Strive To Be In The 100% Club
Have some high value items to sell. Some people will only want to listen to you on Spotify (if you are lucky) but others will want to support you in a more tangible way, and actively want to spend hundreds of pounds a year in support of your career. GIve them that chance – box sets, for example, are always something to consider
Emails are everything, as is customer information. Everytime someone reaches out to you, capture their details – we have both A-Z lists and regional lists for the same people. Don’t spam them but keep in regular touch – monthly newsletters are a good idea.
Create and understand your brand but don’t box yourself in too tightly. If you play country music and prog fans dig it, who are you to argue?
There is definitely a backlash emerging to the fakeness of social media. Be real. Particularly if your music requires a more intelligent listen. Be cool.
Work hard, be resilient, be persistent, and consistently avoid unhealthy ‘comparison’. Quality of fans is, for example, as important as quantity of fans.
Be impatient in the short term ie take every opportunity, don’t procrastinate, take risks but show patience at a macro level. Building and developing a career is a long game.
Make music for yourself, not others. Be a leader not a follower. Sincerity counts
Most of all, make great worthwhile music safe in the knowledge that 99% of releases aren’t worthwhile or great and are simply disposable. Strive to be in the 1% club.
Go get em! x