Marketing Is Everything (And Everything is Marketing)

Many musicians incorrectly believe that marketing is synonymous with advertising. Therefore, when trying to increase sales of a (hopefully outstanding) product or service, they focus disproportionate attention on this promotional method. Consider the following scenarios:           An ensemble wants to attract bigger crowds to their...

The Rule of Five

Many musicians despair routinely about how hard it is to succeed in this business: Things have really dried up since the economy went south.  The phone stopped ringing.  There are 500 unsold CDs in the basement collecting dust, and the damned record label fails to advertize it adequately.  A competitor adopted a gimmick, and now unfairly...

Writing an Approach Letter

In my recent post Career Mentorship: The Lost Education, I argued the benefits of seeking out individuals to serve as role models and coaches when it comes to career related issues.  The article generated a lot of questions, which I will address in this and future posts.  What’s the best way to make initial contact with a career mentor,...

The Musician-Blogger: Finding Your Niche

Of course! You don’t have time to blog.  You don’t even have enough time to breathe, with all your practicing, composing, teaching, career promotion, life responsibilities, and the occasional social engagement.  If there’s one thing you simply can’t squeeze into the schedule, it’s maintaining a blog! Don’t be ridiculous. That’s...

Why Purple is the Most Marketable Color

Many musicians spend a great deal of time focused on artistic excellence, and almost none on what makes them remarkable.  If you hope to attract significant attention, I suggest you prioritize both. In an over-crowded market, where hundreds of competitors often vie for jobs, concert engagements, students, or audience members, only those...