DIGITAL MARKETING: CREATING AN ARTIST IDENTITY

                                                                         

A lot of thoughts recently about how digital marketing allows artist to  carve their own identities.
In the old days labels would have to have figured out how the marketing would work before they signed an act and then have to spend a truck load of money honing and perfecting selling the "product" (much of which was billed back to the artist in the long run!)
Lots of acts we know and love came down that pipeline, however most successful artists, the ones that have staying power in this business, already came with their own strong sense of identity.  (Aretha, Elvis, Streisand, Sinatra, U2, Green Day, Pink, Buble, etc)
             
                                     ARTISTS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES

These days the artists ourselves are responsible for figuring out and creating their marketing. That takes an understanding of who we are, what we represent to people and who our market is going to be.  Not an easy task for most artists who are immersed in the bubble of music creation.

Finding your artist identity is an organic process that takes trial and error. Thats why the American Idol singers (with VERY few exceptions considering how many season in we are now) don't take hold and last with the public. There's been no development period for them to dig in and create an identity that is more than a singing voice.

Who is the person with the voice? Who is that guy with the guitar? What makes them different from every other young artist trying to capture the publics attention?  If you yourself don't know the answer to that question no one else if going to be interested in your music. Period.

                                     YOU CANT THINK YOUR WAY THERE  

Marketing has become every man's game these days. More of us have our hands on the wheels than ever before in the  history of recorded music. BUT this can be a mixed blessing. So many young and developing artists come to me and say I'm a cross between Britney and Pink or No Doubt meets Nirvana or some such combination WITHOUT EVER HAVING WRITTEN OR RECORDED A SONG!
These days kids are encouraged by the myth that through uploading you tube video's of themselves performing covers or getting on a TV talent contest they'll be discovered. One in a million.
Often we have a great deal of work to do in the vocal studio or performance workshops before they can actually communicate who they are musically...but they already have a sense of entitlement, after all they know who they want to be already. Is that half the battle? Well thats only half wrong.
 
Knowing how you should be marketed is an asset. But artists who try to think their way into their artist identities are lost before they start. Trial and Error and fumbling on the ground is how every great product finds it's way to the public.
Here's a suggestion for the floundering artist trying to figure out their marketing. Ask your closest friends and fans who else your music reminds them of. You may not like the answers BUT it will tell you a lot about how people perceive you. And once you know that, my friends, you have the beginning of the market research you'll need to create your ongoing campaign to take over the hearts of the world!

ALL SMART MARKETING STARTS WITH KNOWING WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU REPRESENT TO PEOPLE.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP IN TORONTO MAY 19

ASK COACH MICAH BARNES ABOUT CAREER WORK GROUPS

FOLLOW MICAH BARNES ON TWITTER

OBSTACLES ARE THERE TO HELP US

                                       

Because we are not ready yet.

What?

What do you truly desire? A better band? A better venue? A larger audience? A recording contract?  Finding yourself frustrated and unable to feel any forward motion in attaining your goals?

Everything we experience as an obstacle is there for a reason.

You are being asked to deepen your approach, your understanding, your skill set, your focus, your determination, your understanding.

Artists want proof that we are "good enough" every step of the way. Like children learning to walk, we need reassurance that we are being supported in this scary new experience.

We will not always get support from outside ourselves. The most powerful artists always have an internal motor that keeps us revving high and moving along the highway full of faith and passion and commitment.

Of course even the most driven among us sometimes falter, especially when things don't seem to be going our way.

                                          YOU CANT GET THERE FROM HERE

There are many levels of success in this business. If you are seeking a higher level then your skill set has to be ready to handle that new level of commitment and pressure.

If you are not there yet thats usually because you are not ready.

The music industry is unlike any other. For the most part (with a few glaring exceptions) talent reaches it's natural level and place in the world.

Many millions of talented people do not have the drive and ambition to break through the pack but that doesn't mean they wont have an honest and deep experience making music in this world.

The very top of this industry is for the very very few. Obstacles don't scare those artists, they thrive on challenge and rise to the occasion.

                                              ARE YOU DOING THE WORK?

Feeling stuck and like you can't move forward? Assume that the universe is lining something up for you and start digging into yourself!   Easier said than done but the people who get ahead are ALWAYS working on themselves.

Do the ground work so that you are actually ready for new opportunities when they presents themselves!

SINGERS PLAYGROUND WEBSITE

SINGERS PLAYGROUND FACEBOOK GROUP

CONTACT COACH MICAH BARNES ABOUT CAREER WORK GROUPS AT SINGERS PLAYGROUND

RESISTANCE IS NORMAL

Feeling overwhelmed? "Theres too much to do, too much on my plate, I cant figure out to do next"!
All great ways to stop our forward motion aren't they?

Resistance. It happens to me the most when I am really moving forward on a lot of fronts all at once or have a suddenly expanded task list. It also happens when I am scared to do something but can't admit that to myself.

Rather than stop and admit the fear (so I can better handle my expectations) or prioritize (and get just one item crossed off that list)  I will seek distraction with a season of a favorite TV show or something equally "useful"to my forward motion, and end up feeling angry at myself.
Great another way to beat ourselves up in this process of reaching our goals!    

                                  MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR RESISTANCE

There is nothing wrong with feeling overwhelmed or scared, thats a natural part of growing.  If your focus is on feeling comfortable then it will always be "too hard" to stretch and grow. If our focus is growth, we have to accept that growth tends to bring a certain level of discomfort.
            Our goal when feeling resistance is to make a new choice and find ways to move forward in spite of our fear.

Pay attention your resistance. Bring it into the light of day and identify it. Thats the first step towards moving past it..and the way we become familiar with our patterns of avoidance and denial.

Resistance can useful in helping us identify our fears. Usually our expectations are unreasonable in the situation and we are scared things aren't going to work out the way we want. So rather than move forward we stay stuck where we are comfortable. We'd rather be stuck and fearful than moving forward and terrified…thats just human nature.

                                                  LETS MAKE A DEAL!

The folks who really actualize their dreams practice a million acts of courage in order to reach their goals. Im all about making deals with ourselves..if it means getting just one important thing done today before we go to sleep then we can wake up one step further to our goals and a deeper sense of empowerment.

So lets make friends with the feeling of resistance  so we can recognize it when it happens.  If we approach the feeling of being overwhelmed with a firm hand and a short list of what could be done today we're growing a new skill set that will support our growth.

Resistance is normal yes.. But being a healthy artist is about being extraordinary isn't it?

OFFICIAL SINGERS PLAYGROUND SITE

FACE BOOK GROUP

e mail COACH MICAH BARNES

A MILLION COURAGEOUS ACTS

 

Careers are made up of a million courageous acts. We all have resistance to our forward motion though, to one degree or another, and thats what I want to discuss today. Resistance… to success, to fulfilling your dreams, to living an extraordinary life.
  You know how it feels before you go over the top of a roller coaster, it's thrilling and scary and wonderful all at the same time. We feel out of control and exhilarated. But of course we're strapped in to a moving vehicle. If we had our bodies free many of us would wriggle out and try some means of escape from the scary drop. Thats the feeling of resistance.

In an artists life the resistance can be invisible. A weird feeling of being stuck or inactive around even our most important goals. There is a natural resistance to moving forward into the scary unknown.
Most often it shows up as a batch of hard rules that keep us stuck, things we won't do, approaches we wont try no matter how much our managers, producers, co-writers, coaches etc try and encourage us. We dig our heels in and argue for the place that feels safer to us, often limiting our opportunities in the process.
           
Why do we resist what we want? Because not having what we want is familiar. We've lived with it much of our lives. Dreaming of a better situation and "making do" marks the human condition. To make a life that is extraordinary we have to experience the unexpected. The uncontrollable.The uncomfortable.
                       
                                                           SHOCK THE SYSTEM

We are scared of entering situations where there are unknown variables that may challenge us. Our hearts are already on our sleeve as singers and performers and songwriters. Why would we have to extend ourselves even further into the unknown in order to achieve the careers we want?
Because if we don't stretch and grow we are stagnating and allowing ourselves to play it safe. Thats the death of an artists career.

When coaching artists who are working on their career challenges I always suggest a doable action which will "shock the system" and change the focus from "what I want but don't have" to "what I am working towards".
Call the producer you actually want for your project, make the open mike night that scares you, record a bad demo of your new material just for your own ears, create the blog that explains clarifies your identity etc. Activity that is unfamiliar will feel like a splash of cold water and wake us up to new possibilities in ourselves.  Even if the resistance is huge…resistance is worth identifying through this kind of practical approach.

Resistance can be useful if it shows us we're scared. It allows us to identify what feels out of our comfort zone and how small we've been willing to be. Choosing to move forward into the unknown regardless of our fear is how we achieve our goals.  The first step in the million courageous acts that go into a healthy career.

CONTACT COACH MICAH BARNES

SINGERS PLAYGROUND OFFICIAL WEBSITE
                           

DIGGING IN FOR YOURSELF

                                                                     

                                         ARE YOU REALLY DIGGING IN FOR YOURSELF?

It's often been said that courage doesn't mean lack of fear it means courage in the face of fear! An artists life is challenging. Have a think through the amount of stress you experienced when having to do things for the first time.
 Writing your first song, calling your first club, putting your first band together, cold calling industry folks, doing your first mailing list etc. How much procrastination and how many excuses did you use before simply facing your fear and getting off your ass?
Most of us experience overwhelming self doubt and fear every step of the way. That seems to be a natural component of the creative personality.
It's only the deeply ambitious among us that learn to overcome their fears and push themselves towards their goals.

          Been doing a lot of thinking about these things as I coach the Career Work groups at Singers Playground. Watching and supporting artists as they dig in for themselves. Pushing past our fears to achieve our goals builds a kind of resilience and strength. Thats why successful people in this industry often seem more confident than us mere mortals. Bet they didn't start out that way though! Confidence is something that is built over time. Tested in situation after situation as we seek to build a career for ourselves based on integrity and our authentic selves.
We may never get past feeling insecure or scared but it's the brave among us who feel the fear and chose to act regardless.
Thats the only way we move forward our of our behaviors and habits that hold us back. If we are stuck we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Constant growth is the way a healthy artist creates a sense of core self empowerment.

                 
                                    DIGGING IN TO BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE!

              A good example is what I look for when I consider artists for the Singers Playground concerts. There are a few simple criteria for me in choosing who is asked to perform: Is the artist digging in to the best of their abilities to improve their skill set? This means working on their voice technique, their songwriting and/or arranging skills, learning how to record demo's and working with producers to hone their sound?
Is the artist out there performing regular shows already and gathering an audience for their music? Do they have the commitment to publicizing their shows and build their fan base?
Are they using social media to tell their story and create a buzz? Do they understand their "brand" and are they willing to examine their potential place in the marketplace?
Are they increasing their understanding of music business strategies and learning how to build a team of believers around them?
Simply put, the singers who are working hardest on the music, on themselves and on their careers are going to be considered for this opportunity and for other opportunities in this business.
Digging in for yourself becomes a habit when you practice it.
xo
Micah Barnes

SINGERS PLAYGROUND OFFICIAL WEBSITE

CONTACT MICAH BARNES

FINDING A MANAGER: (OR: LOOKING FOR BIG DADDY TO SAVE US!)

Taking responsibility for our career is scary for artists. Most of us don't have the skill set we only have the desire.  This business asks us to be the best singer we can be, the best writers the best live performers etc. And thats a LOT of stuff we have to get GREAT at before we are ready for the world stage. Most of us don't want to include business skills in that package. It just seems to hard, too daunting and too difficult.
So we get stuck looking for BIG DADDY (OR MOMMY) to save us..  a manager who will be the answer to all our dreams and make it all magically happen.

                                  YOU ARE ALWAYS THE ACTUAL MANAGER

Successful artists always retain control of their forward motion. If you remain in a position of responsibility you will always be protected from the worst outcomes of someone else's bad decisions. YOU are the one watching the company store.  Your career and your future are no one else's responsibility but your own. A manager acts as a guide and as an advisor. Regardless of how powerful or well connected your manager may be your hand never leaves the steering wheel! Why?  You are the person who must ultimately live with the decisions you make as a partnership.


                                                 MANAGERS ARE JUST PEOPLE

Beware believing that any one manager can be responsible for everything "clicking" in your career. Almost all managers have strengths and weaknesses. It's good to know what they are before building up big expectations which will lead to terrible disappointment.
   Some managers are really good at getting you gigs..some never touch that part of your career and will leave that to you or an agent. Some managers have a special knack at putting together recording deals for artists. Some are excellent at designing a marketing approach. The truth is that most will not be good at everything and it's YOUR job as the defacto manager to see the holes and get proactive to fill them yourself or with other members of your team.

                                                   IT STARTS WITH A QUESTION

I almost always suggest artists play the field for a while before signing anything with a manager.  Better to start with dating before any real "commitment" happens on either side. A lot of times the relationship starts when an artist is stuck and looking for a specific solution and reaches out to a manager that they may know and trust and have access to ask that all important question. "Can you give me some input about this decision I have to make"?  If things go well the artist may be invited to "call anytime with anything you need help with". If things progress and a certain amount of trust is built up then a relationship may start to get deeper.
  The artist-manager fit is one of the most mysterious things in this business. I write this after having introduced a young super talented artist and manager at a crucial moment in his career, a good fit that will help the artist navigate the rough waters of international deals. The two parties "dated" for about a year before signing paper on their relationship.


                                            DON'T CALL US WE'LL CALL YOU

Seeking management is one of the main things artists feel they should be "doing". But thats not a useful goal to the working artist. How come? Interestingly enough most successful artists I know have had their managers seek them out. Why? Because as artists they were already doing the music and making the audience and creating the energy and buzz around their work and their career, enough so that a manager seeking a new act to work with would end up hearing about them through their network.

    People in the music industry talk to each other. There are listening and watching for the truly "special" and "unique" artists that stand out.
Sometimes it's the combination of talent and looks and drive that clicks, sometimes it's because the artist has something really "fresh" in their approach. Sometimes it's simply dollar signs that get the manager interested... but it's always the manager who takes an interest first almost NEVER the other way around in my experience.
SO..if you are seeking a manager there's nothing wrong with starting a relationship with a couple of well placed folks where could bounce your challenges and ask questions.   Usually the manager is watching carefully to see what kind of a person the artist is. Will they make life difficult? Do they follow through on suggestions? Are you taking responsibility for your own forward motion?

There are a million new acts trying to break into the publics consciousness each year. How do you get heard about the din? By doing what you do the best you can do it. Pretty simple really. Do what you do so well that you attract the team you need to bring it to the world.

In a jam career wise? Ask me about the Career Work groups at Singers Playground!Has this blog been useful? let me know at micah@singersplayground.com

Singers Playground Official Site

E Mail Micah Barnes

Taking Responsibility

                   

Artists who are stuck are usually asking the wrong questions, (…and just so we're clear folks, that includes me).

"Why wont they call me back, How come no one is coming out to the shows, Why am I not further than this by now in my career?


      No matter who we have working with us as a manager or agent, producer or industry professional ultimately the actual "manager" is ourselves. As artists we are the owner of the company, the producer of the product and the person responsible for the major decisions in our career.
The people we work with on our team only advise and support our movement.

     So, that means if w don't have our business skills or social media skills or our songwriting skills or our performance skills or our vocal chops together then it's up to us to figure out how to gain or improve on the existing skill set.

      Growth is challenging in a number of ways. 1 ) we are never guaranteed of the outcome so it's not a for sure thing when we embark on the journey. Being patient is not a trait that most artists possess 2) being bad at something is uncomfortable for most of us, so we avoid the experience with all kinds of road blocks and excuses. 3) taking responsibility for growth means we have to accept blame when stuff doesn't work out.

  The good news is that no one is growing unless they are failing sometimes, learning from their mistakes but making mistakes so they can learn! The bad news is that most artists don't focus on a step by step approach but get overwhelmed with the big picture and stand immobilized while their dreams pass them by. The Career Work groups are designed to get us unstuck by asking us to a) declare our challenges and get ideas and support in dealing with them b) forcing us to deal with the uncomfortable growth that gaining new skill sets can be and most importantly c) by asking  us to take responsibility for our career development.

Having spent the better part of 10 years seeking to empower artists in all kinds of ways I can safely say the most important step is for us to take responsibility. It's also the hardest because then we have to accept that if we're not happy in our career's its up to us to do something about it!

Official Singers Playground Website

  Facebook Group

Contact Coach Micah Barnes