Music Business Hacks – Details, episodes & analysis

It seems almost everyone is in Austin right now for SXSW...and that's a good reminder that sometimes it can be beneficial to go against the grain. When trends, movement, or industries all appear to go one in one direction, when is it right for you to do something else that can help you stand out from the masses?

If you're thinking about going on tour, you'll want to listen to this episode first.

Resources:

On Merchandise:
Episode 26: How to Calculate Return on Investment from Merchandise
Episode 31: How to Get Better Pricing from Merch Suppliers

On Touring:
Episode 33: 5 Tips That Can Save Your Band's Tour
Episode 36: How to Book a Band Tour, Step by Step
Episode 107: How to Keep a Tour Vehicle Running Properly
Episode 108: How a Tour Driving Schedule Can Save Your Life
Episode 155: 5 Hacks for Filling in Gaps on Your Tour

Today's episode is taken from a workshop I recently delivered through my nonprofit organization that serves Asian American artists, The Slants Foundation. It was a session specifically on creating a lasting impact - be it cultural, systemic, or industry. We also focused on bigger ideas of how to create a more sustainable arts career by re-examining how we think about relationships, tools, the maps we use, and other key areas.

Resources:

Watch the video webinar of this episode.

Learn more about The Slants Foundation.

"The best defense is a good offense." When unexpected things happen in your music career (and they will), what kind of plan do you have? How can you prepare for those situations?

Episodes Covered:

Episode #297 - Travel Rewards for Touring Musicians

Episode #298 - Getting a Logo or Artwork for Your Band

Episode #299 - How to Promote Out of Town Shows

Episode #300 - How to Get People to Respond to Your Email

Episode #301 - When Airlines Break Your Stuff

Episode #302 - The Buy One Get One Strategy

Episode #303 - The Nashville Round: How You Can Make Your Shows Remarkable

A Nashville Round is an interesting way to showcase songs but most artists end up getting lost in the mix. In today's episode, I focus on how the ideas of standing out in a round can really help you stand out in any kind of showcase: open mic, music festival, or just a regular show with a lot of different artists.

Today's episode is about the Buy One, Get One strategy that many companies are using to drive their strategic philanthropy efforts. How have you ever thought of using this to inspire a new model for growth and reaching fans with your music business?

Related Episodes:

Episode #40 - Strategic Philanthropy and Your Music

Episode #118 - Art and Activism

Resources:

Podcast - How I Built This episode on TOMS (a great story!)

Websites to find nonprofits: CharityNavigator.com and VolunteerMatch.org

And if you're looking for a cool nonprofit, check out The Slants Foundation!

After a couple of recent incidents of having my things broken, I decided to do an episode on what you can do when you find your instrument, luggage, or anything else busted up from air travel.

Resources:

USA Today article: Here's how to get reimbursed for your damaged luggage on every U.S. airline

How do you get people to answer to your email messages? When should you follow up? How many words should be in that first message? In today's episode, I discuss email best practices.

Resources:

Boomerang for Gmail

Today, we answer a question from Charlie Cook of the Kronk Men - check them out here!

In it, I talk about how you can really promote your out of town shows more effectively. You'll learn about the difference between push and pull strategies as well as specific tactics that you can use today. Remember, the key is that everything should be unique, generous, and resonate with your target audience.

Today's episode was inspired by a question submitted to MBH on dealing with designers. When it comes to getting a logo or images for your merchandise, what are some important considerations? In this episode, I'll try and help you navigate the issue so you won't have any problems.

Resources:

99designs.com