We need direction

S

Spektor

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jyhjyj
This artist Im working with by the name of Mill MAjh is working on an album that will be due release this year...



OK heres the dilemma:

#1Hes local and unknown for now........
#2 Hes spending money on studio time (Someone else is engineering his projects) (this album will cost up to 400+ under 500

The way hes thinking as an ARTIST

He wants to make money off music....hes perplexed........
He says some music you have to give a way for free to get exposure...some of the best ones did it..........he wants to put his ALBUM on datpiff.com thinking it will gain him exposure.........

THE WAY IM THINKINGAS A PRODUCER:

Ok he after all this is said and done.....around 500 will been came out of his pocket for studio cost ok.....
#1 Im telling him....bump ginving out ur album for FREE.....the internet is a vehicle that you can take advantage of and SELL ur album...

#2 I told him he can host his album on REVERB STORE FREE of charge....and SELL it there..6.99 sked me does REVERB get alot of viewers....I said it doesnt matter!, What matters is if you dont promote or have a team to market your REVERB store...........you will not make any SELLS anyway..........THats the same for LIVE mixtapes etc.....

#3 I told him that DatPiff and Live Mixtapes will not be a good IDEA for an ALBUM........because your giving away a PRODUCT that is suppose to be sold! (If he was doing a mixtape that wud be differemt) So thats why I think those sites are not a great idea.....

#4 He said but It wont hurt to host it on those sites.........I told him...if the album is hosted on those sites...WHY wud people go to ur REVERB store to BUY it if they can get it for FREE some place else.........
Thats like contradicting...Thats Like Lil Wayne having THE CARTER 4 on livemixtapes for FREE and WALMART for 9.99!!!!

#5....Hes worried about publishing and Publishing companies and ways to get paid off music that only someone actually under contract or independent or major would have to worry aobut.........

#6...He isnt signed...He wnts to be independent and start his own label.......So Im thinking since you aint on papers you would =nt have to worry.....about all this MAJOR stuf that youre worrying about...TAKE IT STEP AT TIME

I think the ONLY THING HE NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT NOW to generate money form this is selling his album HAND to HAND......GETTING A MANAGER so he can start getting GIGs that willl eventually pay him........and SELLING his album online in the reverb store........


SO AM I WRONG FOR THINKING THIS?
 
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"#1Hes local and unknown for now........"

This is the hindrance that ALL artists begin with, but it is the nature of the Art and of the business.

"#2 Hes spending money on studio time (Someone else is engineering his projects) (this album will cost up to 400+ under 500)"

This, too, is the nature of the business. Nobody started a business without spending money...nobody. In fact, the general rule of thumb for the business person with a business that runs smoothly is a lack of return for the first two years of that business's life. Being that the amount of money he spent is so small (relatively, that is; I and others are well aware of how hard it is for some to come up with that amount of money), that he should NOT even expect to make that money back on his first venture. It's as plain as that, though there are exceptions.

"#1 Im telling him....bump ginving out ur album for FREE.....the internet is a vehicle that you can take advantage of and SELL ur album..."

This goes back to #1 on your artist's list. Putting aside all of your good intentions and wishes, how great is the chance that his target market-a group of people who are accustomed to downloading only free mixtapes and even pirating their favorite artists' work-will be willing to spend their own money on someone they've never heard of, whether on-line or face-to-face? This is a market share that can listen to ANYONE they want to for free, at any time, as long as there is an internet connection available. No one starts downloading music until they have a wish to put that music into an .mp3 player or onto a CD to bump in the ride.

As conscious business people, you must understand that in order to generate revenue, you're going to have to market the product. It is a part of business practice that CANNOT be ignored. Who buys a car without a test drive? How do you choose what restaurant to eat at? How do you decide whether or not to buy your favorite artist's new shyte? EXPERIENCE. How do you get your market to experience your product? You show it to them. You tell them about it. You demonstrate it. Marketing.

A side note about marketing: Marketing won't get you diddly-shitz if the product is garbage. Real talk. You cannot base your business model around your marketing. You base your marketing around a solid, viable, enjoyable product, which is what consumers will purchase.

I'm not saying you shouldn't put his album up on datpiff. Do it. The marketplace is WAAAAAAAY bigger than that website, and bigger than reverb store, too. There is no rule that says you must give it away for free all the time. Sheeeiiiit, you'd be crazy to Think so. Put it up for free there and put it up for sale elsewhere. As raw as this may sound, get real, do you really Think that this unknown artist is going to have so many people downloading from the free sites that he'll actually be missing out on recouping his money? The answer is more than likely "no". Has he put up anything on youtube to show the world what he's bringing to the table? If he has, does he have 72 people saying that they can't wait to buy it, hurry up and get it out (72 CDs is how many CDs must be sold at $6.99 to recoup the $500)?

The key to marketing is to place your product in as many places as possible, and to let the people Know that it's there. The key to starting a business is to Understand that there will be loss. In fact, you should just accept the fact that the first steps in the business are only going to be losses. This can be proven wrong, as anything is possible, but in order to launch a successful business, one must put the dreaming aside (only briefly...NEVER stop dreaming), and get to work on the tangible to make the dreams a reality.

Take a look at the most successful artists that are signed. Read their interviews. Find out where they make their money. Is it through the record deals, or through performances/tours?

Your artist needs to work. Hard. You need to work. Hard.

Study business. Hard.

Get it, y'all!

Peace.
 
if his goal is straight up to make money out of music, he prolly gonna fail. do what you love and success and money will automatically knock on your door
peace
 
Yes. You're wrong.

Music is free. Give it away. Use it to build a following that will pay to see your shows and buy your merch, etc.

What's the best way to build that following? That's what I get paid to tell you how to do.
 
talk is cheap Skeptor tell him that ..
where is his business plan which should include his marketing/promotion two tier marketing strategy
online and offline marketing
street team=can use friends and family
promotion merch=buttons,stickers,posters

CDbaby or Tunecore get his album up on there for $5.00
like I told you before if he get just 5000 ppl to buy his album $3.25x5000=$16,250
friends,family,associates to buy his album
and devote half of the proceeds to promotion and marketing
website/internet presence

I won't release the album till I had 2,500 fans(one on one relationship building BEYOND MUSIC)
He'll have ppl saying Mill is a pretty cool dude I got a extra $5 what the heck...let me support him
learn the midnstate of customers and how ppl like to be lead and told what to like be the masses

I'm going to get Tattos because Lil' Wayne has them
I'm want to wear skinny jeans because Commons wear them etc..etc..
attack his niche market

so much for him to do if he wants to run his own label
he has to get his business together
written down in a professional matter

I have a step by step plan from website to relationship buidling business owners/indiviuals to t-shirt campaign to music publishing/song writing/production team to signing artists to selling their music to changing hearts and minds over and over and over and over
all while spreading the gospel

I have a business opportunities section on my website which I have alot to add to
put other stuff needs to be in place so I'm not getting ppl interested withone having the mechanism in place to move from idea/detailed plan to action
buying 10-15 homes and renting them out and keeping 2 homes for "My Jump Start Renter Program" that I plan to start through my Church giving two families at free rent for 6-8 months ....
social change is attached to my music

what is attached to your Mill's music
shirts,headphones,barbershop,bbq pit????,Urban hair/clothing store????
I like to dabble into all that even buying my share of someone else's business

S.W.A.G. saint with a gift Signing Out!!!!! p.s. learn about DEEP LINKING

need help click here
 
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RedBeerd said:
This is a market share that can listen to ANYONE they want to for free, at any time, as long as there is an internet connection available. No one starts downloading music until they have a wish to put that music into an .mp3 player or onto a CD to bump in the ride.
Click to expand...

100% true

---------- Post added at 09:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 PM ----------
j.troup said:
Music is free. Give it away.
Click to expand...

what about #nofreebeats? or "8,000 DL's, ONLY A COUPLE OF SALES? WTFFFFF?"
 
j.troup said:
Yes. You're wrong.

Music is free. Give it away. Use it to build a following that will pay to see your shows and buy your merch, etc.
Click to expand...

This. As he said, he's local and unkown. If you sell the music, who is going to buy it, family & friends unwillingly out of the feel that they need to support?
I'd set it up on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Vibedeck & what have you (but focus on directing people to only one of them), free of charge and maybe ask for downloaders email address in excange and start building a mailing list for the artist (but wouldn't send any email unless the artist got something new to give, and all emails should be written by the artist personally and not you). Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp

Of course, setting it online for free won't matter if you aren't able to get people to listen/download.
Steer away from spamming in social media people will ignore and block you.
Try get fans recommending him to friends.
You could try getting it to blogs that have a decent following.
If he does shows, you could make some nice looking download cards with Bandcamp dl codes so he could give them away during shows (and later on with merch).
 
Music should be made to make people lives brighter...the paper will follow if you accomplish this :)
 
@ FATLAONE:::STREEM TEAM issues....hes under this group called FCU.......(DA F C U video - YouTube)

they are a conglomertate...or artists......

I told him he shoudl get those peoiple under FCU who are artist to help be apart of his street team since he is more serious than they are,,,,,,

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 PM ----------

He says they are not going to do it and be fully intact with helping him push himself becuuse they are doing there thing..........

I saiud...they should be able to help since they are your so called friends and people you know........
 
Spektor said:
@ FATLAONE:::STREEM TEAM issues....hes under this group called FCU.......(DA F C U video - YouTube)

they are a conglomertate...or artists......

I told him he shoudl get those peoiple under FCU who are artist to help be apart of his street team since he is more serious than they are,,,,,,

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 PM ----------

He says they are not going to do it and be fully intact with helping him push himself becuuse they are doing there thing..........

I saiud...they should be able to help since they are your so called friends and people you know........
Click to expand...

well I don't know what he's contract states but if they are unwilling to help him
he should build up relationships with a different team
he should release a EP five song mixtape first for free and shop that around online/offline and create a small buzz amongst friends,family,co-workers
rappers/producers/hiphop heads @local clubs
he should work the local college campuses too..(college kids buy music if they don't steal it)
he should build a relationship with local college radio station employees
he should start finding out these ppl's names and then cold calling them
learn how to leave a voicemail worthly of a call back
it's in my Walking on Water Blog

if this artist or better yet doesn't want to do serious business I suggest look to build a new business relationship with another artist
until he got his ducks in a roll
 
he beleieves that other artists woont support him...they will just judge and critique his music..........he believes that his local crowd wont support him...he wants to get at peopke who arent local because thats what he believes.....


Actually where we stay.. RADIO dont support us....no business does...it isnt like ATL, or NC, or Calif, or New York..... We stay in Greenville, SC..............people down here aint with the times especially with support......
 
It would be unwise to Believe that getting support from abroad without winning support from your own people is possible.

Are you telling me that there is NO hip hop where y'all stay?
 
if there is not hip hop scene where you're at start one...start handing out flyers say hey we going to have free-stlye battles and such and such place.. it can be outside down area build ..your own movement I know I am.. because there is not much of a christian music scene here
 
There is a music scene.............but the local Radios in greenville dont support local artist.............

I think he has a mindset where he believes local aint good enuff....like he says......hius friends and family believe in him...itll be no point in marketing to them........he wants to get to people who dont know them((((this is his beliefs not mine))))
 
Spektor said:
There is a music scene.............but the local Radios in greenville dont support local artist.............

I think he has a mindset where he believes local aint good enuff....like he says......hius friends and family believe in him...itll be no point in marketing to them........he wants to get to people who dont know them((((this is his beliefs not mine))))
Click to expand...


He needs to Understand that local radio is big radio. They are tied to the majors in a very intricate way. He shouldn't be expecting play on his local radio, especially since NOBODY'S HEARD OF HIM. He needs to be doin' shows. Lots of them. And they're gonna be free. People simply won't pay to see a nobody.

It sounds like he (and yourself) has no idea what the business is like. Work. Make good product and put it in the people's faces. There is no other way. Nobody is going to come and knock on the door of nobody and start passin' out checks. That isn't how it works. Make good product and get it out. There is no other way.

Peace.
 
RedBeerd said:
He needs to Understand that local radio is big radio. They are tied to the majors in a very intricate way. He shouldn't be expecting play on his local radio, especially since NOBODY'S HEARD OF HIM. He needs to be doin' shows. Lots of them. And they're gonna be free. People simply won't pay to see a nobody.

It sounds like he (and yourself) has no idea what the business is like. Work. Make good product and put it in the people's faces. There is no other way. Nobody is going to come and knock on the door of nobody and start passin' out checks. That isn't how it works. Make good product and get it out. There is no other way.

Peace.
Click to expand...

yeah Spektor ...Mill seems scared and confused ...but this is normal for a up and coming artist...the thing is to have a detailed business plan..
start cold calling,readying blogs and articles about guerilla marketing,traditional marketing
and then start applying those techniques is easy to say ppl won't support us... it's harder to learn about providing a product and geting to ppl to buy.. it will take patience,invest of more time than money....
like I said host rap battles...if Mill can defeat folks.. he become more known and then he can start marketing himself as the rap battle king of Greenville...try different things
 
These days most money made (by big artists) is in merch and advertising deals, If he wants to start earning hes gonna have to get himself out ther and start playing some shows, that way he'll possable get money from performing but he will definatly beable to start selling merch at his shows.
Its a two for one benefit! He'll increase his fan base whilst making some sales from his album, soon enough he will recouperate his recording costs and he'll soon be making pure profit.
 
AND, I can't stress this enough, make sure he's performing in venues where the clientele has money readily available. If you're doing little holes-in-the-wall with $1.50 beer, chances are the patrons of that place only have enough money for their beer, and wouldn't be willing to spend it on an (again) unKnown. The best that can be got out of these places, at the beginning, is good buzz and familiar faces who'll pay attention to you at future performances.

If you wanna build a fan base and increase your chances for generating revenue, find out where the college kids hang out and try to get booked there. Repeatedly. College hangouts don't guarantee income, but the ratio of students who spend their own money vs. those spending some of their parents/scholarship is greater, thereby introducing you to a category of potential fans with DISPOSABLE INCOME. Get your name associated with your face and your voice.

But none of this is worth a damn if your artist isn't Truly talented and practiced in presentation. Whenever I see some wannabe on stage, frozen, staring at the floor, mumbling his rhymes to himself, with a horribly-mixed instrumental blasting thru the speakers, I wanna throw something on stage. Venues are for people to go and be entertained, not just to get phukked up.

One can have all the Belief of oneSelf in the world, but if the world doesn't agree, then one is worthless as an entertainer.

Peace.
 
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