The Music Specialist

www.asha.com

I have heard or read just about every excuse imaginable for failure within the entertainment industry.  Stop telling me that cd sales are failing because of free downloads.  I don't want to hear the sorry tale that retailers are closing because the Internet makes "thieves" out of the consumers by helping them to share files. That radio DJ's only want to play "bubblegum" music and not real positive lyric, make you think music, so you can't get your song in rotation.  I never need to hear the phrase, "ALL I need is distribution and I'll be straight", anymore in life.  

The concept that "If only I could get a major deal then I would really show the world" is a dream that will never come true.  Stop Begging for someone else to HELP your career and do it yourself.

You cried, caterwauled, bad mouthed and hated on the entertainment industry in 2007.  Your main subject of malcontent was that the industry was crazy and would never recover. What happened to Business As Usual?  GREAT who wants business as usual, when you can conceive a new future?  It is now time to stop thinking about how crazy the times are, and start thinking about what the crazy times demand.  What can you do to grow above the herd, to stop being a hater and become a person that is hated on?  Now is the time to find ideas that matter and to share them. Now is the time to push yourselves and the people around you to express appreciation, creativity and new modes of thinking, giving you and them the ability to take risks and to make the world better by being remarkable.

There has never been a worse time for business as usual. Business as usual is sure to fail, sure to disillusion, sure to make enemies. There has never been a better time to invent, design, originate, construct and initiate. The investment bankers, angel investors, entrepreneurs and dope boys have no idea where they can safely invest. All they know is that they are desperately looking for something exciting, something they can feel passionate about, and something they can be a part of. 

Be creative and collaborative with others.  Like minds create fantastic ideas and business dynasties.  Team dynamics are essential in creating and maintaining a career.  

The Internet is here and growing at an astonishing rate, creating new revenue streams, and opportunities worldwide.  Digital downloads are a part of the mainstream financial marketplace and no longer relegated to the "techie" or highly educated individual.  Entertainment has become portable and direct to consumer as witnessed by the amount of Treo, Blackberry, iPhone and other mobile users around the world.

Take the initiative and use the available tools to market, promote and sell your music and performances worldwide. 

Create your website

Develop a consistent web presence

Use audio and video online tools

Normal business practices work. Email, telephone, conferences, reports all are useful and effective.

Develop a strong fan base and communicate with your base regularly.

Start daily accounting practices, budget, and plan, revisit your budget, work your plan

Do the work, don't try and buy your way into fame and success.  You will never know what your fan base truly is if you pay someone for 2,000,000 new "friends".  You will never get airplay consistently and solidly by paying someone to hype the stations or the charts.  Because you bought 50,000 pieces of your own cd will NOT get you a major deal that is associated with any type of long term success.

 I am telling you that you must WORK to get something strong, positive and long term in the entertainment industry.  I am telling you that you must have morals and honesty in your business dealings so you can attract a cadre of like minded business associates worldwide that want to help you make money and have success

I know you feel like that is the "old fashioned" way of doing business so disappear in 2008 while real concerned individuals and companies make progress and revenue.