A Necessary Business Plan (For Your Career)

Business planOriginal post on MUSICTHINKTANK By Wendy Day

A business plan is a necessary tool for anyone starting a business or anyone planning to make money with their music (selling music, performing, selling merchandise). It forces you to think about how to succeed, how to move forward, what that will cost, what obstacles you might hit and how to overcome them. It explains how you plan to run your business, how you will build it, and exactly when and how the income will come.
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How To Grow Your Band’s Instagram

Build Your InstagramWith over 300 million active users, Instagram has become an incredibly important tool for self-promoting artists. In this article we examine how bands and musicians can grow their presence on the popular photo sharing platform.

Guest Post by Colleen Kinsey
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17 Ways To Promote Your Music Online

17 Ways To Promote Your Music OnlineThis post was written by Jon Ostrow and originally appeared on the Bandzoogle Blog.
When it comes to promoting music online, there are far too many channels, networks, forums, platforms, apps and communities for musicians to be involved with to be present on them all.

So rather than attempt the impossible, you should focus your efforts on a handful that are likely to bare the most fruit.
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Band Merch: Breaking Away From T-Shirts And CDs

rethinking band merchRecently, I jokingly tweeted that bands should capitalize on fingerboards as a form of merchandise. Surprisingly, some people from my fairly low amount of Twitter followers seemed to agree with the sentiment.
Merchandise costs money of course, but it’s specifically how bands make money on the road. This is especially true in today’s internet age, but I’ve also learned that the more merch you have at your table, the more you’ll sell, as you appeal to different tastes. I’m not saying your DIY, independent band has to have six plus tee-shirt designs. I’m saying don’t be afraid to step outside of the box. Here’s some merch ideas I’ve seen artists – some platinum-selling, some who can’t sell more than 100 copies of their records – do before that struck me as particularly interesting.
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10 Things Artists Must Have To Succeed Today In The Music Business

businessBy Wendy Day from Rap Coalition (RapCoalition.org) and PowerMoves (HelpfulAngel.com)

[written for @NARIPatlanta Indie Label event on 7/20/16]

There are many things an artist must have to succeed, and then there are a few things that will make life easier. Today, I am focusing on the necessities. We all know the music business is currently changing, but there have always been changes in the music industry. How we adapt to those changes determines our outlook and success. Perhaps I’m used to change because I’m from the rap world, which was new to music in the 1980s and rap just began making money for the labels heavily in the 1990s–so it’s a relatively new art form. Today, independent rap artists can build successful careers that feed themselves and their families without having to sign to a major record label. Here’s what is needed for that to happen, for rappers and for all artists and musicians looking to build a successful career:
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4 Ways To Make Your Next Rock Concert Legit

rock concertFew people can disclose that they have never been to a concert and if they can, one of their top wishes is to attend one. From the heart-throbbing sound to the exhilaration goer’s experience, rock concerts are said to be the time of anyone’s lives. Though most believe that there are expectations when going to a concert, the best actions anyone can take is to keep it simple, relaxed, and to have a good time. Making your next rock concert legit is far easier than you think.
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Make The Best Content Marketing Strategy

Content Marketing StrategyIt’s important for artists to gain content about themselves in the Music Industry. It allows them to keep fans updated about their activities. Besides this, it’s also a way to build up relationships in the Music Industry and other fans. In this blog I tell you about artists and their content marketing.
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First Date Jitters? Take Her to a Concert

Concerts make great first datesBy RACHELLE WILBER for MUSIC THINK TANK. First dates can be exciting, but a little overwhelming. What will you wear? What will you talk about? Will he or she like you? Before long, a laundry list of questions has taken over your brain until you eventually develop a case of the first date jitters. But don’t let the anxiety of your first date ruin the night before it even starts. Here’s five ways to make sure your first date goes smoothly.
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Use Creativity to Make More Money

Make more moneyMoney. Many artists struggle with it: either we’re poor at managing income or we lack creativity in getting it. It’s clear that with the shape of the music industry, most artists aren’t making a living from record sales. So how are they getting the support that they need?

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