Your Music and People

1. Marketing is an Extension of Your Art

Marketing is the final extension of your art.

Creative Expression. Marketing shouldn't be viewed as a separate, tedious task, but as a continuation of the creative process. The way you present your music, the stories you tell, and how you engage with your audience are all part of the artistic experience. Don't just upload your song to the usual places and announce it like everyone else.

Presentation Matters. The perception of your art is heavily influenced by how it's presented. A caged feather in a museum evokes different feelings depending on whether the artist is a political activist or a high school student. Similarly, the way you communicate with the world, make your music available, and share your story shapes how people perceive your music.

Embrace Artistic Freedom. Flaunt your artistic freedoms and have some fun with it. Think of marketing as an opportunity to further express your creativity. If you make depressing music, send your fans a dark black announcement that’s depressing just to look at. If you are an “in-your-face country-metal-speedpunk” artist, have the guts to call a potential booking agent and scream, “Listen you crazy dirtbag! Book me or I explode! Waaaaaah!!”

2. Be Considerate, Not Just Loud

Really, “marketing” just means being considerate.

Focus on Others. Marketing is not about spamming or annoying people with branded content. It's about being considerate and making it easy for people to notice, relate to, remember, and share your music. It means listening for what people need, and creating something surprisingly tailored for them.

Build Connections. Considerate marketing involves getting to know people, making deeper connections, and keeping in touch. It's about looking at things from the other person's point of view and doing what's best for them. Constantly ask what they really want.

Creative Consideration. Find creative ways to be considerate. Don't try to sound bigger than you are; be authentic and personal. Be weird. Prove you’re a real person. Write every post or email as if it was from you to your best friend. Considerate communication is surprisingly rare.

3. People Skills are Counterintuitive

To be helped, be helpful. Persistence is polite.

Help Others First. The music industry, like any other, is built on relationships. To be successful, focus on helping others without expecting anything in return. When someone says they’re looking for something, remember it, and help them find it. Introduce people to each other.

Ask for Favors. Don't be afraid to ask for favors. People like doing favors! By making them feel important, connected, and needed, you’ll be doing them a favor, too. It gives people a little ego boost when they know the answer to something you’re asking.

Persistence Pays Off. In the business world, persistence is polite. If someone doesn't reply, assume they're busy and follow up again. Repeatedly follow-up to show you care. Patience and persistence separate you from the rest, and show how much you care.

4. Resourcefulness Trumps Resources

I figured out a way.

Creative Solutions. Resourcefulness is about finding creative, rebellious, determined, and unstoppable ways to overcome obstacles. It means asking for help, but not waiting for help. It's about having a "B" mindset: "I figured out a way."

Profitable Sustainability. Great music isn't enough; a sustainable career requires profitability. Don't impress people with how much you spend; impress them with how little you spend. Your ability to be resourceful diminishes over time.

Specific Actions. When you don't know your next step, get specific about what's needed. Research what you don't know. Call the destination, and ask for directions. You’ll get there much faster than walking without a map, hoping you arrive someday.

5. Describe Your Music Curiously

With one interesting phrase to describe your music, you can make total strangers wonder about you.

Intrigue, Don't Explain. When your music can't speak for itself, your description needs to be intriguing enough to capture attention. Avoid generic descriptions like "a mix of rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, folk, reggae, blues, techno, and metal."

Curious Answers. Have a prepared, curious answer to the question, "What kind of music do you do?" Say something like, "We sound like the smell of fresh baked bread," or "We’re the soundtrack to the final battle to save the earth."

Non-Musician Language. Describe your music like a non-musician, using comparisons to famous artists or describing the overall vibe. Don't use musician language like "wonderful harmonies and intricate arrangements." Use the tricks that worked on you.

6. Target a Niche, Exclude the Rest

Proudly exclude most people.

Unusual Success. In today's niche-driven culture, being remarkably unusual is more likely to lead to success than being normal and mainstream. Aim for the edges, where people are looking for something new.

Own Your Niche. If you target sharp enough, you will own your niche. Have the confidence to find your niche, define who you are, then declare it again and again and again and again. If you do it persistently enough, you will own that niche.

Proud Exclusion. Loudly reject 99%. It signals who you are. When someone in your target 1% hears you proudly excluding the rest, they’ll be drawn to you. Be sharp as a knife, cut through the pile of apathy, and make a point.

7. Quantity Matters: Build Your Network

Every breakthrough comes from someone you know.

Database Power. A database is an organized collection of information. Use a database to keep track of your contacts, including notes, tags, location, and when to contact them next. This helps you personalize your communication and stay organized.

Stay in Touch. Stay in touch with hundreds of people. Every person you’ve ever met has the potential to help you. If you keep in touch and stay on their mind, there’s a good chance an opportunity will come your way.

Meet New People. Meet three new people every week. Have a real conversation — something more than text on a screen. Ask questions, get to know them, and make a personal connection. Learn what they’re looking for, and how you can help them.

8. Money is a Neutral Exchange of Value

Money is nothing more than a neutral exchange of value.

Shed Money Taboos. Let go of any taboos you have about it. The happiest musicians are the ones who develop their value, and confidently charge a high price. There’s a deep satisfaction when you know how valuable you are, and the world agrees.

Valuable to Others. Money only comes from doing something valuable to others. Focus on making your music more valuable to others. Emphasize meaning over price.

Let People Pay. Some people like to pay. Let them. When you’re offering something for free, don’t forget that there are lots of people that like to pay! Appeal to this side of people, giving them a reason to pay that feels good.

9. Focus on What Doesn't Change

Nobody knows the future, so focus on what doesn’t change.

Timeless Principles. In a rapidly changing world, focus on the timeless principles that remain constant. These include the importance of relationships, the value of creativity, and the need for resourcefulness.

Adaptable Strategies. While specific tactics may change, the underlying strategies for success remain the same. Focus on building a strong foundation of skills and knowledge that can be applied to any situation.

Long-Term Vision. Decide if you’re at the starting line or finish line. Detailed dreams blind you to new means. A good plan wins no matter what happens.

Last updated: March 3, 2025