The Art Of Getting conned.
Where do we start? As a new artiste it is easy to see how this can happen, you want to get started, you want to do well. You’re actually one of those artistes that gets off their ass and actually helps themselves. I know I am too. Even I, a seasoned veteran in this business knows that I can’t possibly know it all and that I am also susceptible to getting conned. How can you get conned?
In these hard times of recession there are a number of companies that will promise you the earth and tell you that when you hire them, you business will increase. There are so many companies trying to take your hard earned pennies and we all know in the electronic scene we are talking pennies.
Learning to be street savvy comes from making mistakes and experience for sure, but I am hoping to save you some of that pain and keep those pennies in your pocket.
If you are an artiste people will say you need a manger. At some point when you are huge this may be the case but you certainly need a great lawyer and eyes and ears because you are going to do a lot of reading and a lot of listening. Learning to ask questions is key, there is always someone around you who knows more than you do, and when there isn’t, there’s the internet. Use it.
If there is an artiste you respect that is doing well, see what they are doing. Why are they successful? People like Imogen heap are a great example of a pro-active artiste who helps herself in many ways.
This brings us to social networking. Lots of companies want to charge you for essentially something you can do yourself if you can be bothered and have the time, and time consuming it is- I know I spend most of my day doing this. At some point you will need help but I am talking about the new artiste here, the vulnerable chicken waiting to get ‘Plucked’
They can charge around 2000 a month for this service and if you’re a new business this can end that business before you start. So beware of them because nothing is a valuable as your personal touch and fans want to speak with you, not some intern posting and pretending to be you.
I mean what else are you doing, your new so spend time on face book, twitter etc and ask yourself this: what is going to make someone like me enough to support me and my music?
You simply going to have to be creative and work hard to get noticed.
If your music requires radio play there are numerous companies who offer services to get you that airplay, make sure you check them out carefully as some are better than others, do you need college radio or pop? Make sure you send your demos to the right companies, do your research, it is really annoying when people send me hip hop or trance because it show me they did not bother to spend 5 minutes researching my label and that means they are they type who can not be bothered at all.
I love video and I love viral campaigns, you tube has made stars out of this, a good video even on a flip camera (steve porter slapchop is a great example)
Will get you more bang for your buck than any of these companies.
Make sure you have a great website as you are driving traffic to it ALWAYS. Make sure you have music readily available and plenty of givaways.
If you own a label it is a whole new world of challenges us label owners face, how best to spend our money, and I certainty appreciate talent that helps themselves, if I see how hard an artiste works than I am more likely to sign them as well as the fact they make great tracks over someone who makes great tracks but is a nightmare to work with.
Choosing the right companies is hard, I am lucky I have people who always help me out with advice and I watch and listen all the time do those that have dared to walk down the label owner road and come out with something in their pocket.
But still always get a second and third opinion before departing with your cash, ask for references, and ask to speak with other artistes they have represented.
Hope this helps — Members of my mailing list get free music in their emails! Sign up now on www.djrap.com. Luv and Bass DJRAP
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