September

Making Yourself Successful

Posted In: Career Building, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Success is nebulous.

It’s hard to define, because it means so many different things to so many different people. At the end of the day, your personal goals determine your success. For some, success is wealth or power. For others, success can be a modest, happy living doing what he/she loves. There is no single path to success.

I find myself, from time to time, feeling unsuccessful. I end up search for some measuring stick to determine my level of success. Oftentimes, that measuring stick is my peer group. Seriously, if you ever want a self-esteem killer, look at your friends (especially those who do what you do) who seem to be “more successful” than you. I do that, and if it doesn’t motivate me, it makes me feel like a failure.

Still, there’s an inherent problem: I haven’t truly defined what success means to me. When I begin to view success through my own lens, instead of through the lens of others, I begin to put things in perspective.

So, how do we measure our own success?

Determine what’s most important to you. Is your feeling of worth based on status symbols or personal happiness? Moral debate aside, there is no wrong answer, IF that’s what you want out of life.
Clearly define what you want to accomplish. The race with no finish line cannot be won. So, set goals for yourself in writing.
Set a plan of action to reach your goals. You can’t eat the elephant all at once, but you can take one bite at a time.
Keep your efforts visible. As you complete the steps to achieve your goal, leave your list as a reminder of how far you’ve come. The more you see that you’ve accomplished, the more motivated you will be to complete your tasks and goals.
Surround yourself with a support team. Attempting to do everything on your own will simply lead to burn-out, and it’s a sure way to keep yourself from reaching your objectives quickly. Place yourself amongst people you can trust who want to see you succeed. However, be careful of the flatterers, the “yes men” who are afraid to confront you with the hard truths in a loving way.
Refocus and regroup. It’s vitally important to periodically take time to reassess your direction. Have you strayed from your path? Have your desires or priorities changed? Do you need to realign your plans and goals? It’s ok to modify things, but you must all ways refer back to step one throughout the process.
Ramp up your intensity. As you draw closer to your goals, don’t begin to coast. Keep pushing until you’re where you want to be. Stay on your path, not anyone else’s.
Reflect. Look back on where you’ve been. Are you pleased? If so, then chances are, you’re successful!

Best of luck with your success, however you choose to define it!

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March

5

What Else You Got?

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Here lately, I’ve been busy recording and consulting young bands, aspiring songwriters, and singers who are eager to “break into the music business”. Besides being fairly talented, they all have one thing in common: they all have absolutely NO idea how the music industry works.

As with most of us who make music for a living, many of them think their music is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The problem lies that they’re then unwilling to take advice on how to make their music better (read: more competitive). They wrote their “baby” in a moment of inspiration. It’s gold. That’s that. This attitude is not only amateurish, but it’s childish as well. Now, I’m not saying that much of their music isn’t good, but the music business is inundated with artists, bands, and songwriters who are “just good”. To compete, you must be great. Your music must be great. Your image must be great.

Study! Before you decide to dive into the shark infested waters of the music biz, you have to know exactly what you’re getting into so you won’t get eaten alive. Okay, I exaggerate a bit. Just not much. Before you expect to have any success in anything, be it business, science, technology, medicine, etc., you must understand your particular field inside and out. That’s exactly why people seeking any particular career path go to college. Education makes sure you’re at least somewhat prepared for entering your career. Music is no different.

Know your rights. Learn how copyrights work and where your money comes from as a writer or artist. Horror stories abound of bands and artists who were taken advantage of because they were ignorant of income opportunities, or, worse yet, they signed away those rights in shady contracts.

Educate yourself on contracts. Always consult an attorney before you sign anything, but at least help yourself by being familiar with contractual “norms” and how to read them. Know that contracts are a give-and-take type of thing. You likely wont get exactly what you want out of the deal, but know that the other party should be giving up certain things as well. It’s all about compromise.

Be prepared for failure. Say this with me: “No one owes me anything.” One more time. Good, now say it a thousand more times so that it sticks. Chances are you will knock on a hundred proverbial doors before someone lets you in. You may not even be let in. Your demos WILL sit on someone’s desk (if they even make it to the desk) amid a sea of SeaDs CDs from other people. They may not get listened to. If someone likes your music, you may get a call (which could be months, or even years, down the road). Just don’t expect them to call you back if they don’t like it. They’re just too busy for that. In the Music Biz, generally no news is bad news.

It ain’t about you. I could make you say this one a thousand times, too. Unless you just rub someone the wrong way, a rejection is not personal. It’s purely a business decision. After all, we’re all participating in the music business, right? There are scores of reasons why you may face rejection. Your songwriting or singing skills may not be strong enough yet. You may not fit their image. They may already have artists on their roster that are just like you. Once you start to work with music on a professional level, music ceases to be about art and becomes a commodity. Your music and your image is solely used to make money for someone else. Then, if they make money, you can reap some of the benefits of their success. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that “you’re gonna get yours before they get theirs.” Remember, until you are making money for someone else, you have no leverage over them.

Talent can only carry you so far. You may be a fabulously talented singer or band, but if you don’t take responsibility for your own successes (or failures), then you can never expect to make it in the music industry. Your manager can’t do it for you. Your agent can’t do it for you. Your label can’t do it for you. All of these are avenues to help you succeed. In fact, don’t even go to them first. Learn to be successful without these other people, and your potential for greater success is much higher. If you’re successful on your own, these people will take notice and come to you. Then, if you feel they will help you to succeed further, make use of them. Remember, those who help you succeed are seeking their own success as well.

I don’t say any of this to scare any of you away from the music business. I am, on the other hand, saying it to scare some sense into you. Educate yourself. Prepare. Take responsibility for your successes and failures. While having “a good voice and a dream” is a good starting point, make no mistake; the music business isn’t at all easy. What else you got?

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January

29

Music Is Your Business. Is Business Good?

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

No matter what your particular niche is when it comes to music, the ultimate goal is to make a living doing what you love. Making a living from music requires more than just talent. It requires dedication, drive, perseverance, and a burning desire to succeed. Unfortunately, most musicians’ brains cease to function once they cross the threshold from creating art to running a business. It’s a delicate balancing act, but music is still a business. So, we must learn from the business world?

Create a Business Plan. A business plan can range from simple to complex, but they merely function to keep us on task. They clearly define our business structure, who is in charge, and how decisions are made. They serve to define our goals, especially fiscally, and helps to identify how to reach them. It helps you in your search for funding, and helps lenders know how you intend to pay them back. Your local small business administration can help you to develop your plan. There’s even software to help with the task of creating a business plan.

Create a Marketing Plan. A business plan is not enough to succeed. You need to know how you will get your music, products, or services to the masses. That requires a marketing plan. These help you to know what avenues you will use to advertise your products or services, create budgets, and build your brand.

Build a Team. No man is an island. Only few people can perform every single duty when it comes to running a successful business. Even fewer of those people keep their sanity. So, develop a team of people who can help you succeed. It’s difficult, but don’t be afraid to Recruit fans to help you promote. Outsource tasks like printing, cd duplication, photography, or graphic design (even more so if the tasks aren’t your strong suit). Hire a bookkeeper and tax professional. Even hire a roadie and recruit someone to work your merchandise table–vital if you want to preserve your strength for gigs! Outsourcing to trusted professionals only serves to help you maintain a professional appearance, which is crucial in business.

Keep the Books. If you’re making money from your music (or anything for that matter), you can bet Uncle Sam wants his share. On the up side, though, being in business affords you certain tax deductions of business expenses. Be sure to keep up with all of your income and expenses. It’s not enough just to write them down; you MUST be able to show proof in order to receive your deduction. So, keep your receipts, log your mileage for business-related trips (including odometer readings and purposes for the trip), and organize your income and expenditures. Intuit’s Quicken Home and Business edition is a great way to stay organized, but it’s always a good idea to consult a tax professional for preparation and general advice.

Focus on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. Keeping your fans happy (and coming back again and again) is what will keep food on your table. Engage them. Show some interest in them as people and not just as numbers or dollar signs. Foster their trust and loyalty and then the sales will follow. Here’s a related post on building a loyal fanbase.

These are just some simple guidelines to help you succeed with your own music business endeavors. Comment and tell us what helps you succeed!

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