I’ve spent a lot of time talking about what sponsors are looking for as well as making the pitch but I thought I’d take some time to talk about what sponsors are not looking for. Maybe this will help you avoid the pitfalls that most artists walk right into when trying to get a new sponsor for their record, … Read more
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur on Fire. He was launching a new podcast series called “The Great Business Experiment: Kickstarter.” It featured interviews with ten successful Kickstarter campaigns to talk about what worked, what was learned, and what can be done for the future. All 10 … Read more
While I was on Twitter, I saw some misinformation being posted through an RT on the CD Baby account. A merch company argued that musicians should order merchandise before Dec. 31st so they could write off the expenses in 2012 while selling the goods in 2013. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter because you’ll be taxed on your earnings for 2013 … Read more
When looking at the top search terms for my blog today, I noticed several searches about “unsolicited music demos” and even “What is an unsolicited music demo?” So let’s talk about them and how to make them work for you: What is an unsolicited demo? If you look under the FAQ’s or contact information of … Read more
Do you have a tour or one-off show coming up? Let’s talk about how to promote it. Now, I understand that there are many debates on where the responsibility of promoting lies (some argue the venue/promoter, some argue the artist). Those debates aside, let me say this: the time and money that goes into strategically … Read more
Recently, I received an email with two commonly asked questions about sponsorship that I’d like to address: 1) How much can you ask from a sponsor?2) My project costs X dollars, should I mention that in my pitch? In my book, I talk about a new way of looking at sponsorship: a partnership. Approaching a business … Read more
When it comes to touring, I find more musicians focused with the “How,” “When,” and “Where” aspects but not enough of the “Why.” Of course, touring can be an incredibly important step in most artists’ careers but you should definitely take some time out to create solid goals and a definitive strategy before you decide … Read more
I recently had a chance to sit down with Katey Laurel, a self-described “Colorado hippie cowgirl with a pocket of folk-pop songs,” and talk about her music. She’s an award-winning artist and folk music powerhouse in the Colorado scene. She’s also got some great out-of-the-box ideas that artists and music industry professionals can learn from! … Read more
Last week, I received several questions about bands or venues canceling last minute and what the repercussions were. Between that and taking law classes at night, I’ve had a lot of contracts on my mind. Hopefully, this will help answer some of your questions about band contracts, if you need them, and how to create one. I’ll … Read more
A while ago, I wrote an article for Music Think Tank: 5 Tips on Getting a Label, Sponsor, or Booking Agent. This week, I got some follow up questions on the best route to go for choosing and pitching to a booking agent or agency. Here’s my thought process on how to find the right partner … Read more