Music Business Hacks

In part 5 of our how to be a professional musician, we close the loop opened up in Episode 322 - How to Be a Great Opener. It's important to know how to start the show as well as close it out. But most important, you've got to know how to really be a part of a show...on and off stage.

In part four of our series, we talk about leadership, influence, and professionalism. Related Episodes: Episode #37: Band manager, publicist, booking agent, lawyer: who to hire and when? Resources for Leadership: BOOK: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell BOOK: Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell BOOK: Start With Why by Simon Sinek BOOK: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek BOOK: Tribes by Seth Godin PODCAST: The Go-Giver PODCAST: The LEADx show Resources for People to Hire: Music Manager Database Directory of Managers and Booking Agents

Part of being a great professional is learning how to be the perfect opening act.

For those of you looking to be a full time creative: have you ever stopped to think what you would do all day? Today's episode addresses the day-to-day experience of today's music professional and how you can begin incorporating those best practices into your work. Time Tracking Software: Toggl Clockify

We're launching a 5 part series on being a professional musician. What does it take? Who is technically a pro? What are some of the key skills, attributes, or habits needed? Today, we're kick things off by focusing on what is a pro first. Resources: Tech Republic - 10 things that define a true professional (article)

It's often a good idea to try new tactics to stand out in the crowd. In this episode, we talk about using postcards to help drive fan engagement, increase turnout at shows, and to help sell albums.

In this episode, we cover the happy variety in topics of the past week and how they all tie in together for adopting an unconventional mindset for your music business career. Resources: Episode #312 - Record Labels Accepting Demos Episode #313 - Winning with Video Episode #314 - Touring with a Dog Episode #315 - What Patriotism can Religion Can Teach You About Making Fans Episode #316 - INTERVIEW: Talking Spotify Strategy with Cenji Episode #317 - How to Get Better Value for Your Gear

In today, we're talking about how to get better value and pricing for your equipment. Whether you are buying or selling, you want to get good value. Resources: Episode #3 - How to Get a Sponsor pt.1: Creating Partnerships Episode #22 - How to Get a Sponsor pt. 2 How to Make the Approach Episode #178 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 1 - How to Pitch Sponsors Episode #179 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 2- Creating a Compelling Story Episode #180 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 3 - Finding Your "It Factor" Episode #181 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 4 - Connecting with Sponsors Episode #182 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 5 - Making Your List of Sponsors Episode #183 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 6 - Places to Find Even More Sponsors Episode #184 - Hacking Sponsorships pt. 7 - How to Ask for What You Want

Cenji is a singer, songwriter, and producer from San Diego, California.  He got his start singing cover songs in his college dorm room and has gone on to collaborate with acts such as Pure 100% on his remix of “Shelter” by Porter Robinson and Madeon. His collaboration with Konac titled “Flutter” has garnered support from channels such as Tasty Music, Hyper Potions, and Zekk. Now Cenji is working on creating more original music while working fulltime as a Software Engineer. He refuses to follow trends and strives to improve with every release in the hopes of one day achieving his dreams of becoming a full time musician. Check out his newest release, "Be Myself" here. Cenji & Konac can be found:  Konac: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6XoPTqzeS9Y6YhHCnSH5bQ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/konac SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/konac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konacmusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/konac_ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/itskonac Cenji: Spotify: https://open.

Happy 4th of July! In today's episode, we talk about how patriotism is a lot like religion...and how those two ideas can teach you about making new fans. It's about building a community and so much more! Resources: Niels Nielson, author of Religions of the World, on Common Characteristics of Religions Episode #118: Art and Activism Episode #97: Storytelling part 1: Creating an Emotional Arc Episode #99: Storytelling part 2: Writing a Better Bio

Today, I discuss being a touring musician while also being a pet owner. Whether you decide to take your dog on the road or not, there are some important things to consider. Of course, if you're touring in a band, check with everyone in the group that it's OK first! Resources: Dog Sitting If you're interested in getting a pet sitter, dog walker, or someone to watch your home and your pets, check out Rover. If you use my referral link, we'll each get $20 in credit (no obligation). Best dog stuff for the car: Comfortable travel crates: Sleepypod Mobile pet bed for comfort or Amazon Basics Travel Kennel for value. Harness for car travel: Slowton (size medium) or Bwogue (for small dogs) Dog waste bags: Earth rated (extra thick, good value) Best hotels for dogs: Budget motel chains: Red Roof Inn, Best Western, La Quinta Inn, Days Inn Nicer hotels: Kimpton hotels, Ace Hotel Or, check out this search listing from Pets Welcome.

Today, I want to focus on two opportunities to help expand your video (and revenue) earning horizons: Amazon Prime Video and film festivals. Of course, it all begins with having compelling content to begin with so if you haven't checked out the episode on making the most of your video (episode 308), listen to that first! Resources: Amazon Prime Video Direct main website (sign up here) Amazon Prime Video Direct account setup FAQ How to Get Automatic Captioning on YouTube Film Festivals open to music video submissions (FilmFreeway) Music Video Submissions for SXSW Film Festival A List of the Best Film Festivals for Music Video (worldwide) And, of course...my new memoir! Click on the cover to learn more:

One of the most searched queries for music business websites and musician resources is "Record Labels Accepting Demos" (or some variation of that, like Record Labels Accepting Demos 2019). Today, I want to talk about the mindset, what it actually takes to get the attention of that major record label, and better ways to improve your chances of receiving an offer.

Today is our weekly recap to combine all of the ideas covered over the past six days. In this, we talk about two seemingly conflicting ideas - when to persist and when to quit - and how this is often the ultimate secret to success. Episodes:  Episode #305 - Getting Unstuck Episode #306 - The 2 Most Important Habits for Success in the Music Industry Episode #307 - Do You Need a Reseller's Permit? Episode #308 - How Artists Can Use Video Episode #309 - How to Use My Maps for Tour Booking Episode #310 - The Secret of Quitting

One of the greatest skills of any entrepreneur is knowing when to quit something. In the music world, that means knowing when to give up on a song or album, on a band, or just a strategy that isn't working for you. In today's episode, we'll discuss some of the key ways you can determine when you ought to quit (or stick through it). Resources: BOOK -  The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit by Seth Godin. Episode #8 - SMARTER Goals

Today, I want to focus on an underutilized tool: Google My Maps. Not only can you use this for your tour venue database and have it serve as a visual aid for booking, but you can also use it to get an overview of music festivals, conferences, places to stay, or see where your fans are concentrated. Resources: Google My Maps page Live Music Venue Database example (United Kingdom) Folk Club Map (United Kingdom) Google My Maps Tutorial:

How can musicians and bands use video? Today, I'm going to provide broad overview of video strategy that is full of tips for you to help achieve your goals. Whether you are wondering to post on YouTube, Facebook, or Linkedin or wanting to know how you can use video to dominate your search engine optimization game, this crash course into video can help you get started. Also, remember that today is the last day to get the early bird rate for the DIY Musician Conference! Join me there by registering today. Resources: Online video editors: Animoto, Clip Champ, Movie Maker Online, Adobe Spark Explainer video generators: Whiteboard Animation Studio, Animaker Mobile video editing (for iPhone users only): Apple Clips - bonus: it includes a subtitle generator! Stock video footage: Adobe Stock, Art Grid, iStock, Shutterstock

Today's episode covers an important part of a music business that no one is really talking about: having a reseller's permit or sales tax ID. In addition to being a part of the actual business part of your career, it can actually unlock several valuable benefits! Resources: WikiHow: How to Get a Resale Number Entrepreneur Magazine: Benefits of a Resale License Department of Revenue by state: Alabama Department of Revenue—also offers an iPhone app Alaska Department of Revenue Arizona Department of Revenue Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration California Franchise Tax Board Colorado Department of Revenue Connecticut Department of Revenue Services—you must register to file and pay online Delaware Division of Revenue District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue Florida Department of Revenue Georgia Department of Revenue Hawaii Department of Taxation Idaho State Tax Commission Illinois Department of Revenue Indiana Department of Revenue Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance Kansas Department of Reve

Today, I want to talk about the daily habits you've incorporated into your music career. Specifically, I want to tell you about the power of focus and getting things done. These two habits separate those who only dream about being a successful musician and those who are doing it. Resources: Episode #8 - SMARTER Goals

We've all felt stuck before: sometimes, it's the lack of creativity. Other times, it feels like the lack of productivity. In today's episode, we'll identify a couple of key practices you can use to keep on keeping on. Resources: Episode #8 - SMARTER Goals BOOK - The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles