Posts by admin:
- Are you in a band that’s deciding whether or not to charge for gigs? Are you at the point in your career where you need to make money but are afraid no one will come out to support? Bandzoogle has great tips for bands struggling with this decision.
- While being the artist is a very demanding job, some would argue that being the business manager of a band or singer is even more of a stressful job. Musician Coaching answers the question, “What is a music business manager?”
- Shaun Letang has created a guidebook titled 8 Steps to a More Successful Music Career in 2013 and has published it FOR FREE on Music Think Tank. In this guidebook, Letang discusses everything from thoroughly planning your career to actively executing it. Great guide for any independent artists looking for a big break in 2013!
- If you’re an independent DIY artist, you know how expensive it can be to create a quality body of work, whether it be a 5 song EP or a 12 song album. To help lessen the blow to your pockets, Jenny Beswick of dv247 has written an article on how to create quality music on a budget. In the article, she gives quality advice for a quality piece of work without costing an arm and a leg.
- Never underestimate the value of getting an e-mail address. An e-mail address is an invitation to engage with your fan base. Contact fans directly, even by sending out a thank-you for their support. Tack on news updates and where you or your band will be performing next to keep people in the know and allow them to make time to schedule you into their plans. To increase the incentive for a fan giving you their e-mail address give them a free download for one of your songs. For musicians or artists serious about e-mails get the proper software. Fanbridge or AWeber will organize and build your email list and allow you to stay in touch with dedicated fans and prospects.
The Music Biz Week in Review 2/1/13
February 1st, 2013
Hello again from the College of Charleston! We hope the stories we found this week encourage you to get your music on as much they did us.
1. Since most musicians are typically introverts, more commonly known as nerds, it is no wonder it takes a much greater push to flee the nest and take control of their future. The inner nerd, or the self doubting pessimist, will ultimately hold you back from achieving your goals and reaching success. By changing the way you think, you will in turn change your mind, and furthermore change your life and future!
2. It’s easy to say no one will help me, or I’ll never be successful because no one will listen. But with the advent of Internet, self-recording and promotion doesn’t allow those who wish to enter the music business to throw themselves a pity party any longer. By ridding yourself of this negativity you will accomplish more in the music industry. “Now with the advent of technology making it less expensive to record, artists are able to fund their own records, eliminating the need for a label. However, just because you can put out a record, doesn’t mean you have the budget to promote it and this is where most indie artists fall short” -Cari Cole
3. However, there are several guides and general tips that can help you surpass those who choose to remain in the realm of this negative mindset. Music Think Tank has compiled a great list of suggestions, or rather what they have coined as Ten Tips for DIY Publicity and Bands. These tips are designed to help you push the creative content you have compiled to the various media outlets available.
4. Engaging the fans is also important, specifically through social media. It only takes a minute to post something, and it means so much to your supporters. The 3 Pillars of Music Fan Engagement gives musicians advice on social media correspondence. “Since fans now have access to an unlimited amount of music, if you leave them hanging, chances are, they can easily find an artist that won’t.” – DaveCool
5. Social media is a rather new and innovative way to reach out to followers, who ultimately are your fan base. While there are no specific “rules” that must be followed it is necessary to utilize the various social networking sites in the most efficient way: to increase band recognition, to build a substantial fan base, and to in turn maintain a positive and strong presence in the online community. Managing your online self is certainly a time commitment but familiarity and notoriety is key in the music business.
6. New in social media is Twitter Vine (available in the app store on iPhone & iPad). Vine lets you share video clips on Twitter. “Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity.” (VP of Product Management at Twitter) Here are some ideas for musicians on how to utilize this new app. Stay ahead of the curve, and start using this new app now!
Visit us on our Twitter and Facebook pages. We’d love to hear your feedback!
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The Music Biz Week in Review 1/25/12
January 25th, 2013
Hello, KnowTheMusicBiz Readers! College of Charleston’s 1770 Records are excited to be be back for another semester of bringing you music news you can use every Friday. Check out the helpful tips we’ve discovered on the net this week:
Don’t forget to find us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. See you next week!
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Social Media & Email Management for Musicians
September 7th, 2012
By Brian Hazard for CD Baby’s DIY Musician blog:
Engaging with fans is fun and rewarding. It can also be an addictive time suck.
If you check your email, Facebook, and Twitter first thing in the morning, you’re doing it wrong!
Better to start your day creating something worth tweeting about. As a self-confessed productivity junkie, I’ve tried dozens of approaches. This one stuck.
What follows is a step-by-step guide to social media and email management, in the form of a daily routine. It assumes you are on Facebook and Twitter, but can easily be expanded to other networks. All tools mentioned are free unless stated otherwise.
Click here to read the entire blog.
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The Definitive Guide To Facebook For Musicians
July 13th, 2012
Via Hypebot:
Facebook is the largest marketing channel for most musicians and bands. Surprisingly, it’s also the one they know the least about. So in this guide, we’re going to breakdown why Facebook is important, how it works, and most importantly, the specific steps you can take to make Facebook work for you and your fans.
Click here to read the entire post.
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7 Mobile Apps Musicians Need NOW!
June 1st, 2012
From the CyperPR Blog:
Do you consider yourself mobile-savvy?
I’m not just talking about texting (although that’s important!). I’m talking about using your smartphone to tap into and enhance your online presence while being up-to-date on all of the cool apps to make your life a little easier. If you could use a little help understanding the magic of mobile, then this blog post is for you!
If you’re ready to simplify your life and amplify your fan interactions (mostly for free), then get your smartphone in hand and check out these 7 apps:
Click here to read the entire post.
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13 Ways to Not Build a Fan Base
May 11th, 2012
From the FanBridge Blog:
We see entertainers doing all sorts of crazy things to get more fans. The frustrating part is that there are so many misconceptions about building a fan base – so we’ve put together a list of 13 ways to NOT build a fan base. Need us to simplify? Stop doing these things!
Click here to read the entire post.
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Concert Promoters, Bookers and Agents: What is the Difference?
May 4th, 2012
By Heather McDonald for About.com Music Careers
Booking and promoting concerts involves a lot of moving parts, so it’s pretty easy for confusion to enter the picture. If you’re new to playing live, just starting to cut your teeth on the live music circuit, then that confusion can go through the roof for a lot of reasons. In fact, this can be a tough time for a lot of musicians, not only because the whole process is new and more than a little intimidating, but also because musicians at this stage are the perfect targets for getting hustled. When you get to the stage where you’re booking your own shows, you can make better decisions if you understand the role of everyone involved. Now, there can be some overlap in these positions, but here is the general idea to keep in mind:
Click here to read the entire post.
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