As an artist it can be expensive for this career we have chosen. What choices we make and how we invest our personal money are a factor in not only our lives but the lives of our family and friends who are close to us and who have supported us from the start. Therefore this tip may be the most important tip given to any Artist/Musician period!
A lot of research and networking is being done via the internet these days by Artists, Managers, Agents etc, We forget that going “old school” may work better than signing up for sites that promise a lot of flash, with a money back guarantee of course, Remember a site that says “ FREE to SIGN UP” may not be the best site for what you are trying to do. If it sounds to good to be true, then most likely it is. Read the fine print and the entire site before you commit yourself to something. At some point you are going to have to pay, regardless of the amount, for what you want.
Let’s face it, if you want Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube & Dr. Dre fame no one is going to hand it to you. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of people who will help you, steer you in the right direction and give you VALUABLE ADVICE, but you still have to do the leg work.No one is going to help you get where you want to be if you want to take shortcuts on your career and don’t want to put in the work.It boils down to, paying your dues!
While researching sites that assist you in booking gigs, I was amazed at the fact that either the site was awesome or it just outright sucked. No in between, so of course, since I take my career seriously, I am considering only the awesome sites. Does it matter if I have the pay a monthly fee or become a member? NO! WHY? Because, I don’t mind paying the few dollars now for something that will benefit my career in the long run. However, before I make the decision to utilize these sites, I am also considering, researching, investigating and interviewing actual agencies that specialize in booking bands. This may work better for me because I prefer the live interaction with a person. That way I can relay in person and in no uncertain terms what I will do and what I will not do. On the other hand, I’m considering these self-booking sites because I’m not sure I want to give up control of this extremely important part of my career. The point is before you go with a site that promises the world, research it, even before you sign up for their “free program”. It’s not worth the hassle, once you do it, to backtrack.
This blog is somewhat new and there is way to much to address in a short daily or bi-weekly blog. Each day I blog I plan on sharing tips that I've learned while researching for my career. I can tell you social media marketing is an important factor in the game these days, but it’s not the only factor. As artist we can forget that. Virtual fans look good on screen and paper but actual live fans are awesome and what pays the bills. Don’t get me wrong the virtual fan can and do become the live fan. The transition depends on you the artist. Winning these fans over can not be left on anyone else to do. Make sure your music is the best you are putting out and please don’t become a diva because your FaceBook page shows you have 3000 fans!
Here are some sites that are a must to be on: Reverbnation or SonicBid or both, FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger or Wordpress, G2.fm or Gig Maven, Indie Charts, Last.fm, Headliner.fm, Evolver, Blog Talk Radio, Zazzle or CafePress, Windows Live with Google docs, ILike or Artistdata, Bit.ly or Tiny.ly, Shareaholic or Stumble upon or both, SoundCloud, PayPal or AlertPay or both, Indie on the Move, OurStage and Skype. By no means is this a comprehensive list of the resources available but it’s a start. Each of the sites mentioned and any site mentioned in the future has a purpose, and yes one site may do what another site does, so don’t forget that your are trying to BUILD your fan base, not limit it!
Another thing to remember is to always refer to the sites that give you INFORMATION, with no strings attached, These are sites like IndieGuide and About.com. Both of these site are a wealth of free and accurate information. if you’re not careful you can really get information overload.
A personal website is so important, but don’t get caught up in the hype and try to build it yourself if you don’t know about databases, MySQL/php, HTML etc. Unless you plan on taking a six to eight month crash course, PAY THE PEOPLE WHO CAN GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME! Let’s face it, YOU HAVE ONE SHOT AT MAKING A FIRST INPRESSION! For every one fan that looks at a crappy website and actually comes back there are twelve(12) fans who won’t give you another shot. And, to make matters worst they are telling twelve (12) other people about the “worst website ever”. However, If you do decide to build our own site, research the web hosting well. The last thing you want is to pay for a host that limits your bandwidth or crashes constantly. Go with a company that allows you unlimited domain hosting, so you can have a chance at making some money through sub hosting, unlimited bandwidth, free domain names and/or a site builder, to name a few features. Before you commit to a company, or even start looking, sit down and write a plan of action on paper what you want your website to do. Doing this will allow you to use your WRITTEN PLAN as a guideline for what company you go with.
My next blog is going back to the beginning and basics, “the who, what, why, where and how to start and use the internet wisely and useful self promoting”. I’m going to actually share some tips and give helpful hints, not just tease you and try and get you to buy something. The tips I will be sharing are from my personal experiences so you may have a different result. In other words, take my tips for what they are: ADVICE ONLY!! I don’t have a handbook on the right or wrong way to do it, I only have my personal experiences.
I personally signed with Blacq Gold Entertainment/Raw Talent Management because they offered me a documented plan focusing on what promotional and Social Media Marketing opportunities that are available to me and which one’s that I would be utilizing. I arrived at the free consultation not knowing what to expect and I left glowing. We focused solely on what my goals and ambitions were, what direction I wanted my career to go and how I wanted to achieve it. The proposal I received from them reflected EXACTLY what I said. I have full input in any decision made regarding my career. The proposal came with the pros and cons and the honestly conveyed how they would help me achieve my goals in a realistic timeframe. Although I signed a contract, I AM ENCOURAGED to investigate any opportunity, from other Companies, that may be presented to me. Blacq Gold Entertainment/Raw Talent Management encourages growth. A statement made to me by my representative was “Companies and people are put in our path for a season or a reason My Company and I may be the season that opens up the door for the Company that ends up being the reason. It is important to remember that a Company may not be able to provide everything that they have promised, but the fact that they are willing to let you research or even talk to another Company that can, is a rare thing”. I am fortunate because the representation of me has been FLAWLESS!! I am not pressured in any way by them to do anything I’m not comfortable with. We go back to the drawing board and mutually find a way that can work.
Please comment on anything I say, write or blog. The only bad or negative advice is the advice or comment not given! Send comments to comments@mistabogard.com. Fans can sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter at newsletter@mistabogard.com. The newsletter is unique because I have a version for fans and a version for artists. As an artist, you are welcome to subscribe. to both. To receive the artist version email your request to artistnewsletter@mistabogard.com. If you want to book me for a performance or consultation, send an email to booking@mistabogard.com. And of course, if you want to head up or join my street team send a email to streetteams@mistabogard.com. Although my website is under construction right now, visit me in the very near future, I’m launching it February 1, 2011, at www.mistabogard.com
Follow this link and listen to a couple of my tracks. I have worked with some of the best artist out there, and no unfortunate as it is, some of the best artist haven’t gotten their due recognition. http://tiny.ly/ygml
Until the next time; recognize and appreciate all the blessings you receive daily, because they are there if your eyes, heart and head are open to receive them. Keep your eyes on the prize, your back to the wind and your understanding open!
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