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Daylle's News & Resources |
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Issue # 28 |
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Hello
to you all! I hope this finds you blooming with the flowers of summer. I’m busier than ever but feeling more blessed than ever to be doing what I LOVE! I was delighted to just read a release from Dave Cool in relation to his What is INDIE? film. http://www.whatisindiemovie.com First he quoted Warner Music Group Chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr. who said: "If we are going to invest in artists going forward, then we need to be partners with them in their careers." Dave talked about how industry pros are now acknowledging what was said in his film, and referred to my quote, “More and more indies that are getting deals with the labels are becoming more partnerships. It’s not about artist deals so much anymore.” I’ve been saying that since I wrote Start & Run Your Own Record Label. As usual, it’s taken the industry years to catch on to the obvious. It bodes well for those of you who want to control your own careers! Feel
free to contact me about my fees if you need CONSULTING on how to make
progress in your music career or need a shot of motivation by using my
CAREER COACHING. I do it in person and by phone. You can email me at consulting@daylle.com
for more info. .
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issues at http://www.daylle.com/daylle/newsletter-growth.html Please
visit my website, http://www.idontneedarecorddeal.com/ to take
advantage of the many resources for developing a career in music. Also,
please come and be my friend at http://www.myspace.com/daylle. : ) This issue has great suggestions for marketing. I interviewed Nancy A. Shenker, who’s a rock star at marketing and have great suggestions for making your website a marketing magnet from Julie Blake. There’s also part of an interview from my book I Don’t Need a Record Deal! with Speech from Arrested Development and an article about the reality of radio play by Sheena Metal, who’s a radio host and much more. The rest is written by me. Please feel free to write with suggestions and questions that I can include in future issues. Daylle Deanna Schwartz, author, speaker, consultant/coach
1. "I CAN!" "I WILL!: In the last issue I talked about how to turn struggles into challenges. Once you become more aware of how your words affect your attitude, which affects how situations turn out, you can be more conscious about phrasing intentions in ways that get your more. People who aren’t happy point out what they can't do, can't have, and can't be. They complain but don’t face that they’re stuck in self-defeating can'ts. Do you want to feel like a victim or be victorious? Victims sing, “Woe is me. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.” They’re sure they can’t do things they want to do. Declaring that you can’t do something creates limitations that stop you at the starting gate. Why create roadblocks in the form of mental walls? Using “can’t” is giving up, becoming victim to the word. It's defeating a goal before trying to reach it.
“I can’t” often means, “I won’t.” Think about why you believe you can’t do something. Then work on whatever the underlying reason is. What are you really saying? You can get past it once you understand. Often “can’t” is a generic excuse for other issues. Here are some common feelings that you might disguise as “I can’t” when you really mean:
* "It's too hard so I don't want to try." That means you don’t want to make the necessary effort. Be honest - say “I don't want to” or “I won't.” In most cases, you can if you want it enough. Does making a gazillion calls to clubs to book a tour seem daunting? “I can’t get booked.” Are you tired of all the bad guitar players that answer your ads? “I can’t find a guitar player so I can’t play out.” It’s hard to continue to make an effort but the other choice is to give up your dreams. If you want it badly enough, you’ll persevere and do the work. If not, delude yourself that you can’t, when you can. * “I’m afraid to try.” Don't delude yourself that you can't when you're just too scared to try. Are you worried that people will reject your music or a tour you set up won’t be successful? If you're afraid, deal with the fear. Being afraid makes YOU block your dreams. Stop saying, “I can’t” when you’re scared by facing what scares you. Be scared but try anyway. Then you CAN get what you want. * “I’m afraid I’ll fail.” Fear of failure makes you fail. So you say you can’t and fail from the get-go. Do you see playing to an empty room or your CD not selling as failure? It’s not. “I can’t go out on tour” will just prevent you from ever touring when developing a thicker skin and accepting that it takes time to build success can get you on the road. Why let fear of failure make you think you can’t do something? It’s a copout! * “I don’t know how to achieve a goal.” When you can’t do something because you’re lacking the knowledge or skills to do it, create a plan for learning what you need to accomplish it. If you can’t license your songs because you don’t know how to make contacts, go to industry events and network or consult with someone who can guide you. Ignorance isn’t bliss! It does elicit “can’ts”. There are books, teachers and other resources available for those who choose to change “can’t” to CAN. According to Webster's Dictionary, “can” means "to be able, to have the power." So the difference between can and can't (cannot) is a matter of choice. If you can't do it, you're saying you don't have the power. Why make yourself powerless when you’re not? These days, if I’m told I can't do something, I ask, “why not?” and find a way to do it. If you hear yourself saying, “I can’t,” think about why not. If you can’t because you’re scared, it’s your choice – you won’t try to control fear. If you can’t because you don’t know how, it’s your choice – you won’t do what’s necessary to find a way. So be honest and just say, “I won’t. Many happy people say the word "can't" is no longer in their vocabulary. When I taught school, my students said, “a white woman “can't” do rap music.” I could have left it alone but chose to show them you CAN do anything you choose. So I recorded several records and proved them wrong by getting loads of publicity as the "rappin' teach." When told I “can't” start a record label, I successfully founded Revenge Records. Now I teach seminars about running a label and write acclaimed books published by Billboard.
1. Imagine: Everyone has dreams. I ask a client, what is your definition of nirvana? Why are you doing what you’re doing? If the person isn’t looking to make money, I’m not the one for them. 2. Focus: They need to be able to help me translate their dreams into specific actions over time and commit to a marketing plan and activities. I ask them, “How far are you willing to go to get where you want to be?” 3. Buzz: That’s, in some ways, the easy part. Once a business has a clear brand and we’ve worked out a marketing plan, we help them get their story out to their target audiences. Most marketing firms focus just on this step. But all four parts have to work together. 4. Profit: That’s what results from 1-3. If someone “gets” the 4 steps, that’s usually a pretty good sign.” How can someone market on a limited budget? “Having a limited budget doesn’t mean you have to stop marketing. You have to use your ingenuity. Get out and network. I call it deliberate stalking. Ask, where can I go to meet people in my target audience. Think about who are the people you need to meet and where they hang out. Go to where they are, without being a real stalker. Keep a database – a list of everyone you’ve ever met. That’s sacred.” How can a musician nurture their fans? “Fans and customers like being treated as special. First, know who they are (remember that database!) Give them special offers when you can. Encourage them to bring friends to your performances. Most important, thank them (which doesn’t have to cost a penny).” Nancy A. Shenker has helped more than 30 companies improve their performance through innovative marketing. Her background includes senior strategic planning and marketing positions for major brands, including Citigroup, MasterCard International, Prentice-Hall and Reed Elsevier publishing. She speaks on topics related to new business start-ups, trends, the internet and marketing spending. Check her out at http://www.theonswitch.com
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you poured all your passion and creativity into your website and fans flocked to it and spent lots of money? It can be done, but only if you know the magic spell that transforms an ordinary website into an irresistible click magnet. The secret is that you get paid for the difference that your music makes in your fans lives. People buy music because of how it makes them feel. Think of your music as part of your fans identity and lifestyle, like driving a VW Bug or being addicted to Starbucks®. Fans want to feel like they “belong” and are part of something really cool. This is why Dead Heads will never die and Jimmy Buffett’s Parrot Heads will never stop drinking margaritas attempting to escape reality. Start by getting into your fans heads, find out what motivates them to invite your music into their life. Fans want to live the dream along with you. That’s why they thrive on insider info. Get to know your fans and why they connect with your music. Focus on your passion for your music and continually work to improve and the fans will follow. Ask yourself – How does my music make others feel? What does my music add to my fans lives? Think “astonish!” Have you received a link to something that was so amusing you passed it on to everyone you know? The OK GO treadmill video on YouTube spread fast because it astonished people enough to stop their busy lives, enjoy a good laugh and pass it on to friends. Their website is jam packed with entertainment and even includes fun and games. When you create an entertaining, funny or unique site, it will take on a life of its own. You do not need a flashy site to astonish your fans. In fact, an all flash site cannot be viewed by all and does not always translate into more sales. The best way to astonish your fans is with your creativity, passion and talent! Ask yourself…How can I astonish my fans? Instead of focusing on how you can increase sales, get insanely creative and find ways to increase the value of your music by entertaining instead of doing a hard sell. A delicious example is from the Cold Stone Creamery®. Whenever someone puts money in the tip jar, the whole crew sings little jingles like “tip tip hooray!” and “hi ho, hi ho, thank you for the dough.” The next customer in line is excited to leave a tip just to hear the next jingle. You can also give fans what they crave the most—insider info! Fans eat it up when they get access to back stage photos, unreleased live recordings or a peek at a recording session. You can increase the value of your music by including exclusive insider info with a purchase. Cutting prices does not increase sales; it decreases the value of your music. Fans look for something that adds value to their life, that they can identify with and feel good about. Build trust and a deeper connection with your fans by giving access to free videos, song downloads and an entertaining newsletter. Ask yourself… How can I increase the perceived value of my music? How can I spend creativity instead of dollars to promote my music? Give your fans something to discover! You can connect with fans online in ways that you can’t at a live performance. Tell them the story behind the song, why you write music, what it’s like for you to follow your dreams. Talk about challenges and gigs that went completely wrong. Share your greatest moments so they can enjoy them too. Post a short video of a songwriting session or give them a glimpse of what it’s like to be on your tour. Ask yourself… How can I make a deeper connection with my fans? The most important part of your website is your music. It doesn’t matter how cool your website is if your music is not polished and ready for debut. Make sure that your website or MySpace doesn’t take away too much time from creating great music. When it comes to music websites, it really is all about the fans! When someone visits your website, all they really care about is what is in it for them. So, the real question is, how can you make your fans website a click magnet? Give fans a great reason to hang around and return for more! Make your website every bit as creative and entertaining as your music.
4. DAYLLE’S SEMINAR & BOOKS: I've been doing my private seminars for over 10 years but my time is getting tighter. From now on, I'll only speak when someone puts an event together and brings me in for it. If you want more info about booking me to speak, please email me at booking@daylle.com. I’ll keep you posted on my speaking gigs that are open to the public. I do music industry and self-empowerment workshops.
My book I Don't Need a Record Deal! Your Survival Guide for the Indie Music Revolution, gets more and more relevant in today’s music market! The focus is on making money from musical talent. It guides you to creating as many income streams as possible and has specifics on how to pursue the variety of opportunities. It’s the only book I know of with so many specifics on how to tour and license music in international markets. People are surprised to find chapters on taking care of your physical and mental health too. But part of surviving and thriving includes taking good care of YOU. You can order this book from me by sending $25 ($20 + $5 priority mail return) in check or money order (made out to Daylle Schwartz) with your name, address, and email address. My other books, The Real Deal: How to Get Signed to a Record Label and Start & Run Your Own Record Label are also available from me at the same price. Please specify if you want it autographed. Send it to:
Daylle Schwartz
5. INTERVIEW WITH SPEECH from Arrested Development: Speech is in the hip hop group, Arrested Development, which was signed to EMI Records in the 90’s. Since EMI closed, he developed a solo career, releasing solo independent albums as well as continuing to record and tour with the group. What made you decide to do something independent? “The label’s vision and ours didn’t match. The experience we had with the record label was that they were very single oriented and hit oriented and they weren’t willing to work with us as a band to accomplish some of the overall goals that we felt were necessary for a group like Arrested Development. It wasn’t in synch with what we thought was best for us so that was it.” Before you were signed how did you figure out where to book yourselves into shows? We booked ourselves into one club locally in Atlanta, GA. We started to become the house band for that club. We played once a week. It helped us to gain a following. After we gained that following we were able to do different shows and hand out fliers. We would get people’s addresses and numbers in those days and let people know what the next thing was that we would be doing. Arrested Development was a very big group so our street team was us and our friends. How do you find performing in Japan? We love it. It’s incredible. The fans are very responsive. They’re very intuitive to the lyrics. They’re a very educated music crowd. We’ve probably been there since about 1995. Do you sell CDs overseas directly or only in stores? We sell them at the gigs and in stores. We also license our music to other countries like Japan and Germany. We did that on our own. We searched out different labels that were interested in the product. I think that all countries in Europe are receptive to hip hop now. We were able to tour Eastern Europe which we weren’t available to do before. It’s all music to them. Do you want to sign with a label? Only if it’s right. One of the things that we’re determined to do whether we take a deal or not is to make a business partnership. We don’t want to just sell ourselves 100% to anyone. We’ve been there. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve seen a lot of the benefits of not having to do it that way. For us, we would have to do a business relationship. They made be involved with marketing or distribution, certain aspects but we’ll still be in control. We make a lot more money independently. We sold 120,000 copies of my solo album in Japan and Arrested Development has sold 200,000 copies in Japan alone. Best piece of advice for an independent artist? “Set yourself up to sell material at your live show and to meet people after the show. People are interested in autographs. We really respect the fans. We don’t sign for a brief moment. We’ll sign until the last fan comes up. It’s sometimes a long line but we’ll stand there until it’s done. The fans have greatly appreciated it. Not only do we just sign and have them move along like a cattle call but we’ll talk to them and ask them what they thought about the show, what they liked about it, what’s their name. You get to know who they are and find out what they like about you and why they came out. Find out what they want from you. It’s about connecting. Check out Speech and his music at http://www.speechmusic.com 6. MINDING YOUR MUSIC BIZ: Radio Play: Will Topping The Charts Make You Bigger Than Elvis? by Sheena Metal Every true-life rock ‘n’ roll television melodrama has the same scene: the unknown artist/band gives their freshly cut 45rpm single to the local disc jockey. He spins it on his top 40 radio show and a star is born. This legend has been passed down through the generations of wannabe popstars like an ancient family recipe. The ingredients may differ, but in the end you get the same glorious results: radio play equals fame and fortune. But does this Top of the Charts fairytale still apply today in the sardonic post new millennium world we call “today”? Can a band in our current music scene walk into a radio station with a CD single in their hot little hands, impress and wow the DJ with their enthusiasm and chutzpa, obtain the magic and golden FM radio spins and then ride the wave of success all the way to Graceland? Well, then, I guess the real question would be, “Do you believe in fairytales?” Unfortunately, the music industry, like the entire earth, has become so overpopulated and oversaturated with artists, music, CDs, and radio stations/shows of all kinds, that the chance of your own personal radio fairytale coming true is probably slim to none. But, don’t give up on your favorite audio media outlet. Radio may not catapult you to instant superstardom but it certainly can help to push you down the path to success. The following are a few tips that will help you to make your own music fairytale and get your music heard throughout the airwaves: * Get Out Of Major Market The Top 40 Station Mentality. There was a day when getting played on a big city Top 40 radio station was like winning a gold medal at the Olympics. Bands that were chosen for play were handpicked by the voices of the airwaves whose ears were finely tuned to pick out the next new rising star. Today, things are a little different. Radio has become a huge corporation with three major conglomerates owning most of the stations in the U.S. Sadly, disc jockeys are no longer the innovators their predecessors were. Station management hands down a playlist (made exclusively of artists signed to mostly major labels) and the voices you hear on your radio are just that—talking heads animating a script. It’s nearly impossible for an unknown band to break into mainstream large metropolis radio and a waste of your time and money to send packages blindly to a medium that will more than likely reject you again and again. * The Specialty Show Is Your Ticket In. Still determined to get played on that hot radio station with 10 million listeners and a celebrity DJ? Well, there is a backdoor that you may be able to slip through. It’s the specialty show. Many huge stations feature a weekly show structured just to highlight the little guy—to showcase unsigned artists from that station’s area and sometimes beyond. These shows are always worth sending your press package to, as they tend to base their playlist on your music and your credentials on not on the typical corporate artist roster. This is where you just might wow that innovative disc jockey and garner play on some of America’s biggest stations. *College Radio Still Rocks. One area of radio that has stayed unaffected by huge corporate retooling is the college/university station. Unlike companies/labels deciding what the listening audience thinks is cool or hip, college radio DJs and program directors are still setting their own cutting edges, breaking new artists, and finding the hot fresh stars of tomorrow hiding in their local clubs, coffee houses and garages. It’s always beneficial for unsigned artists to send as many CDs (or email as many MP3s, if the station will accept that medium) to as many college stations as you can find. You will find stations to play you and people will be listening. This could lead to new fans, tour possibilities, and will definitely look fantastic on the radio page of your website or EPK. Whether or not it will actually make you a rockstar, it will sure make you feel like one. * The Unlimited World Of Independent Radio. Back in the early days of radio, indie stations were limited to audio pirates in their basements stealing airwaves from unsuspecting Top 40 giants. Now, thanks to the internet, satellites, cell phones, iPods and cable TV, independent stations outnumber their AM/FM constituents in the thousands and new ones are created every day. Since doing a search of indie radio stations online has been known to cause a brain embolism in some, know that you will probably never be able to solicit them all in one lifetime. Just relax and enjoy sending music to whomever you can, as you will probably garner hoards of airplay. Furthermore, your wallet will grow to love you as most of these stations will allow you to submit MP3s online. It’s true that the legendary story of the unknown band that got one single played on the radio and became superstars within a month is probably as outdated as the 8-Track tape. But that doesn’t mean that the process of artists soliciting music for radio play has become archaic. Radio remains, to this day, one of the best ways for musicians to promote their music and their projects in their area. The repetition of your single in the ears of even the most jaded radio listener, may lead to: CD and merchandise sales, gigging opportunities in your city and others, visits to your website, posts to your fan club forums, potential press and even maybe industry attention. So, don’t stop sending those CDs, and emailing those MP3s because the next person who hears your song on radio might just be the one who leads, either directly or indirectly, to your much sought record deal. And who knows? You might just wind up becoming bigger than Elvis. Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 2,400 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians’ assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com. 7.
ASK DAYLLE:
“
My friend wants to manage me but he has no experience. I don’t want to do all the grunt work he’s offered to do so I want to say yes. But, will it hurt me more than it will help?”
It partly depends on what he wants in return and what you agree to. First, assess if your potential rep makes a good impression. He’ll be speaking on your behalf. Does he have the right look and personality to do that? Does he know enough about the industry to find the right path for you? Is he willing to go to lengths to learn? Be careful about signing a contract that guarantees he remain your manager for years. If he wants you to sign something, ask a lawyer to include an opt-out clause so if it’s not working for you, he can be replaced. There are inexperienced managers who jump in raw and take their acts far. Others with more experience may do little. What’s most important is the individual and what he seems capable of achieving. Let him do stuff on a trial basis. See what he does before you consider him your manager. He might surprise you by doing a great job.
Very little in life goes smoothly all the time. You might be envious of those who seem to have it easier or have gotten a lot more. But you don’t know their back story. We all encounter roadblocks at times. Most people don’t advertise their adversities. Instead, they appreciate what they have because of the tough times. Beating the odds, finally getting the person who can help you after making a gazillion calls, winning the race you lost ten times before and any other hard earned victories are made more exhilarating by what you experienced achieving it.
Anne Bradstreet said, "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." How would you appreciate victory if you had no failure? After playing for small, sometimes inattentive audiences, how sweet is it to get a crowd on its feet? After leaving twenty messages, doesn’t it feel awesome to book that gig? Next time things don’t go well, instead of lamenting, think beyond it to how good it will feel when you’re successful. Consciously appreciate all the little blessings on the way as sweet treats after bitter herbs. Remember, summer always comes. Be outside to enjoy it instead of locking yourself in bitterness from misfortune. Enjoy your summer! Until
the next issue.....
Keep
your passion strong,
Daylle
http://www.daylle.com
http://www.idontneedarecorddeal.com/
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