You're Awesome! Now What?

Artists love to hear the accolades. What am I saying …EVERYONE loves praise. So when you meet someone who is enthusiastic about your music, what could be better! A lot.

Many years ago while working at a marketing company (Unisound Marketing) that represented many artists and labels at retail and radio, an artist came to us with a really great project. She was very talented and the recording was top notch. However, the material was quirky. I personally loved the CD but told the artist in the nicest way possible that the record would not do well at radio and that her money would be better spent elsewhere. She of course did not want to hear this telling me that she wanted someone who loved her music to promote it. So…we didn't work the record…the record came out, was shipped to radio and didn't do well at all.

Recently I had conversations with two different artists who's "meter" for wanting to hire a radio promoter and a publicist was that they were enthusiastic about their music. Now don't get me wrong, enthusiasm can be very helpful when you're marketing someone, however I've often said "It's not my job to love your music, it's my job to understand how to market it".

My wife is vegan. Yet she can cook amazing meat dishes. Why…because she understands what it needs for me (or anyone else eating her food) to enjoy the taste. When I was going to college I was a bartender. I didn't need to know how a drink tasted to know how to make it and I certainly didn't have to like it. I understood the science of mixology.

Remember, promoters, marketers, publicists are SUPPOSED to sound enthusiastic. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right person to promote you or your music. Ask questions beyond the hype. What do they propose will work best and does this jive with your direction. When I represent a client I'm not emotionally tied to the artist or the music. My goal…the best plan of attack. What's going to work and what isn't. And can that person get it done.

Remember, you're wearing many hats in today's independent business. Make sure you've got the right one on when it comes to business ...I prefer a beret! ;~).

Steve Belkin is a music business consultant, author of the Ebooklet "The Six P's to Success" and owner of Open All Nite Entertainment and an artist manager and partner with Left Coast Music Group.  www.openallnite.com