Music Business Hacks

How much do you charge for a performance? Have you thought about the strategy about your pricing? If it has only been based on the market rate (what venues offer or what similar rates you've received), I'd like to challenge you to think about changing your approach. And it all begins with doubling that number.

In today's episode, we cover the importance of documentation - especially when it comes to building up a sustainable music business. Related Episode: Episode #80 - Why Every Artist Should Have Timers Built Into Their Contracts

We know that creativity is great for dealing with stress...but what happens when creatives start feeling stress? It can often sap our creative juices. In today's episode, we discuss 5 powerful ways artists can combat stress.

In today's episode, we talk about the most crucial steps in getting ready to leave your day job. If you can handle being a fulltime musician, then need to consider some important steps about budgeting, support from loved ones, and knowing when to actually transform your career.

The first rule in any kind of creative writing us "Show me, don't tell me." How can you use this in your music business? Obviously, lyrics can be improved by having greater detail but you can also use storytelling techniques in your business correspondence and how you conduct live shows as well.

In today's episode, we talk about the best ideas from the past week - in this case, it has everything to do with focus and vision. Related Episodes: Episode #251 - Your Post-Success/Failure Plan Episode #252 - Lessons Learned From Composing a Musical Episode #253 - The 5/25 Rule Episode #254 - How to Ask Better Questions to Get What You Want Episode #255 - Political Rallies and the Use of Music Episode #256 - Email Drip Campaign (Automated Marketing) Episode #257 - How to Repurpose Social Media Content Episode #258 - Interview: How Shannon Curtis Made $25k on a 2 Month House Concert Tour

Shannon Curtis is an artist who works as a songwriter, singer, storyteller, recording artist, speaker, and author. Her sixth studio album, entitled Both at the Same Time, is out now, and explores concepts of duality and of holding opposing truths in tension. Curtis and her husband Jamie Hill’s pioneering development of their unique community-driven house concert touring format takes them on extensive nationwide house concert tours each year. Their how-to book on that method debuted in February 2014 at #1 on Amazon’s Music Business Best Sellers list. They have become popular speakers on the topic at music industry conferences, and they routinely mentor other artists on house concert touring and DIY business. Buy the book here!  If you buy her book, send me the receipt and I'll send you both of my books! Here’s the link to “Shannon & Jamie’s Art Revolution” email list: http://eepurl.com/drqp3j Additional Resources: Books discussed: Dr. Brené Brown - The Gifts of Imperfection & Daring Greatly Elizabeth

Today, I'm going to focus on specific tactics that you can use in order to repurpose some of your social media content. Some of this will be dealing specifically with optimization, while other areas of focus will be on efficiency. Resources: If This Then That

Automated marketing, drip campaigns, lifecycle emails...these are all terms you might have heard of. Even if you haven't, chances are you've been a part of the sales funnel that marketers have created in order to receive a series of email messages. So how can you take best practices from this area and adopt them into your own email practice? Resources: Episode #47: Email Marketing Hacks Episode #91: 5 Ways to Guarantee Your Emails Will be Read Article: How to Create Effective Email Drip Campaigns Drip campaigns for: Fanbridge Constant Contact MailChimp

Rihana and Axl Rose don't have much in common except one thing: displeasure at Donald Trump for having their music used at his rallies. In today's quick episode, we talk about how/when rallies can use your music and what you can (and can't do) to stop it from happening. Related: Episode #71: The Guide to Performing Rights Organizations: ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC Episode #46: Protecting Your Music Through Copyright Registration

In today's episode, I shared specific tactics for asking better questions so that you can get what you want (whether it is better customer service, tech support, or making a pitch).

In today's episode, we're going to begin with the activity first. So grab a paper and pencil and get ready to hit that pause button while we deal specifically with your top 25 goals as a musician. Then, we'll share Warren Buffet's secret on getting more done.

I'm working on a musical! It was never really expected to happen but here I am...and of course, it also comes with lessons that I've found helpful to apply in other areas of the music business as well. Today, I'm sharing my top 5 lessons learned. Resources: Episode #97: Storytelling part 1

After a major election, there is usually a group who is elated and one who is in despair. Where they are going - towards greater success or failure - actually depends on perspective. In today's episode, I talk about that perspective and what we can learn to adjust to the major events in our careers.

Tabitha Rhys is the author of Love, Music, Madness, a novel about a songwriters whose music journey takes him across the country and behind the mixing board. Although entirely a work of fiction, Love, Music, Madness is inspired by Tabitha’s adventures on the road as an independent musician and in DIY studios during the rise of the digital recording revolution. Tabitha grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, but has spent most of her adult life on the West Coast and now calls Riverside, CA home. When she isn't exploring her adopted city with her toddler son, Tabitha is hard at work on her next novel. Resources:Book Trailer: bit.ly/LoveMusicMadnessBookTrailer Order the book Love, Music, Madness: http://bit.ly/LoveMusicMadness Tabitha on Facebook and Twitter Website: tabitharhys.com Subscribe to Tabitha Rhys' mailing list by the end of the day on November 6th to receive a free download of her song "California." To sign up and get details, visit Tabitha's Facebook page. Tabitha's favorite books: The Glass Castle by

In today's episode, I reflect on what it means to "home" as a musician (and when we need to do some remodeling work on our business). Resources: Episode #118 - Art and Activism Episode #243 - How to Tour Lighter Episode #244 - How to Launch Episode #245 - Putting All Your Eggs Into One Basket Episode #246 - The Best Hack for Getting More Time and Efficiency Episode #247 - The World's Worst Manager Episode #248 - What You Can Learn from The Elections (battle of the bands)

Today's episode focuses on the upcoming elections and what we can learn from candidates vying for your support. From Battle of the Bands, reality tv shows, or trying to get fans to support your work in some kind of way, we have a bit that we can learn from political candidates building a platform.

In today's episode, we focus what trais actually make the world's worst manager. What are they like? How do they treat an artist? What responsibilities are they avoiding? In reality, we're our own manager...so we might as well be the best that we can be. Resources: The World's Worst Boss by Seth Godin Music Business Hacks #Episode 8: SMARTER Goals

Proverbial wisdom will tell you that getting up earlier allows you to get more done...but is that true? Today, we talk about how and when you can work your best as well as find other ways to get another 5,100 hours each year to develop your music career.

Musicians like singular ideas and actions. Whether it is a new social media trend, booking SXSW, or trying to get on more playlists, we think these are all magic bullets that can guarantee success. However, those are just different baskets - and we need to avoid going all in on any particular strategy. P.S: If you want to see my newest entrepreneurial effort, visit www.gimigeek.com