Buying in, not selling out

There is a negative connotation with going after numerous opportunities outside of just performance and selling products, which some people claim is selling out. You’re not selling out when you look for more opportunities; you’re buying into the business by creating the most opportunities for profit and success.

Look at every option available to create, build, support, and sustain success for your music and your career as you continue to grow your exposure, expand your brand, and reach wider audiences around the world. A linear focus on touring and sales of your product as a whole puts you at a much greater risk of not being able to sustain your success. While looking into other opportunities from licensing to sponsorships, endorsements to different products, and applying a broader approach to your marketing, you buy into a much larger level of visibility.

Preparing for all the avenues of revenue possible

As you look to all the different options and avenues of revenue as covered in a detailed list in Chapter 4, the more you create for more uses, the more profit can be made.

A song that’s recorded for an album or EP and mastered with a no vocal track could be used in a TV show. It could also have a loop section of something that can be used for a sampling track for another song. And a translation version of either the vocalist or someone else singing that tune in another language offers another option. So from one song, you get five different avenues of revenue:

• The single download of the track
• Part of the body of work of an album or EP
• The sync licensing profits of the no-vocals track used for a TV show
• A sampling license from someone else using your sample in their song
• Foreign rights licensing of that song being played in another country or sung by someone else

Expanding your options for opportunities early on allow for that much more to happen for you later down the line. The same goes for the early branding stage when you’re creating your bio, logo, and initial marketing.

By creating a bio and then translating it into a series of different languages, you open up for more opportunities to market to more countries that much faster. Also by translating early on, if you receive a request or a connection from someone who speaks that language or is from that country, after finding a translator who can help you, you can get that information right back to them, showing how prepared you are.

With your logos being formatted for posters, stickers, flyers, and various merchandise, it’s that much faster to create all these items and get them out to the public.

With your publishing in place by having all your copyrights in order as well as all basic agreements ready to go on a moment’s notice along with tracks that are zipped up and ready to send upon request and contract, it’s easier for a music publisher to help you with licensing opportunities as you search out more options yourself.

Your array of preparation and solicitation of options also helps when life throws you a curve. If you’re counting on performance money from a tour, and a major snowstorm cancels shows for four days, you don’t play and don’t get paid. With more options, however, you have more revenue to fall back on.

By getting away from a singular focus and diversifying your music business portfolio to include performance, downloads, subscriptions, merchandise, sampling, songs going into or pitched to TV, movies and so on, you are building a better foundation to profit from. This also can include backing other bands, playing certain general business-type shows like weddings, and working on your online affiliate programs and advertising programs to generate additional revenues as well. With these elements in place, you create numerous options and allow for the most events to happen. On top of that, you no longer need to put all your eggs in one basket to rely on only one area.

The more streams and options you have for different revenues, the more profit can flow for you and enable you to make that much more in your career.

Music conferences

From the largest conference such as The ASCAP Expo in Hollywood to smaller and more localized conferences like Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, there are so many events around the United States that you could pretty much hit a different one every weekend.

Effectively tapping into the right music conferences for you comes down to research and being realistic as well as frugal with your funds. These are events that are part of businesses to make money. If you sign up for every single one and travel to each along with paying for food, gas, and hotels, you will be broke pretty quickly.

For every music conference that you hear about, try to find out what other bands are going to be there as well as booking agents, publishers, and speakers. Look to the events not for what they promise but rather to find out how to connect with music supervisors, branding, marketing, and promoting as well as the number one reason to go to — to connect with other bands.

Yes, it can be cool to get a showcase at a music conference, but just being able to go, even if you’re not playing, to connect with artists and bands from all over the country or world is an opportunity to build relationships and find new artists that you can open for in their stronger areas as they can open for you in yours.

Approach music conferences as a chance to meet and greet with as many different bands as possible, as well as with industry professionals. Don’t get all caught up in a showcase or waste time at the bar. Use your time wisely and develop the opportunity to connect, network, and lay the foundation for future opportunities. Have your fun, but make it work for you for the future.

Check out conferences like the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) or other booking agent showcase-type events. These kinds of conferences can create the highest conversions to gigs and future opportunities. Find out more at www.naca.org.

Music festivals

Festivals like SXSW (South by Southwest), Canadian Music Week, NXNW (North by Northwest), and Bumbershoot, to name a few, mix up national-scale acts with locals, regionals, and independents. Attending these festivals can be great networking events to meet up as well as be around so many different artists.

Even if you’re not playing, many doors can open to connect with bands from all over the country and all over the world. You more than likely can’t meet some of the larger acts, but you can talk to their crew to find out about options for connecting with them, their management, or others who can help with the networking.

While you’re there, don’t make it a time of solicitation, and don’t be that person carrying around CDs or promotional packages. If anything, have a download card or business card available upon request, but don’t be pushy and overly promoting. You’ll see a lot of others doing that, but stand out with professionalism and don’t do it yourself. Look at the festivals as a place to expand your connections as you research, and talk with groups about cities or venues that are up and coming, reviewers or magazines that help them out as well as people to watch out for and places to avoid.

You can buy every guide and database, visit tons of websites, but the best up-to-date information is what you get from the people who have been there and done that.

It’s much more than just finding bands you might be able to play with; it’s about learning what bandmates experience first-hand.

Again, just like conferences, enjoy the shows but make sure you’re getting the most out of the opportunities being presented. Taking a business and research approach to music festivals can enable you to both create and explore many more opportunities.

Award shows and music contests

Awards shows can be a chance to network and meet a number of people, but just as in music conferences, you can find a lot of scams going on. I’m not a fan of a pay-to-be-nominated situation. Those are the type of events where artists are asked to pay a fee to be nominated for an award in the show. It’s a money-making event for the producers and promoters, and it doesn’t really help the artists. That said, however, if there’s a nearby and affordable awards show, you might meet more artists as well as learn about companies that sponsor these types of events. Use these opportunities wisely, and don’t get sucked into the pay-to-get-nominated situations.

Music contests can be similar in formats to award shows. There are certain legitimate contests that require admission payment and offer opening spots and opportunities to play for certain shows. Check them out and, of course, do your research.

Don’t spend the cash to travel to awards shows; find ones that are close by. They don’t all have to be about music, either. Many awards shows have event producers, publicists, and other entertainment professionals along with sponsors that might be useful connections for you. Events outside of music can still pertain to music opportunities. Fashion and runway shows, food shows, and even local business-type events can connect you with those event producers, publicists, and possible opportunities to be involved with those shows in the future.

Always double-check to see who’s involved with awards shows and who’s planning to be there to see if it’s worth your time and money. Look into the contests and check their validity as well as what opportunities they offer. Do this research by contacting former winners, losers, and sponsors. They can give you a much better sense of what’s going on over the self-and direct-hype of the website or advertisement.

Music business consultants, and advisors

At many conferences and festivals as well as online, you find music business consultants, coaches, speakers, and advisors who can potentially assist you with where you are with your career and help organize and plan your next best steps. A true professional with a proven track record can help expand on your current opportunities as well as create additional ones for your future.

After doing your research and due diligence, working with a consultant, coach, or advisor can serve as one of the best ways to tap into more opportunities. They serve as independent contractors to help you create and choose the best paths without taking percentages or creating situations for their own self-interest. This is a much better route before signing with a record label, a management group, or an agent that may only be looking to a deal that benefits them, not you. In turn, it could squash opportunities by being stuck in deals that tie your hands and options.

The down side is the fakes who waste your time and cost you money as well as opportunities. These are the types who sell hype and are only looking to make a buck. Dig in with research and due diligence for the consultants, speakers, or any professional you choose to listen to before you commit to the time and money, or take the advice.

Entertainment lawyers and music publishers

One of your best investments, which allows for the greatest returns opportunities than almost anything else, is when you have all your legal ducks in a row and quacking in unison. A lawyer can help you format internal agreements as well as review and educate you about deals, contracts, and options. You can learn more about the legal crew in Chapter 9.

The more you have your fundamentals organized, down on paper, and signed, the more seriously you’re viewed and the more opportunities can follow because your foundation is already in place.

Same thing goes for songs, especially for licensing. Connecting with a music publisher doesn’t always have to be about publishing your music with them. There are music publishing companies out there that can help get your copyrights, template contracts, set up musician releases and song split agreements, and review publishing agreements. One of the best companies for this is SSA Music Publishing. Check out more information about them at www.ssamusicpublishing.com. Find out more about the copyrights, publishing, and licensing in Chapter 9.

Having all your music in order and legally set up allows for easier transitions to licensing deals and publishing opportunities. This helps you to avoid hassle if a song is picked up for use as well as other deals presenting themselves too soon. With the legal aspects of you, your music, your copyrights, and your publishing in order, you up the opportunities while reducing the problems or chances of being taken advantage of.

Hiring a music publisher for consulting or a lawyer who’s not part of a record label or management company gives you a disinterested third party who works for your best interests. Working with internal publishers and lawyers who are directly involved with the companies that offer potential deals and contracts can get you in worlds of trouble.

Management and record label deals

The right deals with the right teams can include managers, booking agents, or record labels and can advance careers and compound opportunities. Pay attention, however, to exactly what they offer and what they don’t. Artists who connect with that entertainment lawyer (mentioned earlier in this chapter as well as in Chapter 9) to review contracts and clearly understand what’s covered and what isn’t see the best results.

A deal is only as good as the details of that deal and the execution of the right contract. It’s no longer about getting a manager or a record label. It’s about getting the right manager who can help build those opportunities or connect with the right label that handles the details from recording to promotion to touring to publicity. Otherwise, it’s a better approach to take a more independent route and find the people who can cover all the business plan line items that have to be executed to create opportunities and options for success in music.

Buying in bulk

By buying promotional merchandise in larger qualities, you pay less for the items. You can sell more for less and still see a generous profit.

This also enables you to give away more on a promotional level without taking as much of a loss. Whether CDs, T-shirts, hats, cups, or anything else, buy in bulk to achieve the highest profits as you create the lowest prices to draw the most interest for the sale.

Schools, education, and yes, military

There are many schools and music programs that you can take part in to expand your abilities, grow, and network with other students and teachers. Learning your instrument to studying another instrument, or taking courses for engineering, music business, and other business courses expanding your knowledge, experience, and technique helps every facet of your career.

Furthering your knowledge, technique, and abilities while meeting with other musicians not only helps you on your path, but may help you find band mates and others with whom you want to work. Don’t rush a career; with so much competition out there, the better the musician you can be, the more opportunities will come.

There are options in the military for your music career. Although it might sound outlandish, joining the military can enable you to work with musicians in a full-time capacity as you grow your abilities. Yes, it might be for a couple of years, but it can help you work on your skills with three squares a day plus room and board while being paid. And then there are the military benefits when you leave the service, but this is a discussion for another day … or another book!

Online work

If you have a day job that can be done with a computer and an Internet connection, you may be able to work from the road. Although not being completely self-sufficient with music, doing work online can enable you to be out on the road playing and promoting your music.

Make sure that you can work from the road, both physically and professionally. Discuss with a boss what you’re doing as well as test out how you can work on the road or in hotel rooms and complete the required tasks.

Part-time and bulk work

Another way to supplement income and have more time on the road is with part-time jobs that enable you to work fewer hours and fewer days or shifts. These jobs give you the time to come closer to being a full professional, but not quitting that day job quite yet. A better situation can be a bulk-work job. These can be the type of jobs where you work very intensely for a few weeks or a month at a time and then have a series of months off. This can include certain serving jobs at resorts, work on cruise ships (not just in being a musician; I cover that in the next section), or certain farm labor jobs. The Christmas holidays are rife with temporary sales and warehouse gigs that offer decent pay and as many hours as you want to work.

Farm labor jobs are not the most glamorous, and the work can be hard, but you can save a bunch of money, giving you that much more time to be out on a full tour where a regular type of job wouldn’t let you be gone for so long.

Session, substitute, backing musician, or band work

Supporting other musicians as a session artist and substituting for musicians who are sick or unable to make a show or recording session are a couple options that can help you pay the bills as you make connections and look for more opportunities for you and your music.

Having your group work as the backing band for a single artist who might be coming to town without other musicians can create more revenue and exposure for your group. too. These are all options that keep you inside of the music realm, making money and making more connections.

Other band work-type situations can include cruise ship work and general business-style bands like wedding or cover bands. It might not seem like the route to rock stardom, but as you get better technically and market to people who see you perform, you’re working your way to the place you want to be.

Teaching and giving lessons

Offering lessons with students and groups brings income. With many amazing online platforms like Lesson Face, The ZOEN, and Take Lessons, you can give lessons online from practically anywhere. These can be lessons based on music instruments but also can be lessons in regular school subjects such as math, science, and English.

If you don’t know how to teach, please don’t! Make sure you can teach and be kind and helpful to your students. Don’t do it only for the money.

Defining conversions

There’s a great deal of confusion about what a conversion is and how it allows for growth, success, and revenue. True conversions mean that you have put time, effort, or investment into something that’s garnering actual benefits of more shows and fans who are buying music, merchandise, or attending shows. These conversions also come in the shape of connecting you with real investors, music industry professionals, publishers, and booking agents who assist and execute in furthering your career.

A conversion is not spending thousands of dollars on a radio campaign to achieve a chart placement or a certain number of plays that don’t create any sales, opportunities, or profit. The same goes for a social media campaign where thousands of new Twitter followers are added, but barely a one came to a show, bought a download, or became engaged with you. These are expenses, actions, and opportunities that end up dead ending.

The biggest problem is that many get suckered into thinking it’ll work and just needs more time and more money. By considering every step with even the smallest conversion that you look for, hope for, or expect, it makes it much easier to see what’s working, what isn’t, what needs to be changed, and what needs to be stopped altogether.

Look before you leap, and watch before you spend. When you’re promised results for a service, an opportunity, or anything else, make those calls and send those emails to find out if they actually worked out for others.

Tracking the outgoing checks and incoming balances

The best way to stay on top of what’s working and what isn’t is by tracking how actions and events can create the conversions you need from start to finish. The more you know, understand, and track the details that create the results, good or bad, the better information you have to keep things on the right track, fix them, or change them altogether.

For example, maintain a weekly and monthly tracking sheet that includes the following basic eight categories:

• Sales from digital downloads directly from your stores
• Distribution sales from stores like iTunes and Amazon
• Payments from performances
• Sales of physical merchandise and apparel
• Number of shows booked
• Number of Shows played
• Number of connections on the core social media channels
• Number of licensing opportunities

This list enables you to see the effects of your efforts. From promoting posts on Facebook, you can see not only how many people clicked through or added you, but you can also look to the bump in sales, opportunities, or exposure.

You don’t have to be an accountant or a financial guru. If one month you pay for a certain advertisement or promotion and you see solid conversions across the board, then extend that advertisement, or expand and change the location and try it somewhere else.

As you test out different options, such as advertisements along with attending different conferences and festivals or working with different music professionals, spread out these elements so that you can really see what’s working and what isn’t. If you run four different types of promotions or ads, it’s harder to know exactly which one worked best and which one didn’t work at all.

If you practice with a short promotion for a week and then stop for a week, you get a clearer sense of its success. In turn, by extending and expanding different ad campaigns, visiting different conferences, and investing in other opportunities, you provide yourself with more clarity for exactly what works for you.

Finding out all you can first

From signing with a music publisher to signing with a label, from hiring a music business consultant to attending a music conference, find out all you can. Get your information from others, not the website or social media pages promoted by those with whom you’re considering a relationship.

Check references, referrals, and testimonials on the people, company, or event. Go to websites like Rip Off Report (www.ripoffreport.com) to see if there are any outstanding issues. Make sure a business is actually a business by searching for its legitimacy online. Connect with former clients, attendees, or others who were involved in the past to see if the fit is right for you. All these extra steps make for a wise decision — and while nothing is foolproof, the chances of you getting fooled are a great deal less.

Watch out for the outlandish promises, the success overnight, the guarantees of the finish line without explaining how to prepare or run the race. Throw a red flag when you hear vague responses to detailed questions or get a sense of tension from the person you’re asking. If it seems too good to be true, then it’s pretty safe to bet that it is. And if you can’t find examples, proof of concept, or the execution of others doing it, then more than likely it can’t be done.

Keep an eye out for people who discuss models that worked years ago, but aren’t able to show a single example of them working in recent times. The same goes for the people who have a résumé of success that’s dated and are unable to show anything more recent. These steps help keep you in step and avoid so many problems that you don’t need to have.

When it comes to consultants, labels, managers, or anyone else claiming to have a business, a simple way to check on them is to look online. Another option is your local Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. Know that the BBB has sites for hundreds of cities across the United States, so you can check on a business in other locations.

Taking calculated risks

As you look into opportunities that might not have as long a track record or are based on newer models, these can be times when a good calculated risk can work in your favor. Realistically, anything you do in entertainment is a risk, but by doing the research and calculating the risk with information, something that might not be completely in line could still work very well for you.

Think of certain risks like math problems and equations. If someone can give you a great deal of information that comes from good sources to create the right equation, you’re on the right track to a less-risky choice. If they can also help you with rational justifications and reasons as to why they think something may be the next trend, may work in the near future, or how many other aspects show that the direction is leading there it just might be something to try. From new products to new distribution to new methods of payment and even management, look with a set of calculating and even doubting eyes to see if it seems to balance out. If it makes sense, though, it might be worth a shot.

Everything is a risk, but the more you dig in, learn all you can, and do the double-checking and detailed due diligence regarding any opportunity, the less the risk is in the end, in most cases.

The more you dig into the different options and opportunities for your career, the more chances you allow for a better career. Look at your career as an array of different elements that can combine and give you that steady stream to live your dream. The wider you can view the world of the music business, the more opportunities there are for a great career.