Whether you’re pursuing music full - or part-time, you’ve likely been asked by family, friends, or perfect strangers about how you plan to make it in the music industry. And it’s a fair question. It’s a tough industry to crack and success takes much more than musical talent. Unlike in the past, however, making it big as a musician isn’t just about who you know. The good news is, with a bit of marketing and promotion, you can start to set yourself apart from the musicians who simply continue to hope someone will come along and do it for them. But that's not the case. Here are a few quick tips for building your music brand so you can stand out amongst the competition.
IT STARTS WITH NETWORKING
Networking is the easiest way of pushing your music or your brand out there. Everyone talks about networking and how it’s so important for your business, but when it comes down to it, not many people know how to do it and why it’s so valuable. Here are a few tips for all the new networkers out there.
No matter what your business, if you’re a up and coming musician, a publicist or an accountant, it’s important to know people in your industry. Industry connections, no matter the context, can make a considerable difference when it comes to growing and maintaining your business. People you meet along the way in life can help you to learn new things, and with our ever changing culture, you never know who you will need in your corner in the future.
TELL YOUR STORY CONCISELY & AUTHENTICALLY
Now that you’ve done the hard work in getting to the root of what makes your music brand unique, it’s important to create a few variations of that story. You’ll need your quick, elevator pitch as well as a more detailed version for things like your website, talking to press, etc. The more concisely and consistently you can tell your own story, the catchier it becomes. Also be sure that you’re telling an authentic story and building a connection between you and the listeners.
Think about the musicians you love: there are likely certain stories—the love story behind the lyrics of your favourite song or the random way in which the guitarist met the drummer—that stick with you because of how well, and how consistently, they’re told. Which part of your story would you want to stick with a music blogger? With your biggest fans? It may seem redundant because these narratives are surely in your head, but getting them onto your website or into an email is critical in transferring how you see your music brand to how others understand you.
BE CONSISTENT ACROSS CHANNELS
Now that you know your story and can tell it effectively, you’ll want to make sure it’s updated across all your channels, from your website to various social media platforms. You’ll want to make sure that a music blogger who checks out your Facebook page has the same experience there as (s)he does on your website, Twitter, and Instagram. Your messaging and the visuals that support it should all reflect the story you want to tell.
CREATE A LIST OF INFLUENCES
Once you’ve gained direction with the story you want to tell, it will be easier to find bloggers and publications who might be interested in your vision. Broaden your reach by thinking about your story from a couple of different angles.
MAKE A LIST OF RESOURCES YOU NEED
Ok, so it's hard doing a total re-brand. But, now that you know the brand image you want to portray, have updated media to the extent you can, and made a list of the people with whom you want to connect, it’s time to jot down where you can go the extra mile in completing the branding process. Maybe your visual aesthetic isn’t telling your story as effectively as it could be. Scheduling a photoshoot or reaching out to a designer about a new logo are proactive steps you can take today toward a complete, successful online branding.
We hope you can use our tips and they help, leave us a comment and let us know what you tried.
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