By Jermaine Dimitri
With today's over saturated
music business, a lot of artist/producers want to know how
to get the big players, the gatekeepers to listen to their
music and HOPEFULLY sign them or cut them a check. If that's
something you're trying to do I can honestly tell you for
myself it's all about the way you market YOURSELF. Jay z said
it best "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business man."
Your creativity is one thing but if you don't know how to
market yourself effectively you won't get heard by anyone
let alone a A&R. Think about all the B******t you hear
on the radio (I'm not gone say names) and how you thought
to yourself "I can make a better beat/song then that."
The reason they're out there and getting heard is because
of marketing. If you want to get noticed you must think big,
take risks, and stand out from the masses. Here are a few
tips you can start applying today to how you market yourself
and get noticed.
SOCIAL NETWORK
You're probably thinking, "Duh,
of course I'm going to use social media to promote myself."
A lot of people say that but how many people are actually
doing it right. You ever login on twitter just to have a bunch
of new followers flood you with their music? It gets annoying.
If I learned one thing it is that by nature humans are narcissistic
creatures. We're all looking out for our own self-interest.
That's why a lot of people will push their music off to you
but will rarely listen to your music. SO don't do the same
dumb annoying spamming that everyone else does. Nobody wants
to be flooded by selfish rappers and producers trying to promote
themselves. Instead engage with people on your social networks
with stuff OTHER than music. Give them your personality. Build
some rapport with people. I remember walking into a BMW car
dealership one day (BMWs are my favorite cars) just to look
around. As I looked around one of the salesman walked up to
me and asked if there was anything he could help me with.
Of course I told him just looking around but it was interesting
because I ended up having an hour conversation with the guy.
A little bit about cars but more so just about random things.
By the time I got to the end of our conversation I felt like
I just got a new mentor or something. If I had the money I
definitely would've bought a car right then because the guy
built rapport with me. He wasn't just trying to be a salesman
and see if I wanted a car and then just go out his business.
It works the same way with all businesses. Direct selling
is okay sometimes but you want to create a personal connection
with people. Make them feel like they know you. People are
much more likely to buy into somebody they know with a real
human presence rather than just people who are hardcore robot
selling machines. When you go on your social sites give some
helpful information, share an article, be funny, but whatever
you do NEVER EVER come out directly just selling and promoting
to people. No one likes a salesman.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Building relationships might seem like
a task for some artist but's it's really simple. Whenever
I read books on business they would always say just that.
"Ohh you have to build relationships" "it's
not what you know it's who you know". That intimidated
me because it made me feel like I had to know some person
who was way higher up in the field I was looking to break
into to get noticed. But as I learned its just about building
connections and relationships with EVERYONE you come across.
Don't overlook the little people you never know who knows
who. Someone who you think is a nobody could have connections
to a popular rapper or a popular producer A&R etc... So
just trust me when I tell you don't look over anybody. The
relationships you build with people are very essential to
your success.
THE HELL WITH AN A&R
Don't get it twisted an A&R can take
your career to a whole other level probably instantly BUT
SO CAN YOU. It's all about your grind. It all ties back to
the previous points. Your connections the rapport you build
with people, utilizing social media. It's so many ways to
put yourself out there. Don't wait on an A&R or anyone
to listen to your music and cut you a check. Get online start
making mixtapes, singles, beats, whatever it is you do put
it on a platform and let your hustle and grind speak for itself.
BE DIFFERENT
Last but certainly not least. Just be
different. I ran across so many artist with chips on their
shoulders thinking they was hot s**t when they really just
sounded like a low budget version of another rapper that was
already out. Be different don't be afraid to take risk. Choose
different beats, choose different ways of making beats, come
up with an unconventional style of rapping. Study the history
of your craft and deliberately flips certain things and do
it different. Music is always evolving and you may just create
the next big thing. Don't be afraid to take a risk and try
it out.
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