[Perform-talk] 10 rules for being a successful independent musician

[Donna Hill]

Hi Friends,
I just saw this on the Music Thoughts list and thought it merited 
passing along.
Donna
***
The 10 Rules Of Successful Independent Musicians -Byree Belleville 
"Booking, Promoting & Marketing Your Music"
1.         Be Determined and Dedicated. On your path you will, 
inevitably, collide with people who don't understand or like your 
music.  When this happens try to remember that even the most successful 
musicians have been in your shoes.
2.            Believe in Yourself. You must believe that every song you 
write, every recording you
make, and every gig you play is the absolute best that you can make it 
be.  However, don't despair if right at this moment you aren't thrilled 
with every
aspect of what you are doing as a musician.  Musical development, 
progress, and pride will come from experience.
3.            Maintain a Dual-Focus. Be a Great Musician and a 
Street-Smart Entrepreneur. First and foremost, to succeed as a musician 
you must possess great musical talent.  You can work towards this by 
practicing and performing, by working with a great teacher and mentor, 
and by writing song after song.  However, you must also be a wise and 
wily entrepreneur.  Even if you assemble a competent team, you should 
still master the full array of entrepreneurial skills, Budgeting (money 
and time), marketing, setting prices, and sales.  You do not have the 
luxury of sitting around waiting to be discovered.
4.            Educate Yourself. Know Your Genre Inside and Out  Read 
magazines, books, web articles, etc etc about your genre and artists 
whose paths you would like to emulate.  Take time to get to know area 
musicians, read local newspapers to become familiar with the names of 
clubs, bands, promoters, open mics, etc in your area.
5.         Let Go Of the "Starving Artist" Too many musicians, painters, 
and writers unthinkingly worship at the altar of the starving artist, 
believing that selling their art is "selling out".  If you need to ease 
into selling your music, have a friend sell your merchandise for you.  
But always stand next to your table ready to talk to fans, sign CDs, and 
shake hands.
6.         Create a Plan and then Follow Up on It. One thing about 
making a plan for your career is that it forces you to
examine the driving force behind your will to play music for a living.  
Working on a Business and Marketing Plan will help you define your 
vision and the
steps you need to take to succeed.  Working on an Artist's Plan will 
help you set up rituals for preserving and growing yourself as a 
musician and artist.
7.         Take Actions Despite Your Fears. As an independent artist you 
will wear many different hats each day. Learning to deal with people 
over the phone,
in cover letters, and at shows is a learned skill. The more you do it, 
the better you will be at it.  The first 10 calls you make might not 
feel so great,
but the next ten will be easier, and by call 30, you will sound calm, 
collected and professional.
8.            Appreciate and Respect Your Fans. Fans of your music are 
your greatest supporters in the present and they have the greatest power 
to propel your career forward in the future.  Be Sure To Respect Your 
Fans!  After a show, always go stand by your merchandise table.  Offer 
to sign CDs, Be ready and willing to chat with fans, Reply to every 
letter and email that a fan sends you with at least a "thank you".
9.         Build a Support Team Regardless of what stage your career is 
at. Having a great
team behind you will make a huge difference.  However you build your 
team, make sure to surround yourself with people who you can trust 
implicitly. Anyone
doing work for you, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is 
representing you as both an artist and business owner.
10.       Work HARDER After Every Success. Every time you have a great 
success a big show or a great review in a major paper, you should get 
working even harder than you did before! One
great review can be transformed into a dozen reviews across the 
country.  A big show with a national act can create relationships with a 
series of national
acts.  Working even harder after good news comes is part of the process 
of developing momentum.  If all goes well, each success will lead to 
more work
and more success.


-- 
Read Donna's articles on
Suite 101:
www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
American Chronicle:
www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885

Connect with Donna on
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/dewhill
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
FaceBook:
www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.

Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
Apple I-Tunes
phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374

Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project 
Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit 
Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
www.padnfb.org





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