No matter how successful you were in your music career last year, this year could be better. On the other hand, if he’s not willing to change with the tide, it could end his career entirely. Here are 8 steps to ensure your music career becomes the most successful business venture possible.
write your goals
At the beginning of each year, you should write down realistic and achievable goals for the next twelve months. Break your long-term goals into short-term goals so you can monitor your progress and reward yourself from time to time.
Keep that list of goals in front of you every day. What you then do is come up with a plan for how you will achieve each of the goals. By having an action plan that you can review every day, you will reinforce the need to complete a certain number of things each day. You may also come up with additional ideas as you go along. At the end of the year, you will be amazed at how much you accomplished on your list.
Learn how to make a solid marketing plan for your music
Your music is a product, so you better have a solid marketing plan to get the word out about it. This is especially true if you are an unsigned artist and still have to do much of the promotion for your music yourself. It’s so much more than just recording a great-sounding album, commissioning the artwork, and spending tons of time on the packaging. These days only the most die-hard fans even buy CDs. You should spend your marketing money promoting the music itself. In the long run, your money does a lot more work for you that way.
start giving concerts
Giving shows is one of the best ways to promote your music. Not only is there live music everywhere, but once you’re established enough, you get paid to play, not the other way around. It also offers a great place to sell CDs and other merchandise. You really can’t beat live shows, no matter how big or small, because they offer some of the best word of mouth you can get. They’re also a great way to network within the industry, as talent seekers scour even the most out-of-the-way places to find the next big thing.
Make your own music website
Having your own website is extremely affordable. After purchasing a domain name, hosting can even be free outside of paying for the domain each year. Make sure you have a solid understanding of online marketing or hire someone who does. Your website becomes the hub of all your music marketing efforts and from there, visitors can branch out and check out everything you do. It can be one of your biggest assets and can make even unsigned musicians a lot of money through exposure.
Get your music promoted on blogs
Bloggers are happy to promote good musicians and they are one of the easiest ways to promote songs. Often they only require a bit of your time for an interview, as people want to get to know the artist behind the music. By taking the time to interview, the blogger can better understand who you are and provide valuable information to people looking for new artists in their genre. Bloggers are paid by their own advertisers and for referring their visitors to their music. The social media coverage that bloggers provide is also quite important and can get you a lot of new followers.
Understand that your music is a business
Like any industry, music is a business. This means that you have to earn money to get anywhere. Every time you make a profit from your music, it’s smart to reinvest that money. You can invest some in marketing and publicity, some in upgraded equipment, and some to play better venues.
Streaming is where the money is now
With album sales on the way, music streaming is the area to focus on. While it doesn’t sound as glamorous as record sales, the long-term profit margins are actually considerably higher. People who like your music and listen to it all the time will actually make you a lot more money than simply buying an album or their favorite songs. It also means that tracks that aren’t as widely marketed are just as accessible as the hits, which means people are much more likely to see your entire back catalogue, which means you can make a lot more money.
Learn to adapt and grow with the industry
All industries are always growing and evolving, and keeping up with those changes is extremely necessary to maintain success. This does not mean accepting every new trend that comes along. But if you can find a way to take advantage of new technology or other new advances, while staying within your budget and making a profit.
Learn more about breaking into the music industry by visiting www.superstartunes.com/blogs/