are only using a small percentage of those resources. YouTube has a feature that allows you to make money off your videos. TuneCore allows you to post your music on iTunes, amazon, etc but yet you’re still giving every little thing away for free right? Which leads us to the final point…

Figure Out A Way to Make Money – I’m sure that by now you have realized that pursuing a career in music is expensive. You might want to think about finding a sponsor or investor, freelancing, fund raising, or how about using your knowledge and promotional skills to SELL OUT SHOWS?! Whatever you do, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. There are many ways to make money, find your niche’ and run with it.

True artists live and breathe what they do. If you are choosing a career in music, treat it as such. When you wake up think, ‘What am I going to do today to move my career forward?’ When you go out, put your game face on and make those connections. If you ever find yourself getting bored during the day, pick up the pen and start writing; think about your current plan and make sure its working for you. Whatever you do, don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. Longevity usually means creating great music and a strong brand that stands out, so focus on creating the best product you can. This year, make it a point to DO THINGS WITH A PURPOSE. Do things that will help your career progress.

Managers come a dime a dozen.  A good manager will play a vital part in your success. It is up to the artist to learn as much as possible about management before acting too fast and deciding to sign on the wrong person for the job. In your career, you need to take chances, but not when it comes to proper representation. You need to be represented correctly to make valuable connections in your career, and that’s not something to gamble on.  In this blog, we will talk about the responsibilities of a manager and discuss whether a manager is really what you need.

Let’s start off with the responsibilities for which a manager is NOT responsible. Artists often mistake a manager to be not only a decision maker, but an investor and a promoter as well. While managers often handle these duties, it is NOT the manager’s responsibility to fund your career; that is your job as an artist. A manager will definitely help by securing contracts and opportunities for you to be able to make money to fund your career, but it is not a manager’s responsibility to pay for things such as studio time, promotion, etc. It is also not the sole responsibility of managers to promote you; they are supposed to help you promote, not completely take over that role. As an artist you should always do your best to promote yourself and reach out for more connections, regardless of how many people you hire to help you.

The responsibilities of a manager vary depending on what the artist wants/needs and by how far along an artist is in his or her career. An indie manager takes over the artist’s business responsibilities so that the artist can focus more on his or her craft. An artist should always be involved and hands on when it comes to business decisions and ideas, but having a manager can make this easier and take some weight off so the artist can mainly focus on his or her craft. A manager is constantly making connections to further the artist’s career and keep the artist on track and in the loop. The manager works with the artist to create a marketing plan. Both work together to follow it. Managers are responsible for representing the artist to the best of their ability at all times. They should focus not only on the development of the artist, but also on getting tracks heard by DJs, publicists, booking agents, media brands, label execs, radio stations, online and print publications, and anything else that can bring artists a step closer to their goals. A manager schedules interviews and photo shoots, and generally oversees the artist’s career to make sure that everything is running the way it should. Managers’ roles tend to change as artists advance in their career. An indie manager may have duties similar to those of a booking agent, press agent, business manager, and even a tour manager. As artists’ careers grow, managers are able to pass some of their duties off to actual booking agents, publicists, and so on.

Truth is, if you are an indie artist you should be able to handle most of the manager’s responsibilities on your own in the beginning of your career. You do not need a manager until you have too much to handle, and by that time you usually don’t have to look for one:  they will come to you. You shouldn’t hire a manager because you don’t know what to do. It should be because you took your career as far as it can go, and you now have too many responsibilities distracting you from your music. Many artists ask anyone to be their manager—possibly a best friend, family member, or someone who  showed interest in them—because they think he or she makes them look professional. In reality, hiring a manager who doesn’t have connections or even know much about the industry doesn’t make you look professional. KNOWING THE BUSINESS as well as your craft is what makes you professional.

Manager’s Responsibilities Broken Down:

• Planning – The manager should communicate with the artist to find out what their goals are and what they need to focus on. The manager will do everything in their power to keep the artist happy and keep the business end on the right track.

• Overseeing and Enabling – The manager’s main job is to help with determining decisions related to career moves, bookings, promotion, business deals, recording contracts, etc.

• Negotiating – The manager will play a major part in negotiating contracts with booking agents, media brands, label execs, producers, etc.

• Networking – The manager will do their best to constantly make the artist’s name known to media brands, publicists, DJs, etc. The manager should always work hard to gain connects to help further the artists career.

As artists move further along in their career their managers’ jobs can be broken down and they can then hire a music manager, business manager, and road/tour manager instead of having one manager handling all of those duties. If you don’t have a manager, ask yourself WHY you want one. Know what your goals are and ask yourself, “How would having a manager help me?” A lot of artists are early in their careers and do not need a manager. Analyze your career and continue to work hard to promote yourself and make legitimate connections before you decide to hire a manager. In this way, a manager will find you. If you already have a manager, make sure he or she is doing their job to further your career. Be picky with whom you want to represent you and take control of your music career.

What is the purpose of marketing? Is it to sell something? ….ummmm not exactly. In the end that might be what you want, but lets keep it simple: the purpose of marketing is to raise awareness of you and your brand. “Marketing is the process of making potential customers and clients interested in your products and/or services.” So marketing is grabbing attention from others. Making them aware of you. Then, if you catch someone’s attention, there’s a big possibility that they’ll become a fan and listen to your music and hopefully buy it and any other products that you put out. So really, the main goal of marketing is to get a response.

What exactly do I mean by that? Lets say you release a new single: the response you’re looking for is that you get a bunch of listens, great comments, retweets, likes, views, more show offers etc. Or say you reach out to someone on a social network, the positive response would be that they reply or acknowledge you, they show interest. Or what if you have a performance? The positive response you’re looking for is: many people show up to see you perform, people love your performance and they want to see you perform again and they are now even more interested in your music. It’s all about the response you get. That’s why they say it’s better to have 1000 active twitter followers that retweet and respond to you, than it is to have 30,000 followers that can care less about your tweets. And as I always say, it’s better to promote your music to 25 people that you know, than to blindly send your music to 100 people.

Because this is an over crowded industry, your first impression can really make you or break you. Record execs get so many music submissions daily, so it’s your job as an artist to make sure that your first impression is a lasting one. No need to beg for your music to get heard. You must give off a lasting first impression that makes people generally interested in you. Talent isn’t all that you need in order to succeed in the business. Think bigger than music. You need to give fans a clear image of who you are and what you stand for – the key is to be able to relate but also stand out. We all have our similarities and differences, so it’s not that hard, just be yourself. Think about what you want to be known for (aside from recording great music), and go from there.

Let’s start with the basics. From your name to your look to everything in between, you need to be able to capture an audience. KNOW YOUR PRODUCT!! What exactly are you promoting? KNOW your brand. What do you stand for? What is your niche’? What sets you apart from the other artists? If you can answer these questions you are already a step ahead. A good friend/mentor of mine and guru behind the #LikeableAssholes clothing line  gave me a really cool analogy. He said, “Branding yourself is like getting ready to go to the club. You don’t just wake up out of bed and head out, first you shower, throw on a nice outfit and really groom yourself, THEN you’re ready to hit the club” – that’s exactly what branding does. It polishes your image so that you get a better response from potential fans, business opportunities etc. It gets you ready to face the industry.

Examine yourself. What name are you using to market yourself? Does it ring a bell? Is it simple and easy for people to remember? For example, “John Doe” and “King John Doe the Greatest Rapper Alive,” which name would be more marketable? You guessed it, the first one of course. Also, does your Twitter name match your Facebook and all of your other social networking sites? Can someone go on Twitter and find you, then go on Google and search for the same name and find all of your websites? You must keep it simple and to the point. My name is @BreezyB215 on Twitter, you can find me at facebook.com/breezyb215, as well as Instagram @BreezyB215. Your email should also be some version of your name (example: johndoe@gmail.com). The easier it is for people to find you, the better luck you will have getting people to listen to your music or check out any other product you have to offer. In order to market yourself properly, you also need to make sure to have at least the basics: You need some sort of press kit or website so that you have one place where all of your music/videos/show dates etc. can be found. You can start with a press kit but then you will eventually need a website. There are some great options out there that allow you to do this for free (Try wordpress.com to create a simple website, and check out myartistdna.com for a free press kit). Business cards are also very professional and good to have in those moments when you don’t have much time (which is often since you’re so busy with your music right?).

Examine different techniques to grab attention. First off, how do you expect to get the proper response out of someone if you don’t get to know them a bit? Why would you expect someone to care enough to listen to your music and share it if you don’t care enough to show interest in them? That’s a bit one-sided if you ask me. You need to show genuine interest in others if you expect the same in return. Don’t just share your music and hope that people listen. Try asking an engaging question, or if they are another artist, listen to their music and comment them on it. Then they will be more willing to listen to you. If someone that you want to network with asks a question to their TL, answer it and engage in conversation from there.

The next big thing that I see many artists have a problem understanding is that you need to find out how people want music submitted before you try to send them music. You have to remember, there are those that are actively searching for new music and therefore they might be interested in hearing your music in your first conversation. There are those that like to get to know you first before they even think to listen to your music. There are those who are already very well established and connected so in order to approach them and get a response you will need to really catch their attention. There are those who would rather speak through email and it might even take a few weeks for them to get back to you. There are also those that can care less about your music because they are not concerned with finding new talent or hearing anything unless it’s on the radio or their friend referred them. There are those who see you as competition so they might not listen to your new music and they sure as hell won’t share it, so sending your music to them is pointless. Everyone is different and everyone has their own way to do things but the common ground between all of them is that if you approach them the right way, they will be receptive. Don’t mention or tag people with your music, approach them the right way then once you find out that they do accept music submissions, find out how they want it.

Learn to get your point across. Stick to the bottom line. Have a clear view of why you’re reaching out to a person before you approach them, this way they will have a clear understanding of their role. The worst way to network is by randomly hitting someone up, they ask you what it is that you want to accomplish, and you sit there with a blank look on your face because you have no idea. Most of the time you just want that person to listen to your music. Then there are DJs who you want to not only listen to your track but spin it also. Then there are music execs that you want to listen plus pass it on or possibly invest in you. You get my point. All I’m saying is that you need to think before you act. This business is rough, you don’t want to just wing it.

Be personable. No one wants to speak to a robot. You gain more attention by personalizing things such as emails and even tweets. If you send me a “hey check out my music” tweet, then I look at your Twitter and you’re saying the same thing to a thousand other people, that only shows that 1. you don’t have a marketing plan, 2. you’re desperate to get your music heard and 3. I’m not special enough for you to personally ask me to take a listen (you aren’t paying attention anyway you’re just spamming random people) . This isn’t going to get you the response that you want. Be sure to personalize everything as much as you can. Do research on who you are sending music to and know why you are sending your music. Do you need help with promotion? Are you interested in their marketing services? Did they ask for song submissions for their label or management group? When you approach a DJ about playing your music, do you ask them to play your music right off the bat? Or do you talk to them, find out where they play, and find out what kind of music they are looking for? And again, how do you know if they even accept submissions? Put some thought into things, then do.

I’m sure that there are already people in your circle that can help you market your music. Learn to utilize the network that you already have to build your brand. How many people do you know that would listen to your new single right now if you sent it to them? (write them down) How many music blogs are you in contact with that might post your video? (write them down as well) You want to be organized so that you’re not scrambling all over the place trying to find things and so that you can have a clear handle on your marketing. You can even categorize your followers into lists on Twitter – separate followers into  ‘blogs’, ‘producers’ ‘artists’ ‘fans’ (consider fans people that you KNOW will RT your video).

Find your target audience and give them what they want. You must understand that your music isn’t for everyone. Before you release that hit single, before you go on tour and perform in front of your fans, before you can sell a whole bunch of merchandise, you first have to have an idea of who your potential fans are. I know some of you are thinking “but how can I know who/where my fans are before I even start to promote?” – it’s pretty simple actually. There are a few steps that you can take to help you narrow it down. First things first, who can you relate to? Know what you stand for, and who would benefit from you. Who does your music relate to? Do you record a lot of love songs for the ladies? Think about the age group that you appeal to. Is your music for a younger crowd or is it pretty vulgar and only for adults? Remember, the goal isn’t about letting everyone hear your music, it’s about getting your music to the right people. You’re not going to promote a hip hop showcase to a country music lover. Narrow it down a bit, do some research on the different areas of the country/world that certain genre’s are appreciated the most. Basically, start where you know it works, then spread from there. Instead of putting on a blindfold and hoping you hit the target, take the blindfold off and aim at the target. Make sense?

The key is to keep people engaged. Keep your fans interested and in the loop – they say that it only takes 1000 super fans for an artist to make a living. Meaning, if you found 1000 people that will share all of your music, pay attention to your every tweet/status, buy all of your merchandise and stay updated on all the latest YOU, you can earn a nice living off of your music. This takes a lot of fan engagement. Get creative. Interact. Respond to tweets/comments etc. Appreciate those around you.

Learn how to choose the right songs to promote. Pick a song that has a nice beat, great lyrics, and a nice hook and never release any music that is not properly mixed! You are being compared to music that is already on the radio, make sure your quality matches that of those who are already out there. Take the time to put in that extra effort. And once you do decide to release a single, you need to drop it on em hard. Releasing a single doesn’t mean tweeting it and posting it to Facebook so that you’re friends/followers can see it. That’s not a release. You really need to have a nice plan to make your single go viral. With the right sources, you can make your record spread like wildfire. You might have to spend some money to do it, but best believe it will be worth it. Lay out the groundwork before you release. Find the websites/music blogs that get the most amount of traffic, get your video posted to as many as you can. This will bring attention to your music from others that don’t know who you are. Think big, think broad. And watch your timing! Don’t get ahead of yourself. You just recorded your first album and you’re excited to release it, however, are people anticipating your release? Choose a single, shoot a quality video for it and release that a few weeks before you release your full album. Build anticipation. Get people excited to hear more. You don’t want to release a new single or mixtape every few weeks, we call that ‘music overload’. Be sure to properly promote the first single or mixtape, before you even think of releasing another one.

Capture your audience by putting on a great performance. Performing is a huge money-maker for artists, so why is it that so many artists out there just like to ‘wing it’ instead of really putting their all into every show? You might think “it’s just an open mic it’s no biggie” but I’m sure the record exec hidden in the audience thinks otherwise. Use your performance to keep your fans engaged and to gain new ones. Also be sure to always have business cards, hard copy CDs, and even some merchandise to either give away or sell at your shows. It’ll feel great to see your fans wearing your shirt to your next performance.

In conclusion, the key to making a sale is not to sell. Marketing doesn’t have to seem like marketing. Having a simple conversation with someone will allow your name to be known. If you inform people about a product (your music/brand for example), but don’t necessarily try to shove it down their throats, you’ll have a better chance at making that ‘sale’ in the end. Just like you don’t enjoy sales calls, spam emails etc, no one likes emails, tweets, posts on their page that they didn’t ask for. There is such thing as over promotion. When you ‘over promote’ you get over looked. The key is to give a little and keep everyone wanting more! No one wants to hear about your music all day, they want to get to know YOU. You have to learn how to get their attention in other ways. Always think WHY? …why should someone listen to your music? Why should they respond to you? WHY? And finally, you must also always respect constructive criticism. How are you supposed to improve if all you want is for people to tell you how great you are? There will always be positive and negative responses to everything you do, that’s life. You must be open to both and learn from all responses.

I hope this helped put some things into perspective. To all the artists that are really putting in work… #SALUTE!!!

Before the internet even existed, the only way to really succeed in the music industry was to get a deal with a record label. Labels had all of the control, they had the radio connections, and they had the money for touring and promotions etc. Nowadays, technology has enabled us to get a serious head start on everything. The ‘singing on the corner method’ that artists used back in the day, has been replaced with uploading your music and videos online. Technology has allowed us to reach the masses without the use of a major label.

With so many different outlets for artists to succeed independently, the question always arises – do we need a major record deal? This is asked everyday by thousands of indie artists that are eager to get ahead but not exactly sure what route is the way to go. When I say ‘indie’ I am referring to the other options aside from signing to a major label. This can be a combination of actually starting your own company or label, or even signing to a smaller ‘indie’ label. In my opinion, they are both pretty much the same thing. It can be argued that many independent labels don’t have resources and connections that you can’t get on your own. Technically, if you choose to sign to an indie label, you are still pretty much doing things your own way. There are a few factors both positive and negative that play a huge part in your decision to go indie or major. Allow me to break it down for you:

MAJOR label = MAJOR network. Labels have the control that they do because they are connected to all of the major media brands, radio stations, celebs, managers, etc. Major labels have major reach and influence. Remember, they once had full control of the industry, so of course their network and power is vast. If you sign to a major label you have a larger network to help launch your career. Some independent labels also have large networks, but in this case they are usually connected to a major label in some way. A network takes time to build, and many artists don’t have a clue on how to reach out and build relationships to help them along in their career. Artists mainly focus on the art, but unfortunately music doesn’t market itself. It takes a large network and a lot of promotion to really get your music out there, and this can be very discouraging – which is why most indie artists long to get that major deal.

Money is probably the most desirable asset of a major record label. Making music is EXPENSIVE. Before it pays off it will mean paying out. From recording to performing to branding and promotion and everything in between – you need a nice budget to really get anywhere in this industry. The most obvious reason why a major label is attractive to indie artists is because labels have the budget to properly launch an artist. In order to successfully release an album and expect it to have widespread appeal, a significant amount of money must be invested in the release. What artists usually don’t realize is that when you sign to a major label, they might give you this big advance and allow you to record in huge fancy studios, and your single might be all over the radio, BUT once them royalties start to come in, you (the artist) are now responsible for paying ALL of that money back! The artist is the last person to get paid. Labels LOAN you money and expect a nice hefty return. So what if you release your album and it doesn’t do as well as everyone expected? How are you going to pay back the label? This happens more than you might think.

On the other side of things, signing to an indie label or even doing it entirely yourself, can be a bit of a struggle. Independent labels don’t have the huge budgets that major labels have, and indie artists usually don’t have thousands of dollars to devote to their music career. However, there are ways of getting around this, like finding an investor or sponsor to help you with your music needs. This might take a bit longer and there is a lot of work involved, but it is definitely possible.

This leads me to the next factor that you might consider when it comes to signing to a major label – profit. As an independent artist, when you make a sale, it is your money to keep. When you put your song on itunes, amazon etc – the money that you make goes directly to YOU. If you did some research, you will see that artists signed to a major label only make a tiny fraction off of album sales. So if the label is selling your album for $12, well you might get $0.75 cents on each of those albums. Why is this? It is because the label spent the money on getting the best (most popular) producers, recording in the most expensive studios, plus spent thousands and thousands of dollars on promotion, and don’t forget you also have to pay your manager and all of the legal fees – and you must pay all of that back before you see a profit. The only thing that gives the artist ANY leverage is previous sales (before you were signed)!

(source: www.hypebot.com)

Control is also a major issue. When you go the indie route you have complete creative control over your music. You can record whatever song you want, feature whoever you want, add whatever final touches your heart desires. You can style yourself the way you would like, you can perform wherever you want and you can pretty much make your own schedule. Independent artists have control of their career. The closer you get to a label, the less control you have. This is part of the reason why it is better to build a network and gain fans yourself – because then once a label approaches you, they can see that you have already been successful doing things your way, which will allow you to have more say in your contract with the label.

One thing that is lacking with major labels is personal relationships. With all the changes going on in the music industry, major labels have sort of a revolving door. Major labels have laid off most of their staff in the last few years. This means that when you sign to a major label, that one person that originally fell in love with your music, might actually be gone before you even get a chance to release your album. This now leaves you fighting for attention from the label and can result in you not being able to even release your music. Because indie labels have smaller staffs and smaller rosters, it’s easier for musicians to develop a close relationship with the people working on their record. They sign you because they love your music and believe in your music and your brand. Going the indie route, you can connect more with your fans and build a close relationship with those that you choose to work with. Signing to a major label leaves you with less control. Major labels look at you more as a dollar sign, while indie labels care more about the artist themselves.

There has been a huge change in the music industry. While I’m not against signing to a major label, I am simply stating that artists need to get out of that old mindset of “I have to get signed to a major label to make money doing what I love.” Your main focus should not be to release as much music as possible and find that one person that is going to get you signed and all of your dreams will come true. This is not a way to go about your music career. The music industry has changed, therefore your approach must change with it. Labels don’t like the change because they now have less control. As an artist, you should embrace this change because it allows you to build up your empire without a label, and therefore gives you much more control of your career. Most labels won’t even consider a new artist unless they have a proven track record of consistent performances, and record sales on their own. Record labels can no longer take a risk on launching a new artist that has no fanbase. If you do want to eventually get signed to a label, that’s fine. Just don’t let your main priority to be finding a label contact – all that will do is give you access to a 360 deal where the label has full control and makes a percentage of EVERYTHING you do. You as an artist must take things into your own hands. Don’t let a major label be your focus, let building your network, strengthening your relationships and perfecting your craft be your focus. Combining live shows with heavy internet promotion will result in a solid fan base. When you have that, you have the choice to either move to a major label or to continue making money doing what you love. There are more avenues than ever before for indie music in general, and that means musicians have a better shot at success with a self release. Go out there and build solid relationships! In a few years time, you can definitely reach a lot of people!

Being an independent artist is a whole lot of work. It can get really hectic at times, especially if you are not sure what to focus on first. Every day I see artists spending hours tweeting their music to random people and celebrities on twitter, or posting their video to Facebook a million times where only their few hundred friends can see it. In this business time is money, so you need to spend your time wisely and come up with a way to spend less time with greater results. Promote with a purpose. As an artist, your goal is to make great music and get it heard by the masses, so it’s time to buckle down and focus on the right things to further your career. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of some of the main things you should focus on and basic questions to ask yourself as an artist. The following are not in any specific order because they are all of equal importance:

1.       The Art – Are you a master of your craft? Do you create singles? Do you have enough material for an album or mixtape? Do you have a steady recording studio? Has your music been mastered? What makes you stand out among the other hundreds of thousands of artist’s out there? (are you marketable?) Why should someone buy your music? (Remember, getting people to buy into your brand is the main goal). These are all things that you really need to think about and focus on before you make any other moves. Without your product you have nothing to promote and showcase. Make sure that your music is up to par before deciding to move onto the next agenda. Never get ahead of yourself, take it one step at a time. Think of your music/music video as your commercial – you want your music to make others want to buy your product. Make sure that you get the best quality possible for your budget. Quality over quantity. One hot original single, fully mastered, with a very professional video is better than a whole mixtape full of ‘bars’ on industry beats.

2. Your Brand – Getting your music out there also involves getting your brand out there. What do others think of you aside from your music? What do you stand for?  You need to put forward a consistent public image that everyone can associate you with. Understand who you are as an artist, come up with a logo that properly represents you. Your brand is what you represent, it makes you stand out.  Your Twitter avi, Facebook profile picture, logo, sound, image, personality, and beliefs are all a part of what makes up your brand. What do people associate you with? When you think of Wiz Khalifa what comes to mind? Most likely you think of his use if marijuana and his laid back personality. When you think of Michael Jackson, what do you think of? His white glove, high water pants, and shoes with white socks always stand out along with his over the top dance moves. Are you starting to get my point? Your brand is an all around image of you. This will help you with marketing and merchandising, and it will give fans a clear picture of who you are. Your brand should be developed and based on the real you, this will allow you to genuinely market yourself, instead of trying to portray an image of someone that you are not.

Overwhelmed yet?… Didn’t think so! Continue on…

3.       Business/Marketing Plan – As an artist you are a business, and it is never a good idea to just ‘wing it’ when it comes to your career. So you have all this great music that’s ready for the world to hear, now what’s your plan to get it out there? It’s always better to be organized and have a goal. What single are you going to shoot a video for first? Who is your target audience? How many people do you know personally that would be willing to take a listen to your track and spread it around? What music blogs are you in contact with that will post your video? Have you written a press release for your single/mixtape/EP? Is all of your music copyrighted? Do you have money put aside for promotion? Do you have any performances lined up to showcase your new music? It’ seems like a lot to answer at first, but taking out the time  to really answer all of those questions will end up saving you a bunch of time and money in the future. Come up with a marketing plan for your current single, and also have a broader plan for your career over the next 6 months to a year. What are your goals? Give yourself deadlines and do your best to abide by them. This industry is far from a nine-to-five job, so expect to make adjustments to your marketing plan along the way, but at least use your plan as a guide.

4.       Budget – This is a word that most artists seem to be afraid of. The word ‘budget’ does not necessarily mean thousands of dollars (although eventually that’s what it takes) it is simply how much money you have put aside specifically for your music or for a certain project that you are working on. You know the saying – ‘It takes money to make money’. The reason why most artists want to get signed is because labels have the money to invest. Record Labels spend 6 figures and up launching new artists. Now, no one expects an indie artist to be able to pay that much money for promotion, but spending a few hundred to a few thousand dollars is the minimal amount you should be spending if you are serious about your career. You might not have the money for huge marketing campaigns like labels do, but it does pay to invest in certain things like email blasts (depending on who it’s from), major magazine placements, promotional packages from marketing companies and websites – then let’s not forget that it costs money to post your music on iTunes, Amazon, etc – and before you can do all of this, you will be spending money on production, studio time, photo and video shoots etc. There’s a lot of money needed in order to really prosper from being an indie artist, but in order for others to invest in you, you must be willing to invest in yourself. Think of it this way, even if you do get a record deal, you STILL have to pay for promotion (but that’s a whole other blog in itself). Just remember, take your time. None of this is impossible; you just have to plan it out properly.

5.       Presentation – This is definitely one of the most important things to focus on throughout your music career. Presentation can make you or break you. It can be the reason why someone follows you on twitter, the reason someone listens to your music, the reason why someone goes on to view another one of your videos – you get the point. How much effort do you put into looking as professional as possible? Presentation means everything from your name, your style, your website, the quality of your music (is it mastered?), your album cover and artwork for your singles, and the quality of your music videos  – to how you conduct yourself during interviews, what you say in your tweets and Facebook statuses, and how you send and respond to emails (email etiquette). Is your website up to date? Are your tweets/statuses interesting? Is your twitter bio complete? Does your music sound radio ready? Does your music video look professional or does it look like it was filmed on a phone? Are your emails professional? Do they say more than ‘yo check out my music’? If you want people to take you serious, you must be serious about what you do. Always make sure that you present yourself in a professional manner.

6.       Proper Networking – Making valid connections is a crucial part of your success as an artist. Everyone knows that in the music industry it’s about who you know as well as what you know. Both play a major part – but what you know allows you to find those who can really play a big part in your success. When you know what you’re talking about people know you’re serious. When you know what you stand for and you have a firm grip on your marketing plan, people see you as a professional. Those who have already been there and done that don’t want to deal with amateurs (it takes too much work). Professionals in the industry want to deal with those artist’s that really know their stuff. You are what you attract – if you are professional you will attract those that have the same mindset.You must always be as professional as possible so that people will know you’re serious and they will either come to you, or at least be receptive when you approach them. It’s not about contacting every random person and trying to get everyone to listen to your music, it’s about being yourself so that others are genuinely interested in you as a whole. If people like you as a person, when you release music they will listen! Do you interact with fans or potential business clients or do you spend all day posting your music? Do you respond to everyone that responds to you? It’s all about your approach. Fans like to get to know you as a person, as someone they can relate to. It’s not always about the music. If your tweets/statuses/emails are interesting and can grab people’s attention, when you post your music you will have a much better chance of someone taking a listen.

So there you have it – what you as an independent artist should focus on in a nutshell. I will be going in more detail in future blogs, but hopefully this will help guide you in the right direction. It can be a lot to take in, but this is what it takes. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via twitter @BreezyB215.