Music Success in Nine Weeks

Creating a product line is not just for the “Big Boys”.

It’s clear that any creative musician, photographer, film-maker, publicist or web-designer can make money.

We just need to ramp up our creativity to find ways how.

“The people who succeed in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”

– George Bernard Shaw

In Week 9 of the Music Success in Nine Weeks blog challenge we are presented with the idea of creating our own continuum programme using a concept called “The Funnel”.

The Funnel

A funnel has a wide number of entry points that offer low or no-cost opportunities for fans or investors to get a taste of your material in exchange for their contact detail.

An exclusive MP3
A video
An e-book

Once you have an opportunity to connect with your new fans, you can send them regular correspondence of value and, when appropriate, an opportunity to buy a new song, an album or some of your merchandise.

The more interested and loyal your new fans become, the more likely they are to buy products at a higher premium as they move down the funnel.

What talents outside of music can you exploit to make money doing what you love?

During the course of Music Success in Nine Weeks my original ideas for Agenda Red have grown significantly. I am quickly realising my own success is only limited by my imagination.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

With grander ideas in mind, I can do the best I can with what I have right now.

Agenda Red

The draft Agenda Red funnel looks something like this:

Free subscription to a monthly newsletter with free music (my own and featured)
Low-cost VIP subscription to exclusive Agenda Red creativity resources ($3-5/month)
Creativity e-books $19.97 (50% discount to VIP members)
Bi-annual creativity courses 6-12 weeks @ 1-hour/week ($120-240 for the course)
One-to-One creativity coaching sessions

Taking action

Pushing yourself through Music Success in Nine Weeks can be tough yet distinctly rewarding as you face yourself, your resources, your strengths and sometimes your limitations.

Getting the work done and across the line has been a success in itself. It was clearly evident to me that, amongst my fellow participants, we all have real life constraints to contend with. My own challenges, for example, in the nine weeks have not been limited to:

Holding down a 40 hour/week consultancy contract
Moving out of the apartment and preparing for the French Alps this winter
Learning to cook new recipes (for France)
Learning French
Spending quality time with Sandra and our families as we’ll be away for Christmas
Fixing cars, paying bills, writing music, entertaining friends, doing the exercise work
Taking a break in Norway (have you any idea how hard life can be as a creative?)
Keeping fit
Remembering to relax

I am incredibly humbled when I look at how much others achieve given their own, and I sense, comparatively more contending constraints. It proves any one can succeed by being creative.

Buying a recipe book won’t bake the cake for you

It’s one thing to invest in an inspiring book. It’s another to implement the ideas generated when acting upon the exercises in the book.

If you get stuck get help

There are few words to express the success I felt collaborating with others, across the globe, on this nine week journey. Many of my key lessons have come from the new friends made through the Music Success in Nine Weeks forum.

I want to dedicate this post to thank those that I’ve worked closest with, both on and off the forum, for the lessons, fun, companionship and specific qualities I am about to outline:

Jennifer Grassman

Thanks Jennifer for all the support on the perfect pitch and inspiration behind building a great mailing list and web presence.

Sean T Wright

Thanks Sean for being an inspiration demonstrating how much (creative) work can be done when you commit yourself to your art.

Hudson K

For your inspiration inspiring us semi-professionals how to look professional. I’ve really enjoyed your posts. You’re my #1 to win this (I actually forgot it was a competition after Week 1).

Meghan Morrison

Thanks Meghan for your support and being real. I love your honesty and persistence, your courage and your commitment.

Ethan Waldmann

Dude, you rock. It’s been great to connect, I’ve really enjoyed listening to your tunes and sharing some dialogue. Thanks for the add to your blog-roll too.

Sally Jackson

Thanks for the opportunity to guest post and all of your support throughout the nine weeks, from the very beginning, Sally. Your passion for music and creativity has been an inspiration.

Stats

I want to quickly share some stats with you. This set is from my new Reverbnation page and is a reflection of my progress as seen from that site:

13 October: Fans: 285; Chart – Rock for Oxford, UK: 181; Rock – Globally: 83,656

8 December: Fans: 342; Chart – Rock for Oxford, UK: 49; Rock – Globally: 24,300

The real measure for me has been the personal interaction, the comments left on each others blogs and the distinct successes, in terms of my own personal growth, as a musician achieved each week:

Nine Weeks of Success

Week 1

Where I set clear music goals that Brian Hazard of Color Theory supports (awesome).

Week 2

Where I got to the core of my pitch, what I sound like and who I am (as a musician).

“Hardcore Punk Assertiveness with a Heavy Dose of Rock Sludge”

Week 3

Was the week I built a dedicated site, thanks to Bandzoogle and started a mailing list.

This was an opportunity to get some great promo photos (thanks Sandra!)

Week 4

Was where I learned and acted upon the key differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. I developed better ways to become more social on the web, such as leaving comments on other folk’s blogs and enjoying the dialogue.

Week 5

Whilst taking some time out with Sandra in Norway, I reflected upon the self development blogs I get most juice from. I identified other useful blogs to potentially get featured on thanks to Ariel’s specific tips and exercises (which I am still working on).

I also hired a writing coach.

Week 6

In week 6 I learned who my fans are.

Developed a kick-ass newsletter structure that will inspire and motivate my followers.

Week 7

I discovered ways to build my fire, one twig at a time.

Week 8

In week 8 I was reminded that the new music business is as much about the real world as it is about the cyber world: It’s important to find time off-line.

We learned to use business cards and how to be memorable when interacting socially.

Web 2.0

Most of my old school ways of doing promotion (much as I loved them) are no longer applicable in web 2.0. However, my old marketing and promotional ideas, used as a kid to design flyers and posters, can be applied to the infinite power of the web 2.0.

The book and the journey has taught me how to make the transition (to quote both Sid Vicious and Frank Sinatra) my way.

It helps me to think of computers as amplifiers boosting personal brand and opportunity.

Ariel’s book can be applied to many aspects of life. In the new music industry there is greater opportunity. Where there is a seemingly lack of opportunity we can use our own creativity to create opportunity. As one of my fellow participants recently commented:

The reality today with all of cyberspace’s vast array of software for making music – it’s way easier now than ever

– Sean T Wright

Ariel, Carla and those providing the obvious and not-so-obvious behind the scenes support thank you for such an inspirational nine week journey and building such a wonderful community of people.

In nine weeks I’ve come along way yet I realise I still have so far to travel.

Ariel’s book and the new musicians I have met will make inspirational companions for the greater journey to come.

I have a feeling this is only the beginning.

Music Success in Nine Weeks – Week 9