Top 5 reasons artists fail

Top 5 reasons bands / artists fail:

1)    No action plan: You MUST have a map and a destination in mind to get anywhere.  Like taking a road trip, you can meander hoping that someone will find you- Legitimate Producers, Booking agents, managers, attorneys won’t work with artists who haven’t achieved some level of success, and are diligently working on growing their careers.  Be ready to make a LONG-term commitment (Being a overnight success takes a minimum of 5 yrs of VERY hard work).

2)    Having the right tools:

Artist Website (this is the center of your social media universe)

-       Artist Bio (with good quality photographs)

-       Demo 3-5 songs 

-       Reviews or recognition

-       Mailing list

-       Booking info

-       Business cards (you’re a business, act like a pro)

3)    A Great Product: One thing that has never changed you MUST have great music and a great show- this is your job; you need to create the BEST music possible and lots of it!  Rehearse, play lots of shows, and constantly work on refining your craft to stay ahead of the competition. The industry is saturated with wanna be’s with little or no talent. Know what your strengths are and utilize them.

4)    Educate yourself:  To have a successful music business you need to know how EVERYTHING works- If you don’t know about distribution, or booking, use the internet, go to conferences, consult with professionals who can help you. Gather facts, and make informed decisions.

     3) Business Expert: Most artists don’t have a experienced business expert to help them guide their careers, since most business managers are busy with their successful clientele, you need a professional who can help you stay focused, and on track saving you valuable time and money.

         

Recommended book to have:

Email Etiquette:

Let’s say you are gearing up for a big show, Perhaps your new cd is about to drop and you want EVERYONE to know about it so they can buy it.

Before you add your entire email address book to your email , you should know what appropriate etiquette is AND what is legal and before you ever hit the send button.

Email vs Spam:   If you send emails promoting your services or appearances to 10 or more people then you need to read and follow the federal CAN-SPAM act guidelines.

Build and Maintain your email list:

Here are some ideas to help you build your email list:

1. Pass around a sign up sheet at your shows.

2. Add sign up forms to your website(s).

3. Offer a free incentive to join your list (free music download or ??)

4. Add a check box on your website’s contact form giving people who email you the option to subscribe to your list.

5. At the end of your emails, ask your subscribers to forward the email to any of their friends that would like your music. Give them an incentive to help you spread the word.  (see #3)

6.  In a previous post I included  Recommended services to use  

Unsubscribe option that is easy to use

Keep in mind that people's needs and interests change, Therefore if you give them a option to join, you also must give them the option to “opt-out” of your mailing list.  Remember, you want your list to consist of individuals that are going to go spend money on you and your services. Don't freak out if you have a few people opting out, you want to focus on people interested in YOU.

 Respond / interact with your fans: One of the most important things artists can do to build their fan base is to communicate with your fans!  Even the biggest stars follow this advice to communicate with their fans  Even a simple note saying Thank you for sending a friend request, following a tweet goes a long way in building repoire.

NEVER send attachments:  DO NOT send emails with attachments!  Clogging your fan’s inboxes with huge files that people don’t want, will result in  your fan’s no longer following you AND the risk of spreading virus’s to your email list of subscribers which will have the same result!

 Measuring your success: Smart Artists recognize opportunities to learn more about their fans by tracking metrics send a download link vs a attachment. This allows you to track analytics, so you can track the number of clicks, downloads.  If no-one is downloading your music, don't you want to know ?

Are you currently using a email service to connect with your fan base?  I would love to hear who your favorite service is in the comment section below!

References:

Can Spam act of 2003:

 http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

Photo credit: http://writespeaksell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/email-etiquette.jpg

Business Strategist Blog- “You want what your fans want” http://www.tamraengle.com/news.php?categories=consumer%20protection%20agency

The ABC’s of performance coaching

You are a “performer”.  You have your own unique personality, style, humor, and outlook on life that people connect with. 
Whether you go on-stage for a living, or  a physical artist that appears where your work is being showcased. 

Your experiences, belief systems, and  self esteem greatly affect your “performances”  for better or for worse,  and dramatically effect how people view you and your work.

What if you could free yourself of  negative emotions that limit your ability to connect with your audience, and allow you to take your creative work to a higher level?
Where do you start?

THINK ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE:

\
ASK YOURSELF: 

•  What value are you providing for them? 

• Is your show the best it can be? 

All successful artists have a team helping them insure they are at the top of their game.

What are you doing to make your show the best it can be?  
ARE YOU:

• Writing really good material? 
• Playing your very best?
• Do you have a performance that everyone is talking about? 
• Listen to who friends and collegues- who are they talking about?

I hear Muse has a tremendous  visual live show- So I have signed up for show announcements to make sure I catch them the next time they are in town.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? 


Are you struggling to get fans out to your show?

Are you trying to get into bigger better paying gigs?

What are you doing to maximize your chances for success in these area’s?

HOW CAN PERFORMANCE COACHING HELP YOU?

-       Overcome performance anxiety

-       Addressing technical issues

-       Develop Confidence

-       Learn healthy ways to advance your career to the next level

-       Explore roles as a musician and overcome fears that are stopping you

-       Resolve trauma’s that interfere with your performance

-       Insure a complicated arrangement or set   is delivered the way you imagine

-       Engage  your audience create new fans

-       Get better, higher paying gigs

REMEMBER THE ABC’S:

ACTION:  Don’t expect to be discovered, you will be waiting a long time.  
Take charge and start being your best now.

BARRIERS:  All barriers are  based in  B.S. (Belief Systems) that have created boundaries limiting you and your world.  You need to remove barriers so your fans can see you and your work in the best light possible

CHANGE:  Be a smart artist, and take a step back. Be willing to change what isn’t working and focus on adopting new ways of being your very best.  You can’t do it all your self, and why you need to build your own team to insure your success.

DIFFERENTIATE:  There is NO ONE like you.  Identifying and highlighting your strengths and how your different than your competitors helps you connect w/ your fans.

ELEVATOR PITCH:   Being able to distill your ABC’s into your unique selling proposition puts you miles ahead of others competing in the same pond or ocean you are in.


FEAR: Has been your gate keeper long enough, if you want to grow as a human and a artist you must face and overcome the things that are holding you back, work with a professional, who can help you be your best.

If you are  ready for Action now is the perfect time to get started.  All you need to do is click here

 Do you have a embarrassing or memorial performance story you would like to share? Post it in the comments section.

About the author:

 Tamra is  a business strategist, speaker, artist, and blogger. 
Leveraging over 25 years as an business executive and artist, she offers business solutions and private consultations to a wide range of independent music professionals all over the world- Helping them  prepare for showcases, cd release parties, and award shows (SXSW, ASCAP Awards, NAMM, Billboard Music Awards, Folk Alliance & more).

You can read what other artists have said about working with her, as well as other services she offers independent music professionals  to be their best at www.tamraengle.com

Photo Credits: 
Local Music Vibe:  http://localmusicvibe.com/shout-out-april-28-2011
Tamra Engle 50th Annual Grammy Awards 

Do you want to succeed? Make mistakes!

Remember when you were a kid, and you wanted to learn how to ride a bike? 

You could see the bigger kids were doing it, and you wanted to do what they were doing.

This may be one of your first memories of trying something new, that you hadn’t tried before.

Do you remember what happened when you first got on a bike?    

Did you learn how to ride the bike by reading and studying about it?  Did you jump on and ride perfectly?   

Can you remember how hard it was?   

You had to steer, pedal, AND balance…. How did you feel? 

Were you scared? Or excited?

Did you get frustrated? Or mad? Did you stumble and fall?

 Did you stop when you stumbled and fell?  If so, you probably never learned how to ride a bike.

Did you keep at it until you could ride?  Do you remember how that felt?  Really exciting right?

  YOU did it!!

Accomplishing anything in life is exactly like riding that bike when you were a kid.  It is scary.  You might fall, and risk feeling dumb or  even embarrassed.  However, riding a bike is like so many things, It isn’t something that you carefully study and research to be good at.     It is something that you must practice at. Then, you can do things like jumping off the curb, or  Race a friend down the street.

Do you remember those feelings of accomplishment and how that made you feel?

For me the very best things in life have been the things I have struggled and fought to do and get better at.   Did I ever stumble and scrape my knee?  One look at my knees will answer that question!

Think about what will happen if you do nothing? Beside having really terrific looking knee’s?   NOTHING. 

You will end up with a growing pile of untried idea’s and dreams.

Does fear stop you from doing things that you want to do?

Making mistakes is not always a bad thing. Mistakes cause you to analyze what you have done, then make adjustments so you do not repeat the mistake.

This doesn’t mean you don’t take time to prepare and plan.  You need to prepare, plan then take action! - only then,  will you be able to take steps toward your own success.

Perhaps a first step to action is simply going out and meeting creative people like you.  If you’re located near Berkeley, try by starting your Tuesday mornings with coffee and a walk with us.  Details are here,   All you have to do is show up and  look for the big “kids” with the scraped knees and smiles on their faces.  If your not near Berkeley,  look around on your social media pages, for groups near you, or hit your smart phone contact list and call a friend you haven't seen for awhile and invite them  for lunch or coffee.

Would you like to share a success that happened as a result of you trying something new?  I would love to hear about it in the comment section!

Recommended Reading:  Great Failures of the Extremely Successful: Mistakes, Adversity, Failure and Other Stepping Stones to Success

Photo Credit:  Falling off bike: http://regularmom.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/bike1.gif

Link to Outdoor Adventures Coffee Walks:

http://www.meetup.com/GuitarTam-Outdoor-Adventures/events/17295624/

Express yourself & move ahead!

If you are a artist, you create, and are filled with the desire to express yourself.

You find inspiration all around you, from, people, places, and the everyday things that cross your path. 

 You hope and feel that the product(s) that you produce, whether it is music, textile, or other forms of physical art, will resonate and ideally inspire others.

 From the dream that inspires, to the realization of your completed project

 It can be a  long,   b u m p y  road.

• Not sure where to start?
• Do you get stuck?
• Worry about obstacles in the way?

Fears? focus on perfection? money?  kids, what others think?

 

Are you a person that comes up with tons of idea’s that never get off the ground?  Or do you start projects and just never seem to finish them?

Everyone at some time, has something that stops them from moving forward.

 In my Understanding and reclaiming balance posting, I offer  one of the ways you can take a first  step to remove obstacles that are keeping you  from fully expressing yourself in the world. While enjoying time with other creative individuals just like you.  


I'm looking forward to seeing you there!


Cheers,


=Tamra=


Recommended Reading:











Photo credits:


http://blog.guerillaone.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/fil2.jpg




Reference:
http://guitartam.blogspot.com/2011/03/outdoor-adventure-series-for-creative.html?spref=tw

Business Strategist-: Outdoor adventure series for creative minds

Business Strategist-: Outdoor adventure series for creative minds

Outdoor adventure series for creative minds

Do you find yourself ever saying:

I don’t have time to do everything I want. 

How come I feel like I am working harder, but still not getting things done?

OR

I can’t believe another relationship didn’t work out…

Why is my work not getting noticed?  My work is better than theirs’?

I have so many great ideas, I just don’t know what to work on next?

Do you feel frustrated?  Tired?   Like you’re ready to throw in the towel?

These are signs of imbalances in your life. With more and more technology, more competition creating distractions along the way, and without balance and organization, it’s very easy to feel like your not achieving what YOU want.

I am introducing an outdoor adventure series for creative minds, offering you a holistic approach to your business, your life and personal and professional relationships, to help you stay healthy, grounded, and balanced.

In addition to providing you with useful tools that you can use to achieve more, you will learn how these tools will help you have success in relationships that are important to you.

Taking you out of your daily grind and into our outdoor playground, providing your Body, Mind and Spirit with an energizing , fulfilling experience with other creative individuals just like you.

Our April adventure will involve exploring the tide pools and  Harbor Seals of the 
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.  

Learn about the delicate ecosystems and residents that live in this beautiful reserve.  


Harbor seals (who are nesting w/ their pups Feb-May), Sea Anenome’s, Star Fish, Octopus, Crabs, Rock boring clams and  if we are lucky meet the lemon nudibranch!

After our exploration, we will enjoy lunch during a workshop and discussion.  Understand how the “ripples of imbalance” can create havoc in your personal and professional relationships, and when they are left un-resolved, how the imbalances create barriers to you and your success.

Using examples from our tide pool adventure, learn techniques and tips that will allow you to focus on achieving or re-claiming balance in your own life.

After lunch we will climb 160 steps and take a .50 mile hike on the bluffs above the tide pools to reflect on “where we have come from” and share the excitement  that lie ahead.

Outdoor Adventures for Creative Minds

April 10th  9:30-2:30  

Limited to the 15 prepaid  guests*

$40 Early Registration       PURCHASE NOW  

              *$50 April 1st

Schedule of events:

9:30 meet at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve parking lot (Parking is limited, please carpool!)

Walk down to the beach and drop off our lunch blankets and packs.

10:00-12:00 Explore the Tide pools and learn about the residents who live and visit there- and how we impact one another.

12:00-1:00 Enjoy your brown bag lunch- and our workshop discussion on Achieving and Reclaiming Balance in your Life

1:30- 2:30 Climb to the trail above the tide pools to  enjoy the .50 mile  walk on the bluff above the Marine Preserve back to our vehicles.

Note: This event is ideal for adventurers who enjoy moderate terrain.  There are 160 steps down (then back up) to the beach at Seal Cove. 

The tide pool reef is a rocky, wet, with uneven surfaces.  Study shoes and watching where you walk is very important for your safety and the safety of the animals that live there.

The Walk on the bluff is a level path with panoramic views (if it isn't foggy)- make sure you have your camera or binoculars to see the nesting animals. It is Awesome!

Important things you should bring:

Moss beach offers diverse weather systems,  spring weather can be cool, foggy or  damp on a spring day. 

 Dress in layers, keep in mind you might get wet (fleece and wool are great!)  Bring a warm jacket (just in case) and having some dry items in your car to change into.

Water bottle *(we will be out 4.5 hrs)

Brown bag lunch  / Snack

Sturdy shoes: The reef is rocky and uneven, and your feet may get wet- (Tennis shoes,  Vibram / reef walkers, or Teva’s type shoes are  recommended)

We will also be on a compact path and in beach sand.

Sunglasses

Hat or visor

Sunscreen / lip balm

Towel or blanket to sit on during lunch

Binoculars / Camera

Change of dry clothing / shoes/socks (for after tide pool)

Directions:

From Hwy 1 N or S drive west on California St turn right into parking lot

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach

7 miles north of Half Moon Bay, or 21 miles south of San Francisco

Located west of Highway 1  Take California Avenue off Highway One in Moss Beach. The reserve’s main entrance is at the end of California Avenue.  Allow 45 minutes to reach the reserve from the intersection of Highways 280 and 92 Parking is extremely limited and carpooling is necessary.
*There is a restroom and drinking fountain in the parking area, which is not easily accessible during our adventure. 


If you have any questions you can email Tamra at guitartam@gmail.com
To join the mailing list to find out about upcoming events to help you be your best, you can sign up HERE


I am really looking forward to sharing one of my favorite local  adventures with you!


Cheers!


=Tamra=


"Providing business solutions for creative minds
www.tamraengle.com




Please note that if inclimate weather occurs paid adventurer's will be  notified and the event will be rescheduled.


Photo credit:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3262245142_a616a089b5_m.jpg

You want what your fans want!

This is part of my  growing your fan base  series:

You get tons of email  every day right?  Between social media sites, and personal email.  Think about your fans,  they are in the same boat with you.

On a almost daily basis I often delete 20+ emails without opening them. I realized many of them were from artists who have decided to add me to their “mailing list” after meeting at a conference or show.

You have probably  seen emails just like them, telling you  all about their show that week, day, or month. 

When scanning the email there is no “unsubscribe” option on the email, because it is a email not a newsletter. 

Do you get these? 

You know you didn’t subscribe to a list but you get the email anyway? 

Do you send email like this?      Not sure?  

The Consumer protection agency states there are specific rules that apply to “ any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service,”

If you are promoting a product or service (that includes a show, performance, event, or happening) then you must follow the guidelines requiring you to comply with the law or face penalties of up to $16,000!!!

If you are mailing out to more than 10 people a month and those 10 people are not your family?  You need to have a professional newsletter that gives your recipients the option to “subscribe” and to  “unsubscribe”  It is probably one of your most valuable tools to have as a artist.

 Simply think about how you feel when you receive unsolicited email.

That is how your  collegues, or friends feel as well.  Yes, it's exciting you want lots of people to know about what your doing, but you also don't want to  have your colleges be in the  awkward position of having to ask you to not email them.  Remember, individuals must have signed up at some point to receive information about you,  Also remember, peoples needs and interests change,  don't be bummed if someone unsubscribes,   your mailing list is a reflection of your fans that  you want to come to shows, opening,  and buy products from you. Not individuals who do not. 

 What  service to use?

 SociaI Media  sites like Reverb Nation, &  Sonic Bids- offer newsletter services, but they control  the email list  not you.

Remember, your email list is GOLD, You always want to control the access to your fan mailing list. Remember, If the social media site goes away, so do your fans.

There are tons of great  newsletter services out there to use,  If you are getting a newsletter from a artist that you really like,  scroll down to the bottom of the letter and see who their newsletter host is.  Check out the various services offerings, 

  Most services offer tiered subscription services that allow you to pay a monthly fee  for a number of emails each month, generally you are paying $10-15 a month to have 500-600 email addresses.  You also want to have access to reports to see who are reading your newsletters, this is where you get specific data about who YOUR fans are.

You get customized templates, you own your list, and your fans can subscribe or unsubscribe as their needs change:

Popular services that are easy to use, offer reporting, tracking, and support:

www.mynewsletterbuilder.com  Create, send and track html email newsletters. Include pre-written articles or custom article content.

Mailchimp.com – Users can send newsletters in HTML format, which makes e-mail marketing easy.

www.constantcontact.com Newsletter templates, email mktg, reporting.

Do you have a favorite newsletter service you use?  Do you use one listed? 

Let me know!

 Highly Targeted Email Marketing - Learn How To Build A Laser Targeted Email List - The Secrets Of The Bigtime Email Marketers

References:

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

The song remains the same

Changing with the industry:

When I was a kid we would camp out at the local record stores for HOURS to be first in line for tickets and the recordings of our favorite artists.

The internet and how people consume media- has transformed business industries and our daily lives.  The recording industry has undoubtedly seen the biggest transformation within the entertainment industry.

 Major labels have gone under, artists and industry pro’s are scrambling to figure out how to revamp the way they do business, and the way those  businesses are monetized.

Berkeley College of Music’s Development center compiled a study of industry related salaries, which shows the reality of the working musician and music industry professionals.  Keep in mind with the high influx of freelance professionals in many of these fields, most in these fields  will attest to it being very difficult to achieve a full years salary in today’s market.

Music makers traditionally have been looking at music from where it is sold,

at shows, from the trunk of your car, or digital retailers like iTunes, CD Baby, etc.. 

Many artists find themselves in the eternal cycle of creating  CD’s and selling them. 

Have you considered changing your view point to:

Where music is used:

Here you start to see much broader applications and audiences for your music, as well as career options you might not have considered. 

Today, multi million dollar studios are being replaced by “home-desktop” studio’s the music creator pool has grown exponentially, and not always in a good way.

Hundreds of thousands of micro-entrepreneurs have popped up on the entertainment landscape. Getting quality music heard above the noise is much more of a challenge.  Despite how much the industry changes,

Key point remains the same:

1) You still must have great songs & performance.

2) Having excellent communication skills, being punctual, and having a positive attitude so people WANT to work with you. 

3) Demonstrating your “business” is healthy & growing- this shows potential investors, like managers, agents, merchandising , & promoters why they should do business with you.

4) Having a business development team helping you with roles like-Branding, Strategy, Social Networking, SEO (search engine optimization) and Content distribution move you above the noise. 

The big  difference is in a Indie landscape the artists are footing the bill up front vs. the labels who for decades acted as the bank extending “credit” to artists  who then had to re-coop the costs.

Creative fan engagement:

Today you know the mega stars that have used this strategy successfully, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber are a couple, but they represent the top 3% of the market, how about the emerging successes of bands  like OK-Go, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s , & Arcade Fire- who brilliantly utilized technology in their video wilderness downtown, for many music listeners the HTML5 interface gave them their first interaction with Arcade fire.  In 5 minutes, the band took viewers back to their HOME, think home and apple pie, people LOVED it.  Of course  being 1^st to market with that incredible fan engagement tool resulted in industry acknowledgement by sending them home with a  Grammy.

  Using technology in creative ways to create fan engagement are critical to the success of any artist.

What unique way are you using a business strategy to engage your fans and grow your business?  I would love to hear about it in your comments below.

References:

http://www.berklee.edu/pdf/parents/music-industry-salaries.pdf

http://mashable.com/2010/08/30/arcade-fires-chrome-video/

Photo credit:

http://www.blogs.dixcdn.com/photostore/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/1983-0030.jpg