Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Industry
The Ferguson Career Coach Series
Field, Shelly.
Ferguson career coach: managing your career in the music industry / by Shelly Field. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-5350-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8160-5350-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Music—Vocational guidance. 2. Music—Economic aspects. I. Title.
ML3795.F498 2008
780.23—dc22
2007026795
Ferguson books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses,
associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at
(212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755.
VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper and contains 30% post-consumer recycled content.
Disclaimer: The examples and practices described in this book are based on the author’s experience as a
professional career coach. No guarantee of success for individuals who follow them is stated or implied.
Results may vary. Readers should bear in mind that techniques described might be inappropriate in some
professional settings, and that changes in industry trends, practices, and technology may affect the activi-
ties discussed here. The author and publisher bear no responsibility for the outcome of any reader’s use of
the information and advice provided herein.
Contents
1 Introducing Your Career Coach 7
2 Focusing on a Great Career in the Music Industry 18
3 Plan for Success in the Music Industry 37
4 Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 62
5 Job Search Strategies 84
6 Tools for Success 104
7 Getting Your Foot in the Door 134
8 The Interview 159
9 Marketing Yourself for Success 175
10 Succeeding in the Workplace 190
11 Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 206
12 Success Is Yours for the Taking 233
Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
from you and you can make him wait. Mark my I smiled, thanked the agent for meeting with
words; it will happen.” He then stuck his head me, and left wondering if I would ever get a job
inside the agency owner’s door and said, “This doing what I wanted. Was it sexual discrimina-
woman has been sitting out here for hours; bring tion? Probably, but in reality the agent was just
her in already.” As I walked into the office I had telling me the way it was at that time. He actu-
a glimmer of hope. It was short lived, but it was ally believed he was being nice. Was it worth
hope just the same. complaining about? I didn’t think so. I was
The agency owner was very nice. During new to the industry and I wasn’t about to make
our meeting he told me something to the effect waves before I even got in. The problem was, I
of, if he ever needed someone with my skills and just couldn’t find a way to get in.
talents, he would be glad to give me a call and On another occasion, I met a road manager
I should keep plugging away. In other words, at a concert and told him about how I wanted to
thanks for coming in. I talked to you; now please be a tour manager. He told me he knew how hard
leave. Don’t call me; I’ll call you. it was to get into the industry so he was going to
He then explained in a hushed voice, “Any- help me. “Call me on Monday,” he told me Sat-
way, you know how it is: Most managers don’t urday. I did. “I’m working on it,” he said. “Call
want girls on the road with their acts.” Not only me Wednesday.” On Wednesday he said, “Call
was I being rejected because of my skills and me Friday.” This went on for a couple of weeks
talents, but now it was because I was a girl. (Be- before I realized that he was trying to be nice but
cause my name is Shelly, evidently many people really wasn’t going to do anything for me.
incorrectly assumed I was male instead of fe- I decided that if I were ever lucky enough
male when their secretary’s were setting up ap- to break into the music industry, I would help as
pointments. The good news is that this got me many people who wanted a job doing anything
into a lot of places I probably wouldn’t have had to fulfill their dream as I possibly could. I wasn’t
a chance to get in. The bad news—once I got sure when I’d make it, but I knew I would get
r
there, they realized I was not a man.) there eventually.
Although like many others I dreamed about
standing on a stage in front of thousands of
adoring fans singing my number one song, in
Tip from the Top
reality, I knew that was not where my real talent
During that interview at the booking
agency, I learned two important lessons. One, was. I knew, however, that I did have the talent
use what you have to get your foot in the door. to make it on the business end of the industry.
If someone thought I was a man because of I did all the traditional things to try to get a
my name, well, my idea was not to correct job. I sent my resume, I searched out employment
them until I got in the door. At least that way I agencies that specialized in the music industry, I
could have a chance at selling myself.
The second lesson is choose your battles
made cold calls, and I read the classifieds.
wisely. Had I complained about sexual dis- And guess what? I still couldn’t land a job.
crimination at that point, I might have won the Imagine that. A college degree and a burning
battle, but I would have lost the war. desire still couldn’t get me the job I wanted. I
had some offers, but the problem was that they
r
Introducing Your Career Coach
weren’t offers to work in the music industry. I doing anything? Well, you want to be in the mu-
had offers for jobs as a social worker, a teacher, sic industry and I want to help you get there.
a newspaper reporter, and a number of other I give seminars around the country on en-
positions I have since forgotten. Were any of tering and succeeding in the music industry, and
these jobs I wanted? No! I wanted to work in I’m a personal coach and stress management
the music business, period, end of story. specialist to many acts and executives in the en-
Like many of you might experience, I had tertainment industry, but unfortunately I can’t
people telling me I was pipe dreaming. “The be there in person for each and every aspiring
music industry,” I was told, “is for the other music industry professional. So, through the
people. You know, the lucky ones. The ones who pages of this book, I’m going to be your per-
have connections in the industry.” I was also sonal coach, your cheerleader, and your inside
told consistently how difficult the music indus- source to getting into and succeeding in the mu-
try was to get into and, once in, how difficult it sic industry.
was to succeed.
Want to hear the good news? I eventually A Personal Coach—
did get into the industry. I’ll share the story of What’s That?
how I did it later, but basically I had to “think The actual job title of “personal coach” is rel-
outside of the box” to get there. The important atively new, but coaches are not. Athletes and
thing was that I found a way to get in. Want to others in the sports industry have always used
hear some more good news? You can too! As a coaches to help improve their game and their
matter of fact, not only can you get in, but you performance. Over the past few years, coaches
can succeed. have sprung up in many other fields as well.
Remember when I said that if I got in, I’d There are those who coach people toward
help every single person who ever wanted a job better fitness or nutrition; vocal coaches to help
10 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
people improve their voices; acting coaches to then help you go after it. If being in the music
help people with acting skills; and etiquette industry is what you want, I want you to get in
coaches to help people learn how to act in ev- and I want you to be successful.
ery situation. There are parenting coaches to If you want to be on the business end of the
help people parent better, retirement coaches industry, I’m going to help you find ways to get
to help people be successful in retirement, and in. If you’re already in, we’ll work on ways to
time management coaches to help people better help you climb the career ladder to your dream
manage their time. position. Is your career aspiration to be on the
There are stress management coaches to talent end of the industry? Then we’ll work on
help people better manage their stress; executive finding ways to catapult you to the top there
business coaches to help catapult people to the too.
top; life coaches to help people attain a happier, Look at me as your personal cheerleader,
more satisfying life; and career coaches to help and look at this book as your guide. I want you
people create a great career. Personal coaches to succeed and will do as much as possible to
often help people become more successful and make that happen. No matter what anyone tells
satisfied in a combination of areas. you, it is possible to get into the industry and
“I don’t understand,” you might be saying. succeed. Thousands of people have done so,
“Exactly what does a coach do and what can he and now you can be one of them!
or she do for me?” Well, there are a number of Did you ever notice that some people just
things. seem to attract success? They seem to get all the
A coach can help you find your way to suc- breaks, are always at the right place at the right
cess faster. He or she can help motivate you, time, and have what you want? It’s not that you’re
help you find what really makes you happy, get jealous; you just want to get a piece of the pie.
you on track, and help you focus your energies “They’re so lucky,” you say. Well, here’s the
on what you really want to do. Unlike some deal. You can be that lucky too. Want to know
family and friends, coaches aren’t judgmental. why? While a little bit of luck is always helpful,
You, therefore, have the ability to freely explore it’s not just chance. Some people work to attract
ideas with your coach without fear of them success. They work to get what they want. They
being rejected. Instead of accepting your self- follow a plan, keep a positive attitude, and they
imposed limitations, coaches encourage you to know that they’re worthy of the prize. Others
reach to your full potential and improve your just wait for success to come, and when all you
performance. do is wait, success often just passes you by.
Coaches are objective, and one of the im- The good news here is that you can be one
portant things they can do for you is point out of the lucky ones who attract success if you take
things that you might not see yourself. Most of the right steps. This book will give you some of
all, a coach helps you find the best in you and the keys to control your destiny; it will hand you
then shows you ways to bring it out. This, in the keys to success in your career and your life.
turn, will make you more successful. Through the pages of this book, you’ll find
As your coach, what do I hope to do for the answers to many of your questions about
you? I want to help you find your passion and the music business in general, as well as both the
Introducing Your Career Coach 11
business and talent areas. You’ll get the inside dustry you’re interested in pursuing, you need
scoop on how the business works, key employ- to take positive actions, too.
ment issues, moving from amateur to pro, and If all it took for you to be successful was for
finding opportunities. me to tell you what you needed to do or even
You’ll find insider tips, tricks, and tech- do it for you, I would. I love the music industry
niques that worked not only for me but for oth- and I want everyone interested in being part of
ers who have succeeded in the industry. You’ll it to live their dream. Unfortunately, that’s not
discover secrets to help get you get in the door the way it works.
and up the ladder of success, as well as the low- Here’s the reality of the situation. I can only
down on things I wish I had known when I was offer advice, suggestions, and tell you what you
first beginning my quest for success in the music need to do. You have to do the rest. Talking
industry. about what you can do or should do is fine, but
If you haven’t attended one of my Making It without your taking action, it’s difficult to get
in Music seminars or any of the other music in- where you want to go.
dustry, stress management, or career workshops This is your chance to finally get what you
I offer, you will get the benefit of being there by want. You’ve already taken one positive step to-
simply reading this book. If you have attended ward getting your dream career simply by pick-
one, here is the book you’ve been asking for! ing up this book. As you read through the vari-
ous sections, you’ll find other actions to take that
Change Your Thinking, Change will help get you closer—whether you choose the
Your Life talent or business end of the music industry.
Sometimes, the first step in getting what you As you read through the book, we’ll talk
want is just changing the way you think. Did about creating your own personal action plan.
you know that if you think you don’t deserve This plan can help you focus on exactly what
something, you usually don’t get it? Did you you want and then show you the actions needed
know that if you think you aren’t good enough, to get it.
neither will anyone else? Did you know that if Your personal action plan is a checklist of
you think you deserve something, you have a sorts. Done correctly, it can be one of the main
much better chance of getting it? Or that if you keys to your career success. It will put you in the
think you are good enough, your confidence driver’s seat and give you an edge over others
will shine through? who haven’t prepared a plan themselves.
When you have confidence in yourself, you We’ll also discuss putting together a num-
start to find ways to get what you want, and ber of different kinds of journals to help you be
guess what? You succeed! more successful in your career and life. For ex-
And while changing your thinking can ample, one of the problems many people experi-
change your life, this book is not just about a ence when they’re trying to get a new job, move
positive attitude. It’s a book of actions you can up the career ladder, or accomplish a goal is that
take. they often start feeling as though they aren’t ac-
While a positive attitude is always helpful complishing anything. A career journal is a han-
in order to succeed in whatever part of the in- dy tool to help you track exactly what you’ve
12 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
done to accomplish your goals. Once that is in the talent and the business areas. In addition to
place, you know what else needs to be done. the traditional ones most people think of, there
is an array of others for you to explore. No mat-
Is This the Right Career for Me? ter what your skills or talents, you can almost al-
Unsure about exactly what you want to do in ways find a way to parlay them into your music
the music industry? Not sure what your options business career.
are? As you read through the book, you’ll see “Really?” you ask. “What if I’m a nurse?
possibilities you might not have thought about. What if I’m an artist? What if I work in a bank?
You might also want to check out one of my What do any of those have to do with the music
other books, Career Opportunities in the Music In- industry?”
dustry, to learn more about specific careers. Here’s the good news. If you think in a cre-
“But what if I’m already working at a job ative manner, you probably can use any of your
in another industry?” you ask. “Is it too late? skills to get you into the music business.
Am I stuck here forever? Is it too late to get into A number of years ago I was on a radio call-
the music industry?” Here’s the deal. It is never in show about getting into the music industry. A
too late to change careers, and going after some- woman called and said, “I really want to work
thing you’re passionate about can drastically in the music business.”
improve the quality of your life. “What do you do now?” I asked.
Thousands of people stay in jobs because “I’m a nurse,” she replied.
it’s easier than going after what they want. You “Use your skills,” I told her.
don’t have to be one of them. “No,” she said. “You didn’t hear me. I’m a
We all know people who are in jobs or ca- nurse.”
reers that they don’t love. They get up every day “I heard you,” I said. “Here’s an idea. Why
waiting for the workweek to be over. They go don’t you put a small ad in the trades? There
through the day, waiting for it to be over. They might be some touring acts who are dealing
waste their life waiting and waiting. Is this the with drug rehab or medical issues who need a
life you want to lead? Probably not. You now nurse on the road with them.”
have the opportunity to get what you want. Are Four months later she called me again. She
you ready to go after it? I’m hoping you are. had placed an ad in the trade journals and didn’t
If the music industry is where you want to get a response. She had, however, won tickets
work, there are countless opportunities in both from a local radio station to a concert and “meet
r
and greet” event for a major recording act ap-
pearing in her area. She went and enjoyed the
show and met the act. In a conversation with the
Tip from the Coach group’s road manager, she told him how excited
Don’t procrastinate. Every day you wait she was to meet the group and happened to men-
to get the career you are passionate about is tion that she had just placed an ad in the trades
another day you’re not living your dream. Start for going on the road but that it hadn’t brought
today! in any response. A couple of weeks later she
got a call from the group’s management asking
r
Introducing Your Career Coach 13
look for something that can help you now, you As you read through the various sections,
might see a subject that catches your eye, or you you’ll find a variety of suggestions and ideas to
might be looking for an area of the book that help you succeed. Keep in mind that every idea
solves a particular problem. and suggestion might not work in every situa-
For this reason, as you read the book, you tion and for every person. The idea is to keep
might see what appears to be some duplication trying things until one of them works. Use the
of information. In this manner, I can be assured book as a springboard to get you started. Just
that when I suggest something that may be help- because something is not written here doesn’t
ful to you in a certain area that you will get all mean that it’s not a good idea. Brainstorm to
the information you need, even if you didn’t find solutions to barriers you might encounter
read a prior section. in your career.
You should be aware that even if you’re My job is to lead you on your journey to
interested in working on the talent end of the success in the music industry. Along the way
industry, knowing about the business end will you’ll find exercises, tasks, and assignments that
be helpful to succeeding in your career and vice will help get you where you want to be faster.
versa. No one is going to be standing over your shoul-
If you’re on the talent end of the industry, der to make you do these tasks. You alone can
understanding how the business end works, for make the decision on the amount of time and
example, will help assure that you are treated work you want to put into your career. While no
fairly, don’t get ripped off, and know where the one can guarantee you success, what you should
monies come from and go. If you’re on the busi- know is that the more you put into your career,
ness end of the industry, understanding as much the better your chances of having the success
as possible about the talent area can help you be you probably are dreaming about.
more effective in your job. Are you worth the time and effort? I think
There’s a great mystique to the music busi- you are! Is a career in the music industry worth
ness, as there is in the entire entertainment in- it? I believe it’s one of the best industries in the
dustry. Many would have you think that the world in which to work. Aside from the op-
music industry is impossible to break into, im- portunity to make a great living and fulfill your
possible to succeed in. Trust me—it is not. If dreams, you can leave an imprint on the enter-
you’re willing to put some effort into the pro- tainment others enjoy.
cess, you can make it. No matter what level you’re currently at in
You might have heard the saying that knowl- your career in the music business and in what-
edge is power. This is true. The more you know ever capacity, this book is for you. You might
about the music industry and how it works, the not need every section or every page, but I can
better your chances are of succeeding. This guarantee that parts of this book can help you.
book is full of information to help you learn ev- Whether you’re just starting out as an intern
erything you need to know about the industry or administrative assistant, you’re an up-and-
and how it works. I’m betting that you will refer coming music executive, or even the CEO of a
to information in this book long after you’ve at- record label, music publishing company, agency
tained success. management firm, or other music industry busi-
Introducing Your Career Coach 15
ness; whether you’re a struggling songwriter, cassettes are still available, CDs get the mass
singer, or musician, or on the top of the charts, shelf space.
this book can help you experience more success Affordable electronic instruments and up-
in your career and a happier, more satisfying, dated computer technology allow people to
and stress-free life. write, play, and record music with ease. Af-
fordable electronic audio and video equipment
Music Industry Overview makes it possible for young artists to create both
Whether through turning on the radio, playing a demos and videos easily.
CD, seeing a concert, or singing a song, there are The one thing that hasn’t changed about the
very few people whose lives the music industry music industry is the desire many people have
doesn’t touch. Even when we’re not consciously to be part of it. For many people who want to
listening, we hear jingles on radio and television work in the music industry, the idea remains just
commercials, background music on television a dream. The good news is that the dream can
shows and movies, and even music while riding now become a reality.
elevators. The music industry today is a desirable ca-
The music industry is huge. It is a multibil- reer option, and it has never been easier to get
lion-dollar industry that encompasses the talent in or succeed if you’re prepared. Whether it’s
and creative end of the music as well as the busi- the glitz or the glamour or the gold at the end of
ness end and everything in between. the rainbow, or it’s the genuine desire to express
Over the years the music industry has grown musical creativity or to share a music talent with
and changed dramatically. There are now new others, there are many reasons that thousands
ways to enjoy music as well as new ways to make of people are drawn to careers in music and find
it. Thanks to portable CD players, MP3s, iPods, ways to succeed. I’m betting one of them will
and the like, music is now easy to take with us be you.
wherever we go. Music television, video, and
the Internet have joined radio in methods of The Music Business and
garnering exposure for albums. An appearance How It Works
or music video on music television, for example, Here’s how the music business works in a nut-
can create a hit record almost instantaneously. shell. Some people make music. Other people
“Indies,” or independent labels, have joined buy it either directly or indirectly. In between
the ranks of major record labels. The industry there’s a business organization that makes that
is now diverse and filled with people of all ages, possible. On a broad level, that’s how the music
all backgrounds, and with various educational business works. Do you want to be part of it?
levels. There is no one type of music. Then read on.
The corner record store is not the only Let’s look at the whole process a little closer.
place to buy music. As a matter of fact, find- At one end of the spectrum there’s the talent of
ing a corner record store is becoming harder, if the music industry encompassing singers, musi-
not impossible. Eager buyers can now purchase cians, writers, and producers, among others. At
downloads of tunes as well as buy from mass the other end of the spectrum are the business
retailers, chains, or Internet music sites. While people, including personal managers, agents,
16 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
business managers, publicists, press agents, at- A Sampling of What This Book
torneys, record company executives, tour peo-
ple, promoters, and other personnel.The music
Covers
industry, like most other industries, has posi- This informative guide to success in the music
tions in peripheral areas, and these peripheral industry is written in a friendly, easy-to-read
positions are important. As an example, report- style. Let it be your everyday guide to success.
ers, journalists, and reviewers, talented in their Want to focus on what your really want to do?
own right, are the ones who write or speak about Check out the book!
the music and music business. The industry also Want to learn how to plan and prepare for
couldn’t come full circle without people work- your dream career? Do you want to know the
ing in radio, education, and retailing, among best places to be for music business careers? Do
other areas. you want to focus on search strategies especially
What’s important to realize is that every po- for the music industry? How about tips for mak-
sition in the music industry, no matter what it is, ing those important music industry contacts,
is important. Every position can have an impact how to network, or how to create the ideal mu-
on the end result. sic industry resume or cover letter? Check out
A songwriter, for example, can write a great the book!
song, but without someone promoting it, the Do you need to know how to develop your
song might not get to a great singer. The singer bio or put together your press kit? Do you want
can have a perfect voice, but without a way to to get your portfolio together? Want to know
get it recorded, the number of people who hear what business cards can do for you and your ca-
it will be limited. Almost anyone can make a reer? Check out the book!
CD, but once it’s recorded, if not marketed, pro- Want to learn how to get your foot in the
moted, and sold correctly, it can sit in a ware- door? How about checking out tried-and-true
house. methods to get people to call you back? Do you
By the time a song becomes a hit and gets want to learn the best way to market yourself
into stores, hundreds of different people have and why it’s so important? Do you want to learn
had an impact on it, from someone in the mail- how to succeed in the workplace, deal with
room to the songwriter and the singer to the store workplace politics, keep an eye out for oppor-
clerk who ultimately sells the CD. Similarly, by tunities, and climb the career ladder? You know
the time you attend a concert, probably hun- what you have to do: Check out the book!
dreds of people have worked toward that event. Do you want to know how to move from
What all this means is that every job or career the garage to the recording studio and find gigs?
path in the industry is ultimately important. The Do you want to know about contracts, dealing
job you do can, in reality, affect those who reap with managers, agents, lawyers, and more? Are
the benefits and pleasure of the music industry. you interested in learning how to deal with the
With this in mind, if you need to take some jobs media, get exposure, and protect yourself ? You
along the way to your dream career that you feel need to read the book!
are beneath you, use them as a stepping-stone to Do you need important contact information
get to your ultimate destination. so you can more your career forward? Check out
Introducing Your Career Coach 17
this book’s listings of important associations, If you dream of working in the music indus-
unions, organizations and Web sites. try and don’t know how to make that dream a
Although this book won’t teach you how to reality, this book is for you. Have fun reading it.
write a hit tune, sing a popular song, or play an Know that if your heart is in it, you can achieve
instrument better, it will help you find ways to anything.
garner success whether your passion is the tal- Now let’s get started.
ent or business area.
2
Focusing on a Great Career
in the Music Industry
Focusing on What You Really This is not something everyone does. Many
people just fall into a career without thinking
Want to Do ahead of time about what it will entail. Someone
Unless you’re independently wealthy or just who needs a job hears of an opening or answers
won the megamillion-dollar lottery, you, like an ad and then goes for it without thinking about
most people, have to work. Just in case you’re the consequences of working at something for
wondering, life is not supposed to be miserable. which they really have no passion. Once hired,
Neither is your job. either it’s difficult to give up the money or just
Here are some questions you might ask too hard to start job hunting again, or they don’t
yourself. Do you wake up every morning dread- know what else to do, so they stay. They wind
ing going to work? Do you ask yourself, “What up with a career that is okay but one they’re not
should I be?” How about, “What should I do for really passionate about.
the rest of my life?” or “What should I be when Then there are the other people. The ones
I grow up?” Do you daydream about working in who have jobs they love, the lucky people.
the music industry? Do you wonder how you’re You’ve seen them. They’re the people who have
going to make it in the industry? the jobs and life you wish you had.
Your life is supposed to have a purpose. That Have you noticed that people who love their
r
purpose is not sleeping, getting up, going to a job jobs are usually successful not only in their ca-
that you don’t particularly care about, coming
home, cooking dinner, and watching TV only to
do it all over again the next day. Tip from the Coach
To be happy and fulfilled, you need to enjoy Okay is just that: It’s okay. Just so you
life. You need to do things that give you pleasure. know, you don’t want just okay; you don’t want
As a good part of your life is spent working, the to settle; you want great! That’s what you de-
trick is to find a career that you love and that you’re serve and that’s what you should go after.
passionate about—the career of your dreams.
18
Focusing on a Great Career in the Music Industry 19
reer but in other aspects of life as well? They you want, no one else really has to see it, so try
almost seem to have an aura around them of to be honest with yourself.
success, happiness, and prosperity. Do you want Here’s an example to get you started. When
to be one of them? You can! you make your list, add your personal likes and
Finding a career that you want and love is dislikes.
I hate the idea of being cooped up in an
challenging but possible. You are in a better po-
sition than most people. If you’re reading this office all day.
book, you’ve decided that the music business is I hate the idea of having to sing in front
what you’re passionate about. Now all you have of a live audience.
to do is determine exactly what you want to do I don’t want to have to commute for an
in the industry. hour each way every day.
What’s your dream career? What do you re- I don’t like to be in the limelight.
ally want to do? This is an important question I don’t like making decisions.
to ask yourself. Once you know the answer, you I don’t like getting up early in the
can work toward achieving your goal. morning to go to work.
If someone asks you right now what you re- I don’t want to work in retail sales.
ally want to do, can you answer the question? I don’t want to have to travel for work.
Okay, one, two, three: “What do you want to do I don’t like working with numbers.
with your life?” I don’t like doing the same thing day
If you’re saying, “Uh, um, well . . . What after day.
I really want to do is . . . well, it’s hard to ex- I don’t like being in charge.
plain,” then it’s time to focus in on the subject.
Sometimes the easiest way to figure out what We know what you don’t like. Now use this
you want to do is to focus in on what you don’t list as a starting point to see what you do like. If
want. you look closely, you’ll find that the things you
enjoy are the opposite of the things you don’t
Most people can easily answer what they
want to do.
don’t want to do. “I don’t want to be a teacher. I
Below are some examples to get you start-
don’t want to work in a factory. I don’t to work
ed. You might make another list as well as us-
in a store,” and the list goes on. The problem
ing the “Things I Enjoy Doing” worksheet on
is that just saying what you don’t like or don’t
page 22. Remember that the reason you’re writ-
want to do doesn’t necessarily get you what you
ing everything down is so you can look at it, re-
want to do.
member it, and focus in on getting exactly what
It may seem simple, but sometimes just
you want.
looking at a list of what you don’t like will help
you see more clearly what you do like. I hate the idea of being cooped up in an
Sit down with a sheet of paper or fill in the office all day.
“Things I Don’t Want to Do” worksheet on But I’d really like to work on the
page 20 and make a list of work-related things road.
you don’t like to do. Remember that this list is I hate the idea of having to sing in front
for you. While you can show it to someone if of a live audience.
20 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
But I’m a really good singer. take for your career is largely determined by the
Maybe I’ll look into working as a choices you make.
background singer in a studio. The fastest way to get the career you want
I don’t want to have to commute for an is by making the choice to take actions now and
hour each way every day. going after it! You can have a career you love
But if I find a job in the city, perhaps and you can have it in the music business. And
I can find an apartment close by. when you’re doing something you love, you’ll
I don’t like to be in the limelight. be on the road to a great career and a satisfied
But I really like supporting others and fulfilled life.
who are there. The next chapter discusses how to develop
I don’t like making decisions. your career plan. This plan is your road map to
I like working in a situation where success. It is full of actions you can do not only
I’m given direction. to get the career in the music industry you want
I don’t like getting up early in the but succeed in it as well. Before you get too in-
morning to go to work. volved in the plan, however, you need to zero in
Maybe I can find a job where I work on exactly what you want your career to be.
later in the day or work at night. At this point you might be in a number of
I don’t want to work in retail sales. different employment situations. You might still
But I’m really good at sales. I think be in school planning your career, just out of
I might be interested in working in school beginning your career, or in a job that
the marketing department at a record you don’t really care for. You might be in your
r
label. late teens, 20s, 30s 40s, 50s, or even older.
I don’t want to travel for extended
periods of time, but I want to play in a
band.
The Inside Scoop
Perhaps I can start off working local
If you think working in music industry is
gigs and then see how it goes. just for those in their 20s and 30s, think again.
As you can see, once you’ve determined what Clive Davis, one of the most talented record
you don’t like doing, it’s much easier to get ideas executives in the world, is in his mid-70s. Da-
vis, responsible for guiding the careers of re-
on what you’d like to do. It’s kind of like brain-
cording stars such as Carlos Santana, Bruce
storming with yourself. Springsteen, Whitney Houston, and Alicia
Many people in this world don’t like what Keys, is so good at what he does that he was
they do or are dissatisfied with their career. The recently named chairman and CEO of BMG,
good news is you don’t have to be one of them. North America.
You and you alone are in charge of your Need some other examples? Carlos San-
tana won a Grammy in his early 50s. Bruce
career. Not your mother, father, sister, brother,
Springsteen is still going strong in his 50s.
girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, or best friend. Mick Jagger, lead singer for the Rolling Stones,
Others can care, others can help, and others can is in his 60s. Chubby Checker, king of “The
offer you advice, but in essence, you need to be Twist,” hit the charts again in his 60s.
in control. What this means is that the path you
22 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
“Older? Did you say older?” you ask. the chance of not going after the career you re-
Yes. If you have a dream, it is never too late ally want.
to pursue it. Let’s get started. We’re going to do another
Okay, you’ve decided that the music busi- writing exercise. While you might think these
ness is the industry for you, but do you know are a pain now, if you follow through, you will
what your dream career is? There are hundreds find it easier to attain your dream.
of exciting career choices whether you want to Get a pen and a pad and find a place where
be on the business end, in the talent area, or you can get comfortable. Maybe it’s your living
somewhere in between. It’s up to you to decide room chair. Perhaps it’s your couch or even your
which one you want to pursue. bed. Now all you have to do is sit down and day-
dream for a bit about what you wish you could
What’s Your Dream? be and what you wish you were doing.
I bet that you have an idea of what your dream “Why daydream?” you ask.
job is and I bet that you have an idea of what it When you daydream your thinking becomes
should be like. I’m also betting that you don’t freer. You stop thinking about what you can’t do
have that job yet or if you do, you’re not at the and start thinking about what you can do. What
level you want to be. So, what can we do to is your dream? What is your passion? What do
make that dream a reality? you really want to do? Admit it now or forever
One of the problems many people have in hold your peace.
getting their dream job is that they just don’t Many people are embarrassed to admit
think they deserve it. Dream jobs are something when they want something because they fear
many people talk about and wish they had but looking stupid if they don’t get it. They worry
just don’t. Many people think that dream jobs people are going to talk badly about them or call
are for the lucky ones. them a failure. Is this what you worry about?
Well, I’m here to tell you that you are the Do you really want to be a singer but are afraid
lucky one. You can get your dream job, a job you’ll fail? Is your dream to be a record exec, but
you’ll love, and it can be in the music business! you don’t think you’ll make it?
If I had a magic wand and could get you any First of all, don’t ever let fear of failure
job you wanted, what would it be? Do you want stop you from going after something you want.
to be a songwriter? A singer? Part of a hot rock- While no one can guarantee you success, what
and-roll group? Do you want to book acts in a I can guarantee you is that if you don’t go after
major venue? Do you want to manage the ca- what you want, it is going to be very difficult to
reer of a hot artist? Would you rather handle the get it.
press and media for a record label? How about One thing you never want to do is get to the
the career of a respected record label exec? Not end of your life and say with regret, “I wish I had
sure what you want to do? done this,” or “I wish I had done that.” Will you
Determining what you really want to do is get each and every thing you want? I’d like to say
not always easy. Take some time to think about a definitive “yes,” but that probably wouldn’t be
it. Throughout this process, try to be as honest true. The truth of the matter is you might not
with yourself as possible. Otherwise, you stand succeed at everything. But even if you fail, when
r
24 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
would be fun. problem first.
I want to be famous myself.
I want to go on the road and travel
around the country.
The Inside Scoop
I wish I were an attorney. Then I could
When you write down your ideas,
work in a record label legal department,
you’re giving them power. You now have
or I could work directly for an artist. them on paper, making it easier to go over
I want to be a tour manager. I want to go them, look at them rationally, and fine-tune
from city to city with a top music group them.
and handle all the details.
Focusing on a Great Career in the Music Industry 25
Finish the following sentences to help pinpoint your interests and find the job of your
dreams.
My hobbies are
My skills are
My current job is
If I didn’t have to worry about any obstacles, the three jobs I would want would be
Do you know exactly what you want to do Just because an ad states that a job has a
but can’t find an opening? For example, do you specific educational requirement doesn’t mean
know you want to work at a record label but you should just pass it by if your education
can’t find a job? If this is the case, don’t only doesn’t meet that requirement. First of all,
keep looking, but look outside the box. Try to advertisements for jobs generally contain the
find ways to get your foot in the door, and once highest hopes of the people placing the ads, not
it’s in, don’t let it out until you get what you necessarily the reality of what they will settle
want. for. Secondly, many companies will accept ex-
Have you found the perfect job and inter- perience in lieu of education. Lastly, if you’re
viewed for it, but then the job wasn’t offered to a good candidate in other respects, many com-
you? While at the time you probably felt awful panies will hire you while you’re finishing the
about this, there is some good news. Generally, required education.
when one door closes, another one opens. Hard Is a lack of experience stopping you from en-
to believe? It may be, but if you think about it, tering your dream career? This is easily fixed. If
you’ll see that it’s true. Things work out for the you can’t get experience in the workplace, then
best. If you lost what you thought was the job of volunteer. For example, do you need experience
your dreams, a better one is out there waiting for doing publicity for a career in a label publicity
you. You just have to find it. department? See if you can find an internship.
Sometimes while you know exactly what What if that doesn’t pan out? Volunteer to do
type of job you want, you just can’t find a job publicity for a local not-for-profit group. Expe-
like that available. Don’t give up. Keep looking. rience is transferable. Do you need experience
Sometimes you have to think outside of the box performing? Offer to provide the entertainment
to get what you want. for a local not-for-profit event. Perhaps you can
Perhaps you are just missing the skills nec- join your church or community choir or chorus.
essary for the type of job you’re looking for. Take every opportunity that presents itself to get
This is a relatively easy thing to fix. Once you the experience you need. Don’t ever let a chance
know the skills necessary for a specific type of to perform pass you by.
job, take steps to get them. Take classes, go to One of the biggest obstacles many people
workshops, attend seminars, or become an ap- encounter when trying to enter the music busi-
prentice or intern. ness is that the jobs are just not in the geographic
“But,” you say, “I’m missing the education location in which they live. If, for example, you’re
necessary for the job I want. The ad I read said looking for a career at a major label, you’re prob-
I needed a bachelor’s degree and I don’t have ably going to have to live in one of the major
one.” music capitals like New York, Los Angeles, or
Here’s the deal. While you can’t get a job Nashville. If you don’t live in these areas and
as an attorney in a record label unless you have want to work at a label, you might try to find
completed law school and you can’t get a job as a similar job at an independent label closer to
an accountant without the required education, where you live.
educational requirements may be negotiable in Is what’s holding you back that you don’t
many cases. know anyone in the music business? Is it that you
Focusing on a Great Career in the Music Industry 27
don’t have any contacts? Here’s the deal. You apart. Why? There are a number of reasons.
have to find ways to make contacts. Take classes, Let’s look at a few scenarios.
seminars, and workshops in subject areas related Scenario 1—Sometimes people are just negative.
to the music industry. Volunteer. Make cold calls. “Oh,” they might say to you. “You’ll never make
Attend concerts. Go to clubs and network, net- it. Do you know how many people want to be in
work, network. Put yourself in situations where the music business?”
you can meet people in the industry, and sooner “Well,” you tell them. “I have talent.”
or a later, you will meet them. Their response? “There are a lot of talented
“The only thing between me and success,” people who have never made it. Why don’t you
you say, “is a big break.” Getting your big break just get involved with the music business on the
may take time. Keep plugging away. Most of all, side? Be smart. Get a real job.”
don’t give up. Your break will come when you Scenario 2—Sometimes people are jealous.
least expect it. They might hate their job and be jealous that
Are you scared? Are you not sure you have you are working toward finding a great career.
the talent? If you start doubting yourself, other Others might be trying to make it in the music
people might do the same. Don’t let fear stop business themselves and be jealous that you have
you from dong what you want. a plan. They might be jealous that you might
Whatever you do, don’t let anyone burst make it before they do.
your bubble. What does that mean? You know Scenario 3—Sometimes people are scared of
how it is when you get so excited about doing change. In many cases, friends or family are con-
something that you just can’t keep it to yourself. cerned about your well-being and are just scared
So you share your ideas of what you want to do of change. “You have a job working in a bank,”
with your family and friends. If they start try- your girlfriend may say. “Why don’t you just stay
ing to destroy your dream by pointing out all the there so you know you have a solid income?”
problems you might encounter, don’t let them Scenario 4—Sometimes people just think you’re
undermine you. It’s not that they’re trying to be pipe dreaming. “You’re a pipe dreamer,” your
unsupportive, but for some people it seems to be family may say. “What you need is a dose of re-
r
their nature to try to pick other people’s dreams ality. Just because you got a couple of gigs does
not mean that you’re going to make it big. There
are thousands of people who want to work in
Tip from the Coach the music business. You’re just one in a million.
If there is something that you want to The odds are not good.”
do or something that you want to try in your Scenario 5—Sometimes people are under the im-
career or your life, my advice is go for it. No pression that you can’t make it if you don’t have any
matter what the risk, no matter how scared
connections. “You don’t know anyone in the
you are, no matter what. Your life and career
will benefit more than you can imagine and
business,” your friend says. “Don’t be an idiot.
you’ll never look back with regrets. Even if it You can’t make it if you don’t know anyone.
doesn’t work out, you’ll feel successful be- You need connections.”
cause you tried. Whatever the scenario, there you sit start-
ing to question yourself. Well, stop! Do not let
r
28 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
This is not the time to be modest. Remember, Depending on your situation, it might mean
this list is for you, so be honest with yourself. singing the national anthem at a local sports
Can you finish this sentence? I am a talented event before you’re invited to sing it at the Su-
(fill in the blank). You might be a talented sing- per Bowl. You might have to play a lot of little
er, songwriter, musician, or writer. You might clubs before you play a stadium. You may have
be talented in organizing, supervising, cooking, to pound on a lot of doors before you become a
or baking. You might be talented at negotiating, major recording artist.
persuasion, painting, drawing, decorating, or On the business end of the industry, you may
public speaking. Whatever your talents, you can have to take jobs that are not your ideal choice
use them to help your career. to get experience so you can move up the career
How? Let’s say you want to be a hot record- ladder and get the job of your dreams. You may
ing artist. Your talents are singing and songwrit- have to do a lot of the grunt work and stay in the
ing. You also know that you are a great nego- background while others get the credit. While
tiator and very good at persuasion. While your all this is going on, you have to be patient with
singing and songwriting can certainly help you the knowledge that everything you do is getting
become a hot recording artist, having the talent you closer to your goal.
to persuade people to listen to your act and the If you look at every experience as a stepping-
talent to negotiate deals can help catapult you stone to get you to the next level of your career,
to the top. it’s a lot easier to get through the trying things
you may have to go through.
Getting What You Want Want to hear another story? Let me share how
You hear opportunity knocking. How do you I finally got into the music industry. Perhaps my
get what you want? How do you turn your experience will help you in your quest for success.
dream into reality? One of the most important I wanted to be in the music business for as
things you need to do is have faith in yourself. It long as I can remember. I thought I knew what
is essential that you believe that you can make it I wanted to do. My dream job was to be a road
happen in order for it to happen. manager. “Yes,” I said. “I want to be a road
As we’ve discussed, you need to focus on ex- manager.” It wasn’t the most glamorous job,
actly what you really want. Otherwise, you’ll be but that’s what I thought I wanted to do. I men-
going in a million different directions. Remem- tioned earlier how at that time no one wanted a
ber that things may not always come as quickly woman as a road manager with a male act. Did
as you want. Most people in the music industry that stop me? Not at all.
are not overnight successes. You will probably After dealing with disappointment after
have to “pay your dues.” What’s that mean? disappointment, interview upon interview, let-
On the most basic level in the music industry, it ter upon letter, and countless unreturned phone
means you probably have to start small to get to calls, I decided my traditional job search just
the big time. Before you get to ride in the limo, wasn’t working quick enough. I was sure that I
you’re going to have to drive a lot of Chevys. wasn’t going to let the lack of a job offer stop me
(There’s nothing wrong with a Chevy; it’s just from working in the industry I wanted to be in. I
not the same as having a chauffeured limo.) decided to look “outside of the box.”
Focusing on a Great Career in the Music Industry 31
I tried a number of things. I looked at my “Well, anyone can do that,” you say. Tech-
talents, I looked at my skills, and then I tried to nically you’re right. Anyone can start their own
find a way to use them. I knew I could write and business. Sometimes it’s the right move and
I knew I could do it well. I had been a part-time sometimes it’s not. For me it was right. For you
reporter/photographer for my local bi-weekly it may or may not be the correct path. The idea
newspaper during summer vacations and stayed wasn’t without problems. The challenge once
on part time after I had graduated college. I you start a business is getting clients to utilize
knew how to do public relations and publicity. your services. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was
My parents had their own public relations and going to get clients, but I knew I would find a
marketing firm. I had literally grown up with way to get them.
press releases. One of the main things I had going for me
I knew I wanted to be a road manager, may- was the faith I had in myself that I would do it.
be even a tour manager, because I wanted to be No matter what obstacle anyone put in my way,
on the road with music acts. Yet, I had already I knew I could find a way around it. I also knew
experienced that management often didn’t feel I wasn’t going to quit until I got what I want-
comfortable having a woman on the road with ed. Could I have failed? Absolutely not. Once
their male acts. I also knew that no matter how I made a commitment to myself, there was no
many record labels, agents, publishing com- turning back.
panies, or management companies I talked to, To make another very long story short, I hus-
right or wrong, I might have the same problem tled to get my first clients and I was on my way to
with all of them. living out my dream career. I’ll share my story of
What could I do? I had landed interviews, how that happened later in the book, so you can
yet no one had hired me. I had made contacts, use similar techniques to help you in your career.
yet I still couldn’t get a job. “Well,” you might be saying, “that’s you.
I had a lightbulb moment. I knew what I You were lucky.”
had to do. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of Yes, I was lucky. But it was luck put together
this before. I actually did know one person who with focus, a lot of hard work, a huge commit-
would hire me, a person who thought I would ment, and knowing I wasn’t giving up, no matter
be great at whatever I did. And not only did I what. Just so you know, I am no different from
know this person; I knew her very well. Guess you. That means if I can do it, you can do it too.
what? It was me! Whether your dream is to work on the business
I decided to start my own business, a mu- end or the talent end of the industry, if you fo-
sic industry public relations and publicity firm, cus on just what you want, use your talents, and
and hired myself. My specialty would be “on don’t give up, the dream can be yours.
the road” publicity. For some reason, no one
seemed to mind my presence on the road if I Setting Goals
was getting the act television, radio, and print Throughout this process, it’s essential to set
exposure. As a matter of fact, they were hap- goals. Why? Because if you don’t have goals, it’s
py I was there to make sure everything went hard to know where you’re going. If you don’t
well. know where you’re going, it’s very difficult to
r
32 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
37
38 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
What exactly is an action plan? In a nut- helps you focus so that everything you need to
shell, an action plan is a written plan detailing do is more organized. Many of us have had the
all the actions you need to and want to take to experience of looking in a closet where every-
successfully accomplish your ultimate goal: suc- thing is just jumbled up. If you need a jacket or
cess in your chosen career. a pair of pants from the closet, you can probably
find them, but it may be frustrating and take you
How an Action Plan Can Help a long time. On the other hand, if you organize
You Succeed your closet, when you need that jacket or pair of
Success is never easy, but you can stack the deck pants, you can reach for them and find them in a
in your favor by creating your own personal ac- second with no problem.
tion plan. Why is this so critical? To begin with, One of the main reasons you develop a
there are many different things you might want plan is to have something organized to follow,
to accomplish to succeed in your career. If you and when you have something to follow, things
go about them in a haphazard manner, howev- are easier to accomplish and far less frustrating.
er, your efforts might not be as effective as they In essence, what you’re creating with your ac-
could be. An action plan helps define the direc- tion plan is a method of finding and succeeding
tion to go and the steps needed to get the job in your dream career, whether it be in the talent
done. It helps increase your efficiency in your area, business area, or somewhere in between.
quest for success. When you put that plan into writing, you’re
Another reason to develop an action plan is going to have something to follow and some-
that seeing a plan in writing sometimes helps you thing to refer to, making it easier to track your
see a major shortcoming or simply makes you progress.
notice something minor that may be missing. At “Okay,” you say. “How do I know what
that point, you can add the actions you need to goes into the plan? How do I do this?”
take and the situation will be easily rectified. Well, that depends a lot on what you want
With an action plan, you know exactly what to do and what type of action plan you’re put-
r
you’re going to be doing to reach your goals. It ting together. For the most part, your action
plan is going to comprise a lot of the little, de-
tailed steps you’re going to have to accomplish
Words from the Wise to obtain your goal.
Always keep control of your career. Some people make very specific and lengthy
Even at the height of your success when you action plans. Others develop general ones. You
have lawyers, accountants, managers, and might create a separate action plan for each job
agents working for you, make sure you over- you pursue, a plan for your next goal, or even a
see things. This doesn’t mean you can’t del-
plan that details everything you’re going to need
egate tasks. It just means that you should be
aware of what is going on, whom you are deal- to do from the point where you find yourself
ing with, how much money is coming in and now up to the career of your dreams. As long as
going out, and where your money is going. you have some type of plan to follow, the choice
is yours.
r
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 39
What Should Your Basic Action even want to include mid-range plans. That way
you’ll be able to track your progress, which gives
Plan Include? you great inspiration to slowly but surely meet
Now that you’ve done some research and brain- your goals. For example, if you’re interested in
stormed some great ideas, you’re on your way.
pursing a career on the business end of the in-
Here’s what your basic action plan should
dustry, you might set your long-range goal to be
include.
the director of publicity at a major label. Your
Career Goals short-range goal might be to get an internship at
One of the most important parts of your action a label and then secure a position in the publicity
plan will be defining your career goals. Are you department.
just starting your career? Are you looking for a Keep in mind that goals are not written in
new job or career? Are you already in the busi- stone and it’s okay to be flexible and change
ness and want climb the career ladder? Are you them along the way. The idea is that no matter
interested in exploring a different music indus- what you want, moving forward is the best way
try career from the one you’re in now? Do you to get somewhere.
want to be a singer, songwriter, or musician? Do
What You Need to Reach Your Goals
you want to be a major recording artist? Do you
The next step is to put in writing exactly what
want to be an A&R executive? The head of a
you need to reach your goals. Do you need
record company? Want to be the VP of publicity
training or more education? Do you need to
at a major label? The sky is the limit if you know
learn new skills or brush up on old ones? Do
what your goals are.
you need to move to a different geographic lo-
When defining your goals, to try to make
them as specific as possible. For example, instead cation? Do you need to network more? Do you
of writing in your action plan that your goal is to need to make more contacts?
be a singer, refine your goal to be a major record-
Your Actions
ing and performance artist. Instead of defining
This is the crux of your action plan. What ac-
your goal to be a record label executive, you might
tions do you need to attain your goals?
define it as being the vice president of A&R or
whatever your career goal or aspiration might be. Do you need to take some classes or
It’s important to include your short-range attend some industry-related workshops?
Your actions would be to identify,
r
goals as well as your long-range ones. You might
locate, and take classes and
workshops.
Do you need to find seminars and attend
Voice of Experience
them?
Your actions would be to investigate
Once you get the knack of creating ac-
tion plans, you can use them for everything in
your life, not just your career. You’ll find every- potential seminars to see if they will
thing goes more smoothly with a plan in place. assist in accomplishing your goals,
and if so, attend them.
r
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 43
r
tion plan, and then look at the same plan partly
filled in by someone whose career goal is to be
a country music artist. After that are examples
Tip from the Coach of alternative action plans for an aspiring song-
Try to be realistic when setting your writer or composer and one for someone inter-
timetable. Unrealistic time requirements often ested in the business of music.
set the groundwork for making you feel as After reviewing these samples, use the blank
though you’ve failed. plan provided to help you create your own per-
sonal action plan.
44 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Example 1
Long-range goals:
Mid-range goals:
My Basic Action Plan
Career Goals
E
Short-range goals:
My market:
What’s my timetable?
Short-range goals:
Mid-range goals:
Long-range goals:
Example 2
Mid-range goals: To become a recognized force in the music industry; to record and tour
earning enough to be financially stable.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 45
Example 2, continued
Short-range goals: To put together an act and become a successful performer on a lo-
cal and regional basis.
Possible people to book my act short-range: Local lounges and clubs; hotels; schools;
colleges; local wedding planners and coordinators; booking agents.
Possible people to book my act mid-range: Booking agents; colleges; managers; pro-
moters; wedding planners and coordinators; booking agents.
Possible people to book my act long-range: Major booking agents and promoters in
United States and abroad for large venues, fairs, casinos, and hotels.
What do I need to reach my goals? Put together band and develop my act.
Find manager and agents.
Perfect my skills, talent, and craft.
Find venues to play.
Write songs to record.
Find label to record with.
Sing with record label.
Get exposure.
Tour.
How can I differentiate myself from others? Write songs people can relate to; come
up with interesting stage act.
How can I catch the eye of people important to my career? Get media exposure;
send out press releases; develop and send out brochures and press kits; donate my ser-
vices to not-for-profit organizations I support; become spokesperson for some cause or
product I believe in.
What actions can I take to reach my goals? Take vocal and/or instrument lessons; at-
tend songwriting workshops; attend industry events and conventions; become member of
local chamber of commerce for networking opportunities; network more.
What actions do I absolutely need to take now? Develop act and band; rehearse on
regular basis; develop press kit and bio; get professional photos done; send out mailing to
get bookings; follow up on mailings; find and attend industry events.
(continues)
46 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Example 2, continued
What’s my timetable?
Short-range goals: Within the next six months
Mid-range goals: Within the next year and a half to two years
Long-range goals: Within the next seven years
Example 3
E
CAREER GOALS (Long-range): Become successful Grammy award–winning songwriter
with many songs published and recorded by top artists.
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Look for songwriter’s Check with local ASAP
workshops. community colleges,
trade associations,
local music store.
Attend songwriter’s Try to take a number of
workshops. different ones to get input
from different people.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 47
Example 3, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Join trade Check on Internet for ASAP
associations. trade associations; look
in directories.
Look for seminars, Check directories, Within six
workshops, etc. in music stores, Internet, months;
business end of the and so on. By June
industry to learn more
about it.
Find listing of names Check directories and Within six
and addresses and Web Internet. months;
sites of music publishers. By June
Read Billboard to get See if library subscribes ASAP
familiar with music to Billboard; check with
industry news and trends. local radio stations to
Check out classified see if they will let me
section. borrow magazines.
Look into industry Try to attend one or two. Within six or
conferences and Call up in advance to see eight months;
conventions to network. if they have special fee By August
structure for students or
nonprofessionals.
Read books about music Do search on Amazon, Browse through
industry, songwriting, then go to library to at least one a
songwriters, etc. borrow books. week. Start now.
Look for a mentor or Talk to people at Start looking now.
teacher. songwriting workshops.
Learn about copyright. Do research online; call Immediately
government copyright
office; talk to people.
Copyright songs. As I write them
Write songs. Regularly write new material. Start now!
(continues)
48 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Example 3, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Make up business cards. Within two
months
Find ways to meet and Attend concerts, clubs, and Continually,
network with artists. so on. Go to industry events. beginning now
Develop my bio.
Develop my press kit. Get professional photos done.
Find ways to exploit my
talent.
Find ways to get publicity.
Write a song for a not-for- Talk to organization I Within the year
profit or charity event to believe in and see if they
get exposure. would be interested.
Consider collaborating Think about pros and
with other songwriters. cons.
Find ways to meet and Visit recording studios,
network with publishers publishing houses, and
and producers. so on.
Find industry Contact radio stations, Start now and
networking events. club owners, concert keep going.
promoters, singers,
musicians, music teachers.
Long Range
Make demo of songs. Within eight
months but
sooner if possible
Publish songs. Within a year
Pitch songs to artists, Within a year
publishers, record companies, to eighteen
television shows, film months
producers, and so on.
Continue recording demos.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 49
Example 3, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Long Range
Get three or four songs Within two years
recorded.
Record a top ten hit. Sooner would be really nice Within six years
Collaborate with top artists. Within six years
Have film producers and Sooner if possible Within eight
directors call you to write years
music for their top films.
Win a Grammy! I really want one within Within eight
two years, but I’m going years
to try to be more realistic.
Example 4
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Look into internship Contact college advisor to ASAP so I October
possibilities at record labels see if school has internship possibly find an
or music-oriented publicity programs with labels; write internship my
firms. to record labels and music last semester
industry publicity and PR
firms.
(continues)
50 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Example 4, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Fill in internship application. Get references from ASAP November
former employers and
college advisor.
Go through internship at Get letters of This semester May
record label. recommendation and visit
human resources (HR)
department.
Look for seminars and Contact the Public Relations Find by January
workshops in entertainment Society of America (PRSA),
and music publicity and colleges, industry
public relations. associations; look on Internet.
Find listing of names and Check directories and This month
addresses and Web sites of Internet.
record labels and music
industry publicity and PR firms.
Read Billboard to get See if library subscribes to This week and
familiar with music industry Billboard; check with local continually
news and trends; check out radio stations to see if they
classified section. will let me borrow magazines.
Get letters of Before
recommendation from internship ends
internship coordinator and
directors of departments in
which I interned.
Make appointment with Check into possibility of
HR director. getting job at label after
graduation.
Look into industry Try to attend one or two;
conferences and conventions call up in advance to see if
to network. they have career fairs.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 51
Example 4, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Read books about music Do search on Amazon, then Browse through
industry. go to library to borrow at least one a
books. week.
Take classes in publicity. This semester
Volunteer to do publicity Call my contact at General Call this week.
for a not-for-profit Hospital Foundation to see
entertainment event. if I can help with the
publicity for their
fund-raising concert.
Work on school paper or Contact Daily Record to
look into part time job at see if they would be
local newspaper. interested in reviews of
entertainment events.
Start working on resume. Finish first draft
by end of next
week.
Start building career Start now and
portfolio. keep going.
Find industry networking Contact radio stations, club Start now and
events. owners, concert promoters, continue.
singers, musicians, music
teachers, and so on.
Make up business cards. Find printer; check out
other people’s business
cards for ideas.
Long Range
Develop marketing Finish by
package and brochure. mid-March.
(continues)
52 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Example 4, continued
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Long Range
Send out marketing package ASAP after
and brochures to record marketing
labels, music industry P.R. package and
and publicity firms, radio brochures are
stations, etc. completed.
Contact record label HR Send letters and resumes Start in March.
departments. asking about openings.
Contact Public Relations See if they know of any Start in April.
Society of America. openings.
Contact entertainment Check to see if there are Start in April.
industry associations. any networking events or
career fairs.
Check out Billboard and
other music industry trades
for job openings.
Continue with actions.
Timetable/ Date
Action To Be Taken Comments Deadline Accomplished
Short Range
Long Range
54 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Look for industry events in your area of Become affiliated with a performance
interest. rights society such as the American
Take seminars, workshops, and classes. Society of Composers, Authors, and
Get a college degree. Publishers (ASCAP) or Broadcast Music,
Make business cards. Inc. (BMI).
Perform research online. Rehearse on regular basis.
Learn about industry trends. Develop press kits.
Make cold calls to obtain job interviews. Develop bio.
Read books about the industry. Look for agents.
Look for and sign with personal manager.
If your career aspirations are in the creative tal-
Develop booking brochures and pieces.
ent area, you’ll need to take a different set of spe-
Make up business cards.
cific actions to achieve your goals. Let’s go over a
Perform in showcases.
few of them. Remember, this list is just to get you
Perform in competitions.
started thinking. It is by no means complete.
Secondary e-mail:
Actions taken: Tailored resume and cover letter to job; spoke to references to tell them I
was applying for job and make sure I could still use them as references; faxed resume and
cover letter.
Actions needed to follow up: Make sure suit and other clothing needed for interview
is clean and pressed; review portfolio; make extra copies of my resume; read Billboard and
other trade information to keep up-to-date on trends; do research on company to see who
their clients are and find out extra information; call if I don’t hear back within a week.
Interview time, date, and location: Received call on 3/10; they want me to come in for
interview; interview set for 2:00 p.m. on 3/12 with Jeff Post at agency office.
More actions to follow up on: Get directions to building; pick out clothes for interview;
try everything on to make sure it looks good; rehearse giving answers to questions most
likely to be asked during interview; noticed that company didn’t have a Web site; develop a
simple sample Web site to show initiative.
Comments: Went to interview; nice office and very nice people working there; I would
like the job; Mr. Post seemed impressed that I had put together a sample Web site; he said
most people wouldn’t take the time to do something like that before they got a job; he
also seemed interested in my portfolio; the only thing that bothered me was that I didn’t
know the specific computer program they used; he said he was conducting interviews for
the next week and would get back to me one way or another in a couple of weeks.
Results: 3/19 Mr. Post called; I didn’t get that job; they gave it to someone who had been
an intern at the company. He offered me a different job; he said that they had been talking
(continues)
56 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
(continued)
about a Web site for a while and my sample site motivated them to move on the idea. While
they are retaining a company to put together a professional Web site, my job would be to
coordinate the information included on the site. I would also be the liaison between the
agency and their clients, getting information, working on bios, and so on; he still would want
me to learn about booking and if I am interested, could start to do a little of that as well. I’m
going to meet with him tomorrow to discuss salary and benefits.
Use the blank plan provided on page 57 to keep Keeping a Daily Action Journal
track of your actions when you find specific jobs
In addition to creating an action plan, you might
you’re interested in.
find it helpful to keep an action journal record-
ing all the career-related activities and actions
How to Use Your Action Plan you take on a daily basis. What you’re going to
Creating your dream career takes time, patience, do is write down all the things that you do on a
and a lot of work. In order for your action plan daily basis to help you attain your career goals.
to be useful, you’re going to have to use it. It’s
You then have a record of all the actions you
important to set aside some time every day to
have taken in one place. Like your action plan,
work on your career. During this time, you’re
your action journal can help you track your
going to be taking actions. The number of actions
progress.
you take, of course, will depend on your situa-
How do you do this? The sample on page
tion. If you are currently employed, you may
58 will get you started. Names and phone num-
not be able to tackle as many actions as someone
bers are fabricated.
who is unemployed and has more time available
With your daily action journal, you
every day. Keep in mind that some actions may
can look back and see exactly what you’ve
take longer than others. Putting together your
done, who you’ve called, who you’ve writ-
career portfolio will take longer than making a
ten to, and what the result was. Additionally
phone call, so if you’re working on your port-
folio, you might not accomplish more than one you have the names, phone numbers, times,
r
action in a day. (continues on page 59)
Try to make a commitment to yourself to
take at least one positive action each day to-
ward getting your dream career or becoming The Inside Scoop
more successful in the one you currently have. Once you start writing in your daily ac-
Do more if you can. Whatever your situation, tion journal, you’ll be even more motivated to
just make sure you take some action every sin- fulfill your career goals.
gle day.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 57
Job title:
Job description:
Action Plan for Specific Job
E
Company name:
Contact name:
Company address:
Company e-mail:
Secondary e-mail:
Actions taken:
Comments:
Results:
58 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Monday, January 8
Read daily papers.
Daily Action Journal
E
Called John Lopez, H.R. Director, CBE Records (212) 222-3333. Cold call, not in. His sec-
retary Donna said he would be in on Wednesday and to call back.
Read Billboard. Noticed an advertisement for entertainment attorney at Big L Records.
Took name of H.R. director and sent my resume and cover letter asking about opening in
promotion or marketing department.
Tuesday, January 9
Read daily paper and scanned classifieds.
Called Gina Young, station director at WPDA-FM 999-1111; asked if I could come in for
informational interview. Tentative appointment for next week, Monday, January 15 at 5 p.m.
Check on Friday.
Worked on career portfolio.
Did research on Internet about CBE records.
Wednesday, January 10
Called John Lopez, H.R. Director, CBE Records (212) 222-3333. I got Donna on phone,
she said he was in and he got on the phone. I told him I had just graduated college with
a major in communications and was looking for an entry-level job in the music industry
in the promotion or publicity departments. He told me there were no positions open at
the time in those departments but if I was interested, I could come in and fill out an
application. I asked what departments usually had openings and he told me the only
opening currently available was for an administrative assistant in artist development.
Yay!!! I asked if I could come in and fill in an application and he said yes. I’m going in on
Monday at 1:00.
Worked on career portfolio.
Reviewed my resume.
Thursday, January 11
Called Bill Jones 999-2222 to tell him about going in to fill in job application and make sure
it was still alright to use him as a reference.
Called Vanessa Hampton 999-1111 to tell her about going in to fill in job application and
make sure it is still okay to use her as reference.
Called Jen Brown 111-1112 to check about using her as reference. Left message.
Printed out clean copies of my resume.
Checked on suit to wear on Monday.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 59
(continued from page 56) doing enough, you are often motivated to do
dates, and other information at your fingertips. more.
As an added bonus, as you review your daily The next step is to discuss your personal ca-
action journal, instead of feeling like you’re not reer success book.
Date:
My Daily Action Journal
E
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
60 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Your Personal Career lists in this book of your potential support staff:
agents, managers, attorneys, accountants, publi-
Success Book cists, and press agents. Have you seen someone’s
What’s your personal career success book? It’s professional photos that you think are great? Find
a folder, scrapbook, notebook, binder, or group out who did them and note it in your book. Then
of notebooks where you keep all your career in- you have the information when you need it.
formation. Eventually, you might have so much What else? Lists of media possibilities,
that you’ll need to put everything in a file draw- names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and
er or cabinet, and that’s okay. That means your e-mail addresses. Let’s say you’re watching tele-
career is progressing. vision and see an interesting interview about the
What can go in your personal success ca- music industry. At the time, you think you’re go-
reer book? You can keep your action plans, your ing to remember exactly what you saw, when you
daily action journals, and all of the information saw it, and who the reporter or producer was.
you need to get your career to the level you want Unfortunately, you will probably forget some of
to reach. the details. You now have a place to jot down
What else can go into your personal success the information in a section of your book. When
career book? Whether you’re pursuing a career on you need it, you know where to look!
the talent or business end of the industry or any- Don’t forget to clip out interesting inter-
where in between, you will probably be sending views, articles, and feature stories. Instead of
and receiving a lot of correspondence. It’s a good having them floating all over your house, file
idea to keep copies of all the letters you send out them in this book. Want to network a bit? Write
as well as the ones you receive from people in the the reporter a note saying you enjoyed his or her
industry. Don’t forget copies of e-mail. piece and mentioning why you found it so in-
Why do you want to keep correspondence? teresting. Everyone likes to be recognized, even
First of all, it gives you a record of people you people in the media. You can never tell when
wrote to and people who wrote to you. You might you might make a contact or even a friend.
also find ways to make use of letters people send It goes without saying that you should also
you. For example, instead of getting a rejection clip and make copies of all articles, stories, and
letter, reading it, crumpling it up, and throwing features that appear in the print media about you.
it in the trash, take the name of the person who Having all this information together will make it
signed it, wait a period of time, and see if you can easier later to put together your career portfolio.
pitch another idea, another song, another job pos- What else is going into your personal career
sibility, or anything that might further your career success book? Copies of letters of recommenda-
or get you closer to where you want to be. tion, notes that club owners have sent you, and
What else can go in your book? Keep copies even fan mail.
of advertisements for jobs that you might want As your career progresses, you will have
or be interested in now and in the future. If you various resumes, background sheets, and bios.
hope to be a performer, keep copies of infor- Keep copies of them in your book as well. What
mation on locations you might perform, clubs, about your networking and contact worksheets?
lounges, arenas, concert halls, and so on. Keep They now have a place too.
Plan for Success in the Music Industry 61
We’ve discussed the importance of deter- You’ll find success is easier to come by if
mining your markets. This is where you can keep you’re more organized and have everything you
these lists as well. Then, when you find new pos- need in one place.
sibilities, just jot them down in your book. With If you’re now asking yourself, “Isn’t there a
your personal career success book, everything lot of work involved in obtaining a career you
will be at your fingertips. want?” the answer is a definite yes.
You know how you sometimes go to semi- “Can’t I just leave everything to chance and
nars or workshops and get handouts or take hope I get what I want?” you ask.
notes? You now know where to keep them so You can, but if your ultimate goal is to suc-
you can refer to them when needed. The same ceed in the music industry, you need to do ev-
goes for conference and convention material. erything possible to give yourself the best op-
Keep it in your personal career success book. portunity for success.
4
Get Ready, Get Set, Go:
Preparation
B
62
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 63
Where can you find opportunities? You try? Is a record label executive coming to your
can find them all over the place. Read through school in search of campus representatives?
the papers, listen to the radio, look through the Have you heard that a booking agency is seek-
trade journals, and watch television. Check out ing out new clients? Will internship opportuni-
music stores, Web sites, and college campuses. ties at a label or agency be announced soon?
Even if you’re not a student, schools, universi- Will a trade association conference be hosting
ties, and colleges often offer seminars or have a career fair? Is there an opening at the label
programs that might be of interest and are open you’re working at, in the department you want
to the public for a small fee. Contact associations to work? These are all potential opportunities.
and ask about opportunities. Network, network, Be on the lookout for them. They can be your
and network, continuously looking for further key to success.
opportunities. Keep track of the opportunities you find
What kind of opportunities do you have? and hear about in a notebook. If you prefer, use
What types of opportunities are facing you? the Opportunities Worksheet provided. There
Is there a talent competition coming up? Is is a sample at the top of page 64 to get you
American Idol coming to your part of the coun- started.
Opportunities Worksheet
Local radio/television stations hosting talent competition. Winner gets appearance on na-
tionwide TV and meeting with major record company executive. Must fill in application and
submit tape by 5/10. Competition is during Memorial Day Celebration. Judges will be estab-
lished record company execs, booking agents, DJ, and TV station personalities.
Music television stations holding contest for unsigned talent ends 9/3.
Daily News is looking for up-and-coming entertainment acts to profile for feature in
newspaper.
Self-Assessment and Taking your resume and make it easier to prepare for
interviews.
Inventory Do you know what you want? Do you know
Now let’s make sure you’re ready for every what your strengths and weaknesses are? Can
opportunity. One of the best ways to prepare you identify the areas in which you are inter-
for anything is by first determining what you ested? Can you identify what’s important to you
want and then seeing what you need to get it. in your career?
Remembering that you are your own career “But I already know what I want to do,” you
manager, this might be the time to do a self- say. “This is a waste of my time.”
assessment. Well, that’s up to you, but answering these
Your self-assessment involves taking an in- questions now can help your career dreams
ventory of what you have and what you have come to fruition quicker. It will help give you
to offer and then seeing how you can relate it to the edge others might not have.
what you want to do. Self-assessment involves Doing a self-assessment is a good idea no
thinking about yourself and your career goals. matter whether your career goal is on the busi-
Self-assessment helps you define your ness end of the industry or in the talent area. If
strengths and weaknesses. It helps you define you’re thinking that since your career goal is to
your skills, interests, goals, and passions, giv- become a singer or musician or even a record-
ing you the ability to see them at a glance. Your ing artist, so you don’t need to do this, think
self-assessment can help you develop and write again. Even in the talent area, before someone
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 65
Opportunities Worksheet
takes a chance on you, they are going to want to speaking classes, or you might force yourself to
know about you. If you have this done, you’ll be network and go into situations that could help
prepared. make you more comfortable around people. If
you need better written communication skills,
Strengths and Weaknesses you might take a couple of writing classes to
We all have certain strengths and weaknesses. make you a better writer.
Strengths are things you do well. They are ad- Are you a good singer who needs to be great?
vantages that most others don’t have. You can Consider taking some vocal lessons. Do your
exploit them to help your career. Weaknesses songwriting skills need some help? A songwrit-
are things that you can improve. They are things ing workshop might help get you on track.
you don’t do as well as you could. Take some time now to define your strengths
What are your strengths and weaknesses? and weaknesses. Then jot them down in a note-
Can you identify them? Why are these ques- book or use the Strengths and Weaknesses Work-
tions important? Once you know the answers, sheet on page 67. Be honest and realistic. The next
you know what you have to work on. page contains two sample worksheets to help you
For example, if one of your weaknesses is get started. One was filled in by someone interested
shyness and you don’t like speaking in front of in the business end of the industry and the other
groups of people, you might take some public by someone pursing a career in the talent area.
66 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
My strengths:
I have a lot of energy.
I can get along with almost everyone.
I can follow instructions.
I’m a team player yet can work on my own.
I’m organized.
I am good at teaching others.
I know how to do Web design and am an accomplished Web designer.
My weaknesses:
I’m a perfectionist.
I don’t like speaking in front of groups of people.
I’m shy.
I need better written communication skills.
My strengths:
I have a great voice.
I get along with others.
I can write my own music.
I’m organized.
I have good business relationships with bankers and people interested in investing in good
projects.
My weaknesses:
I’m a perfectionist.
I don’t like traveling.
I’m shy.
My strengths:
My weaknesses:
r
cialized knowledge they possess. Are you one
of them?
While it’s sometimes difficult to put your
skills down on paper, it’s essential so you can
The Inside Scoop see what they are and where you can use them
A good way to deal with an interviewer
in your career. Your skills, along with your tal-
asking you how you will deal with a specific
weakness that they identify is by saying you ents and personality traits, make you unique.
are actively trying to change it into strength. They can set you apart from other job appli-
For example, if one of your weaknesses is that cants, singers, musicians, and songwriters and
you don’t like speaking in public, you might help you land the career of your dreams.
say you are working on turning that into a Once you’ve given some thought to your
strength by taking a public speaking class.
skills, it’s time to start putting them down on pa-
Telling an interviewer you are working on your
shortcomings helps him or her form a much per. You can either use the worksheet or a page in
better picture of you. a notebook. Begin with the skills you know you
have. What are you good at? What can you do?
What have you done? Include everything you can
think of from basic skills on up, and then think of
Once you know some of your strengths and the things people have told you you’re good at.
weaknesses, it’s time to focus on your personal Don’t get caught up thinking that “everyone
inventory. Your combination of skills, talents, can do that” and so a particular skill of yours is
and personality traits are what help to deter- not special. All your skills are special. Include
mine your marketability. them all in your list.
r
What Are Your Skills?
Skills are acquired things that you have learned
Tip from the Coach
to do well. They are part of your selling tools.
Don’t limit the skills you list just to
Keep in mind that there are a variety of rele-
those that relate to the music industry. Include
vant skills. There are job-related skills that you all your skills. Even when a skill seems irrel-
use at your present job. Transferable skills are evant, you can never tell when it might come
ones that you used on one job and that you can in handy.
transfer to another. Life skills are ones you use
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 69
Skills Worksheet
70 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Review these skill examples to help get you only good at but better at than most people?
started. Remember, this is just a beginning. What can you do with ease? What has been your
passion for as long as you can remember? These
computer proficiency
will be your talents. Are you a great singer? A tal-
public speaking
time management ented musician? A prolific songwriter? Are you
analytical skills a talented writer? A talented artist? Does your
organizational skills talent fall in the science area? How about math?
writing skills Do you have an “ear” for being able to choose
listening skills just the right song? Can you see raw talent?
verbal communications Think about it for a bit and then jot your
management talents in your notebook or in the Talent Work-
selling sheet. Here are a couple of examples to get you
problem solving started, the first for an individual interested in
language skills becoming an entertainer and recording artist
leadership and the second for someone hoping to become
math skills a record label executive.
decision-making skills Fill in your talents.
negotiating skills
money management Your Personality Traits
word processing skills We all have different personality traits. The com-
computer repair bination of these traits is what sets us apart from
teaching others. Certain personality traits can help you
customer service move ahead whether you’re interested in a career
cooking on the talent end or the business end of the music
Web design industry. Let’s look at what some of them are.
singing
songwriting ability to get along well with others
playing an instrument adaptable
interior decorating ambitious
instrument repair analytical
engineering skills assertive
charismatic
Your Talents clever
You are born with your talents. They aren’t ac- compassionate
quired like skills, but they may be refined and competitive
perfected. Many people are reluctant to admit conscientious
what their talents are, but if you don’t identify creative
and use them, you’ll be wasting them. dependable
What are your talents? You probably already efficient
know what some of them are. What are you not energetic
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 71
My Talents Worksheet—Entertainer
I am a talented musician. I can play five instruments well: guitar, keyboards, sax, bass, and violin.
I am a good songwriter.
I am a charismatic entertainer.
I have the ability to hear a hit song ahead of time and the ability to see raw talent.
I am a talented writer.
I have a great sense of humor. I can make almost everyone I’m around feel better by making
them laugh.
enterprising persuasive
enthusiastic positive
flexible practical
friendly problem solver
hard worker reliable
helpful resourceful
honest self-confident
imaginative self-starter
innovative sociable
inquisitive successful
insightful team player
observant understanding
optimistic What are your special personality traits?
outgoing What helps make you unique? Think about it,
passionate and then jot them down in your notebook or in
personable the Personality Traits Worksheet on page 73.
72 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Talents Worksheet
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 73
r
education may encompass other training op-
portunities. This may include classes, courses,
seminars, programs, and learning from your
peers. What type of education and training do Tip from the Coach
you already possess? What type of education Courses, seminars, and workshops are
and training do you need to get to the career of great ways to meet and network with industry
your dreams? What type of education will help insiders. Actively seek them out and attend
you get where you want to go? Would private them.
vocal lessons help you reach your career goal?
What education and training do I have? Associate’s degree with a major in business
Two semesters away from bachelor’s degree
Private vocal lessons
What classes, seminars, and workshops have I taken that are useful to my career
aspirations? Music theory
Music business overview
Vocal lessons
Songwriting workshops
What classes, seminars, workshops, courses, and other steps can I take to help my
career? Take electives in music business
Attend more music industry business workshops
Look for internship at record label
76 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
What classes, seminars, and workshops have I taken that are useful to my career
aspirations?
What classes, seminars, workshops, courses, and other steps can I take to help my
career?
r
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 77
Location Worksheet
r
about a job in an agency’s or label’s bookkeep-
ing department? With education and certifica-
tion, you might be able to fulfill your goals of
The Inside Scoop working as an accountant for entertainment cli-
One of the great things about being
ents.
a touring artist is that it really doesn’t matter
where you’re headquartered. As long as you
Are you a schoolteacher and wish you could
can get to an airport or get a car or tour bus be on tour with a major recording act? Your tal-
on the road, you can usually get where you’re ents, skills, and education might get you into a
going. position teaching the children of the recording
stars when they’re on the road.
r
80 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
want to be a singer, songwriter, or musician? Do support team. In the beginning of your career,
you like working with numbers, public speak- you might be managing yourself, booking your-
ing, or organizing things? Is selling your pas- self, and advising yourself. Sooner or later, how-
sion? What about teaching? Do you want to help ever, if you’re on the talent end of the industry,
musicians create a unique sound by producing, you probably are going to have a support team.
engineering, or arranging it? Do you want to What exactly is a support team? It’s the
travel? Do you want to entertain or work behind team of people who help guide your career.
the scenes in the industry? They might include managers, booking agents,
You began working on this task with the business managers, attorneys, publicists, press
worksheets in Chapter 2. Continue to refine agents, and record producers, among others.
your list of things that you enjoy and want to While we’re going to discuss more about
do. Previously you defined your career goals. your support team later, take some time to as-
Now that you’ve assessed the situation, are they sess your situation now. Who is handling your
still the same? career? Is it you? A friend or family member?
What are your passions? You can be the Do you currently have a manager? How about
most talented singer in the world, but if you an agent? What about an attorney?
don’t have a passion for singing, it’s a bad career When do you need these members of your
choice. You owe it to yourself to have a career team? To help you decide, ask yourself a few
that you love, that you’re passionate about, and questions.
that you deserve. Take the time now to make
sure that you get it by going after your passions. Personal Manager
Believe it or not, passion in many cases can Are you committed enough to your ca-
override talent. What does that mean? It means reer that you’re ready for a manager?
that while talent is important, the desire to do Do you think if you had a manager
something you’re passionate about can make it he or she could help you further your
happen. career?
There are thousands of people in all aspects Are you ready to go professional or have
of the music industry who are less talented than you gone pro already?
others, yet they’ve made it big. They’ve succeed-
ed where their more talented counterparts have If the answer to these questions is yes, it
not. What’s the difference? They have more pas- might be time to start looking for potential man-
sion for what they want, and they never give up agers. Don’t rush into signing with a manager
on their goals. If you have that passion, you can until you’re sure that he or she is right for you.
reach your goals too. While a good manager can push your career to
the next level, one who is not right for you can
The Talent Support Team hold your career back.
If you’re working toward a successful career as Booking Agent
a singer, musician, recording artist, songwriter
or any of the other areas on the talent end of Is your act tight enough to take it to an
the industry, take some time to think about your agent or agents?
r
Get Ready, Get Set, Go: Preparation 83
r
will be up on lingo and have more knowledge or family members put together your bios and
press kits.
If your career is becoming more established
Tip from the Top or you want to create some buzz, consider re-
While anyone can be a manager, it taining a publicist or press agent. In addition to
doesn’t mean any manager will be good for music industry publicists and press agents, many
your career. In addition to believing in you and publicists freelance and will work on a per-proj-
your act, there are other considerations. Does ect basis. It’s okay to ask to see a portfolio of
the potential manager have the contacts to
their work and ask for references.
get you where you need to get? Does he or
she have the knowledge and ability to get to Whether your career choice is on the busi-
those people? Check out qualifications before ness end of the music industry, in the talent area,
you sign a contract. or anywhere in between, you’ve taken another
step toward preparing for success.
5
Job Search Strategies
B
Using a Job to Create a Career covered. Every job can lead you to the career
you’ve been dreaming about.
No one goes out and gets a career; you usually
have to create one. This can be especially true While almost anyone can get a job, not ev-
in the music business. How can you create your eryone ends up with a career. As discussed in
dream career? You have to take each job you get a previous section, the difference between a job
along the way and make it work for you. Devel- and a career is that a job is just a means to an
oping the ultimate career requires a lot of things, end. It’s something you do to get things done
including sweat, stamina, and creativity. Think and to earn a living. Your career, on the other
of every job as a rung on the career ladder, every hand, is a series of related jobs you build using
assignment within that job as a stepping-stone. your skills, talents, and passions. It’s a progres-
Completing the puzzle takes lots of pieces and sive path of achievement.
lots of work, but it will be worth it. When you were a child, perhaps your par-
Except for a lucky few or those with spe- ents dangled the proverbial carrot on a stick in
cialized skills, breaking into the music business front of you, tempting you to eat your dinner
often requires starting at low-level, low-paying, so that you could have chocolate ice cream and
or even volunteer positions. But every job helps cake for dessert. Whether dinner was food you
to sharpen your skills and adds another line to liked, didn’t particularly care for, or a combina-
your resume. Every job is an opportunity to net- tion, you probably ate it most of the time to get
work, learn, and most of all get noticed. to what you wanted—dessert. In this case, your
Of course, if you know that your ultimate dessert will be ultimate success in your career in
goal is a career in the music industry, it’s much the music industry.
easier to see how each job you do can get you Use every experience, every job, and every op-
a little closer. And this doesn’t just apply to the portunity for the ultimate goal of filling your life
business end of the industry. For performing with excitement and passion while getting paid.
artists, every engagement or gig, no matter how Will there be things you don’t enjoy doing and jobs
small, gives you experience, hones your skills, you wish you didn’t have along the way? Perhaps,
helps you gain confidence in front of an audi- but there will also be things you love doing and
ence, and gives you the opportunity to be dis- jobs you look back on and remember with joy.
84
r
Job Search Strategies 85
r
dreaming. Maybe you were scared. Or maybe
someone offered you a job in a different indus-
try and you took it for security. There might be
hundreds of reasons why you didn’t get into the Tip from the Coach
music industry. The question is, do you want to Are you living someone else’s dream?
be there now? You can’t change your past, but you can
“Well,” you say. “I do, but . . .” change your future. If your dream is to work in
Before you go through your list of buts, ask the music business, go for it. Things might not
yourself these questions: Do you want to give up change overnight, but the first step you take
toward your new career will get you closer
your dream? Do you want to live your life say-
to your dream. Every day you put it off is one
ing, “I wish I had,” but never trying? Wouldn’t more day you’re wasting doing something you
you rather find a way to do what you want than don’t love. You deserve more. You deserve the
never really be happy with what you’re doing? best.
Wouldn’t it be great to look at others who are
r
86 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
do in the industry, but be aware that there are a on what type of job you’re seeking and where
great many jobs in the music business that just you live. If you live in a small town and you’re
aren’t advertised. Why? There are a few reasons, looking for a position at a major record label,
but basically because positions in the music in- probably not. If you’re looking for a position
dustry are often so coveted, putting an ad in the at a local radio station or in a local club, your
classified section of the newspaper might mean chances are better.
that there could be hundreds of responses, if not If you’re seeking a position at a major re-
more. cord label or agency, check out the classified
“But isn’t that what employers want?” you sections of newspapers from the music capitals
ask. “Someone to fill their job openings?” of New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. You
Of course they want their job openings might also find jobs advertised in newspapers in
filled, but they don’t want to have to go through other large metropolitan cities including Chica-
hundreds of resumes and cover letters to get to go, Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, and
that point. It is much easier to try to find quali- Seattle.
fied applicants in other ways, and that is where “But I don’t live in those areas,” you say.
the hidden job market comes in. “How can I get the papers? What am I going
This doesn’t mean, however, that you to do?”
shouldn’t look into the open market. The smart There are a number of solutions. Larger
thing to do to boost your job hunt is utilize every bookstores and libraries often carry Sunday
avenue to find your job. With that being said, newspapers from many metropolitan cities in
let’s discuss the open job market a bit and then the country. If you’re interested in getting news-
we’ll go on to talk about the hidden job market papers from most areas, you can also usually or-
in more detail. der short-term subscriptions. One of the easiest
ways to view the classified sections of newspa-
The Open Job Market pers from around the country is by going online
When you think of looking for a job, where do to the newspapers’ Web sites. The home page
you start? Most people head straight for the clas- will direct you to the classified or employment
sifieds. While, as I just noted, this strategy may section. Start your search from there.
not always be the best bet, it’s at least worth What do you look for? That depends on the
checking out. Let’s go over some ways to in- specific job you’re after, but generally look for
crease your chances of success in locating job keywords. If you want a job at a label, for exam-
openings this way. ple, you might look for keywords such as record
The Sunday newspapers usually have the label, music business, music industry, music, re-
largest collection of help wanted ads. Start by cord label executive, and entertainment. You
focusing on those. You can never tell when a might also look under the names of specific job
company will advertise job openings, though, titles or departments such as “A&R Executive,”
so you might also want to browse through the “Publicity-Music Business,” “Record Producer,”
classified section on a daily basis if possible. “Administrative Assistant-Record Label,” “Artist
Will you find a music industry job advertised in Development Coordinator,” and so on. Don’t for-
your local hometown newspaper? That depends get to look for specific company names as well.
r
Job Search Strategies 89
committing yourself to make a fact of the matter is that without the power of
couple of cold calls every day. Do networking, it is often difficult to get your foot
some research, choose the labels, in the door.
agencies, publishing houses, publicity Earlier chapters have touched on network-
firms, and venues in which you are ing because of its importance to your success,
interested and call the director of and it will be discussed further throughout the
human resources or the director of book. What is essential to understand is that
one of the departments in an attempt networking isn’t just something you do at the
to set up an interview. Make sure beginning of your career. It’s something you’re
you get the person’s name ahead of going to have to continue doing for as long as
time so you can ask for someone by you work.
name. How do you network? Basically, you put
People may have networked and caught yourself into situations where you can meet
the eye of those who need to fill the people and introduce yourself. Chapter 7 dis-
jobs. cusses more about networking basics and offers
Finding positions in the hidden job some networking exercises. However, right now,
market is a skill in itself. One of the you’re going to have to learn to get comfortable
best ways to do this is by networking. walking up to people, extending your hand, and
Through networking you can make introducing yourself.
contacts, and your contacts are the “Hi, I’m Lisa Cable. Isn’t this an interest-
people who will know about the jobs ing event? What a great opportunity this was to
in the hidden market. learn more about record promotion,” you might
say at a seminar.
Networking in the Music The person you meet will then tell you their
Business name and perhaps something about themselves.
Often, it’s not just what you know but who you You can then keep talking or say, “It was nice
know. In the music business, as we’ve discussed, meeting you. Do you have a card?”
contacts are key. Networking is an important Make sure you have your business cards
part of succeeding. It’s so important that it can handy, and when you are given a card, give
r
often make or break you. yours as well.
How so, you ask?
You may be the most talented singer in the
world, but if you can’t get the right people to
Voice of Experience
hear you, it’s going to be difficult to find an
You never want to be in a position
agent and a record label. You might be a great
where someone remembers that they met you
singer, but you might just end up just singing in and remembers that you would be perfect
the shower. for a job, yet they have no idea how to get in
The importance of networking is not lim- touch with you. Don’t be stingy with your busi-
ited to the talent area of the industry. Network- ness cards. Give them out freely.
ing is just as important on the business end. The
Job Search Strategies 93
Every business situation can ultimately be you can if you stand outside around lunchtime
an opportunity to network, but some are more and watch to see who goes where. Some office
effective than others. Look for seminars, work- buildings have thousands of employees in dif-
shops, and classes that music industry profes- ferent businesses, so how do you know which
sionals might attend. Why would an industry are the employees from the company you have
professional be at a workshop or seminar? There targeted? You might have to eavesdrop a little
are many reasons. They might want to network and listen for clues in things people say as they
just like you, or they might want to learn some- walk out the door. You might stop in the build-
thing new, or they might be teaching or facilitat- ing and ask someone. Get on the elevator for
ing the workshop. the floor the company is located and ask the
Where else can you meet music industry elevator operator. Ask the security guard stand-
professionals to network with? It probably will ing in the lobby. You might even stop into a
be difficult (if not impossible) to go to a record couple of the coffee shops or restaurants and
company, music distributor, or booking agency, ask the hostess.
knock on doors, and introduce yourself to the “Hi, I was supposed to have a lunch meet-
president of the company. So what can you do? ing with someone from ABC records, the re-
cord company next door and I’m embarrassed
You’re next best bet is trying to network with
to say, I’m not sure which coffee shop the meet-
employees of those companies. How? Here’s
ing was set for,” you might say. “Do a lot of the
a strategy to try if you live near an area where
employees from the record company come in
there are music industry companies.
here?”
Find one or two of the companies in which
At this point, the hostess will either give you
you are interested and locate the street address.
a blank look that means you probably are in the
Choose a day when you have some time to
wrong place or tell you that you are indeed in
spare, but it must be a weekday. Get dressed
the right location. Once you’ve found the cor-
in some appropriate clothing, and go to the of-
rect location, wait until it’s nice and busy and
fice of the company you’ve chosen. Now stand
there is a slight line. People will usually talk to
outside the building and look around. Are there other people even if they don’t know them when
restaurants, coffee shops, diners, or bars near-
r
they are standing in lines. Start up conversations
by? There probably are. Why does that matter?
Because people from the offices have to eat
lunch somewhere, get their coffee somewhere,
and after work on Friday might stop into the Tip from the Top
bar on the corner for happy hour. What does When networking at an event, don’t
just zero in on the people you think are the im-
that mean to you? If you can determine where
portant industry insiders and ignore the rest.
the company employees hang out, you can put Try to meet as many people as you can, and
yourself in situations in which to network with always be pleasant and polite to everyone.
them. You never can tell who knows who and who
Can you find out which restaurants and cof- might be a great contact later.
fee shops the employees frequent? Sometimes
94 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
and hope that you’re standing near the people knew all the employees congregated before and
from the company you’re looking for. What after work and at various times during the day.
about sitting at the counter? It you get lucky, A few months later, I started getting calls and e-
you might end up sitting next to someone from mails from people who had tried the technique
the company. and found that it worked. Did they all get a job?
The tricky part in all of this is being able to Some of them did. Some of them didn’t. The
network in this type of situation. Some people important thing to know is that many of them
are really good at it, and some people find it got their foot in the door where they otherwise
very difficult. What you’re dealing with when might not have.
doing this is first finding the correct people and If you find networking in this manner dif-
then starting a conversation that may let you ficult, it might be easier for you to do at a bar
turn the person into a networking contact. If during a happy hour because people tend to talk
you do it right, it can pay off significantly. You more in these situations. Remember, though,
might meet someone who works at the compa- that while it’s okay to drink socially, your main
ny and strike up a conversation about how you goal is to network and make contacts. You won’t
want to work at the company or in the music do yourself any favors becoming intoxicated
business. You never can tell what might happen and then acting outrageously or saying some-
from there. Your new contact might tell you thing inappropriate.
they are looking for someone in the market- Where else might music industry profes-
ing department or the A&R department. You sionals congregate? What about clubs, concert
might get a referral, set up an interview, or even halls, or other venues? How do you get to the
get a job. right people? Call the venue manager or assis-
I have often discussed this technique at tant manager. Tell him or her about your career
seminars and workshops and once described it aspirations and ask if he or she would be willing
on a radio show about getting into the music to give you the names of a couple of industry
business. I knew the area where the show aired, people that you might call.
so I mentioned the name of a gourmet coffee “Why would anyone want to help me?” you
ask. Most people like to help others. It makes
r
shop near a music industry company where I
them feel good. Don’t expect everyone to be
courteous or to go out of their way for you, but
if you find one or two helpful people, you may
The Inside Scoop wind up with some useful contacts.
It’s great to network with those at To get you started thinking, here’s a sample
the top, but a good and often more practi- script of how such a conversation might go.
cal strategy is to try networking with their as-
sistants and support team. The people at the Venue Manager: Hello, Jim Robertson.
top might not always remember you; those
a step or two down the line usually will. Not You: Hi, this is Jill Wilson. I’m not
only that, but a recommendation from these sure if you’re the right person to speak
people about you to their boss can do won- to about this, but is it okay if I tell you
ders for your career. what I’m looking for and you can point
me in the right direction?
Job Search Strategies 95
you could speak to within the support team with Don’t wear strong perfume, cologne, or
the act appearing at the event. If they say they aftershave. Aside from the possibility
don’t have any ideas, ask if they would consider of some people being allergic to it, you
letting you go along to the meet and greet. don’t want this to be the reason people
“I know I wasn’t a winner in the promotion, remember you.
but I would really appreciate the opportunity to Do not use any drugs, even if other
attend the meet and greet. I’ll be glad to buy my people are.
own tickets to the show, so that’s not a consid- Don’t get in people’s way. The support
eration,” you might say. “I promise to give your staff may be getting ready for the show.
station first dibs when I become head of A&R at Don’t overstay your welcome. When
the biggest record label in the world. If it would everyone is instructed to leave the area
help you to know, I’m serious about my career or most people start to go, thank the
and would be glad to fax over my resume.” radio station personnel and go.
If someone has taken the time to speak with Do bring business cards to give out to
you on the phone, there’s a good chance they will everyone.
invite you and tell you when to be there. In that Do bring a pen and a pad to take down
case, thank the person you’re speaking to, get the names and phone numbers of people
spelling of his or her name, and confirm the time who don’t have cards.
and place of the meeting. If there is time, drop a
Do meet as many people as possible.
thank-you note to the person you spoke to con-
Briefly tell them what your goal is and
firming the conversation.
ask if they have any suggestion about
When you arrive at the meet and greet,
who you can contact. Don’t forget to
remember that you are a guest at a business
talk to roadies, sound engineers, and
function. Behave professionally and make sure
light technicians. They often have the
to watch for any opportunities to network, the
pulse of what’s happening and may be
main reason that you’re there. Here are some
more approachable than the performing
tips on what to do and what not to do:
stars and their high-level support staff.
Do not bring anyone with you. Go Do send a thank-you note to the contact
alone. If your girlfriend, boyfriend, at the radio station the day after the event.
spouse, or significant other wants to go,
Here’s a sample letter thanking your radio
meet them afterwards. No exceptions.
Do not drink alcoholic beverages while
station contact:
you’re there, even if someone asks you if
Mr. John Stevens
you want a drink or a beer. A soft drink WAAA
is fine. PO Box
Do not smoke even if other people are. Anytown, NY 11111
You can never tell what makes someone Dear Mr. Stevens,
remember you. You don’t want it to be Thanks for helping an aspiring record label
that you smell of tobacco. artist development director get his start. I can’t
r
Job Search Strategies 97
you didn’t reach, but after a couple of calls, Ms. Jacks: Are you trying to book a show?
it gets confusing. Use the Cold Call Tracking You: No, I’m actually looking for a job.
Worksheet provided on page 101 and see the I was wondering if you knew of any op-
sample above for the type of information you portunities for agent trainees. I don’t have a
should record. lot of experience in the music industry, but
Who do you call? That depends on who I’m great at sales. I’m working in sales now
you’re trying to reach. If you want to pursue and I have a 75 percent conversion rate.
a career as a booking agent, you might call a Ms. Jacks: Seventy-five percent conver-
booking agency owner directly. sion. That’s pretty good. What are you
You: Hi, Ms. Jacks. This is Tom Gere. selling?
I’m not sure you’re the right person to You: Web site advertising. I would really
speak to, but I was hoping I could tell like to come in to talk to you. Would it
you what I was looking for and perhaps be possible for me to make an appoint-
you could point me in the right direction. ment when you have some time for me
Are you in the middle of something now to come in? I understand that you might
or would it be better if I call back later? not have a position, but you might know
Job Search Strategies 101
102 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
someone or might be able to give me In many cases, when you start your con-
some advice. versation during a cold call, the person you’re
Ms. Jacks: I’m pretty busy for the next speaking to will direct you to the human re-
couple of weeks. sources (HR) department. If this is the case, ask
who you should speak to in HR. Try to get a
You: When would be good for you
name. Then thank the person who gave you the
then? I’m flexible.
information and call the HR department, ask-
Ms. Jacks: Why don’t you come in ing for the name of the person you were given.
next Thursday. I’ll probably have some Being referred by someone else in the company
time then. I’m going to put you on with will often get you through. Try something like
Darla, my secretary, and she’ll set up an this:
appointment.
You: Thanks for your time. I look for- You: Good afternoon, would Rick Rob-
ward to meeting you. bins be in please.
Ms. Jacks: See you then. Hold for Darla. Secretary: Who’s calling?
You: This is Tony Williams. Mr. Adams
It’s not that difficult once you get someone suggested I call him.
on the phone.
“But what if they say no?” you ask. Believe it or not, the more calls you make,
So they say no. Don’t take it personally. Just the more you will increase your chances of suc-
go on to your next call and use your previous cess in getting potential interviews.
call as practice. If you’re really uncomfortable making calls
Where do you find people to call? Browse or you can’t get through to the people you’re try-
company Web sites for names. Read the trade ing to reach by phone, consider writing letters.
journals. Watch television and listen to the ra- It takes more time than a phone call, but it is
dio. Go through the yellow pages. You can get another proactive method for you to get through
names from almost anyplace. Is there a record to someone.
label you’re interested in? What about a record Any of these techniques can be used even if
distributor? How about a music industry publici- you have a job and are trying to move up the ca-
ty firm? What about an entertainment magazine reer ladder. What you’ll find is that once you’re
or a newspaper’s entertainment editor? Call up. working in the business, it will usually be a lot
r
Take a chance. It may pay off. easier to get through to people in the industry.
Let’s say you’re working as an administra- If you are creative, have some initiative,
tive assistant at a label in the artist development and are assertive enough to push your idea, you
department. In the course of your job, you get can. Come up with something that you could
an idea. Wouldn’t it be great to have a news- do for the company that you want to work for
letter about new artists that goes out a couple that isn’t being done now or that you could do
of times a week via e-mail to fans? That way, better. Do you have any ideas? What about be-
fans can request that the artist’s music videos be ing a concierge for one of the label’s major acts?
played on music television and CDs be played What about being a media trainer, someone who
on radio. You do a prototype and bring it to coaches a label’s performers on dealing with the
your supervisor. He or she may speak to the press so that the act can be effective when doing
publicity department. While there was no posi- interviews?
tion planned for this job, they ask you if you Get creative. Come up with an idea, develop
would be interested in taking over this project. it fully, and put it on paper so you can see any
Voila! You’ve created your own position and problems and then fine-tune it. Then call up the
you’ve moved up the ladder. company that you want to work with, lay out
“What if I don’t yet have a job. Is it still pos- the idea, and sell them on it. You’ve just created
sible to create a position?” your own job!
6
Tools for Success
B
Your Resume as a Selling Tool and ultimately land you the music business job
you’re after?
Every successful company markets and adver-
If an employer doesn’t know you, their first
tises their products or services. Some use ads in
impression of you might very well be your re-
newspapers or magazines. Others use television
or radio commercials. Some utilize billboards, sume. This makes your resume a crucial part of
banners, or a variety of other marketing ve- getting an interview that might ultimately lead
hicles. The main reason companies advertise to your dream job.
and market themselves is to make sure others A strong resume illustrates that you have
are aware of their product or service and to find the experience and qualifications to fill a poten-
ways to entice potential customers to buy or use tial employer’s needs. How can you do this? To
that product or service. begin with, learn to tailor your resume to the
When trying to succeed in your career, it is job you’re pursuing. One of the biggest mistakes
sometimes easier to look at yourself as a product. people make is to create one resume and then
With that concept in mind, how can you mar- use the same one every single time they apply
ket yourself so people know you exist? How can for a position, regardless of the type of job.
you entice potential employers to hire you? How can you break this habit? Start by craft-
The answer is simple. Start by making your ing your main resume. Then, don’t be afraid to
resume a selling tool! Make it your own person- edit it to fit the needs of each specific job open-
al printed marketing piece. Everyone sends out ing or opportunity.
resumes. The trick is making yours so powerful “But,” you say, “I want to work in the music
that it will grab the attention of potential em- industry. Can’t all my resumes be the same?”
ployers. They can be only if you are going for the exact
Does your resume do a great job of selling same type of job in each instance. For example,
your credentials? Does it showcase your skills, let’s say you apply for a position as an adminis-
personality traits, and special talents? Is your trative assistant at one record label. You then ap-
resume the one that is going to impress the ply for a similar position as an administrative as-
employers or human resources directors who sistant at a different record label. In this instance,
can call you in for that all-important interview you can probably use the same resume.
104
r
Tools for Success 105
r
having to type it all over again. but you just graduated cum laude with a degree
in music business management? Then perhaps
your education should be where your resume
should start.
Words from the Wise
Imagine if you received your resume. What
If you’re using different resumes, make
would make you glance at it and say, “Wow,”
sure you know which one you send to which
company. Keep a copy of the resume you use and keep on reading? One of the most impor-
for a specific job with a copy of the cover let- tant things to remember is that there really is
ter you send. no right or wrong type of resume. The right
one for you will end up being the one that
r
106 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
errors. work well.
It is very easy to miss a double word,
a misspelled word, or a wrong tense.
Have a friend or family member look
Words from the Wise
over your resume. It is often difficult
Whatever color paper you use for your
to see mistakes in your own work. resume and cover letters, make sure it photo-
Tempting as it is to use different colored copies well. Some colored papers photocopy
inks when preparing your resume, don’t. dark or look messy.
Use only black ink.
r
Tools for Success 107
current or past salaries, and whether or not you to tell me more? I think I want to bring her in for
have children. an interview.”
“What if I’m just out of college and have no
Career Summary experience?” you ask. “What would my career
Let’s discuss your career summary. While a summary look like?”
career summary isn’t a required component, it In situations like this, you have to look to-
often is helpful when an employer gets a huge ward experience and jobs you held prior to grad-
number of resumes and gives each a short uating. How about this:
glance. A career summary is a short professional
biography—no longer than 12 sentences—that Recent graduate of State University with
tells your professional story. You can do it in a a major in music business management
number of ways. Here’s an example: and a minor in merchandising with a GPA
of 4.0. Intern in rotating departments at
Bachelor’s degree with a major in music
ABEL Records, an independent label.
business and a minor in communications.
Proven ability to handle various tasks
Proven ability to deal with media on the
quickly, effectively, and efficiently. Ability
local, regional, and national level. Fully
to successfully bring a project to fruition
knowledgeable in all aspects of public
on time and under budget. Handled the
relations, publicity, advertising, and mar-
booking, tour coordination, travel arrange-
keting. Accomplished entrepreneur in a
ments, and publicity for a popular campus
variety of areas including artist merchan-
solo artist while still in college. Member of
dising. Increased merchandising revenues
college campus activities board, assisting
for three acts by 40 percent. Fluent in
in the booking of all college entertainment
English, Spanish, and French. Assisted
events as well as handling artist rider ful-
in the development and coordination of
fillment on days of events. Entertainment
major marketing events for five new CD
reviewer for Hot Shots, a local entertain-
releases. Energetic, passionate, and articu-
ment newspaper.
late team player with a good sense of hu-
mor and the goal of making a success out If you prefer, you can use a bulleted list to
of every opportunity. do your career summary.
A potential employer looking at this might Recent graduate of State University with
think, “This Jody Walker has a degree in the a major in music business management
music business, so she probably at least knows and a minor in merchandising; GPA of
something about the industry. She also has man- 4.0
aged her own business in music industry mer- Intern at ABEL Records, an
chandising and increased revenues so she has a independent label
business sense. The ability to speak more than Member of college campus activities
one language is always a plus. It looks like she board, assisting in the booking of all
has an understanding of marketing, publicity, college entertainment events
promotion, and the like, and on top of that she Entertainment reviewer for Hot Shots, a
looks successful. Why don’t I give her a chance local entertainment newspaper
Tools for Success 109
In addition to your full-time jobs in or out thing with your accomplishments and achieve-
of the music industry, include any part-time ments. Put yourself in the position of a human
work that relates to the music industry or illus- resources director for a moment. You get two
trates transferable job skills, accomplishments, resumes. Under the accomplishments section,
or achievements. one says, “Planned and executed concert for
charity.” The other says, “Planned, coordinated,
Skills and Personality Traits and successfully executed charity concert from
There is an advertising saying to the effect of
inception through fruition generating $35,000
“Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle.” When sell-
profit for Community Hospital.” Which resume
ing yourself through your resume, do the same.
would catch your eye?
Don’t only state your skills and personality
Do this by adding action verbs to your ac-
traits; make them sizzle! Do this by using de-
complishments. Use words such as achieved, ad-
scriptive language and key phrases.
ministered, applied, accomplished, assisted, strength-
Need some help? Here are a few words and
ened, and others.
phrases to get you started:
When drafting your resume, include any
creative honors you have received, whether or not they
dedicated have anything to do with the music industry.
hard working These honors help set you apart from other can-
highly motivated didates. Were you honored with the “Volunteer
energetic of the Year” award at a local hospital? While
self-starter this has absolutely nothing to do with the mu-
knowledgeable sic industry, it does show that you are a hard
strong work ethic worker and good at what you do.
r
to describe your accomplishments. Instead of How can you create music industry–specific re-
sumes? Tailor each resume for the specific po-
sition or area you are pursuing, and find ways
Words from a Pro to relate your existing skills to the music indus-
If you are instructed to send references try. If you can sell one product or service, with
with your resume, you can always put them in a little training, you can usually sell another.
your cover letter. If you can publicize one product or service,
you can publicize another. Similarly, if you can
r
112 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
no one will fire me,” you say.
That’s the best-case scenario and there’s
a chance that could happen, but think about
this. Once someone lies to you, do you ever Tip from the Coach
trust them again? Probably not, and no one will In some cases, employers might ask
for personal references as well as profession-
trust you or anything you say. That will hurt
al references. These are people such as fam-
your chances of climbing the career ladder. The ily, friends, or neighbors who know you well.
worst-case scenario is that you will be fired, left Be sure to have a list of three to five personal
without references, lose some of your contacts, references as well as their contact information
and make it much more difficult to find your readily available in case you need it.
next job.
Tools for Success 113
terview. If you’re asked to list them on an em- Ms. Clifton: He worked here for two
ployment application, you’ll be prepared. years and we let him go.
Who should you use for references? To be- Mr. Elvins: What else can you tell me
gin with, you’ll need professional references. about him? Was he responsible? Did he
These are people you’ve worked with or who come in on time? What was his work
know you on a professional level. They might ethic?
be current or former supervisors or bosses, the
Ms. Clifton: Um, he was always on time
director of a not-for-profit organization you’ve
I guess. I don’t know what to tell you.
worked with, internship program coordinators,
a former professor, and so on. Mr. Elvins: Was he responsible?
Do your references have to be in the music Ms. Clifton: Yes, I guess so.
industry? If you have references in the industry, Mr. Elvins: You don’t sound very ex-
it can’t hurt. What you are looking for, however, cited about him.
are people who you can count on to help sell Ms. Clifton: Well, I’m sure he’ll work
you to potential employers. Those will be your
out nicely for your company.
best references.
Mr. Elvins: Thanks for your time. I ap-
Always ask people if they are willing to be a
preciate it.
reference before you use them. Only use people
you are absolutely positive will say good things As you can see, Ms. Clifton didn’t really
about you. Additionally, try to find people who say anything bad about John Hillman; she just
are articulate and professional. didn’t say anything good. You definitely don’t
Who would be a bad reference? A boss who want a reference like this.
fired you, a supervisor you didn’t get along with, “But,” you say, “she was my supervisor.
or anyone you had any kind of problem with Isn’t he going to call her anyway?”
r
whatsoever. Do not use these people for refer-
ences even if they tell you that they’ll give you a
good one. They might keep their word, but they
might not, and you won’t know until it’s too The Inside Scoop
late. If you give your references an idea of
Consider this scenario. A potential em- what type of job you’re pursuing, what skills
ployer named Mr. Elvins is calling your former are important in that position, or even what
you want them to say, you stand a better
supervisor Ms. Clifton, who never gave you a
chance of them leading the conversation in
good review even though you did your best to the direction you want it to go. You might tell a
get along with her. The conversation might go reference, for example that you’re applying for
something like this: a position as an assistant facility manager, and
that the job description calls for someone very
Mr. Elvins: Hi, this is Chuck Elvins. I just organized with an ability to multitask. In most
interviewed one of your former employees, cases, when your reference gets a call, he or
John Hillman. We’re thinking of hiring she will remember what you said and stress
him for a position at our publishing com- your important selling points.
pany. What can you tell me about him?
114 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Who should you ask for letters of recom- to whom you are sending it instead of “Hiring
mendation? If you are still in school or close Manager,” “To Whom It May Concern,” or “Sir
to graduating, ask professors with whom you or Madam.”
have developed a good relationship. Don’t for- “But the name of the person isn’t in the ad,”
get internship coordinators or supervisors, for- you say. “How do I know what it is?”
mer and current employers, executive directors You might not always be able to get the cor-
of not-for-profit, civic, or charity organizations rect name, but at least do some research. You
you have volunteered with, and so on. might, for example, call the company and ask
In some situations the people you ask may the name of the person to which responses are
just write generic letters of recommendation directed.
stating that you were a pleasure to work with or If you are sending your resume to a company
were good at your job. If the person writing the cold, it’s even more important to send it to a spe-
letter knows the type of position you’re pursu- cific person. It gives you a better shot at someone
ing, he or she might gear the letter toward spe- not only reviewing it but taking action on it.
cific skills, traits, and talents needed. It’s okay to call the company and say to the
Your letters of recommendation will become receptionist or secretary, “Hi, I was wondering
another powerful marketing tool in your quest if you could give me some information? I’m try-
to career success in the music industry. What do ing to send my resume to someone at your com-
you do with them? Begin by photocopying each pany, and I’m not sure who to send it to. Could
letter you get on high-quality white paper, mak- you please give me the name of the human re-
ing sure you get clean copies. Once that’s done, sources director?”
you can make them part of your career portfolio, If he or she won’t give it to you for some
send them with your resume when applying for reason, say thank you and hang up. Because so
position, or bring them with you to interviews. many people try to get through to executives in
A&R, artist development, and other popular
departments, receptionists often don’t give out
Creating Captivating Cover
names easily.
Letters How do you get around this? Wait until
Unless instructed otherwise by a potential em- lunch time or around 5:15 p.m. when the per-
ployer or in an advertisement, always send your son you spoke to might be at lunch or done with
resume with a cover letter. Why? Mainly be- work, call back, and say something to the effect
cause if your resume grabs the eye of someone of, “Hi, I was wondering if you could please
in the position to interview you, he or she often give me the spelling of your director of artist
looks at the cover letter to evaluate your written development’s name?”
communications skills, as well as to get a sense If the person on the other end of the line
of your personal side. If your letter is good, it asks you to be more specific about the name,
might just get you the phone call you’ve been simply say, “Let’s see, I think it was Brownson
waiting for. On the other hand, a poorly written or something like that. It sounded like Brown
letter might just keep you from getting that call. something.”
What can make your letter stand out? Try Don’t worry about sounding stupid on the
to make sure your letter is directed to the person phone. The person at the other end doesn’t know
116 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
you. This system usually works. Believe it not, talents, and achievements. Would you bring in
most companies have someone working there Doug Fedder for an interview? I think most em-
whose name sounds like Brown or Smith. ployers would.
The person on the phone may say to you,
“No, it’s not Brownson. Our director of art- DOUGLAS FEDDERS
ist development is Ryan Lawson. Is that who 322 Avenue J
Different Town, NY 22222
you’re looking for?”
Phone: 111-222-3333
Then all you have to say is, “You know what, dfedders@moreinernet.com
you’re right, sorry, I was looking at the wrong
notes. So that’s R-Y-A-N L-A-W-S-O-N?” Ms. Ginny Cunningham
Voila. You have the name. Is it a lot of ef- Human Resources Manager
fort? Well, it’s a little effort, but if it gets you Rescue Records
the name of someone you need and ultimately P.O. Box 1222
helps get you an interview, isn’t it worth it? Anytown, NY 11111
You sometimes can get names from the Dear Ms. Cunningham:
Internet. Perhaps the company Web site lists
the names of their key people. Key names for
Congratulations!
large companies may also often be located on I’m pleased to inform you that you have just
received the resume that can end your search
Hoovers.com, an online database of informa-
for Rescue Records’ new marketing manager.
tion about businesses, but this is a paid service. In order to claim your “prize,” please review my
Do what you must to get the names you need. It resume and call as soon as possible to arrange
can make a big difference when you direct your an interview. I can guarantee you’ll be pleased
letters to someone specific within the company. you did!
People in the position to hire you in the mu- As the marketing manager for a 3,000-seat
facility for the past two years, I have developed
sic business receive a large number of resumes,
a number of creative, innovative events to bring
letters, and phone calls. What else can help your people in during “off” times as well as for ma-
letters stand out? Make them grab the attention jor concert and entertainment events. Through
of the reader. How? Develop some creative cov- these extra events, the bottom line revenue has
er letters. increased dramatically and attendance has
Take some time and think about it. What jumped 200 percent. In this position I have also
worked with other large corporate businesses
would make you keep reading? Of course, there
developing sponsorship opportunities for facil-
will be situations where you might be better off ity events, saving monies for the facility while
sending the traditional, “In response to your ad generating large amounts of media attention for
letter.” But what about trying out a couple of both entities.
other ideas? While I love what I do now, my dream and
Take a look at the following sample cover passion since graduation has been a career
in marketing at a major label. When I saw this
letter. Would this letter grab your attention?
opportunity, I was even more excited because
Would it make you keep reading? Chances are not only am I a fan of your label’s artists, but
it would. After grabbing the reader’s attention, I have successfully marketed their concerts at
it quickly offers some of the applicant’s skills, our facility.
Tools for Success 117
I believe my experience, skills, talents and current position of assistant station promo-
passion would be an asset to Rescue Records. tion director.
I would welcome the challenge and opportunity While I enjoy my job and have been getting
to work with your label to make it even more excellent employment reviews, my career goal
successful than it is now. is to work at a major record label. I believe with
I look forward to hearing from you. my love for music, ability to sell, and knowledge
of both music and radio industries, I have the
Sincerely yours, skills and talents to be an asset to your label in
Douglas Fedders the promotion department.
I have enclosed my resume for your review
Now check out some other creative cover letters. and would very much appreciate the opportu-
nity to meet with you to discuss opportunities
CARNIE PHILLIPS at your label. In the event that you have no cur-
322 Bayles Avenue rent openings, I was hoping you could still take
Different Town, NY 33333 a few minutes to speak to me to give me some
Phone: 999-999-9999 ideas.
cphillips@moreinternet.com Thanks for your consideration. If I don’t hear
from you within a couple of weeks, I’ll give you
Mr. Phil Wilson a call.
Promotion Manager I look forward to hearing from you.
BLZ Records Sincerely yours,
912 Broadway Carnie Phillips
Anytown, NY 11111
While in college I apprenticed at Fortune Stu- in pursuing, business cards can help you prog-
dios. ress. If you don’t have a job yet, business cards
I have a good musical ear and appreciation are essential. At this point, they may also be
of music and have always been electronically
known as networking cards because that is what
and mechanically inclined.
I have enclosed my resume as well as a CD they are going to help you do. If you already
of several projects I have worked on in the past. have a job, business cards can help you climb
I would very much appreciate an opportunity to the ladder to success. Get your business cards
speak with you regarding employment. made up, and get them made up now!
Thanks for your consideration. If I don’t hear Why are cards so important? For a lot of
from you within a couple of weeks, I’ll give you
reasons but mainly because they help people not
a call.
only remember you but find you. Networking is
Sincerely yours, so essential to your success in the industry that
Art Dayton once you go through all the trouble of doing it,
if someone doesn’t remember who you are or
More Selling Tools—Business how they can contact you, it’s almost useless.
and Networking Cards How many times have you met someone
The best way to succeed at things is to do every- during the day or at a party and then gone your
thing possible to stack the deck in your favor. Most separate ways? A couple days later, something
people use a resume to sell themselves. As we just will come up where you wish you could remem-
discussed, done right, your resume can be a great ber the person’s name or you remember their
selling tool. It can get you in the door for an in- name but have no idea how to get a hold of
terview. But putting all your eggs in one basket is them. How bad would you feel if you found out
never a good idea. What else can you do to help that you met someone, told him or her that you
sell yourself ? What other tools can you use? were looking for a job in the industry, they ran
Business cards are small but powerful tools into someone else who was looking for some-
that can positively affect your career if used cor- one with your skills and talents, and they didn’t
rectly. We’ve discussed the importance of busi- know how to get a hold of you? Business cards
ness cards throughout the book. Let’s look at could have helped solve that problem.
them more closely. When was the last time you ran into some-
Whatever level you’re at in your career, one successful who didn’t have business cards?
whatever area of the industry you’re interested They boost your prestige and make you feel
r
more successful. If you feel more successful,
you’ll be more successful. And cards are not just
for those interested in the business end of the in-
dustry. If you are a singer, musician, in a group,
Tip from the Coach
a songwriter, or other performer, business cards
Business cards are networking cards.
You give them to people you meet so they not are even more important to your career.
only remember you and what you do but how So, what’s your next step? Start by deter-
to contact you if necessary. mining what you want your business cards to
look like. There are a variety of styles to choose
r
Tools for Success 119
Jim Gilman
Ivy Betula
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Accomplish entertainment publicist
Marketing skills
Phone: 111-111-1111
Cell: 888-999-0000
Ivy@moreinternet.com
120 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Topper
Country/Pop
You won’t be able to stay in your seats
number (both home and cell if you have one). card, and you work on becoming employed in
It’s a good idea to add your job or your career the industry.
goal or objective. You might even briefly de- Remember that cards are small, and that
scribe your talents, skills, or traits. Your business limits the number of words that can fit, so the
card is your selling piece, so think about what card looks attractive and can be read easily. If
you want to sell. Check out some of the samples you want more room, you might use a double-
to get ideas. sided card (front and back) or a double-sized
At every seminar I give, someone raises card that is folded over, in effect giving you four
their hand and says something to the effect of times as much space. I’ve seen both used suc-
“I don’t have a job yet. What kind of cards do I cessfully. The double-sized card can be very ef-
make up? What would they say? ‘Unemployed fective for a mini-resume.
but wants to be in the music industry’?” You have a lot of decisions on how you
So before you think it or say it, the answer want your business cards to look. What kind of
is no; you definitely don’t put “unemployed” card stock do you want? Do you want your card
on your card. You will put your name, contact smooth or textured; flat or shiny? What about
information, and career goals on your business color? Do you want white, beige, or a colored
r
Tools for Success 121
r
help you design brochures. With these programs
place, event, or person, among other things. In
this situation, the brochure is going to be about
you. While your resume tells your full story,
your brochure is going to illustrate your key Words from a Pro
points. If you want to try out the brochure con-
Why do you need one? A brochure can make cept on an inexpensive basis, lay out your bro-
you stand out from other job seekers, songwrit- chure on your computer using sheets of high-
ers, singers, musicians, or groups. quality paper. You can even try glossy photo
paper to make your brochures slick. You can
What should a brochure contain? Definitely
leave your paper flat, fold it in half crosswise,
your name and contact information. Then add or even make a tri-fold, and design your bro-
your selling points. Maybe those are your skills. chure accordingly. Remember that you don’t
Perhaps they are your talents or accomplish- need a lot of words for your brochure to be
ments. What about something unique or special effective; you just need effective words.
that you do? Definitely try to illustrate what you
r
122 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
who have used them successfully; I personally
I sent them to various record labels, music in-
strument manufacturers, music publishers, mu-
sic industry publicity companies, artist manag-
Tip from the Coach ers, and so on. I started getting calls from some
You don’t need 1,000 brochures. Start of the people who received the brochure, ob-
off with 100 or so and see how they work for
tained a number of interviews, and even landed
you. Remember that in order for brochures to
be effective, you have to send them out, so be a couple of job offers. None of them, however,
sure you start working on a list of companies interested me.
you want to target. Five years after I sent out my first brochure,
I received a call from a major record company
r
Tools for Success 123
After attending one of my Making It in employers. Let’s look at some of the things you
Music seminars, a woman who was in a lower- might want to include.
level job in the artist relations and development
your profile
department at a record label decided to docu-
resume
ment projects she worked on at the label where
bio
she worked. She took pictures at the label’s artist
reference sheets
events, made copies of things she had worked on
skill and abilities
as well as copies of media stories which resulted
degrees, licenses, and certifications
from projects in which she was involved. When
experience sheet
she heard about a mid-level position in art-
summary of accomplishments
ist relations and development at another label,
professional associations
she called up, managed to obtain an interview,
professional development activities
brought her career portfolio, and got the job.
(conferences, seminars, and workshops
Within a year she was promoted to the assistant
attended as well as any other
director of the department. When I last heard
professional development activities)
from her, she was being courted by a number of
awards and honors
other labels. She still uses her career portfolio.
volunteer activities and community
Your portfolio is portable. You can bring it
service
with you when you go on interviews so you can
supporting documents
show it to potential employers. You can make cop-
samples of work
ies of things in your portfolio to give to potential
newspaper, magazine, and other articles
employers or have everything at hand when you
and/or feature stories about you
want to answer an ad or send out cold letters.
articles you have written and published
How do you build a detailed portfolio il-
reports you’ve done
lustrating your skills, talents, experiences, and
letters or notes people have written to
accomplishments? What goes into it? You want
tell you what a good job you’ve done
your portfolio to document your work-related
photos of you accepting an award or at
talents and accomplishments. These are the
an event you worked on
assets that you will be selling to your potential
r
photos of events you were involved in
news stories or feature articles generated
by your execution of a project (For
Tip from the Top example, if you did the publicity for
When compiling your portfolio be care- concert and the paper did a feature story
ful not to use any confidential work or docu- on the act or the concert.)
ments from a company even if you were the
one who wrote the report or the letter. A po- Remember that this list is just to get you
tential employer might be concerned about started. You can use anything in your portfolio
how you will deal with their confidential issues that will help illustrate your skills, talents, and
if you aren’t keeping other confidences. accomplishments.
Here are some sample portfolio documents:
Tools for Success 125
editors
journalists Words from the Wise
TV and radio producers When compiling your press kit, make
talent coordinators sure that your contact information is on each
column planters and every piece of your kit. If you have a Web
entertainment buyers
site, add that to each piece as well.
club owners
promoters
agents biography (bio)
music industry contacts fact sheet (one-page sheet giving key
record company executives information on your act)
music publishers press releases
producers professional photos of act (8x10
entertainment and music attorneys
glossies)
others in the industry
press clippings
radio and music television contacts
reprints of articles and feature stories
reviews
station music directors
testimonials
station program directors
preview video
disc jockeys
CDs or demo tape
How do you put together a press kit? De- business cards
pending on where you are in your career and quote sheets
your financial resources, you can retain a pub- song list
licist or publicity firm to handle the task or you lyric sheets
might want to try your hand at putting together Now that you have all the components of
a press kit yourself. your press kit, what should you do with them?
What goes into a press kit? There are a va- You have a few choices. Here are some to get
riety of documents. You don’t have to use each you started:
one every time. Tailor your press kit to the per-
Go to the office supply store, purchase
son to whom it’s being sent. Here’s a list to get
some attractive presentation folders, and
you started.
r
put your information in them.
Purchase plain presentation folders and
design an attractive label to go on the
Words from a Pro front.
If you’re dealing with an unknown print- Buy large presentation window
er or company, ask to see samples of their envelopes, paste a color photo of your
work ahead of time. Then be sure to get a act in the envelope window, and put
proof that you can check for errors and ap- your information inside the envelope.
prove before your folders are printed. Look for companies that specialize
in designing and printing press kit
128 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
presentation folders and other marketing You might, for example, have a professional
pieces. These usually can be located on video producer shoot part of one of your live
the Internet. shows and then splice it attractively to make a
Have a graphic artist design press kit great 10- or 15-minute preview video. Here’s
folders for you and have them printed. another idea that is usually a lot less expensive
if you can make it work. If you perform at an
It’s important to remember that a press kit
event and the television news comes to cover it,
that can grab the right people’s attention is worth
all you have to do is speak to the producer or
its weight in gold because that ultimately is your
someone at the station and ask if you can buy
goal. There are some areas where you just can’t
the raw footage. Then just get it spliced into a
skimp when putting together your press kit.
10-minute tape and get it duplicated. General-
Whatever type of packaging you choose,
ly, when television covers news, they film for a
be aware that in the music industry you often
while, and then they edit what they have filmed
only have one chance to make a first impres-
for broadcast.
sion. Don’t send anything out that doesn’t look
How can you get into a situation like this?
totally professional, or it stands the chance of
One way is by volunteering to provide the en-
getting tossed into a “look at it some day” pile.
tertainment to a major not-for-profit event in
You want people to look at your press kit the
your community, which is usually covered by
moment they receive it. Use the best-designed
the media. While this shouldn’t be your mo-
press kit folder you can afford. When you make
tivating reason for doing something nice, it is
copies and reprints make sure they are clean
a great benefit. Another way is to offer to per-
and crisp.
form at a televised telethon. A third method
Photos should be done by a professional. If
is to take part in televised talent competitions.
you can find someone who does photography
While you won’t usually get a 10-minute tape,
for entertainers and those in the music business,
you generally can at least get a video of your
all the better. These pictures not only show who
performance.
you are, but they will be the ones used in pub-
If you are lucky enough to have industry
licity and in the print media. Glossy black and
professionals make positive comments about
whites are best for reproduction in newspapers.
you or your music either verbally or in writing,
Once you get the photos you want to use, you
you can use these by adding quote sheets to your
can get them duplicated inexpensively. Make
press. Sometimes these comments are made on
r
sure you have your name or the name of the act
and contact information printed on the photos.
There are a couple different types of vid-
eos. Professional music videos, which you see
Words from the Wise
on music television, are expensive to produce.
If you don’t have a professional-looking
If you can afford this and you’re professionally video, don’t use one at all. Nothing is worse
ready for it, that’s great, but if what you’re try- than a video that shakes up and down and
ing to do is show agents, promoters, club own- sideways and doesn’t present your act in a
ers, or other entertainment buyers what your act good light.
is like, consider a lower-priced alternative.
Tools for Success 129
their own. Sometimes you have to solicit com- One thing we haven’t covered yet is your logo. A
ments. Who do you ask? Industry professionals logo is the artwork, picture, or graphic you cre-
who know and like your work such as club own- ate for your act’s name so that people can look
ers, agents, producers, entertainment journalists, at and instantly identify with your act. A logo
disc jockeys, music directors, program directors, helps you create a consistent image.
and so on. Sometimes you can create them yourself.
Put the quotes on a sheet under a heading Other times an artistic family member or friend
like “Here’s What They’re Saying About (the can do it. Often, you may need to go to a profes-
name of your act).” Don’t overwhelm people. sional graphic artist to handle the task. If you
Just choose a few selected quotes with the per- have a logo associated with your act, use it on
son’s name and title. For example, “Amazing everything; every photo, press release, press kit,
vocals,”. . . Jim McMann, Music Today. and marketing piece you send out. In this man-
Take a look at the sample provided. ner, every time someone sees the logo, they will
think of your act.
If you have recorded a CD already, include
Here’s What They’re it. If you don’t have a CD and you’re sending
Saying About your information to a record label or agent,
make sure you use a good quality, profession-
(Name of Act)
ally duplicated demo tape or cassette showcas-
ing your best work. Your demo should contain
“__________quote__________________ no more than three songs. Graphically pleasing
_____,” . . . name and title of person to labels should include the name of the act, the
whom the quote is attributed. contents of the tape, and contact information.
Build a press kit that makes you and your
“__________quote__________________ act stand out from others and you will be that
_____,” . . . name and title of person to much closer to getting noticed.
whom the quote is attributed. Do you want to increase your chances of get-
ting your press kit noticed? Whether you hand
“__________quote__________________ deliver it or mail it, don’t put your press kit in
_____,” . . . name and title of person to the traditional manila envelope. Why? Because
whom the quote is attributed. people in the music industry get tons and tons
of mail. Most people send their information in
“__________quote__________________
manila envelopes because they are convenient.
_____,” . . . name and title of person to
You want yours to stand out! You want yours to
whom the quote is attributed.
be noticed! Spend some time coming up with a
different solution.
“__________quote__________________
Remember the story I told you about my
_____,” . . . name and title of person to
hot pink brochures? I sent those in hot pink en-
whom the quote is attributed.
velopes . . . and that was way before hot pink
was a hot color. Do you have to use hot pink?
r
130 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Now let’s look at a complete bio a group might Get their comments and make corrections if
use, shown below. necessary.
Keep in mind that these are just samples. Print your bio on high-quality paper. It
Your bio can be similar or totally different. should be graphically pleasing to the eye and
Take some time working on it. When it’s done, easy to read. As in all other pieces of your
it’s a good idea to give it to friends, family, press kit, make sure your contact information
and others in the music industry to review. is prominent.
The Blinks
The Blinks are here, and they’re here to singles “We’re Here,” “Country Home,”
stay. The four-member country/pop group “Let’s Have Fun,” and “Let’s Dance” all
is celebrating their fourteenth anniversary, not only hit the number-one position but
which is an amazing feat in the music turned gold as well. Their CD, The Blinks
business. The fact that the members of the Are Here to Stay, recently went platinum.
group are all under 21 years old is even The Blinks stage show is an electrify-
more amazing. ing, energetic mix of pop and country that
Hailing from Philadelphia, Mac John- appeals to almost everyone. Ten minutes
son, Jeremy Kerry, George Watson, and into every show, the entire audience is up
Donnie Bush make up the Blinks. The on their feet dancing.
group started performing together when The group is starring in their first prime
they were just six years old in a school tal- time special television special on CBS later
ent show. After garnering first prize, beat- this year. They have also appeared on The
ing older and more experienced students, Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late
the Blinks moved on to performing in oth- Show with David Letterman.
er competitions in the Philadelphia and “The Blinks are going to be a legend-
surrounding New Jersey areas. ary musical act,” said Blake Johnson, in
Soon they were asked to play for parties the Music Times recently. “The Blinks are
and events. By the time they were in junior so hot, they sizzle,” noted Wilson Ed-
high school, they were performing concerts wards on his widely syndicated daily ra-
for schools and dances in the area. The dio show.
Blinks were then discovered by legendary The group is currently working on a
producer John Homes. It wasn’t long before new CD which is scheduled to be out later
they were signed to Great Homes Records. this year.
Their first single, “Lucky,” written The Blinks are totally self-contained
by group member Jeremy Kerry hit the and travel with an eight-piece band. Three
Billboard charts with a bullet. While the backup singers complete the show. Booking
tune never hit number one, their next four is done through Artists Booking Agency.
132 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
It’s www. . . . Your Personal your own, your ISP usually can do this for you.
How do you decide what your domain name
Web Address should be? Make it simple and make it recog-
If you’re on the talent end of the industry, sooner nizable. You want to be able to say, “Check us
or later, you’re going to need a Web site. Why? out at www.ourband.com.” You want to make
Because the Internet is where it’s at today. Your it easy to remember and easy for people to find
competition probably has a Web site, which you.
means that you need one too! It’s yet another of Once that’s done, you have to develop the
the key tools for your success and a marketing content. What are you going to put on the site?
tool you really can’t do without. What is your Web site going to look like? If you
What can a Web site do for you? It can pres- are using a professional Web site developer, he
ent you and your act to the world. Your act’s bio, or she might give you some ideas. Also, surf
photos, appearances, recording, news, and more the net and look at other sites until you find
are right there with a simple click of the mouse. some you like. What do you like about each? Is
Whether you’re trying to obtain a recording it the design? The colors? The graphics? What
contract, more appearances and engagements, do you want your home page to look like?
looking for a manager, an agent, creating new What about links? There are many questions
fans, or letting people know what you’re doing, you have to answer, but once you get started,
a Web site can help. it’s not difficult.
“A Web site? How do I put together a Web What do you need on your site? The pos-
site?” you ask. sibilities are endless. Here are some ideas to get
You can develop a Web site yourself, but you started.
you don’t have to. If you want to, that’s fine, but
there are a number of easy-to-use Web site de- your act’s bio
velopment programs and other options for you news
to explore. photos
You can hire a professional Web site devel- your act’s itinerary
oper or company to develop and manage your special events
site. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer recordings
similar services. You might even have a friend or press releases
family member who wants to put together and links to news stories which have
manage your site. appeared online
How complicated is the whole process? Ba- mini-videos
sically once you decide you want a Web site, merchandise for sale (T-shirts, hats,
you have to find a host (the person or company CDs, and so on)
from whom you will rent Web space). You also contact information
e-mail
will need to need to decide the name of your
domain (your www.______.com) and then get Your Web site can be simple or elaborate as
it registered. If you’re not using a professional long as it showcases your act in a professional
Web designer and you don’t want to do this on manner and accurately portrays your image.
Tools for Success 133
Once you have your site up and running, Whether you’re pursuing a career in the
use your Web address on everything. Emblazon business or talent end of the industry, use every
it on your business cards, flyers, advertisements, tool you can to help yourself attain success.
CDs, stationary, and every other marketing and
publicity piece.
7
Getting Your Foot in the Door
B
Once you get in the door, you have a chance to or your act. You’re trying to get a job or a chance
sell yourself, sell your talent, and sell your prod- for your talent. What you need to do, however,
ucts and services. The problem is that sometimes is try to not let them know exactly what you
the hardest part is getting your foot in the door. want. I am in no way telling you to lie or even
Whether you simply walk in off the street to see stretch the truth. What I’m telling you to do is
someone or call to make an appointment, you find a way to change their perception of you. Be
often are faced with the same situation. You creative.
need to get past the receptionist, the secretary, The music industry is very competitive. Ev-
or whoever the “gatekeeper” happens to be be- eryone wants to talk to the producer, the A&R
tween you and the person with whom you want director, the human resources director, the re-
to speak. cord company president, the club owner, or the
We have already discussed the rejection of- potential manager or booking agent. Whether
ten encountered by those in a quest for success you want a career in talent or to work in the busi-
in the music industry. We’ve also discussed why ness end of the industry, you need to get past the
rejection should not be taken personally. How- gatekeeper so you can get your foot in the door.
ever, to feel rejected when you didn’t even get the Before you rush in and find the door locked let’s
chance to really be rejected because you couldn’t look at some possible keys to help you get in.
get through to someone is quite another thing.
It’s not personal, but the secretary, receptionist, Getting Through on the Phone
assistant, and even the person you’re trying to Let’s start with the phone. If your goal is to talk
reach often think of you and most other unso- to a specific person or make an appointment,
licited callers as unwanted intruders who waste it’s important to know that many high-level
their time. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re business people don’t answer their own phone.
trying to sell something, get a job, or get your act Instead, they rely on secretaries, receptionists,
listened to; unless they can see what you can do or assistants to handle this task. And that’s not
for them, it’s going to be hard to get through. even counting the dreaded voice mail.
In reality you are trying to sell something. You can always try the straightforward ap-
You’re trying to sell you or your music, your song, proach. Just call and ask to speak to the person
134
Getting Your Foot in the Door 135
you are looking for. If that works, you have your a specific name that you can call if Mr. Baxter is
foot in the door. If not, it’s time to get creative. the wrong person.]
Let’s look at a couple of scenarios and how Secretary: Informational interview for
they might play out. what purpose?
Scenario 1 You: I was interested in some informa-
Secretary: Good afternoon, Best tion on a career at your record label.
Records. Would Mr. Baxter be the right person?
You: Hello, this is Bob Green. Can I [Make sure you are pleasant. This helps the per-
son answering the phone want to help you.]
please speak to Mr. Baxter?
Secretary: No, he doesn’t handle that.
Secretary: Does he know what this is in
You need to speak to Jen Jones in person-
reference to?
nel. Would you like me to switch you?
You: No, I’m looking for a job and [What you are really doing is helping her get
would like to see if I could set up an you off the phone even if it means she is dump-
interview. ing you on someone else.]
Secretary: I’m sorry, Mr. Baxter isn’t You: Yes that would be great. What was
looking for fill any positions at this time. your name?
Thank you for calling. [Try to make sure you get the name. In this
You: Thanks. Good-bye. manner, when you get transferred, the person
answering at the other end will be more apt to
With that said, you’re done. Is there some-
help you.]
thing you could have said differently that might
Secretary: Sue Morris.
have led to a better ending? Let’s look at another
scenario. You: Thanks for your help. I really ap-
preciate it.
Scenario 2
Secretary: I’ll switch you now.
Secretary: Good afternoon, Best
Records. Jen Jones: Jen Jones, may I help you?
You: Hi Ms. Jones, Sue Morris in Mr.
You: Is Mr. Baxter in?
Baxter’s office suggested you might be
Secretary: Who’s calling?
the right person for me to speak to. I’m
You: Bob Green. interested in setting up an informational
Secretary: May I ask what this is in interview regarding the possibility of
reference to? working with your company.
You: Yes, I was trying to set up an infor- At this point, she probably will either say,
mational interview. Would Mr. Baxter “Sorry, we have no openings,” ask you some
be the person who handles this or would additional questions, or set up an appointment.
it be someone else at your company? If she says, “Sorry, we have no openings at this
[Asking the question in this manner means that time,” say something like: “I understand. Would
you stand a chance at the gatekeeper giving you it be possible for me to send my resume for you
136 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
to review and keep on file?” If this is the case, told your company was one of the best
make sure you ask to whose name your infor- ones to talk to. Do you know who in
mation should be directed as well as getting the your company I might speak to?
exact addresses and her extension. [Here is where it can get a little tricky. If you are
If she starts to question you about what type very lucky, he or she will just put you through
of job you are looking for make sure you have an to someone in publicity, public relations, or hu-
answer prepared. Never say: “Oh, I don’t care; man resources. If you’re not so lucky, he or she
any job would be fine” or “I just want to work in will ask you questions.]
a record company to get to meet famous people.” Receptionist: What type of project?
Instead, have a definitive answer. For ex-
ample: “I’m interested in working in the pub- You need to be ready with a plausible answer.
licity or marketing departments. When I was What you say, will, of course, depend on your
still in school I worked on my school paper and situation. If you are in college, you can always
also interned at a local radio station. I also have say you are working on a project for school. If
worked at a local newspaper and did a lot of not, you can say you are doing research on ca-
their entertainment stories as well as in a hospi- reer opportunities in the music industry. If you
tal in the public relations department.” have writing skills, you might contact a local
Have your calendar in front of you so that newspaper or magazine to see if they are inter-
at this point, if she wants to set up an interview, ested in an article on careers in music. If you
you can make every effort to go with the time can’t find someone to write for, you can always
and date she suggests. write a story on “spec.” This means that if you
write a story, you can send it in to an editor on
Scenario 3 speculation. They might take it and they might
Sometimes mentioning that you are look- not. Don’t think about money at this point. Your
ing for a job is not a good idea. Because jobs in goal here is to get the “right people” to speak to
record companies are so coveted, those already you and get an appointment.
working there may not be that open about help- One of the interesting things about writing
ing those on the outside. an article (whether on spec or on assignment) is
Receptionist: Good afternoon, Best that you can ask people questions and they will
Records. usually talk to you. They won’t be looking at you
like you’re looking for a job. You have changed
You: I’m working on a project involving
their perception about why you’re talking to
careers in the music industry and was
r
them. One of the most important bonuses of in-
terviewing people about a career in the music in-
dustry is that you are making invaluable contacts.
While it might be tempting, remember to use this
Tip from the Top
opportunity to ask questions and network, not
Remember that skills are transferable.
If you’ve done publicity for a hospital, a bank, to sell yourself. After you write the article, you
or any other type of business, you can usually might call up one of the people you interviewed,
do publicity in the music business. perhaps the human resources director, and say
something like, “You made the music business
r
Getting Your Foot in the Door 137
r
others you want to reach generally ers talk to their bosses and can let them know if
don’t punch a time clock and often
work late. They also may be doing
business with those on the other coast. Words from the Wise
More important, even if people utilize Friday afternoon is the worst time to
voice mail, they may pick up the phone call someone when you want something. The
themselves after hours in case their second worst time is early Monday morning.
family is calling.
138 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
you were annoying or obnoxious. When some- ten more difficult to bypass than a human gate-
one tells you their boss “never takes unsolicited keeper. Many people don’t even bother answer-
calls or accepts unsolicited tunes,” tell them you ing their phone, instead letting their voice mail
understand. Then ask what they suggest. Ac- pick up the calls and then checking their mes-
knowledge objections, but try to come up with sages when convenient.
a solution. Decide ahead of time what you’re going
Be persistent. Not getting through on the to do if you get someone’s voice mail. Try call-
first try doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again. ing once to see what the person’s message is. It
Don’t be annoying, don’t be pushy, but don’t might, for example, let you know that the per-
give up. People like to help positive people. son you’re calling is out of town until Monday.
Don’t moan and groan about how difficult your What this will tell you is that if you are calling
life is to the secretary. He or she will only want someone on a cold call, you should probably
to get you off the phone. not call until Wednesday because they probably
will be busy when they get back in town.
Persistence and the Guilt Factor If the message says something to the effect
Don’t forget the guilt factor. If you consistently of “I’m out of town, if you need to speak to me
place calls to “Mr. Baxter” and each time his today, please call my cell phone” and then pro-
secretary tells you he is busy, unavailable, or will vides a phone number, don’t. You don’t need to
call you back and he doesn’t, what should you speak to him or her; you want to. You are cold-
do? Should you give up? Well, that’s up to you. calling a person who doesn’t know you to ask
Be aware that persistence often pays off. In many for something. It is not generally a good idea to
cases, after a number of calls, you and the secre- bother them outside the office.
tary will have built up a “relationship” of sorts. If you call a few times and keep getting the
As long as you have been pleasant, he or she voice mail, you’re going to have to make your
may feel “guilty” that you are such a nice per- move. Leave a message something like this.
son and his or her boss isn’t calling you back. In
these cases, the secretary may give you a tip on You: Hi, this is Sue Marks. My phone
how to get through, tell you to send something number is (123) 456-7890. I’d appreci-
in writing, or ask the boss to speak to you. ate if you could give me a call at your
Voice mail is another obstacle you might convenience. I’ll look forward to hearing
r
have to deal with. This automated system is of- from you. Have a great day.
You might not hear from Ms. Brooks her- book, once you have their attention, it’s up to
self, but one of her assistants might call you. you to convince them that they should work
What do you do if you don’t get a call back? with you.
Call again. How many times should you call? Let’s look at some ideas that either I have
That’s hard to say. Persistence may pay off. Re- personally used to get someone’s attention in
member that the person on the other end may the music business and other industries or that
start feeling guilty that he or she is not calling others have told me worked in their quest to get
you back and place that call. a foot in the door. Use these ideas as a begin-
Be prepared. When you get a call back, have ning, but then try to develop some more of your
your ducks in a row and be able to sell your- own.
self. Practice ahead of time if need be and leave
My Personal Number-One Technique for
notes near your phone.
Getting Someone to Call You
I suggest when making any of these calls
I am going to share my number-one technique
that you block your phone number, so that for getting someone to call you. I have used this
no one knows who is calling. To permanently technique successfully over the years. I first tried
block your phone number from showing on the this when I wanted to get a job in the music in-
receiver’s caller ID, call your local phone com- dustry. Unfortunately, at that time, there was no
pany. Most don’t charge for this service. You book to help. There was no career coach. There
can also block your phone number on a tem- was no one who really wanted to help.
porary basis by dialing *67 before making your I had tried all the traditional methods. I had
call. Remember that as soon as you hang up, tried calling. Most of the time, I couldn’t get
this service will be disabled, so you will need to past the gatekeeper. When I did, no one called
do it for each call. me back. I had tried sending out resumes. As I
had just graduated college, I had no “real” ex-
Getting Them to Call You perience. I didn’t know anyone and didn’t even
While persistence and patience in calling and know anyone who knew anyone. I needed a
trying to get past the receptionist is usually nec- break. Here’s what I did.
essary, you may need something else, too. You When I was younger my parents used to
want something to set you apart, so the busy ex- take raw eggs, blow out the contents, and then
ecutive, A&R director, or human resources di- decorate the shells. The eggs popped into my
rector not only wants to see you but remembers mind, and I found a method to get people to call
you. You want them to give you a chance to sell me back. Here’s how it works.
yourself. Get a box of eggs. Extra-large or jumbo
What can you do? Creativity to the rescue! work well. While either white or brown eggs can
The music industry is a creative industry in the be used, because of the coloration differences in
first place, so you have a lot more latitude than brown eggs, start with white ones. Wash the raw
you might in more straight-laced industries. eggs carefully with warm water. Dry the eggs.
Your goal is to get the attention of the im- Hold one egg in your hand and using a large
portant person who can give you a chance to needle or pin, punch a small hole in the top
sell yourself. As I’ve discussed throughout this of the egg. The top is the narrower end. Then,
140 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
carefully punch a slightly larger hole in the oth- your message. Roll the strip around a toothpick.
er end of the egg. You might need to take the Carefully, insert the toothpick with the strip of
needle or pin and move it around in the hole paper into the larger of the holes in the egg.
to make it larger. Keep any pieces of shell that Wiggle the toothpick around and slowly take
break off. the toothpick out of the egg. The strip of paper
Now, take a straw and place it on the top should now be in the shell.
hole of the egg. Holding the egg over a bowl, Visit your local craft store and pick up a
blow into the straw, blowing the contents of the package of small moveable eyes, miniature plas-
egg out. This may take a couple of tries. Be- tic or felt shaped feet, and white glue. Glue the
cause of concerns with salmonella, don’t put miniature feet to the bottom of the egg, covering
your mouth directly on the egg. Keep in mind the hole. Make sure you use the glue sparingly
that the bigger you have made the hole, the eas- so none goes on your message. Now glue on two
ier it will be to blow the contents out of the egg. of the moving eyes making the egg look like a
However, you want the egg to look as “whole” face.
as possible when you’re done. The bigger the Go back to your computer and type the fol-
hole, the harder this is to accomplish. lowing words: “BREAK OPEN THIS EGG
After blowing the contents out of the egg, FOR AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.” Print
carefully rinse out the shell, letting warm water out the line and cut it into a strip. You might
run through it. Get the egg as clean as possible. want to use bright-colored paper. Glue the strip
Shake the excess water out of the egg and leave to the bottom of the feet of the egg.
it to dry thoroughly. Depending on the tempera- Now you’re ready. Take the egg and place
ture and humidity when you are preparing the it in a small box that you have padded with cot-
eggs, it might take a couple of days. ton, bubble wrap, or foam. These eggs are very
Do at least three eggs at one time in case fragile, and you don’t want the egg to break in
one breaks or cracks at the next step. Keep a transit! Wrap the egg-filled box in attractive
few extra eggs around for when you want to get wrapping paper and then bubble wrap to as-
someone’s attention fast and don’t have time to sure it won’t move around. Put your resume (or
prepare new ones. background sheet) and a short cover letter in an
Next, go to your computer and type the envelope. Put it on the bottom of a sturdy mail-
words, “Getting the attention of a busy person ing box. Put the egg box over it.
is not easy. Now that I have yours, could you Make sure you use clean boxes and pack the
please take a moment to review my resume.” egg as carefully as possible. Address the box.
You can customize the message to suit your pur- Make sure you include your return name and
poses by including the name of the recipient if address, and then either mail it or hand deliver
you have it or specifying your background sheet it to the office of the person you are trying to
or demo recording if that’s what you want them reach. Even if that person has a secretary open-
to consider. Then type your name and phone ing his or her mail, the chances are good that
number. the “gift” will be opened personally. In the event
Use a small font to keep the message to a that a secretary opens the package, he or she will
line or two. Neatly cut out the strip of paper with probably bring the egg into the boss to open.
Getting Your Foot in the Door 141
r
Go to the cookie kiosk at your local mall and
an envelope with another copy of your resume,
your demo, or other material. On the outside of
the box, neatly tape a card with the message we
Words from the Wise discussed previously, stating, “Getting the at-
Make sure cookies are individually tention of a busy person is not easy. Now that
wrapped and factory sealed. Otherwise, some I have yours, would you please take a moment
people may just toss them. to review my resume?” Or ask them to listen to
your demo, give you a call, or whatever you are
r
Getting Your Foot in the Door 143
Mugs
hoping they will do. Make sure your name and
When was the last time you threw out a mug?
phone number are on the card.
Probably not for a while. How about using this
If the cookie company has a mail or deliv-
idea to catch the attention of a potential employ-
ery service, use it. Otherwise, mail or deliver the
er, booking agent, record company executive, or
cookie yourself. You should get a call within a
manager? Depending on your career aspiration,
few days.
have mugs printed with replicas of your business
Candy Bars card, key points of your resume or background
There have been a number of studies that tout sheet along with your name and phone number,
chocolate as a food that makes people happy. the name of your act and songs on your demo,
Keeping this in mind, you might want to use the name of your act and places you have ap-
chocolate to grab someone’s attention and move peared along with your name and phone num-
them to call you. Most people love chocolate ber, or even snippets of articles from the news-
and are happy to see it magically appear in their paper where your act has been mentioned along
office. There are a number of different ways you with your name and phone number.
can use chocolate to help your career. Add in a small packet of gourmet or flavored
coffee and perhaps an individually wrapped biscot-
Buy a large chocolate bar. Carefully fold
ti or cookie and, of course, the card with the mes-
your resume or a letter stating what you
sage that states, “Getting the attention of a busy
would like accomplished and slip it into
person is never easy. Now that I have yours, could
the wrapping of the chocolate bar.
you please take a moment to check out our media
Buy a large, high-quality chocolate
kit?” or whatever else you are requesting. Put the
bar. Wrap the chocolate bar with your
mug, a short cover letter, and your resume, back-
resume or the letter stating what you
ground sheet, press kit, demo, or other material in
would like accomplished.
a box and mail or deliver to your recipient.
There are companies that create
personalized wrappings for chocolate Pizza
bars. Use one to deliver your message. Want to make sure your resume, background
Create a wrapping on your computer, sheet, or press kit gets attention or that your
but if you do this, make sure you leave demo gets listened to? Have it delivered to your
the original wrapping intact and cover recipient with a fresh, hot pizza. This can be
it. tricky but effective.
144 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Here are some of the problems. To guaran- It’s Who You Know
tee the pizza gets there with your information,
Breaking into the music industry can be diffi-
you really need to be in the same geographic lo-
cult. Competition on both the talent and busi-
cation as the company you’re trying to reach.
ness side is keen. Thousands of talented people
You will need to personally make sure that your
never make it; thousands of people are schooled
information is placed in a good-quality sealed
in the music industry, yet never get past the door.
plastic bag and then taped to the inside cover of
Knowing someone who can get you in the door
the pizza box. You also not only have to know
will most certainly help.
the name of the person for this to be delivered
Before you say, “Me? I don’t know anyone,”
to, but that he or she will be there the day you
stop and think. Are you sure? Might you know
send it and doesn’t have a lunch date. It’s dif-
someone, anyone, even on a peripheral basis who
ficult to call an office where no one knows you
might be able to give you a recommendation, make
and ask what time the recipient goes to lunch.
a call, or be willing to lend his or her name?
So you are taking the risk that you will be send-
What about your mother’s aunt’s husband’s
ing a pizza to someone who isn’t there. One way
friend’s neighbor’s boss? Sure it might be a
to get around this is by sending it in the late af-
stretch. But think hard. Who can you think of
ternoon instead.
who might know someone who might be able to
Make sure that you have the pizzeria tape
help? This is not the time to be shy. Call up your
on the card with the message about getting a
aunt. Explain what you’re trying to do with
busy person’s attention on the front of the box,
your career. Then ask if she would be willing
so even if the receptionist gets the pizza, he or
to talk to her husband’s friend about talking to
she will know who it came from.
their neighbor about using their name to make
Roses an appointment with the neighbor’s boss.
A last but very pricey way to get your recipient’s What if you don’t have a relative who has a
attention is to have a dozen roses delivered to contact down the line? What about you local ra-
their office. No matter how many things you have dio station? Do they have reps come in from the
tried with no response, there are very few people record companies? How about your newspaper?
who will not place a thank-you call when they Is there someone on staff who deals with music
receive a dozen roses. Talk to the florist ahead entertainment? Might he or she have some con-
of time to make sure that the roses are fragrant. tact with record companies, publicists, or A&R
Send the roses to your recipient with a card that people?
simply says something to the effect of, “While The trick here is to think outside the box.
you’re enjoying the roses, please take a moment If you can find someone who knows someone
to review my resume sent under separate cover.” willing to help you to get your foot in the door,
Sign it “Sincerely hoping for an interview,” and then all you will have to do is sell yourself. If
include your name and phone number. someone does agree to lend their name, make a
It is imperative to send your information so call, or help you in any manner, it’s important to
it arrives on the same day or at the latest the write thank-you notes immediately. These notes
next day, so the roses you sent are still fresh in should be written whether or not you actually
the recipient’s mind. get an interview or set up a meeting.
Getting Your Foot in the Door 145
If you do go on an interview or meeting or support. They also may offer seminars, work-
speak to the person in the music industry, it’s shops, and other types of educational sympo-
also a good idea to either call or write another siums. Best of all, many have periodic meetings
note letting your contact know what happened. and annual conventions and conferences. All of
For example, you might write something like these are treasure troves of possibilities to meet
this: people in the industry. Some of them may be
industry experts or insiders. Others may be just
Dear Aunt Mary, like you: people trying to get in and succeed.
Thanks for helping me in my quest for a ca- The important thing to remember is take advan-
reer in the music industry. I just wanted to let
tage of every opportunity.
you know how things turned out after you so
generously called Uncle Jim’s friend for me. Workshops and seminars are great because
I actually got an interview with the president not only can you make important contacts, but
at ABC Booking. He was very nice, but told me you can learn something valuable about the in-
he had no openings for booking agent trainees. dustry. Most of these events have question and
He did, however, keep my resume. answer periods built into the program. Take ad-
Two days later, I got a call from a manage-
vantage of these. Stand up and ask a good ques-
ment company he works with asking if I would
be interested in coming in to interview for an tion. Make yourself visible. Some seminars and
opening for a position as an assistant. Guess workshops have break-out sessions to encourage
what? I got the job! There’s a lot of opportu- people to get to know one another. Use these to
nity to learn there and the people in the office your advantage as well. Walk around and talk to
seemed nice.
people. Don’t be afraid to walk up to someone
Thanks so much for helping me get this op-
portunity. I sent Uncle Jim’s friend, John Black,
you don’t know and start talking. Network, net-
a note as well thanking him for his help. I’ll keep work, network!
you all posted on my success. After the session has ended, walk up, shake
the moderator’s hand and tell him or her how
Yours truly,
(Your name here) much you enjoyed the session, how much you
learned, and how useful it will be in your career.
This gives you the opportunity to ask for their
Meeting the Right People
business card, so that you have the correct spell-
You think and think and you can’t come up with
ing of the person’s name, their address, and their
anyone you know with a connection to anyone
phone number. This is very valuable informa-
at all in the music industry. What can you do?
tion. Make sure you keep business cards in a safe
r
Sometimes you have to find your own contacts.
You need to meet the right people. But how can
you do this? The best way to meet the right peo-
ple in the music industry is to be around people Words from a Pro
in the music industry. There are several possible Don’t just blend in with everyone else
ways you might do this. at a seminar or workshop. Make yourself vis-
To begin with, consider joining industry or- ible and memorable in a positive way. Ask
ganizations, associations, and unions. Many of questions and participate when possible.
these organizations offer career guidance and
r
146 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
you also want to take part in seminars and other Activities (NACA)
events.
The cost of attending these conventions
may be expensive. (Many industry trade orga-
The Inside Scoop
nizations offer special prices for students. Make
Many industry organization conference
sure you ask ahead of time.) In addition to the
managers have begun having mini career fairs
fee to get in, if you don’t live near the conven- at these events to help industry people who
tion location, you might have to pay for airfare have been downsized. Check out Web sites
or other transportation as well as accommoda- of association conferences ahead of time.
tions, meals, and incidentals. Is it worth it? If
r
Getting Your Foot in the Door 147
r
ness. This is your chance to make a good first
names to call or write regarding business or job
possibilities.
Walk the trade show floor. Stop and talk to
Tip from the Top people at booths. They are usually more than
At industry events, it’s important to be
willing to talk. This is a time to network and
positive and not to have any negative conver-
sation with anyone about anything at the semi-
try to make contacts. Ask questions and listen to
nar or in the music industry. You can never tell what people are saying. Ask for business cards
who is related to whom or whose idea some- and other literature.
thing was. You will probably be tempted to collect
things at the trade show such as information,
148 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
giveaways, trade magazines or newspapers, and Develop an angle or hook for a story on a
CDs, and you might be worried about how you singer, songwriter, or other musical act. For ex-
will get it all home. Instead of trying to stuff ample, is the lead singer of a hot recording act
it all in your luggage, ship it back via FedEx, the spokesperson of a national charity you’re
Airborne Express, or UPS. Many hotels host- involved with on a local level? Did a leading re-
ing conventions have business centers where cord executive go to your alma mater? Is a ma-
they will provide mailing boxes or envelopes as jor record label working on a campaign to stop
well as shipping services. They usually charge a teenage drug use? These are all angles or hooks
fee. Unfortunately on occasion things get lost in you might use to entice a local or regional peri-
transit. To assure you don’t lose all your newly odical let you do an article.
acquired contact information, try to keep the You probably will have to give them some
business cards you have collected with you in- samples of your writing and your background
stead of mailing them. sheet or resume. You might also have to write
If you have writing skills, one great way of on “spec” or speculation. What this means is
meeting people in the industry is to write arti- that when you do the story they may or may
cles, do reviews, or interview people for local, not use it. If they do, they will pay you. If not,
regional, or national periodicals or newspapers. they won’t.
How does this work? A great deal of it depends Your goal here (unless you want to be an
on your situation, where you live and what’s entertainment journalist) is not to make money
happening in your area. If you’re still in school, (although that is nice.) Your goal is to be in situ-
become involved with the school newspaper. Try ations where you have the opportunity to meet
to become the entertainment or music reporter. industry insiders. As an added bonus, you’ll be
If you live in an area where you have a lot of mu- meeting them on a different level than if you
sical entertainment events or concerts consider were looking for a job.
calling up your local newspaper or a regional Press credentials give you access to promot-
magazine and see if they might be interested in a ers, managers, publicists, tour managers, and the
review of the show. acts themselves. Depending on the story you are
r
working on, you might have the opportunity to
speak to record company executives as well as
other industry insiders.
Words from a Pro
Remember that many of the people at
the trade show need to pack up their stuff and Networking Basics
travel home by plane. Don’t overload them It’s not always what you know, but sometimes
with your press kits, resumes, or CDs unless who you know. With that in mind, I’m going
requested. They stand a good chance of get-
once again to bring up the importance of net-
ting lost or being left behind. Instead, wait
until you get home and send your information working, especially in the music industry. You
with a short cover letter stating that you met can never tell who knows someone in some area
at the convention. of the industry, so it is essential to share your ca-
reer dreams and aspirations with those around
Getting Your Foot in the Door 149
Networking Worksheet
Closeness of
Type of Contact
Contact (Close,
Relationship/ (Primary or Medium, or
Name Position Secondary) Distant)
Expanding Your Network what. For all you know, someone in your area
may be
How can you expand your network? There are
a number of ways. Networking events are an an investor in a recording act
excellent way to meet people. Industry network- a lawyer who represents someone in the
ing events are, of course, the best to attend, but music industry
don’t count out nonindustry events. For ex- the dentist of someone in the music
ample, your local chamber of commerce may business
have specific networking programs designed to the personal physician of someone in
help business people in the community meet the music business
and “network” with each other. In case you’re
the tailor to industry executives
thinking that no one in the music business will
the caterer at arenas or concert halls in
be there, remember two things: First, as we’ve
your region
discussed, you don’t know who people know.
People you meet may know others who are in If you’re under the impression that every-
the industry. Second, no matter how small your one who has a client, a friend, or a relative in
area, you never really know who is involved in the music industry talks about it and brags, you
Getting Your Foot in the Door 151
Networking Worksheet
Closeness of
Type of Contact
Contact (Close,
Relationship/ (Primary or Medium, or
Name Position Secondary) Distant)
152 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
couldn’t be more mistaken. Many people just where there are new people, don’t be afraid to
don’t think their business is someone else’s. Oth- walk up to them, shake their hand, and talk to
ers may not want to drop names. It might not them. People can’t read your mind, so it’s im-
be until someone like you says, “I wish I knew perative to tell them about your career goals,
someone in the music business” that someone dreams, and aspirations.
else brings their own network into the picture. Because of the mystique surrounding the
Civic and other not-for-profit groups also music industry, people will generally find your
have a variety of events that are great for net- choice of careers interesting. And if they are
working. Whether you go to a regular meeting involved or have any contact in the industry at
or attend a charity auction, cocktail party, or all, they will usually say something like, “Oh,
large gala to benefit a not-for-profit, you will that’s neat; my cousin works at one of the major
generally find business people in the community labels,” or “My accountant was just telling me
you might not know. As an added bonus, many he handles a couple of recording acts.”
larger not-for-profit events also have media cov- When you meet new people, listen to them.
erage, meaning that you have the opportunity to Focus on what they’re saying. Ask questions. Be
add media people to your network. interested in what they are telling you. You can
Those who take advantage of every oppor- never tell when the next person you talk to is the
tunity to meet new people will have the largest one who will be able to help you open the door
networks. The idea in building a network is to go or vice versa.
out of your comfort zone. If you just stay with If you’re shy, even the thought of networking
people you know and are comfortable with, you may be very difficult for you. However, it is essen-
won’t have the opportunity to get to know oth- tial to make yourself do it anyway. Successful net-
ers. You want to continually meet new people; working can pay off big. It can mean the difference
after all, you never know who knows whom. between getting in the industry or not, between
success and failure. Isn’t it worth the effort?
Networking Savvy Just meeting people isn’t enough. Whether
You are learning how to build your network. you meet the president of a major record label,
However, the largest network in the world will be a successful music publisher, or anyone to add
useless unless you know how to take full advan- to your network, the idea is to try to develop the
tage of it. So let’s talk a little about how you’re relationship further. Just having a story to tell
going to use the network you are building. about who you know is not enough. Arrange a
Previously, we discussed the difference be- follow-up meeting, send a note or letter, or make
tween skills and talents. Networking is a skill. a phone call. The more you take advantage of
You don’t have to be born with it. You can ac- every opportunity, the closer you will be to get-
quire the skill to network, practice, and improve. ting what you want.
What that means is that if you practice network- A good way to network is to volunteer. I’ve
ing, you can get better at it, and it can pay off mentioned attending not-for-profit events and
big in your career! civic meetings to expand your network, but how
Get out. Go to new places. Meet new peo- about volunteering to work with a not-for-profit
ple. The trick here is when you’re in a situation or civic group?
r
Getting Your Foot in the Door 153
r
writing the opening tune for a not-for-profit’s
professional organizations
libraries
children’s organizations
The Inside Scoop civic groups
Volunteer to do projects that no one
political organizations
else wants to do, and you will immediately be-
come more visible. To make the most of every networking op-
portunity, it’s essential for people to remember
r
154 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
saw the story and thought they might be inter- any other interesting facts
ested. If you hear of something they might be
interested in, call them. The idea is to keep in
contact with people in your network and stay
Tip from the Top
visible.
After you have worked on a volunteer
Keep track of the contacts in your network. project, ask the director or board president if
You can use the sample sheet provided, a card he or she would mind writing you a letter of
file using index cards, or a database or contact recommendation for your file.
software program on your computer. Include as
Getting Your Foot in the Door 155
Name
Business Address
Business Phone
Home Address
Home Phone
E-mail Address
Birthday
Anniversary
Children’s Name(s)
Hobbies
Interests
Things Collected
Honors
Awards
Interesting Facts
156 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Networking and Nerve ment, someone might want you to help them
in some part of their career. Reciprocate and
Successful networking will give you credibility
reciprocate graciously. As a matter of fact, if
and a rapport with people in the industry. But
you see or know someone you might be able to
networking sometimes takes nerve, especially if
help even in a small way, don’t wait for them to
you’re not naturally outgoing. You have to push
ask—offer your help.
yourself to get out and meet people, talk to them,
tell them what you are interested in doing, and
stay in contact. On occasion, you may have to
Making and Using Contacts in
ask people if they will help you, ask for recom- the Music Industry
mendations, ask for references, and so on. Don’t If you are interested in the talent end of the indus-
let the fear of doing what you need to do stop try, make additional contacts in that area. Make
you from doing it. Just remember that the result contact with people who can help push your
of all your effort will be not only entry into a songs, book you, manage you, or just help you get
career you want but a shot at success. your foot in the door and advance your career.
Here are some things that might take some How can you catch the attention of people
nerve but will pay off in your quest for the ca- like this? Think creatively. We discussed volunteer-
reer you want in the music industry. ing to write a song for an upcoming not-for-profit
Ask people (in conversation) if they
organization event, and we talked about volunteer-
ing to provide the talent (gratis) for an event. Look
know anyone in the music industry.
If you know someone who knows
for every opportunity. Do you see classes offered
in songwriting? Workshops on various aspects
someone in the industry, ask if they will
of the music industry? Seminars on performing?
call them for you. If that isn’t an option,
Take them! Aside from learning something, you
ask if you can use their name as a
can never tell who you might meet there.
reference when calling or writing for an
Workshops where people in the industry
appointment. When you are referred by
critique your work are especially useful. In the
someone, it gives you credibility.
Ask for letters of recommendation.
event that someone doesn’t like your work, don’t
Ask for letters of reference.
let it get to you. He or she is only one person. Use
Ask specific people in your network if you
these opportunities to hone your craft and talent.
r
Use them also to meet others in the industry.
can use their name as references on job ap-
plications. Make sure that you tell some-
one when you think they will be called.
As long as you’re pleasant, there is nothing
Words from a Pro
Copyright all songs before letting
wrong with asking for help. Just remember that
anyone outside of your family listen to them.
while people can help you get your foot in the Catchy tunes often stick in people’s heads.
door, you are going to have to sell yourself once It’s not uncommon for people to inadvertently
the door is open. think that they came up with a song. A copy-
Networking is a two-way street. While it right will protect you.
might be hard for you to imagine at this mo-
Getting Your Foot in the Door 157
Be on the lookout for contests and competi- a variety of music industry organizations, trade
tions. They’re great for exposure. If they are tele- associations, or other businesses. Sometimes
vised, even on a local basis, all the better. Make a manager or other business associate may put
sure you get a tape even if you have to buy one. together a showcase for you, inviting industry
If the local television news covers an event and professionals such as agents, concert promot-
you don’t tape it yourself, call them up and ask ers, producers, and record company executives.
how you can get a copy. If the news happens to In some cases, you may even want to showcase
film you and only uses a few seconds or a min- yourself. If you hear of a showcase for another
ute, see if you can buy the raw tape footage that act and you have the opportunity to attend, you
they didn’t use. should do so. While it’s fine to pick up business
Many television and cable stations are now cards while you’re there and network, don’t try
hosting television shows showcasing talent. If to overshadow the act or acts that are showcased.
you are ready, consider applying. Shows such as While every showcase or competition might not
Star Search and American Idol can give you major end up in a contract, the idea is to find places to
exposure and have already spawned a number go and opportunities to explore where you have
of top recording stars. If you are talented and the chance to meet industry insiders.
lucky, you could be one of them.
Don’t forget talent showcases. In the music Finding a Mentor or Advocate
industry, these are opportunities to display your Mentors and advocates can help guide and
talent. While we will discuss these in more depth boost your career. A mentor or advocate in the
later, you should be aware of the opportunities music industry also often provides you valuable
these offer to both meet industry insiders and contacts that, as you now know, are essential to
gain exposure. Showcases may be sponsored by your success. The best mentors and advocates
r
are supportive individuals who help move your
career to the next level.
Can’t figure out why anyone would help
Tip from the Coach you? Many people like to help others. It makes
If someone asks you to be their mentor them feel good and makes them feel important.
or asks for your help and you can offer it, say How do you find a mentor? Look for someone
yes. As a matter of fact, if you see someone who is successful and ask. Sound simple? It is
you might be able to help, do just that. You
simple. The difficult part is finding just the right
might think that you don’t even have your own
career on track or you don’t have time. You
person or persons.
might be tempted to say no. Think again. You While someone in the music business would
are expecting someone to help you. Do the be ideal, don’t let that exclude those outside the
same for someone else. There is no better industry. Depending on the area of the industry
feeling than helping someone else. And while in which you are interested, you might look to
you shouldn’t help someone for the sole pur-
pose of helping yourself, remember that you booking agents
can often open doors for yourself, while open- managers
ing them for someone else. musicians
singers
r
158 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
attorneys
other businesspeople Words from the Wise
music teachers It is not uncommon to run into some-
club owners one who doesn’t want to help you. This may
radio station personnel be for any number of reasons ranging from
bankers they really don’t know how they can help or
they don’t have time in their schedule or they
media people
think that if they help you in your career, it puts
friends their position at risk. If you do ask someone to
relatives be your mentor and he or she says no, just let
teachers it go. Look for someone else. The opposite of
having a great mentor is having someone in
Sometimes you don’t even have to ask. In your life who is sabotaging your career.
many cases, a person may see your potential and
offer advice. They may not call it mentoring, but
with any luck, that’s what it turns into. Time is
a valuable commodity, especially to busy people. anyone and everyone who shares his or her time,
Be gracious when someone helps you or even expertise, or advice. And don’t forget to ask them
tries to help. Make sure you say thank you to if there is any way you can return the favor.
8
The Interview
B
159
r
160 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
Here’s the good news. With a little planning, cover letter. For example, let’s say the job re-
you can increase your chances of getting an in-
terview from the classified or display ad, and as
we’ve just discussed, this is your key to the job. Tip from the Top
Your resume and cover letter need to stand Here is what you need to know. The
out. Your resume needs to generate an inter- requirements set forth in an advertisement
view. are the ideal requirements that the company
You should be aware of the life of a resume would like, not necessarily what they are go-
after you send it out in response to a classified ing to end up with. Yes, it would be great if
they could find a candidate with every single
ad. Where does it go? Who reads it? That de-
requirement, but it doesn’t always work like
pends. In some companies, usually smaller that. Sometimes one candidate may have all
ones, your resume and cover letter may go to the the qualifications but another candidate who
person who will be hiring you. It may go to that is missing one or two stands out, and the lat-
person’s secretary or administrative assistant. ter candidate ultimately lands the job.
This might be the case, for example, if you’re re-
The Interview 161
quirements for a position at a record label in the or light mauve. You want your resume to look
publicity department look something like this: sophisticated and classy but still stand out in a
professional way. Of course, the color of the pa-
Creative, enthusiastic individual with
per will not change the content of your resume,
strong organization skills. Excellent verbal
but it will at least help your resume get noticed
and writing skills. Ability to work with-
in the first place.
out direct supervision. Minimum require-
If the advertisement directs you in a specific
ments include bachelor’s degree and four
method of responding to the ad, use that meth-
years’ experience in the music industry.
od. For example, if the ad instructs applicants to
Now let’s say that while you are creative fax their resumes, fax it. If it says to e-mail your
and enthusiastic and have excellent verbal and resume, use e-mail and pay attention to whether
writing skills, you don’t have four years’ experi- the ad specifies sending the file as an attachment
ence working in the music industry. Should you or in the body of your e-mail. The company may
not apply for the job? If you want it, go for it. have a procedure for screening job applicants.
Here is what you need to know. When you are If given the option of methods of respond-
working on your resume and your cover letter in ing, which should you use? Each method has its
response to an ad, remember that skills are trans- pros and cons.
ferable. Skills for specific areas might need to be E-mail
fine-tuned, but sales skills are sales skills, writing On the pro side, e-mail is one of the
skills are writing skills, and public relations skills quickest methods of responding to
are public relations skills. Stress what you have ads. Many companies utilize the e-
done successfully, not what you haven’t done. mail method.
Whoever your resume and cover letter go On the con side, you are really never
to, you want to increase your chances of it being assured someone gets what you sent,
looked at and passed on to the pile of resumes and even if they do, you’re not sure
from people who will ultimately end up getting that it won’t be inadvertently deleted.
called for an interview. Whoever the screener of Another concern is making sure
the resumes is, he or she will probably pass over that the resume you sent reaches the
anything that doesn’t look neat and well thought recipient in the form in which you
out or anything where there are obvious errors. sent it. If you are using a common
What can you do? First, go over your re- word processing program and the
sume. Make sure it is perfect. Make sure it is same platform (Mac or PC) as the
neat. Make sure it is tailored to the job you are recipient, you probably won’t have
going after. If you are going to mail it, make a problem. If you are using a Mac
sure it’s printed on high-quality paper. and the recipient is using a PC, you
Human resources departments dealing might.
with entertainment-oriented companies often Fax
receives hundreds of responses to ads. While On the pro side, faxing can get your
most people use white paper, consider using off- resume where it’s going almost
white or even a different color such as light blue instantaneously.
r
162 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
send in your response immediately, such as the Persistence is the word to remember when
trying to get an interview. If you are respond-
ing to an advertisement and you don’t hear
Tip from the Coach back within a week or two, call to see what is
If faxing any documents, remember happening. If after you call the first time, you
to use the “fine” option on your fax machine. don’t hear back after another week or so (unless
While this may take a bit longer to send, the you’ve been specifically given a time frame), call
recipients will get a better copy. back again. Don’t be obnoxious and don’t be a
pain, but call.
r
The Interview 163
week or so after the boss has had a chance to re- glad to meet with you.” They might tell you when
view your material. Send your information out their workload lightens or a project is done, they
in hard copy immediately. Wait a week or so will schedule an interview. You could say thank
and call back. Remember that persistence pays you and let it go. Or you could tell them that you
off. understand that they’re busy. All you are asking
Sometimes you might reach someone who for is 10 minutes and not a minute longer. You’ll
r
tells you that “if they weren’t so busy, they’d be even bring a stopwatch and coffee if they want.
Guarantee them that 10 minutes after you get in letters of reference (Even though people
the door, you will stand up to leave. have given you letters of reference, make
If you’re convincing, you might land an in- sure you let them know you are using
terview. If you do, remember to bring that stop- them.)
watch. Introduce yourself, put the stopwatch references (When interviewing for jobs,
down on the desk in front of you, and present you often need to fill in job applications
your skills. You must practice this before you that ask for both professional and
get there. Give the highlights of your resume personal references. Ask before you use
and how hiring you would benefit the company. people as references. Make sure they are
When your 10 minutes are up, thank the person prepared to give you a good reference.
you are meeting with for their time and give them Then when you go for an interview,
your resume, any supporting materials you have call the people on your reference list
brought with you, and your business card. Then and give them the heads-up on your job
leave. If you are asked to stay, by all means, stay hunting activities.)
and continue the meeting. One way or the other, a portfolio of your work (Refer to
write a note thanking them for their time. Chapter 6 to learn how to develop your
If you have sold yourself or your idea for a professional portfolio.)
position in the company, someone may just get business cards (Refer to Chapter 6 learn
back to you. Once again, feel free to call in a more about business cards.)
week or two to follow up.
You want to look as professional as possible,
so don’t throw your materials into a paper bag
The Interview Process or a sloppy knapsack. At the very least, put your
You got the call. You landed an interview. Now information into a large envelope or folder to
what? The interview is an integral part of get- carry into the interview. A professional-looking
ting the job you want. There are a number of briefcase or portfolio is probably the best way to
different types of interviews. Depending on the hold your information.
company and the job, you might be asked to go
on one or more interviews ranging from initial Your Interviewing Wardrobe
or screening interviews to interviews with de- You’ve landed an interview, but what do you
partment heads or supervisors you will be work- wear? Remember that while you might see peo-
ing with. ple in the music industry wearing micro-mini
skirts, ripped jeans, midriff tops, sneakers, and
Things to Bring skin-tight pants and T-shirts, they are not the
Once you get the call for an interview, what’s ones going for the job. The music business is just
your next step? Let’s start with what you should that—a business.
bring to the interview. First, here’s a list of what not to wear:
copies of your resume (While they prob- sneakers
ably have copies of your resume, they flip-flops
might have misplaced it or you might sandals
want to refer to it.) micro-mini skirts or dresses
166 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
very tight or very low dresses or tops order anything that can slurp, slide, or otherwise
jeans of any kind mess you up. Soups, messy sauces, fried chick-
ripped jeans or T-shirts en, ribs, or anything that you have to eat with
midriff tops your hands would be a bad choice. Nothing can
skin-tight pants or leggings ruin your confidence during an interview worse
very baggy pants than a big blob of sauce accidentally dropping
sweatshirts on your shirt—except if you cut into something
work-out clothes and it splashes onto your interviewer’s suit. Eat-
heavy perfume, men’s cologne, or ing should be your last priority. Use this time to
aftershave lotion present your attributes, tell your story, and ask
very heavy makeup intelligent questions.
flashy jewelry (this includes nose This is also not the time to order an alco-
rings, lip rings, and other flamboyant holic beverage. Even if the interviewer orders a
piercings) drink, abstain. You want to be at the top of your
game. If, however, the interviewer orders dessert
What you should wear: and coffee or tea, do so as well. That way he or
Men she isn’t eating alone and you have a few more
dark suit minutes to make yourself shine.
dark sports jacket, button-down shirt, A company may invite you to participate in
tie, and trousers a meal interview to see how you will act in social
situations. They might want to check out your
Women table manners or whether you keep your elbows
suit on the table or talk with your mouth full. They
dress with jacket might want to see whether you drink to excess or
skirt with blouse and jacket how you make conversation. They might want
pumps or other closed-toe shoes to know if you will embarrass them, if you can
handle pressure, or how you interact with others.
Interview Environments They might want you to get comfortable so they
In most cases, interviews are held in office en- can see the true you. If you are prepared ahead
vironments. If you are asked if you want cof- of time, you will do fine. Just remember this isn’t
fee, tea, soda, or any type of food, my advice a social meal. You are being scrutinized. Be on
your toes.
r
is to abstain. This is not the time you want to
accidentally spill coffee, inadvertently make a
weird noise drinking soda, or get sugar from a
donut on your fingers when you need to shake Words from the Wise
hands. Never ask for a doggie bag at an inter-
In some cases, however, you may be inter- view meal. I’ve seen it happen and I’ve heard
viewed over a meal. Whether it is breakfast, the interviewers talking about it in a negative
lunch, or dinner, it is usually best to order some- manner two weeks later.
thing simple and light. This is not the time to
r
The Interview 167
r
“Do you go deep sea fishing?”
Have your phone in a quiet location.
People yelling, a loud television, or
music in the background is not helpful
Words from the Wise
in this situation.
Never say anything to the effect that
Have a pad of paper and a few pens to you want to work in the music industry to meet
write down the name of the people you famous people, make a lot of money, or get
are speaking to, take notes, and jot down free music.
questions as you think of them.
r
168 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
someone cannot do a great job when even the music industry is a business
they love what they do.” and you thought you’d create a
Why did you leave your last job? career in a business that was such an
Be careful answering this one. If you interesting and expanding industry.
were fired, simply say you were let Do you like music?
go. Don’t go into the politics. Don’t The answer here should be yes. Do
say anything bad about your former not say, “I can take it or leave it.” The
job, company, or boss. If you were answer here is, “Yes, I love music. I
laid off, simply say you were laid have always especially loved jazz [or
off, or, if it’s true, that you were country or whatever you really love].”
one of the newer employees and Who’s your favorite artist or band?
unfortunately that’s how the layoff Are you a team player?
process worked. You might add that Companies want you to be a team
you were very sorry to leave because player, so the answer is, “Yes, it’s one
you really enjoyed working there, of my strengths.”
but on the positive side, you now Do you need supervision?
are free to apply for this position. You want to appear as confident
If you quit, simply say the job was and capable as possible. “I work
not challenging and you wanted to well with limited supervision,” is
work in a position where you could one good answer. “Once I know my
create a career. Never lie. The music responsibilities, I have always been
industry is small. You can never tell able to fulfill them,” is another.
when your former boss knows the Are you free to travel?
person interviewing you. In the same You might be required to travel for
vein, never say anything bad about some jobs. A publicist at a record
anyone or any other company. The label may need to go on the road.
boss you had yesterday might end up A marketing executive might need
moving over to your new company to travel to various locations. A&R
and being your new boss. It is not people often travel to check out new
unheard of in the industry. talent. Be honest here. If the job you
Why do you want to work in the music are applying for requires travel and
business? that is a problem, now is the time to
Interviewers in the music industry straighten it out. You might ask how
want to make sure you’re not a often travel will be required and if is
groupie. It’s okay to be a fan. Do not scheduled ahead of time.
say you want to make a lot of money. Will working overtime, nights, or on
Do not say you want free records. weekends be a problem?
You might say something like you’ve The answer they are looking for
been interested in the music industry is no. A good answer here is if
for many years. You understand that the project requires it, you will be
r
170 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
cases, salary and compensation packages are only try that they take jobs for almost anything. Some
ironed out after the actual job offer is made. come up with salary requirements far below what
Let’s say you are offered a job and a com- the company might be willing to offer.
pensation package. What do you do if you’re not
happy with the salary? What about the benefits? Things to Remember
Can you negotiate? You certainly can try. Some- To give yourself every advantage in acing the in-
times you can negotiate better terms for salary, terview, there are a few things you should know.
better benefits, or both. A lot of it depends on First of all, practice ahead of time. Ask friends
how much they want you, how much of an asset or family members for their help in setting up
you will be, and what they can afford. practice interviews. You want to get comfort-
When negotiating, speak in a calm, well- able answering questions without sounding as
modulated voice. Do not make threats. State though you’re reading from a script.
your case and see if you can meet in the middle. Many people go on real “practice interviews.”
If you can’t negotiate a higher salary, perhaps These involve going on interviewers for jobs you
you can negotiate extra vacation days. Depend- might not want in order to get experience in inter-
ing on the company and specific job, compensa- view situations. Some people think it isn’t right to
tion may include salary, vacation days, sick days, waste an interviewer’s time. On the other hand,
health insurance, stock options, pension plans, you can never tell when you might be offered a
or a variety of other things. Some very high-level job that you originally didn’t plan on taking but
jobs in the music industry provide company cars, that turns out to be something you want.
entertainment allowances, and more. When ne-
Here are some other things to remember to
gotiating, look at the whole package.
help you land an offer.
You might do some research ahead of time
to see what similar types of jobs are paying. In- If you don’t have confidence in yourself,
formation on compensation may also have been neither will anyone else. No matter how
in the original advertisement you answered. Gen- nervous you are, project a confident and
eral salary ranges on many jobs in the music in- positive attitude.
dustry may also be located in Career Opportunities The one who looks and sounds most
in the Music Industry (Checkmark Books, 2004). qualified has the best chance of getting
Whatever you do in your quest to get a job in the job. Don’t answer questions in
the music business, don’t undersell yourself. Many monosyllables. Explain your answers
r
people are so desperate to get into the music indus- using relevant experience. What does
that mean? If you’re asked if you have
good organizational skills, for example,
you might say something like, “Yes, I
The Inside Scoop
have great organizational skills. When
Accepting a job offer below your per-
ceived salary “comfort level” often results in your I was an intern at the radio station, I
resenting your company and coworkers and, developed a system for organizing all
even worse, whittles away at your self-worth. the names and information about people
who had entered their promotions. We
The Interview 173
then used the names to send out station Don’t chew gum during your
newsletters for new station promotions. interview.
I was reading Billboard during my coffee Don’t be late.
break and read about a couple stations Don’t talk negatively about past bosses,
selling the list to their advertisers, so I jobs, or companies.
suggested it to the advertising director. Don’t say, “Uh-huh” or “Don’t know”
I have a letter in my portfolio from or other similar things. It doesn’t sound
the advertising director indicating professional and suggests that you have
the increase in revenue from just that poor communication skills.
technique.” Use your experiences in both Don’t wear heavy perfume or men’s
your work and personal life to reinforce cologne before going on an interview.
your skills, talents, and abilities when You can never tell if the interviewer is
answering questions. allergic to various odors.
Try to develop a rapport with your Don’t interrupt the interviewer.
interviewer. If your interviewer likes While you certainly can ask questions,
you, he or she will often overlook less don’t try to dominate the conversation to
than perfect skills because you seem like try to “look smart.”
a better candidate. Don’t drop names. People in the music
Smile and make sure you have good industry frown on this.
posture. It makes you look more
successful.
Be attentive. Listen to what the
Thank-You Notes
interviewer is saying. If he or she asks It’s always a good idea to send a note thanking
a question that you don’t understand, the person who interviewed you for his or her
politely ask for an explanation. time. Think a thank-you note is useless? Think
Turn off your cell phone and beeper again. Take a look at some of the things a thank-
before you go into the interview. you note can do for you:
show that you are courteous and have
When you see the interview coming
to a close, make sure you ask when a
good manners
show that you are professional
decision will be made and if you will be
contacted either way.
give you one more shot at reminding the
When the interview comes to a close,
interviewer who you are
stand up, thank the interviewer, and
show that you are truly interested in the
then leave.
job
While you’re trying for a job in the
illustrate that you have good written
music business, remember that it is just
that—a business. Act accordingly. communication skills
give you a chance to briefly discuss
Here are some things you should not do: something that you thought was
Don’t smoke before you go into your important yet forgot to bring up during
interview. the interview
174 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
help you stand out from other job Waiting for an Answer
applicants who didn’t send a thank-you
You’ve gone through the interview for the job
note you want. You’ve done everything you can do.
Try to send thank-you notes within 24 Now what? Unfortunately, now you have to
hours of your interview. You can handwrite or wait for an answer. Are you the chosen candi-
type them. While it’s acceptable to e-mail or fax date? Hopefully, you are.
them, I suggest mailing. If you haven’t heard back in a week or so
What should the letter say? It can simply say (unless you were given a specific date when an
thank you or it can be longer. For example: applicant would be chosen), call and ask the sta-
tus of the job. If you are told that they haven’t
Dear Mr. Garofalo: made a decision, ask when a good time to call
Thanks for taking the time to interview me back would be.
yesterday for the assistant marketing director
If you are told that a decision has been
position at your record label. As I indicated
during our meeting, I am sure the experience I
made and it’s not you, say thank you, tell them
gained handling marketing for a national record you appreciate the consideration, and request
chain will transfer well to the record label. that your resume be kept on file for the future.
I feel that I would be a good match for the You might just get a call before you know it. If
job and an asset to the label. I look forward to the company is large, such as a record label or
hearing from you and hope that I am able to major agency, ask if other positions are avail-
help with the push to make the artists on your
able and how you should go about applying if
label number one!
Thanks once again. you are interested.
If your phone rings and you got the job, con-
Sincerely yours, gratulations! Welcome to a great job in the mu-
Gene Handy
sic industry. Once you get a call telling you that
you are the candidate they want, depending on
Dear Ms. Green:
While I was excited when I heard there was the situation, they will either make an offer on
a job opportunity as a booking agent trainee at the phone or you will have to go to the company
your company, I was absolutely thrilled about to discuss your compensation package. If an of-
the possibilities after speaking to you. Thank fer is made on the phone, you have every right
you so much for taking the time not only to in- to ask if you can think about it and get back to
terview me but also to explain all the intricacies
them in 24 hours. If you are satisfied with the
of your agency. You made me feel as though I
would fit right in. offer as it is, you can accept it.
I look forward to hearing from you about your Depending on the job, you may be required
choice of candidates for the position and am to sign an employment contract. Read the agree-
truly hoping that it’s me. ment thoroughly and make sure that you are com-
Thanks again. fortable signing it. If there is anything you don’t
Sincerely, understand, ask. Don’t just sign without reading.
Gina Hastings You want to know what you are agreeing to.
9
Marketing Yourself for Success
B
What Marketing Can Do for You haven’t made it, so what is the key to success?
As we’ve discussed, in addition to talent, prob-
How badly do you want success? Do you know
ably a lot of it has to do with luck and being in
that there’s a way to increase your chances to
get what you want? Do you want to know the the right place at the right time. The other factor
inside track on becoming successful and getting that seems to set one artist apart from another is
what you want? It’s simple; all you have to do is the way they were marketed.
market yourself. Whether you are seeking a career on the
Every successful product, event, and person business end of the industry or in the talent
utilizes marketing strategies in some manner. area, marketing can help you become one of the
This includes everything from new toys, hot hottest commodities around.
trends, blockbuster movies, top TV shows, hot What is marketing? On the most basic level,
CDs, music videos, and mega-superstars. You marketing is finding markets and avenues to
can do the same thing for yourself! sell products or services. In this case, you are
If you need proof of this, look at any of the the product. The buyers are employers if you
major popular music stars on the charts now. are looking for a traditional job or fans, man-
Sure they can sing, but a great deal of their ce- agers, booking agents, and so on if you are a
lebrity status comes from marketing. You don’t performer.
even have to look at contemporary stars. Look To be successful, you not only want to be
at Elvis Presley. His popularity began in the the product; you want to be the brand. Look
1950s and spanned through 1977, when he died. at Nabisco, Kelloggs, McDonalds, and Disney.
Today, his estate is worth more than on the day Look at Donald Trump, a master marketer who
he died. Why? The people in charge of his estate understands this concept. He branded himself.
are masters of marketing. He continues to illustrate to people how he can
Thousands of people want to be musicians, fill their needs. Then he finds new needs he can
singers, and songwriters. Some make it, and fill. If you’re savvy, you can do the same.
some don’t. Is it all talent? A lot of it has to do If you know or can determine what you can
with talent, but that is not everything. Thousands do for an employer or what can help them, you
of talented musicians, singers, and songwriters can market yourself to illustrate how you can
175
176 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
fill those needs. If you can sell and market your- The Five Ps of Marketing and
self effectively, you can succeed in your career;
you can push yourself to the next level and you
How They Relate to Your Career
can get what you want. There are five Ps to marketing, whether you’re
Is there a secret to this? No, there really isn’t marketing a hot new restaurant, your career,
a secret, but it does take some work. In the end, your music, your act, or anything else. They
however, the payoff will be worth it. are
Do you want to be the one who gets the product
job? Marketing can help. Want to make your- price
self visible so potential employers will see you positioning
as desirable? Marketing can help. Do you want promotion
to set yourself apart from other job candidates? packaging
Guess what? Marketing can help. It can also
Let’s look at how these Ps relate to your
distinguish you from other employees. If you
career.
have marketed yourself effectively, when pro-
motions, raises, or in-house openings are on the Product: In this case, as I just mentioned,
horizon, your name will come up. Marketing the product is you. “Me,” you say. “How
can give you credibility and open the door to am I a product?” You are a package
new opportunities. complete with your physical self, skills,
If you’re pursuing a career on the talent end ideas, and talents. If you’re on the talent
of the industry, marketing is just as important. end of the industry, your product might
Do you want to stand out from every other sing- also include your act, your songs, your
er, musician, and songwriter? You know what music, and your creativity.
you have to do. Market yourself. Do you want Price: Price is the compensation you
to become more visible? Get the attention of receive for your work. As you are aware,
the media? Do you want to get the attention of there can be a huge range of possible
agents, managers, labels, promoters, and other earnings for any one job. On the talent
important people? Do you want to open up the end of the industry, there can be an
door to new opportunities? Do you want to be- even greater range. One singer might
come a star? Market yourself! be paid $100 to perform for an evening.
“Okay,” you’re saying. “I get it. I need to Another may command thousands.
market myself. But how?” Your goal in marketing yourself is to
That’s what we’re going to talk about now. sell your talents, skills, and anything
To begin with, understand that in order to else you have to offer for the best
market yourself or your act effectively, you are possible compensation.
going to have to do what every good marketer Positioning: What positioning means in
does. You’re going to have to develop your this context is developing and creating
product, perform market research, and assess innovative methods to fill the needs
the product and the marketplace. Now let’s get of one or more employers, record
busy. companies, fans, or other potential
Marketing Yourself for Success 177
clients. It also means differentiating products more often than the bargain brand?
yourself and/or your talent from other Not convinced? How many times have you been
competitors. Depending on your career in a bakery or at a party and chosen the beauti-
area, this might mean differentiating fully decorated deserts over the simple un-iced
yourself from other employees, singers, cake? Packaging can make a difference—a big
songwriters, musicians, bands, and so on. difference—in your career. If you package your-
Promotion: Promotion is the promotion self or your act effectively, people will want it.
and implementation of methods that Want to know a secret? Many job candidates
make you or your act visible in a positive in every industry are passed over before they
manner. get very far in the process because they simply
Packaging: Packaging is the way you don’t understand how to package themselves.
present yourself or your act. What does this mean to you? It means that if
you get the concept, you’re ahead of the game.
Putting Together Your Package In a competitive industry such as music, this can
Now that we know how the five Ps of market- give you the edge. Knowing that a marketing
ing are related to your career, let’s discuss a little campaign utilizes packaging to help sell prod-
more about putting together your package. ucts means that you want to package yourself as
The more you know about your product well as you can. You want potential employers,
(you), the easier it is to market and sell it. It’s record labels, managers, agents, and others to see
also essential to know as much as possible about you in the most positive manner possible. You
the markets to which you are trying to sell. What want to illustrate that you have what it takes to
do you have to offer that a potential buyer (em- fill their needs. So what does your personal pack-
ployer) needs? If you can illustrate to a market age include?
(employer) that you are the package that can fill People base their first impression of you large-
their needs, you stand a good chance to turn the ly on your appearance. Whether you are going for
market into a buyer. an interview for a hot job in the music industry
Assess what you have to offer as well as or currently working and trying to move up the
what you think an employer needs. We’ve al- career ladder, appearance is always important.
ready discussed self-assessment in Chapter 4. It might seem elementary, but let’s go over
Now review your skills and your talents to help the elements of your appearance. Personal
you determine how they can be used to fill the grooming is essential. What does that mean?
r
needs of your target markets.
While all the Ps of marketing are impor-
tant, packaging is one of the easiest to change.
It’s something you have control over. Words from a Pro
How important is packaging? Very! Good Even if you are interviewing for an en-
packaging can make a product more appealing try-level job, dress professionally. You want
and more enticing and make you want it. Not your interviewer to see that you are looking for
convinced? Think about the last time you went a career, not just a job.
to the store. Did you reach for the name-brand
r
178 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
attire, dress in business attire.
and some of these points don’t apply.
Now let’s discuss your attire. This advice is
more appropriate for the business end of the in-
dustry. Attire on the performance or talent end Tip from the Top
will probably be different, especially if you’re on Here’s a tip for career advancement.
Check out what the higher-ups are wearing
stage.
and emulate them. If you dress like you’re al-
It’s important whether you’re interviewing, ready successful, not only you will feel more
in a networking situation, or already on the job successful, but you will set yourself apart in a
to dress appropriately. What’s appropriate? Good positive way in your superior’s eyes.
question.
Marketing Yourself for Success 179
Your communication skills, both verbal and Don’t use poor grammar or slang.
written, are yet another part of your package. Don’t use words like ain’t.
What you say and how you say it can mean the We’ve discussed your verbal communica-
difference between success and failure in getting tion skills; now let’s discuss the importance of
a job or succeeding at one you already have. your written communication skills. Here’s the
You want to sound articulate, polished, strong, deal: Whatever your career choice, you need at
and confident. least basic written communication skills. You
Do you ever wonder how others hear you? need to be able to compose simple letters, mem-
Consider using a tape recorder, recording your- os, and reports. If you are uncomfortable with
self speaking, and then playing it back. your writing skills, either pick up a book to help
Is this scary? It can be if you’ve never heard improve them or consider taking a basic writing
yourself. Here’s what to remember. No mat- class at a local school or college.
ter what you think you sound like, it probably Your body language can tell people a lot
isn’t that bad. You are probably your own worst about you. The way you carry yourself can
critic. show others how you feel about yourself. We’ve
When you play back your voice, listen to all seen people in passing who are hunched over
your speech pattern. You might, for example, or look uninterested or just look like they don’t
find that you are constantly saying “uh” or “uh- care. Would you want one of them working for
huh.” You might find that your voice sounds na- you? Generally, neither do most employers.
sal or high pitched or that you talk too quickly. If What does your body language illustrate?
you’re not happy with the way you sound, there Does it show that you are confident? That you
are exercises you can do to practice to change are happy to be where you are? Do you make
your pitch, modulation, and speech pattern. eye contact when you’re speaking to someone?
Because you can’t take words back into your Are you smiling? What about your demeanor?
mouth after you say them, here are some don’ts Common courtesy is mandatory in your life and
to follow when speaking. your career. Polite expressions such as “please,”
Don’t use off-color language.
“thank you,” “excuse me,” and “pardon me”
Don’t swear or curse.
will not go unnoticed.
Don’t tell jokes or stories that have
Your personality traits are another part of
your package. No one wants to be around a whin-
either sexual or racial undertones or
er, a sad sack, or people who complain constantly.
innuendoes.
You want to illustrate that you are calm, happy,
Don’t interrupt others when they are
well balanced, and have a positive attitude. You
r
speaking.
want to show that you can deal effectively with
others, are a team player, and can deal with prob-
lems and stress effectively. You might be surprised
Voice of Experience to know that in many cases employers will lean
If you’re not sure whether you should toward hiring someone with a bubbly, positive,
say something, don’t say it. and energetic personality over one with better
skills who seems negative and less well balanced.
180 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Last but not least in your package are your direction quicker. Career success can be yours,
skills and talents. These are the things that make but you need to work at it.
you special. What’s the difference between skills Visibility is important in every aspect of
and talents? business and the music industry is no exception.
Skills can be learned or acquired. Talents Whether you want to make it on the talent end
are things you are born with and can be embel- of the industry or the business side, visibility
lished. Your personal package includes both. can help you attain your goals. What can vis-
What you must do is package the product so ibility do for you?
the buyer wants it. In this case, the product is you To start with, it can help set you apart from
and the buyer is a potential employer, manager, others who might have similar skills and talents.
agent, or fan. Now you know what goes into your How can you make yourself visible?
package, and you’re going to work on putting to-
Tell people what you are doing.
gether your best possible package. What’s next?
Tell people what you are trying to do.
Share your dreams.
Marketing Yourself like a Pro Live your dreams.
and Making Yourself Visible Send out press releases.
How can you market yourself ? If you’re like Toot your own horn.
many people, you might be embarrassed to pro- Make it happen.
mote yourself, embarrassed to talk about your When you make yourself visible, you will gain
accomplishments, and embarrassed to bring visibility in the workplace, the community, the me-
them to the attention of others. This feeling dia, and more. This is essential to getting what you
probably comes from childhood when you were want and what you deserve in your career, wheth-
taught “it isn’t nice to brag.” er it’s the brand-new job you want in the music
It’s time to change your thinking. It’s time to business, a promotion pushing you up the career
toot your own horn! If you do this correctly, you ladder, or your shot at success as a performer.
won’t be bragging; you will simply be taking a We’ll discuss how you can tell people what
step to make yourself visible. Want to know the you’re doing without bragging later, but first,
r
payoff ? You can move your career in a positive let’s discuss when it’s appropriate to toot your
own horn. Here are some situations:
when you get a new job
Tip from the Coach when you get a promotion
Be positive about yourself and don’t when you sign a record deal
be self-deprecating, even in a joking manner. when you are awarded a gold or
Many people start doing this because they
platinum record
want the person with whom they are speak-
ing to say, “No you’re not.” The truth is, when when you go on tour
you’re self-deprecating you will start believing when you sign an agreement with a
it and so will the people with whom you are booking or management agency
speaking. when you have a special appearance
scheduled
r
Marketing Yourself for Success 181
Who
These are the reasons you would toot your own
Who are you writing about?
horn, but how do you do it? Well, you could shout
What
your news from a rooftop or walk around with a
What is happening or has happened?
sign, but that probably wouldn’t be very effective.
When
One of the best ways to get the most bang
When did it happen or is it happening?
for your buck is by utilizing the media.
Where
“I don’t have money for an ad,” you say.
Where is it happening or has it
Well, here’s the good news. You don’t have
to take out an ad. You can use publicity. News-
happened?
papers, magazines, and periodicals need stories
Why
to fill their pages. Similarly, television and radio
Why is it happening or why is it
need to fill airspace as well. If you do it right,
noteworthy or relevant?
your story can be among the ones filling that
r
space, and it will cost you next to nothing. While it would be nice for everyone to have
their own personal press agent, this usually isn’t
the case. You are going to have to be your own
publicist. To market yourself, you’ll have to find
Tip from the Top
opportunities to issue press releases, develop them,
A press release is not an ad. Ads cost
money. There is no charge to send press re- and send them out. You want your name to be vis-
leases to the media. Press releases are used ible in a positive manner as often as possible.
by the media to develop stories or are edited Let’s look at an example. Let’s say Jim Pen-
slightly or published as is. nington is a singer, songwriter, and musician. He
has recently heard that the local school systems
182 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
are planning to cut music programs out of the nities. So Jim decided to do something. He de-
school budget. cided to launch a campaign letting people know
“So what?” you say. “I’m not even in school about the negative repercussions of cutting these
now.” programs. In the process, he is becoming visible
Well, neither is Jim Pennington, but he re- for doing something good as well as getting his
membered how school music programs helped name and music out there.
him when he was younger. It bothered him that In order to help get the word out, Jim would
others wouldn’t have the same types of opportu- send out a press release like this:
r
should be directed toward. Sometimes it will
be a specific person. Sometimes it may just be
“News Editor.” Then get their contact informa-
The Inside Scoop tion. Put together a database consisting of the
Always be ready for the media. Keep name of the publication or station, contact name
stock paragraphs on your computer so you or names, address, phone, and fax numbers, e-
can turn out press releases quickly when mail, and any other pertinent information. You
needed. You might want to keep stock press might, for example, find out the publication’s
releases and bios on hand so you’re always deadline. The deadline is the day you need to
ready when the media calls. Make it easier to
get the information to the publication so that
issue press releases by setting up sheets of
labels. That way, when you’re ready to send your news can be considered for the next issue.
out a mailing, you need only stick labels on Send your press releases to all applicable
envelopes. publications and stations. The idea with press
releases is to send them consistently. Keep in
r
184 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
you can market yourself in the areas in which For example, based on information you pro-
you are interested. vide, the emcee might introduce you like this:
Find ways to get your name and your story “Good evening, folks. Our dinner speaker to-
out there. How? Developing and sending out night is Mary Lear. Mary will be speaking about
press releases is one way, but what else can you how you can make your life easier by organizing
do? things. Mary has to organize her life creatively,
You can become known for your exper- or she would never get anything done. While she
tise by talking about it. How? Most areas have is currently working full time as an administra-
civic or other not-for-profit groups that hold tive assistant at WFAB radio, she is also fitting
meetings. These groups often look for people us in between singing appearances at some of
to speak at their meetings. You can contact the the local nightclubs in town. Let’s give a warm
president of the board or the executive director welcome to Mary Lear.”
to find out who sets up the meeting speakers. In As you can see, Mary is getting exposure,
some areas, the chamber of commerce also puts which is an asset to her career at the radio sta-
together speaker lists. tion. More important, people at her presenta-
You might be asking yourself, “Unless I’m tion might just stop by one of the local clubs to
a rocket scientist, why would any group want hear her sing. One of these people just might be
to hear me speak about anything? What would connected to the music industry.
anyone want to know about me knowing how On a local level, you will do most of these
to pack a suitcase?” or “Why would anyone be types of presentations for no fee. The benefit
interested in my organizing ability?” of increased visibility, however, will usually be
Here’s the answer: They might not, unless well worth it. When you are scheduled to do
you tailor your presentations to their needs. a presentation, make sure you send out press
If you create a presentation from which oth- releases announcing your speech. If it was a
ers can learn something useful or interesting, noteworthy event, you might also send out a
they usually will. For example, if you’re speak- release after the event as well. Many organiza-
ing to a group of business people, you might tions will also call the media to promote the oc-
do a presentation about “The Stress Free Bag: casion. Sometimes the media will call you for
Packing Easily For Business Trips,” “Organize an interview before the event. Take advantage
Your Career, Organize Your Life,” “Helping of every opportunity.
Children In Need,” or “Making Money In Mu- It’s exciting once you start getting publicity.
sic.” Whatever your subject matter is when you Take advantage of this too. Keep clippings of all
speak in front of a group, whether it be 20 or the stories from the print media. Make copies. If
2000 people, you will gain visibility. When you you have appeared or have been interviewed on
are introduced, the host of the event will often television or radio, get clips. Keep these for your
mention information about your background portfolio. Every amount of positive exposure
to the audience. Make sure you always have a will help set you apart from others and help you
short paragraph or two with you to make it easy market yourself to career success.
for the emcee to present the information you “Oh, no,” you say. “I’m not getting up to
want to convey. speak in public.”
r
186 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Terry Lewis-Producer
The Inside Scoop WAAA-Radio
Everyone Is Talking Show
Don’t get caught up in the theory that if
PO Box 111
you help someone do something or learn how
Anytown, NY 22222
to do something, it will in some way take away
opportunities from you. Help others when you Dear Ms. Lewis:
can. As far back as I can remember, I have want-
ed to work in the music industry. I know that it
is a dream many have. I got lucky. Last sum-
mer I landed an internship at Millionaire Book-
What can your expertise do for you? It will ing Agency. When I graduated college, I was
get your name out there. It will give you cred- offered a job as an administrative assistant to
ibility, and it will give you visibility. Of course, one of the top agents at the company. I have re-
when you’re at meetings or speaking to the me- cently moved and been promoted to a position
as an assistant agent.
dia, it’s up to you to network. Tell people what
I would love to share some of my stories with
you do. Tell people what you want to do. Give
your listeners. I believe that the subject matter
out cards. fits well into your show’s format.
Join professional associations and volunteer I have included my background sheet for
to be on committees or to chair events that they your review. Please let me know if you require
sponsor. Similarly, join civic groups and not-for additional information.
profit organizations volunteering to work on I look forward to hearing from you.
one or two of their projects. Sincerely,
“I don’t have time,” you say. Gina Hastings
Make time. Volunteering, especially when
you chair a committee or work on a project, is Wait a week or so after sending the letter. If
one of the best ways to get your name out there, you don’t hear back, call the producer and ask
obtain visibility, and network. if he or she is interested. If there is no interest,
Here’s an idea that most people are afraid of say thank you, and ask if your background sheet
trying. Offer to be a guest on radio, cable, and can be kept on file.
television station news, variety, and information Remember that people talk to each other
shows. so that every person you speak in front of who
“Who would want me?” you ask. reads an article about you, who hears you on
You can never tell. If you don’t ask, no one radio, or sees you on television has the poten-
will even know you exist in many instances. tial of speaking to other people who might then
Check out the programming to see where speak to others.
you might fit. Then send your bio with a letter to As we’ve discussed, networking is one of the
the producer, indicating that you’re available to best ways to get a job, get a promotion, and ad-
speak in a specific subject area. Pitch an idea. A vance your career. If you’re on the talent end of
producer just might take you up on it. the industry, the same concept applies. Even if
Here’s a sample pitch letter to get you started. your expertise is something totally not involved
188 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
in the music industry, you can use your exper- nected to the community and its businesses in
tise to boost your career. some manner. You will be building goodwill.
Now, if your expertise happens to be some- You will be opening up new markets for your
thing related to the music business, that’s even act and have opportunities to network.
better. What might that be? You might be an Here’s another idea that can get you no-
expert in getting publicity. You might have ex- ticed: A feature story in a newspaper or maga-
pertise in getting gigs. You might even be an ex- zines. How do you get one of these? Well, every-
pert in getting into the music industry. Whatever one wants a story about them or their product
your expertise, exploit it and it will help your or service, so you have to develop an angle to
career move forward. catch their attention. Then contact a few editors
and see if you can get one of them to bite. Be-
More Marketing Techniques to fore you call anyone, however, think out your
strategy. What is your angle? Why are you the
Get You Noticed
person someone should talk to or do a story on?
Many charities and not-for-profit groups spon- Why would the story be interesting or unique or
sor charity auctions. If you’re a performer and entertaining to the reader.
looking for a way to get noticed, here’s an idea: How do you develop an angle? Come up
Donate your services. with something unique that you do or are plan-
“What’s in it for me?” you ask. ning to do. What is the unique part of your
Aside from doing some good for a worth- package? Were you the runner up in a talent
while organization, you probably can get a ton competition? Everyone wants to talk to the win-
of exposure. There are a couple ways to do it. ner. How about giving the story from the one
You can offer to perform gratis at the event or who didn’t win?
you can donate your services for the auction. Send a letter with your idea, a background
What’s that mean? Depending on what your sheet or bio, and press kit if you have one. Wait
talent is, you could, for example, donate a one- a week and then call the editor you sent your
or two-hour concert to the winning bidder. If information to. Ask if he or she received your
your act is a band, you might donate the enter- information. (There is always a chance it is lost,
tainment for the winning bidder’s event. Most if only on the reporter’s desk.) If the answer is
r
people bidding at these type of auctions are con- no, offer to send it again and start the process
one more time. Sometimes you get lucky. Your
angle might be just what an editor was looking
Tip from the Top for or they might need to fill in a space with a
Many people lose out because they story.
just don’t follow up. They either feel like a nui-
sance or feel that they are being a pain. No Opening the Door to New
matter how awkward and uncomfortable you
feel, follow up on things you are working on. Opportunities
Be polite, but call to see what’s happening. If you keep on doing the same old thing, things
might change on their own, but they probably
r
Marketing Yourself for Success 189
r
erything you learn might not be fascinating, but
it might be helpful; maybe not today or tomor-
row, but in the future. Sometimes you might
Tip from the Coach learn something work related, sometimes not. It
While success does sometimes just fly doesn’t matter. Use what you can. File the rest
in the window, it always helps to at least open away until needed.
the window first. How do you learn all this stuff ? Observe
what people say or do in passing. Sometimes
190
r
Succeeding in the Workplace 191
r
way to get along with others. You might learn
how to coordinate events or run organizations.
You might learn almost anything. And as a bo-
nus, if you volunteer effectively, you might ob-
The Inside Scoop
tain some important visibility.
Don’t assume that a friend, colleague,
Don’t discount books as a learning tool. Are
superior, or subordinate won’t show you how
you an administrative assistant at a record label, to do something, tell you something you might
but yearn to work as a recording engineer? Look find useful, or teach you something. Ask. Most
for a book. Read more about it. See if it’s a ca- people will oblige.
reer area you want to pursue. Interested in learn-
r
192 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
The reason people gossip is because it makes You can start gossiping about the person
them feel like part of a group. It can make you or people gossiping about you.
feel like you’re smarter or know something oth-
What’s your best choice? Well, it’s definitely
er people don’t. Most of the time, however, you
not gossiping about the person gossiping about
don’t even know if what you’re gossiping about
you. Ignoring the gossip might be your best
is true, yet once a gossip session gets started, it’s
choice, except that suppressing your feelings
difficult to stop.
of betrayal and anger can be stressful. So how
Most people are good at heart. After gos-
about confronting the person or people gossip-
siping about someone else, they often feel bad.
ing about you? If you’re certain about who has
It might just be a twinge of conscience, but it’s been spreading the gossip and you can do this
there. Is it worth it? No. Worse than that, it’s calmly and professionally, it often resolves the
safe to assume that if you are gossiping about situation.
others, they are gossiping about you. Whatever you do, don’t have a public con-
How do you rise above this? Keep your dis- frontation and don’t confront a group. Instead,
tance. People generally respect that you don’t wait until the person is alone. Calmly approach
want to be involved. Don’t start any gossip, and him or her and say something like this:
if someone starts gossiping around you, just “Bill, I didn’t want to bring this up in front
don’t get involved. of anyone else, because I didn’t want to embar-
How do you handle the conversation? rass you, but I’ve heard that you’ve been talk-
Suppose someone says to you, “Did you
ing to others in the office about my performance
hear that the boss got so drunk, and he fell over
and discussing my personal life. I’ve always had
at the party?”
respect for you, so I really questioned the people
You respond, “No. Have you tasted that
who told me it was happening. I’d just like to
great new flavored coffee at the coffee shop?”
know if it’s true.”
They might want to keep the conversation
At this point, Bill probably will be embar-
going and say, “Yeah, it’s great. You should have
rassed and claim that he doesn’t know what
seen the boss. I don’t know how he can show his
you’re talking about. He might ask you who
face around here.”
mentioned it. Don’t give out any names. It’s bet-
All you have to do is either change the sub-
ter to let him start questioning the trust of all the
ject again or say, “I made a decision a long time
people he’s been talking to. While he might tell
ago not to get involved in office gossip. It can
a couple of people you confronted him on the
only get me in trouble.”
gossip subject, Bill will probably find someone
Every now and then, you hear through the
else to gossip about in the future.
grapevine that people are gossiping about you.
In the music industry, office gossip may of-
It’s not a good feeling, but you might have to
ten lead to bigger problems. Depending on your
deal with it. What do you do? You have a few
work environment, you might be privy to pri-
options.
vate stories about singers, musicians, bands, or
You can ignore it. other prominent people. They might call the of-
You can confront the person or people fice with problems on the road; you might hear
gossiping about you. about bands breaking up or personal problems
194 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
between their members; or you might be privy supervisor, or client of the company. Should
to contract negotiations. you? Shouldn’t you?
Here’s the deal. Office gossip is bad enough, This is a delicate situation. Many people
but gossip regarding those in the music industry think that workplace romances are bad news
or any other part of the entertainment industry all around. They can be. However, when you’re
often gets to the media and can get totally blown working eight or more hours a day, your cowork-
out of proportion. Gossiping about what happens ers are the people you spend the most time with.
in the office, what you hear, or what you know These are the people you see every day, and you
(even if it is true) can ruin your career, especially often have things in common with them. These
if it leads to embarrassment for powerful people. are people who want to work in the music in-
It’s essential to your success in the indus- dustry just like you do, enjoy working in the mu-
try not to spread rumors in the office or out. sic industry just like you do, and probably are
Don’t talk about the inside information you have looking forward to a long career in the music
whether it’s good or bad. Don’t be surprised if industry just like you are. So, it’s not uncom-
friends and family pump you for information on mon for office romances to develop.
a musical artist, megastar, or other popular per- Are there problems? Yes. Can you work
former whom they know you work with. Learn around them? Well, sometimes you can and
to simply say, “Sorry, that’s confidential.” sometimes you can’t. It all depends on the spe-
cific situation.
Workplace Romance As long as you’re dating, things might be
One of the most common office politics situa- great, but what happens if you break up? The
r
tions you might encounter is dating a coworker, answer is that the situation often becomes quite
uncomfortable. People take sides. You or your
ex might not be able to work together effectively.
Words from the Wise It may get very stressful even for your other co-
Working in the music industry, you might workers, so stressful that you or your supervisor
be approached by a news or tabloid reporter might decide it would be better if you left the
who offers money or gifts for a story or informa- company. Is it worth it? Only you can answer
tion about a specific artist or group associated the question.
with your company. Remember one thing: Your Another thing to consider is that others in
loyalty is to the company paying you. Aside from
it being ethically wrong to divulge confidential
your workplace may be uncomfortable when
or personal information to the public, you stand a coworkers date. They may feel that the dating
good chance of ruining your career by doing couple has little secrets or that they keep others
so. No matter how much you are assured your out of the loop. If the two of you are constant-
words will be quoted from an anonymous source, ly whispering to each other, holding hands, or
your conversation will remain confidential, or any
hugging and kissing each other, it might annoy
other such promises, say no. Don’t even con-
sider giving up any information. If you sell out, your coworkers.
someone will eventually find out about it, and no Is there a way around it? Sometimes. A lot
one in the industry will ever trust you again. of this has to do with your personality and the
personality of the coworker you’re dating.
r
Succeeding in the Workplace 195
r
In normal situations, dating your clients is often Any problems that arise between the client
and your company or with the client in general
will probably be blamed on your relationship. Is
Words from the Wise it fair? No, but unfortunately not everything is
Do not get into a relationship with a fair. Your relationship with a client puts you in a
boss or supervisor thinking that it will improve position where you might become a convenient
your career. In many cases, it does just the scapegoat when business goes badly.
opposite. Want to hear another thing that’s not fair? If
you’re a female and you start dating one of the
r
196 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
was making more money than you? Probably
pretty upset. Whether it’s what you’re making,
your coworker is making, or someone else is
making, money is often a problem in the work- Words from a Pro
place. Why? Because everyone wants to earn Do you like to be around negative peo-
more. No matter how much money people are ple? Probably not. Well, neither does anyone
else. We all have bad days when we com-
paid for a job, they don’t think they’re getting
plain and whine that nothing is going right.
enough. If they hear someone is getting paid The problem comes when it occurs con-
better than they are, it understandably upsets stantly. If you want to succeed in your career,
them. try to limit the negativity, at least around your
Here’s the deal. If you know you’re making colleagues. Although they say misery loves
more than someone else, keep it to yourself. If company, in reality people won’t want to be
around you after a while. Eventually, they’ll
you’re making less than someone else, keep it to
start to avoid you.
yourself. No matter what your earnings are, keep On the other hand, most people like to be
it to yourself. Don’t discuss your earnings with around positive people who make them smile
coworkers. The only people in the workplace you and laugh. If you can do this, you’ll have an
should discuss your earnings with are the human edge over others.
resources department and your supervisors.
Succeeding in the Workplace 197
Dealing with Colleagues pressed everyone was with the event. You han-
dled the coordination like a seasoned pro. No
Whatever area of the music industry you choose one would ever have guessed that this was the
to work in, you’re going to be dealing with oth- first one you ever put together.
ers. Whether they are superiors, subordinates, Everything was perfect. But the real coup
or colleagues, the way you deal with people you was getting the story on every major television
work with will affect your opportunities, your station. You did a great job. I’m glad we’re on
the same team.
chances of success, and your future.
Tony
Many people treat colleagues and superi-
ors well yet treat subordinates with less respect.
Everyone likes a cheerleader. At home,
One of the interesting things about the music
you have family. In your personal life, you have
business is that career progression doesn’t al-
friends. If you can be a cheerleader to others in
ways follow a normal pattern. That means that
the workplace, it often helps to excel yourself.
with the right set of circumstances someone
Never be phony and always be sincere. Look
might jump a number of rungs up the career
for little things that people do or say as well.
ladder quicker than expected. The result could
“That’s a great tie, John.” “Nice suit, Amy. You
be someone who is a subordinate might techni-
always look so put together.” Notice that you’re
cally become either a colleague or even a supe-
complimenting others; you’re not supposed to be
rior. It’s essential to treat everyone with whom
self-deprecating. You don’t want to make your-
you come into contact with dignity and respect.
self look bad; you want others to look good. For
Aside from showing common courtesy, you can
example, you wouldn’t say, “Nice suite, Amy.
never tell when the person making you coffee
You always look so put together. I couldn’t co-
today will be at a desk making a decision about
ordinate a suite and blouse if I tried.” Or “Great
your future.
job on the press conference. I never could have
Want to know a secret about dealing effec-
coordinated an event like that.”
tively with people? If you can sincerely make
The idea is to build people up so they feel
every person you come in contact with feel spe-
good about themselves. When you can do that,
cial, you will have it made. How do you do this?
people like to be around you, they gain self-
There are a number of ways.
confidence and pass it on to others. One of
When someone does or says something
them might be you. Best of all, you will start
intelligent or comes up with a good idea, you
to look like a leader—a very important image
might tell him or her. For example, “That was
when you’re attempting to move up the career
a great idea you had at the meeting, Keo. You
r
ladder.
always come up with interesting ways to solve
problems.”
Sometimes you might want to send a short
note instead. For example: Tip from the Coach
In an attempt to build themselves up,
Maria, many try to tear others down. Unfortunately, it
While I’m sure you’re ecstatic that the press usually has the opposite effect.
conference is over, I hope you know how im-
198 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
mal or even on sticky notes.
people want you to do something you know or
feel is wrong. In return for doing it, you may be
promised financial gain or career advancement.
Words from the Wise Would you do it? “Well,” you might say.
Do not put anything in e-mail that you “That depends on what I’d have to do and what
wouldn’t mind someone else reading. No matter I’d get.” Here’s the deal. No matter what anyone
what anyone tells you, e-mail is not confidential.
wants you to do, if you know it’s wrong, even if
Furthermore, be aware that in many situations
your e-mails, private or business, may be classi- you only think it might be wrong, it probably is
fied as company property. This means manage- a bad idea.
ment may have the right to access your e-mail. “But they told me no one would know,”
you say. Most people are not very good at
r
200 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
right. Good thing we’re a team.” People will re- Time, Time Management, and
spect you, you’ll look more professional, and
you’ll have a lot less turmoil in your life.
Organization
Okay, you’re taking credit for your mistakes, Here’s something to think about. Every person
but what happens if one of your subordinates in this world, no matter who they are, has the
makes a mistake and you’re blamed or you’re same 24 hours a day. It doesn’t matter who you
the one who looks like you’re unprepared? Let’s are or what your job is. You don’t get more time
say you are at the management office of one of during the day if you’re young, older, or in be-
the label’s new artists. You are showing them tween. You don’t get more time if you’re a mil-
the new press kit the publicity department de- lionaire or you’re making minimum wage. With
veloped. As you look inside, you realize that that in mind, it’s important to manage your time
the artist’s new bio is missing. What do you do? wisely.
Blame your assistant? Blame your secretary? To start with, let’s deal with your workday.
The management team probably doesn’t Try to get in to work a little earlier than you’re
care or want to know if you have an incom- expected. It’s easier to get the day started when
petent staff. It’s not their problem. The best you’re not rushing. On occasion, you might also
thing to do in these types of situations is also want to stay late. Why? Because when superiors
to acknowledge the problem, apologize, and see see you bolting at five o’clock (or whenever your
what you can do to fix it. “I’m sorry. I should day ends), it looks as though you’re not really
interested in your job.
r
have checked to make sure all the components
of the press kit were here in the package before
I left. I must have inadvertently left out the bio.
My mistake. Would you mind if I call my office
The Inside Scoop
while you’re reviewing the rest of the package
Many execs in the music industry either
and have them fax over a copy? I’ll get you a
get in early or stay late to compensate for the
hard copy by the end of the day.” The result? East Coast/West Coast time difference of the
What could have been a major faux pas is now music industry. The time period before every-
just a minor inconvenience that no one will one else gets in or after everyone has left the
probably even remember. office is usually less formal and less stressed.
If you make it a habit to come in when the big
In work as in life, many people’s first thoughts
brass comes in and leave when they leave,
when there is a problem is to cover themselves. So you will become visible in a higher manner
when things go wrong, most people are busy re- to higher ups. More than that, however, you
acting or coming up with excuses. will often have the opportunity to ask a ques-
Here’s something to remember. The most tion, make a comment, or offer a suggestion. If
someone questions you about what you’re do-
successful people don’t come up with excuses.
ing at work so early, simply say something like,
Instead, when something goes wrong, their first “Preparing for the day ahead,” “Getting some
thoughts are how to fix the problem, mitigate project started before it gets busy,” or “Finish-
any damages, and get things back to normal. If ing up a few things so I can devote tomorrow
you can do this and remain cool in a crisis, it to new projects.”
will enhance your position at your company.
r
202 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Writing things down is essential for most Let’s say, for example, your ultimate career
people. Don’t depend on your memory or any- goal is to be an artist and repertoire director.
one else’s. Whatever your job in the industry, it While you interviewed for a job in the A&R de-
will be filled with lot of details, things that need partment, you were offered a position working
to get done, and just stuff in general. The more in the publicity department. Should you take it
successful you get, the busier you will be, and or should you wait until you are offered a job
the more things you’ll have to remember. in the department of your choice? Getting your
Want to be really organized? Keep a note- foot in the door at the record label is your im-
book where you jot things down. Date each mediate goal, so unless you have another job at
page so you have a reference point for later. another label lined up, taking one offered would
Then make notes. Like what? probably be a good idea. Once in, take action.
How?
The dates people called and the gist of Start by doing the job you have been hired
the conversation. to do. If you’re working in the publicity depart-
The dates you call people and the reason ment, be the best you can be in that department.
you called. Don’t complain that you really don’t want to be
Notes on meetings you attend. Then there. Learn as much as you can. You can never
when someone says something like, have too much knowledge. Keep your eye out
“Gee, I don’t remember whether we said for projects that need to be done and then offer
May 9,” you have it. to handle them. Will you be doing more work?
Names of people you meet. Probably, but this makes good career sense. Of-
Things that happened during the day. fering to do extra projects gives you career vis-
After you get used to keeping the notebook, ibility, helps you learn new skills, and gives you
the opportunity to meet new people. Addition-
it will become a valuable resource. You might,
ally, once you complete the project successfully,
for example, remember someone calling you six
it’s a great leverage to use down the line when
months ago. “What was his name?” you ask
seeking a promotion or raise.
yourself. “I wish I knew his name.” Voila. Just
What else can you do? Get to know people
look in your notebook.
in other departments. Volunteer to run a com-
pany event. Is the company having a picnic or
Find Ways to Garner Positive holiday party? Offer to be on the committee.
Attention in the Workplace Does your company have an employee news-
r
Find ways to garner positive attention in the letter? Become involved. That way, you get to
workplace so when the job you’re interested in
becomes available, you are the one your superi-
ors think about. Don’t turn down opportunities Tip from the Top
just because they’re not exactly what you had The best projects to volunteer for are
in mind. Instead, use opportunities that pres- those no one else wants to do. Those give you
ent themselves as a way to get your foot in the the most visibility in the workplace.
door.
204 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
know lots of people from lots of departments opening arises, he or she might think about you
and they get to know you. If your company and ask if you would be interested.
doesn’t have an employee newsletter, offer to
help develop one. A Few Other Things
Why should you do all this extra work? Be- It’s important to realize that while of course you
cause it will help get you where you want to be. want to succeed in the workplace, everything
Get to know the inner workings of your compa- you do may not be successful. Every idea you
ny. Make contacts in the A&R department, the have may not work. Every project you do may
marketing department, the president’s office. not turn out perfectly. Things take time. None
You want execs at your company to know who of these situations mean that you are a failure.
you are, so that when an opening occurs, you What they mean simply is that you need to work
stand a better chance of them considering you. on them a little bit more.
Of course, when volunteering to do things, Be aware that success is often built on the
don’t ever let your own work slide. It’s impera- back of little failures. Take a look, for example, at
tive to look like you can do it all, do it with ease, some of the top recording acts, singers, or song-
do it well, and do it with a smile. writers. No matter what you read, most were not
How will anyone know what you want? overnight successes. Most had a string of rejec-
You don’t want to walk up to everyone and say, tions and failures before they got where they were
“I’d like to volunteer to take this project because going. Eventually, after keeping at it, they got a
I read in a book it can get me out of this job contract, made a great CD, and had a hit tune.
and into the one I really want.” You must create Those on the business end of the industry
relationships where you can talk to people on often follow the same pattern. Managers and
various levels at your company. booking agents may handle a number of acts
For example, it might be a bad idea to just before one makes it big. Sometimes these same
go knocking on the president’s office door to people believed so strongly in an act that they
shoot the breeze, but you might feel comfortable worked with them for a long time period and
calling to make an appointment to do a short then, one day, success!
interview for an employee newsletter. You prob- Countless record execs have turned down
ably wouldn’t knock on the door of the A&R the next Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Madon-
director at the label to say, “Hi, I really wanted na, Beyonce, or Usher only to have a different
to work in this department,” but you might have exec pick them up and hit gold.
a conversation with him or her regarding an em- Most successful people have a number of
ployee event you’re working on. That gives you key traits in common. They have a willingness
a chance to say something like, “It’s so nice to to take risks, a determination that cannot be un-
finally talk to you. I had originally interviewed done, and usually an amazing amount of confi-
for a job in this department because I thought dence in themselves and their ideas.
my talents would be put to good use here, but I Can they fail? Sure. But they might also suc-
was really happy to work in the publicity depart- ceed and they usually do. What does this have
ment as well.” Those two sentences can plant to do with you? If you learn from the success of
the seed in the A&R director’s mind. When an others, you can be successful too. If you emulate
Succeeding in the Workplace 205
successful people, you, too, can be on the road a new position, take a promotion, or accept a
to success. new job or new responsibilities. If you want to
Don’t be so afraid of getting things right that succeed in the workplace, your career, and your
you don’t take a chance at doing them a better life, be confident and be willing to take risks. Be
way or a different way. Don’t get so comfortable determined that you know what you want and
in your current job that you’re afraid to move to how to get it, and you will.
11
Succeeding on the Talent End
of the Industry
B
How many times have you been at a concert and you wouldn’t be reading this book. Is it some-
wished you were the one on stage? How many thing you want to do as a vocation instead of
times have you turned on the radio and wished an avocation? If so, there’s an important fact
it was your CD everyone was listening to and you need to remember. The music business is
requesting? How many times have you heard a just that: a business. It’s crucial to your success
song and wished it was the one you wrote? in any music career that you understand this.
While wishing certainly can’t hurt, you need The music business is a business and needs to
to take some positive actions to help you succeed be treated as such.
on the talent end of the music industry. It’s no Yes, it can be fun; it can be exciting; and it
secret that the industry is competitive, but why can be glamorous, but in the end, it is business.
shouldn’t you be the one on top? No matter how In order to succeed, you need to act in a profes-
talented you are, remember that talent is only sional manner. How can you be professional?
one aspect of success in the music industry. Fully Simply put, remember that you’re not an ama-
understanding the business is just as important. teur. Present yourself professionally. If you say
This section will explain some things that you’re going to be someplace, be there. If you say
might help aspiring musicians or performers move you’re going to call somebody, call them. Most
ahead on the talent end of the industry. Those important, be on time for everything. There is
interested in a career in the business area should nothing worse for your career than being known
read this section to better understand some of as the act that is always late.
the issues facing the talent. Knowledge is power, Professionalism doesn’t only mean the way
and having this information can help make you a you act. It also encompasses how you present
more powerful force in the music industry. yourself and your act. Are you ready to step on
stage now? Are you ready to make it? Is your
Breaking Into the Music stage show together? Is it perfect? What about
Business your material? Have you worked out all the
Do you live, breathe, and play music? Is it some- kinks? Do you have a professional sounding
thing you love to do? I’m assuming you do, or demo? What about a press kit with a bio and
206
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 207
be full, you’re going to have to be proactive. If to target. The people included on this list will
you’re just starting out, you probably are going depend on where you are in your career.
to be booking your own gigs. Are you ready to Let’s look at a few possibilities to get you
be your own booking agent? It means you have started.
to find ways to get engagements, negotiate fees, booking agents
and deal with contracts. As your career moves bar owners
ahead, you may begin dealing with agents. Ei- casino entertainment buyers
ther way, the goal is to get more engagements, chambers of commerce
better engagements, and higher fees. You want civic groups
to move out of your local market and find ways club owners and entertainment bookers
to reach more lucrative major markets. coffee houses
How do you do that? It’s going to depend college/university directors of activities
to a great extent on where you are in your ca- college and university student unions
reer, but generally marketing and promotion convention center directors
have a lot to do with it. Let’s briefly review the convention planners
relationship between marketing and booking corporate party planners
engagements. Marketing can open doors for corporations and other business human
you. Why? Because all successful companies resource directors
use marketing to sell products, and you need to cruise ship–line entertainment directors
look at yourself or your act as a product. Done destination-management companies
correctly, marketing can tell your story, differen- dinner-club entertainment directors or
tiate you from other acts, and convince potential owners
talent buyers why they should hire you instead exposition managers
of another act. The result of good marketing in fair and festival entertainment directors
this case will be the booking or the selling of or talent bookers
your live performances. governmental agencies
A major component of marketing is promo- high school and junior high school
tion. While it is useful at any level of your ca- administrative offices
reer, if you’re just starting out or you don’t have hotels and motels owners and
anyone else working on the task, self-promotion entertainment bookers
can help dramatically. How do you do this? Once not-for-profit organizations
again, there are many options. Whatever you radio station general managers, music
choose, you want to create as much buzz about directors, promotion directors
yourself (or your act) as possible. You want your record labels
act’s name to be as prominent as possible before resort entertainment directors,
the public. That way, when people have enter- entertainment bookers, or marketing
tainment needs, they might think of your act. directors
Unless you are signed to an agent on an ex- television station general managers,
clusive basis and have someone working on this human resource directors, marketing
for you, create a list of potential talent buyers directors
210 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
trade association executive directors ing to start by sending that. If you have a preview
trade show directors video and/or a CD, send that as well. You also
wedding planners want to send a list of your act’s engagements.
That way, people can check you out. Word of
You might look over this list and say things
mouth and personal recommendations are the
like, “We don’t want to play in a high school.
best advertising you can get.
We’re beyond that.” “We’re not going to go on
Don’t just stop at one mailing. Send mail-
a cruise ship. One of our members gets seasick.”
ings to potential buyers on a regular basis so
“Why would a newspaper want us to perform?”
your act’s name is constantly in front of them.
or “We’re not playing a wedding. We are not a
Send out an updated engagement list every
wedding band. We’re artists.”
month with a flyer. How about developing a
Don’t limit your opportunities before you
one-page newsletter showcasing your act? Fact
get an engagement. You can always turn down
sheets highlighting your news, accomplish-
a job you don’t want, but you can never tell
ments, and other items of interest are also good
how an opportunity may act as a springboard
ideas. If you have T-shirts, CDs, calendars, or
to something else. For example, just because
any other promotional items, you might want to
you’re sending information to a high school
send them with your information on occasion.
doesn’t necessarily mean that the high school
Don’t always send the same exact mailings,
will book you. The person receiving your in-
or people will start throwing out your mail be-
formation at the school may, however, be in
fore they open it. Try to be creative while main-
charge of a fundraiser where they need a spe-
taining some consistency. One act I know always
cific type of act, and you just might fit the
sends a list of interesting facts along with their
bill.
information. Another sends monthly engage-
Back to your list of potential talent buyers.
ments on a calendar that also contains better-
What do you send them? Remember that press
known as well as obscure special days of that
kit/promo package we talked about? You’re go-
r
month (for example, National Ice Cream Day,
National Eat a Bagel Day, National Smile Day,
and so on). It’s neat to look at, so most people
Tip from the Top always open it. As a matter of fact, people start
Keep a card file noting the date you to look forward to getting it.
called potential talent buyers, what their re- Keep sending your information and your
sponse was, and any other information you updates. The more people see your name, the
might pick up during the conversation. For better the possibility they will remember you
example, the first time you call, the potential when they need talent. Having your act’s name
buyer may say in passing, “I’m swamped here;
out there will give you an advantage over other
we’re in the middle of remodeling the club.”
The next time you call, you might ask, “Last acts who don’t actively promote themselves.
time I spoke to you, the club was being re- In addition to sending promotional material
modeled. How did it go?” Then go on to your through the mail, create an e-mail list. Why? Be-
sales pitch. cause e-mail is instant and less expensive than
mailing information on paper. You don’t want to
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 211
r
Why? Because you’re putting a voice to your ma- acts advertise their services. Where should you
terial. When you get on the phone, you can sell
yourself better than just some print information.
It might take a few calls, but that’s okay. Per-
The Inside Scoop
sistence often pays off. How do you do it? See if
If your plan is to personally visit club
you can generate interest. owners and other potential talent buyers,
“What do I say?” you ask. make sure you do so at times when they tend
Try something like this: to be less busy. During the week is better than
“Hi, this is Mark Charles. I’m represent- weekends. Midday is better than evening.
ing the MC Group. We’re a six-member, rock-
212 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
advertise? That depends to a great extent on cidentally, the owner of the billboard company
where you are in your career and where you’re was president of the local chamber of com-
trying to go. Many newer or local acts advertise merce. He also had a daughter who was getting
in the local newspaper or the local entertainment married who was looking for a band to play at
media. Established acts as well as lesser-known the wedding. He asked if the group had any ref-
acts often place ads in entertainment directories. erences. They did. He asked where they were
If you live in an area where there are a num- performing next and came to check them out.
ber of entertainment venues, consider renting a To make a long story short, they worked out a
billboard. I’ve seen a number of up-and-coming barter deal.
acts use billboards to successfully fill up their While the group generally performed most-
calendar. ly originally material, they had started out doing
“Aren’t billboards expensive?” you ask. cover music and agreed to play for the wedding.
They can be, depending on the location and They also agreed to do a number of fund-
the billboard company’s rates, but they can also raising concerts for the chamber of commerce.
be worth the investment. In exchange for performing for no fee, the group
A few months after mentioning this strategy not only got use of the billboard for a year, but
at a seminar, I received a call from one of the the owner agreed to paint it as well. Within a
attendees. He thanked me for the idea and told couple of months from the time the billboard
me how his act not only used it but built on it went up, the act was booked solid.
and wanted to share their method of making it Being in the right place at the right time also
affordable with other acts. helped. A recording group driving through late
The act located an empty billboard. They at night saw the billboard as they were coming
called up to check the price and found that they into town to play and thought it was a unique
just couldn’t afford it. While talking to the own- advertising gimmick. As luck would have it, the
er of the billboard company, the band member local act was playing in the club of the hotel
mentioned why they wanted it so badly. Coin- where the recording act was staying. They no-
r
ticed the name of the act on the hotel marquee
and stopped in to see them as they were finish-
ing up their set.
Words from the Wise Within the next two weeks, the recording
If you are considering using a billboard, act had called the local act and asked if they
remember that people are driving by quickly wanted to go on tour with them as an opening
and only have a very short time to read what’s act. Will that happen to every act? Probably not,
on the sign. Design your billboard with a good but if you get creative, you can never tell what
picture of your act, your contact phone num-
opportunities will present themselves.
ber, and perhaps the genre of music. For ex-
ample, “Ask For . . . Sparkling Diamonds. . . . Does booking yourself seem like a lot of
Your Favorite Country Act 111-222-3333” or work? Well, it is. At the beginning of your ca-
“Company Town . . . R&B You Love 222-333- reer, there might not be anything you can do
4444.” about it. Your goal, however, should be to have
agents book you. You’re still going to have to
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 213
promote yourself, but you can cut out a lot of Who pays the booking agent? Generally, the
the work. artist pays. Booking agents receive a percentage
Booking agents match acts with the venues of the fee the artist is paid for the engagement.
or promoters who need the talent. They generally Percentages vary, but it will generally be between
represent a number of acts. Very large agencies 10 percent and 20 percent of the total fee.
may represent hundreds of acts, some exclusive- Some agents ask their acts to sign an exclu-
ly, some on a nonexclusive basis. It’s important sivity agreement. This means that other agents
to understand that just because you have an agent must go through your agent in order to book
doesn’t necessarily mean you will get tons of en- you. In these cases, no matter who secures an en-
gagements. You need to create a good working gagement, even if it’s you, the agency gets their
relationship with your agent. Call them weekly. cut. If you don’t have an exclusivity agreement,
Tell them what you’re doing and ask how they’re you can work with any number of agents, and
doing securing you engagements. whoever gets you the gig gets the commission.
Always be cordial, polite, and professional How do you get agents? There are a num-
to agents. Try to develop a friendly business re- ber of ways. You can send a letter along with
lationship. This is important for a number of your press kit/promo package to various agen-
reasons. When a club calls looking for a certain cies and then follow up with phone calls. You
type of act, the agent has a choice. He or she can might make an appointment to meet an agent
probably recommend five or six acts similar to and discuss the possibilities. Many agents are
yours on the agency roster. If you’ve developed also on the lookout for talent. If you are mak-
a good relationship with the agent and he or ing noise in the industry, agents might even ap-
she knows you have a good act and that you’re proach you. If you’re on the cusp of signing a
professional, it increases your chances of being record deal, they will often call you when they
recommended for the gig. hear about the pending deal.
Agents face the same challenges you would In addition to not having to book your-
if you were booking yourself; they need to find self, there are a number of advantages to using
venues and promoters who are looking for tal- agents. Generally, if you’re going through an
ent. The difference is that booking is their busi- agency, clubs will be less likely to try to rip you
r
ness. They aren’t trying to work on their act at
the same time. They aren’t looking for a new
guitarist. Booking is their main concentration.
Agents also have contacts that you might not Tip from the Top
have. They deal with clubs, promoters, and tal- Don’t sign a long-term exclusive con-
ent bookers on a daily basis. Booking agents may tract with a booking agency unless they have
proven themselves to you. If you do and they
get regular calls from talent bookers, club own-
aren’t booking any engagements for your act
ers, or promoters in search of talent to fill their and you find it necessary to use other agents,
entertainment needs. They also spend their days you will still have to pay your exclusive agent
on the phone placing calls to clubs, promoters, commissions throughout the duration of the
and venues trying to secure engagements for art- agreement.
ists on their roster.
r
214 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
number of things you have to remember. You
side. A larger agency might send you on tour
with one of their more popular acts helping to
catapult your career. On the other hand, they
might be too large to give much attention to Tip from the Top
their lesser-known acts. A smaller agency may Having your fans’ e-mail addresses
means that you can e-mail them when your
not have as much clout, but they might put a lot
CD comes out and ask them to request it at
more time into your career. Look at the roster stores or on the radio. You can also e-mail
of each agency that might represent you. Talk them to remind them about upcoming shows
to some of their artists. See what they say before and events.
you make a decision.
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 215
r
self apart. You need exposure. It’s essential to
your quest for success in your career. You can
have the greatest CD in the world, but if no one
knows about it, it probably isn’t going anyplace.
Tip from the Top
Similarly, you can have the best stage show, but Unless you are signed exclusively with
unless people know about it, it’s useless. an agent, you don’t have to rely on just one.
How do you get exposure? There are a vari- The more agents you have working on your
ety of ways. Advertising, publicity, promotion, behalf, the more options for work you have.
and marketing help. You need to catch the eye
r
216 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
If you’re just starting out, your local area is If all this seems more work than you can
really important. This is where people know you handle, find a friend or family member to help
and you can develop a large fan base. As you out or consider using a professional. Neglecting
get more successful, you’re going to move into exposure and publicity and just hoping people
larger markets and build a larger fan base. Fans will hear about you will more often than not
are important. Treat them well. Without them, hamper your career. Do your best to get your
it’s difficult to sustain your success. name out and get as much positive publicity and
Don’t forget the Internet when looking for exposure as possible.
exposure. The World Wide Web enables you
to have fans not only in your local area but on Your Recording Career
the other side of the world—even if you’re just You’re writing songs. You’re performing live.
starting out. Agents are calling. Your calendar is filling up
I talked about having a Web site earlier in
with good dates. Things are going well, but you
the book. The Internet is an interesting place.
want to move to the next level. You want to be a
You can never tell who is looking. It might be a
recording artist. Let’s go over some of the basics
new fan, a potential manager, an A&R rep who
of getting signed by a label.
heard of you, a possible booking contact, or a
media person working on a story. If you want
people to know about you, you need a Web
Your Demo
site. Make it easy for people to find you. Don’t Do you need a demo? How professional does it
make them search through obscure words that have to be? Would should you put on it? Should
you know the meaning of but others might not. it be on a cassette, a tape, or a CD?
Your Web site should be where people can find Let’s start with your demo. You need one if
out everything about you. Update your site with you are trying to get a recording contract, trying
news about your act and keep it current so that to get engagements, or trying to sell your songs.
people will come back. A demo alone won’t get you a contract or an en-
Develop an e-mail list of people who visit gagement or sell a song, but it can illustrate what
your site. How? You might just have a section of you have to offer and your talents.
your site where people can leave their e-mail ad- How professional does your demo have
dress or you might have a guest book. Some art- to be? The simple answer is as professional as
ists also host giveaways on their Web site in order possible. Should you go into debt to make your
to entice people to leave their names and e-mail demo? No! Here’s the deal. Chances are no la-
addresses. Certain states have rules on sweep- bel is going to use your demo as is to make your
stakes and giveaways, so check ahead of time to CD, so your goal is to illustrate your talent the
make sure your contest or promotion is legal. best way you can. Make sure the sound quality
Your Web site can do more than give you is perfect.
exposure. It can make you money. Don’t forget Do you have to record it professionally?
e-commerce. Even if you aren’t signed with a Your demo should sound professional, but that
label, you can sell CDs and other merchandise doesn’t mean you need to have it professionally
via your site and reach the same people that a produced in a studio. If you can, it doesn’t hurt,
label does. but it’s not an absolute necessity. If you or a
r
218 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Besides, once the director says no, you have no What if you’re not having any luck that way,
place to go. With that in mind, try to get the either? Many label executives come in early or
name of the A&R coordinator, the department stay late to deal with people on the other side of
administrative assistant, and the assistant direc- the country. Take advantage of this by calling
tor. Once armed with a name, make a call. early before traditional office hours or later af-
“Hi, Ms. Johnson, this is Roger Dylan. I ter traditional office hours when the executive’s
don’t want to take a lot of your time. My act secretary probably won’t be in and see if you
has a demo that I think you’ll like. Our music can get through.
fits into the genre of (fill in the name with the top “What about voice mail?” you ask.
current act that sounds the most like your music) and Off hours, most executives answer their own
we’ve developed a really huge fan base locally. phone because they’re waiting for calls.
Would it be possible to send you a copy along “I’m not really good at selling on the phone,”
with a bio and our press kit?” you say. “Is there any other way to get permis-
How will it play out? Here are some scenarios: sion to send a demo?”
Ms. Johnson may say, “I’m sorry; we don’t If you don’t want to call or you want to try
accept unsolicited material.” In that case you’ll re- another approach, you can send a letter to the
ply, “Thanks for your time. Do you have any sug- A&R departments of the labels in which you
gestions regarding who might present it for us?” If are interested. If this is the approach you’re tak-
she says no, just thank her again and hang up. ing, make sure that you send the letter to spe-
Ms. Johnson may say, “All submissions have cific names, not just a title. For example, Mr.
to come through your attorney.” Keo Smith, A&R Director, not just A&R Di-
Ms. Johnson may say, “You’re right; we don’t rector. If you can get the name of the person
usually accept unsolicited material. Could you in the A&R department in the area closest to
tell me more about your act and your music?” Be your genre of music, even better. If your genre
prepared. You don’t want to lose an opportunity. is country and Shannon Tubin is the assistant
Ms. Johnson may say, “Tapes aren’t sent to director of A&R in charge of country music,
me; you’ll have to send it Don Adams.” you would direct your letter to her instead of
Ms. Johnson may say, “We don’t normally ac- to Keo Smith.
cept unsolicited material, but yours sounds inter- To make your letter look as professional as
esting. Why don’t you send it to my attention?” possible, use stationery with your act’s letter-
r
But what if you can’t reach Ms. Johnson or head. If you don’t have letterhead, you can cre-
any of the other A&R executives? Try a different
method. Call and speak to a secretary or admin-
istrative assistant and see if they will give you the
Tip from the Top
name and method of sending a demo. Method?
You sometimes have a better chance of
Yes, labels often have a specific method they response by sending a letter to an assistant,
want you to use to send demos so they know that coordinator, or representative of a department
they aren’t accepting unsolicited material. They instead of sending it to the president of a
might, for example, want you to put the person’s company or the director of a department.
name in a specific corner of the package.
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 221
ate some on your computer and then print it on terial and 20 percent cover songs, which we’ve
high-quality paper. arranged to perform in our own style.
The letter should tell who you are, explain Four months ago, we recorded a CD of
some of our original material, which we have
a little about your act, and ask for permission to
been selling at our shows and in stores in our
submit your demo and package. Here’s an ex- area. To date we have sold over 4500 copies.
ample to get you started. I think our music would be a great addition to
the roster at the Fortune label and would love to
Jeanne Phillips send you our demo and package for your review.
Fortune Records As I know you’re busy, I’ve enclosed a
244 Any Road stamped response card. I would appreciate it
Anytown, USA 12345 if you could just check the appropriate box with
your answer and drop it in the mail.
Dear Ms. Phillips: Thanks for your consideration.
AmTrax is a five-member, male, country-pop
group that has been together for three years. Sincerely,
We’ve been playing in clubs throughout the Pat James
mid-west region and successfully selling out
shows at 100+ seat clubs in both the Chicago You can either have response cards profes-
and Indianapolis areas.
sionally printed on a regular or oversized post-
What makes AmTrax unique is every mem-
ber of the group sings, plays at least three in- card or print them on your computer. Remem-
struments, and writes material. Our shows are ber if you are using an oversized postcard to add
currently composed of 80 percent original ma- appropriate postage.
(Reverse Side)
Thanks for responding to AmTrax!
____Yes I would like to hear AmTrax. Please send me your demo.
____ We are not accepting material at this time. Contact again in a few
months.
___________________ ____________________
Name Label Name
If you don’t get permission, should you Still, networking can be the most important
send your demo anyway? If a label definitely element in getting your demo reviewed and get-
says not to, your demo will either be “returned ting your foot in the door. When you meet people
to sender” or wind up sitting in a pile that prob- in the industry, get their card. When you call or
ably won’t get listened to, so you might want to write to someone and ask to send your demo, re-
rethink your plan. At almost every seminar I mind him or her of where you met. For example:
conduct, people tell me that no matter how bad
the odds are of having their unsolicited dem- Dear Ms. Stevens:
os listened to, they still want to send them. If It was great meeting you at our show at the
Lion’s Inn last week. I’m glad you enjoyed our
you’re truly determined to submit your tape or act and our music. As promised, enclosed are a
CD, even with the odds stacked against you and couple copies of our demo as well as our press
instructions from a label not send a demo, go kit. Thanks so much for offering to bring it to
ahead. After all, you never can tell. the attention of Bling Records. I’ll be calling you
Believe it or not, people have been discov- next week. Thanks again.
ered through their demos and songwriters have Best regards,
sent songs to A&R people who have then cho- (Your Name Here)
sen them. While others might tell you not to
even bother, here’s my perspective. Other than Solicited or unsolicited, what’s the best
the expense of sending your demo and your way to send your demo? Send it with a cover
press kit, what does it cost? Nothing. What can letter indicating who you are, the name of the
the payoff be? A possible meeting, a contract, a act, the type of music, and what’s on the demo.
dream come true. Include your press kits, which will have the act’s
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 223
department and someone will talk to you and they do, sit down and see which deal is the best
then they’ll listen to your demo. Indies make for you. It might be with a major. It might be
their money by signing up-and-coming artists with an indie.
with potential. They then take the artists and While there are a lot of pros with indies,
help develop their careers. What does that mean there are also some cons. What are they? De-
to you? It means that at this very moment, an in- pending on the size of the indie, they may have
die might be looking for someone just like you. fewer resources, they may have more difficulty
Consider how most independent labels getting airplay, and they might not have the bud-
work. Many successful indies have distribution get to produce expensive videos.
deals with major labels. What does that mean to “But I want to be big,” you say. “I want to
you? If you sign with an indie, you can bet that be with the best.”
the major label distributing their music is listen- That’s perfectly understandable. Be aware,
ing to it. And if you start making noise in the however, that there are a lot of acts out there
industry, that major label just might want you who choose indies over majors.
on their label.
“But what if I’m already signed to the indie?” Releasing Your Own CD
you ask. Can you release your own CD? Absolutely. It
Many of the distribution agreements indies might not turn into a mega hit, but if you’re play-
have with major labels have an option written ing a lot of gigs and have fans, people often like to
in that allows the major label to take an art- buy your music. Before you move ahead on the
ist they want from the indie label and bring project, remember that you’re going to have to deal
them over to their label. Basically, this means with some of the business that labels deal with. An
that if you sign to an indie, they are going to attorney may help you with some of this.
push you, promote you, and give you exposure. If your songs aren’t copyrighted yet, you’ll
Then if your CD starts making noise, you stand have to do that as well as making sure all liner
a good chance of a major wanting to pick up notes have the correct copyright notices. Songs
your contract. may need to be registered with BMI or ASCAP
In many cases, indies will also give you depending on your affiliations. If the songs
more attention as an up-and-coming artist than aren’t yours, you’re going to have to deal with
a major will. One of the challenges facing many mechanical licenses, which are agreements with
new acts is that the majors tend to put a lot of the song’s owner that grant you permission to
their effort into their established and megastar record and sell your version. If you are using
acts who are selling product already. outside producers or musicians, you might need
Keep in mind that every indie is not the same. agreements for these as well. Of course, it goes
Some are larger. Some have more resources. without saying that all agreements should be
Some will put more into you and your career. signed prior to going into the studio.
Does this mean you should forget the ma- You also need to find a good studio to record
jors? Not at all. your material as well as companies to duplicate
Here’s the deal. Shop your material around and package your CDs. Make sure you ask if
and see who wants to offer you a deal. Once the company will provide you with your own
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 225
r
When do you need a personal manager?
That depends on where you are in your career
and where you are going. A manager can be
Words from the Wise extremely effective, along with your attorney,
Even if your brother, sister, mother
when you’re dealing with record labels, music
or father, wife or husband, neighbor or best
friend offers to handle your legal needs for
publishers, and agents.
free, unless they specialize in the music or en- Can you continue to manage yourself ? You
tertainment industry, politely thank them and can, but it is often difficult to successfully man-
nicely turn down the offer. age your act and still handle all the things you
need to do on the talent end. If, however, you
r
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 227
r
ness affairs. He or she helps you make decisions with them now?
on how to save money, spend money, and invest
money. Specifically, your business manager may
be responsible for paying your bills, doing your Words from the Wise
payroll, collecting income, and auditing your Always keep track of your monies.
royalties. He or she will also handle tax plan- Know what is coming in and what is going
ning. This is especially important because as a out. Even if you use a business manager,
rule taxes are not taken out of your fees when make sure you are the one who has control
you play at clubs, venues, or for other engage- over your monies. Some entertainers over the
years have gone from being very wealthy to
ments. In some situations, especially if there is a
having nothing. In most of these cases, they
complicated tax situation, the business manager indicated that one of the main problems was
will recommend a specialist. they didn’t oversee their finances. If you want
When do you need a business manager? to be sure what is being spent, make sure you
Generally, you don’t have to worry about get- are the one signing all checks.
ting one until you are doing fairly well. You
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 229
The number-one piece of advice is to register executives, major and indie artists, advertising
them for copyright protection. This not only pro- agencies, and production companies.
tects you but the people to whom you are send- How do you make money as a songwriter?
ing your material. Once that’s done, you have a You might “work for hire,” which means some-
number of options depending on the direction one pays you to write a song. In this case, you
you want your career to go. don’t usually retain any rights to the song. It be-
You need to make a demo and pitch it longs to the person who paid you. Certain labels
in much the same manner as artists looking also have songwriters on staff. The main way
for a recording contract. Many artists write their you’re going to make money as a songwriter is
own material, but others don’t and need orig- through publishing agreements. Publishing is an
inal songs for their CDs. Even artists who important part of the music industry.
write their own material sometimes need the Let’s start with the concept that you wrote the
perfect tune, the one that will be a hit on the song and are the copyright holder and owner.
charts. Are you the songwriter who penned Basically, as the copyright holder and own-
it? Perhaps, but you need to get it to the right er of a song, you have certain rights. These
people. include, among others, the exclusive right to
Perhaps you can “hear” an established act perform your song in public, the right to record
singing your song. What do you do? If you have it, the right to write down the music and lyr-
access to the act, you might give them a demo ics and print them, and the right to use your
and lyric sheet. If you don’t have access to those music along with a visual image. No one else
people, consider contacting their management. has these rights to your song, unless they pay
You can find management names and contact you to gain them. When that occurs, you are
information for most artists in directories such in effect granting them a license. This is called
as the Billboard’s Annual Talent & Touring Interna- publishing, and this is how as a songwriter you
tional Guide. Write a letter introducing yourself make money.
and your music and ask for permission to send a There are four main areas of publishing
tape and lyric sheets. income:
What else can you do? You might want to
pitch your songs to publishers for their catalog. Primary sources
In turn, publishers pitch songs from their cata- performance
mechanical
r
logs to producers, A&R personnel, record label
Secondary sources
print
The Inside Scoop synchronization
Writer’s royalties should not be con- Performance rights are the rights to perform
fused with recording royalties which artists
your song in public. Performance royalties or
receive when appearing on recordings. If an
individual is the songwriter and performer on performance license monies are paid when your
the CD, he or she will receive both writer and song is performed or played in public or played
recording royalties. on the radio, in elevators, in music services, or
anywhere else. BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC are
r
230 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
Copyrights
If you are a songwriter or composer how im-
portant is protecting yourself in the industry? If
The Inside Scoop you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor, it’s
Rates for mechanical royalties are set very important. How do you protect yourself as
by the U.S. Copyright Office. Currently, me- a songwriter? You register your songs for copy-
chanical rates are 7.1 cents per song. That right protection.
means that if one of the songs you have written Technically, the minute you write a song
is on a CD that sells 100,000 units, you would down or put it on tape it is copyrighted. The
have earned $7,100. If two of the songs were
problem is, however, without proof, it’s often
on that same CD that sold 100,000 units, you
would have earned $14,200. Keep in mind very difficult to prove. That’s not to say it’s im-
that if the songs are used in other ways, you possible, but it is hard.
will earn additional monies as the copyright How do you register for copyright protection?
holder. It’s simple. Contact the U.S. Copyright Office, get
the forms, fill them in, and send them in with pay-
Succeeding on the Talent End of the Industry 231
ment. At this time it’s $45.00. Depending on your men had never written any music or lyrics, Jack
situation you may want to register your printed had been writing for years.
lyrics and music as well as the recorded version As the three sat around talking about the
of your song embedded on a tape. If you have a film, Jack jotted down some possible lyrics and
number of songs to register, you might want to scoring for the music on a sheet of paper. It was
register them all on one tape. That way, while a fun evening. The three were all laughing, talk-
they’re all registered, it will only cost one fee. ing, and partying.
As those evenings often go, sometime dur-
U.S. Copyright Office
ing the night, Jack passed out and his friends
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20559 left. A couple days later, Jack went back on the
(202) 707-3000 road. He had called his friends a few times to
http://www.copyright.gov discuss the film and ask if they had the lyrics
and music he wrote, but for some reason they
never hooked up.
Trust the People You Work With
And that would be the end of the story if a
Here’s something to think about: Trust the peo-
couple of years later, the movie didn’t turn into
ple you work with and only work with people
a hit.
you trust. Need a reason? Here’s a true story of a
One day Jack turned on the radio. Guess
man who I’m going to call Jack. I have changed
what? The song Jack had written all those
his name to protect his identity.
months before was now the title song of the
Jack was the son of a successful singer, song-
movie. It was a hit, too. A little confused, Jack
writer, and producer. He grew up in the music
went to buy a copy of the single.
business. From the time he was a young boy, his
His name wasn’t listed as the sole writer. As
father told him, “Don’t even hum a song you
hear in the house, outside of the family, until it’s a matter of fact, his name wasn’t listed as the
copyrighted. It’s just too easy for people to hear writer at all. His two “friends” had taken the
a song and think it’s theirs.” words and the music and copyrighted them un-
Jack started his career where his dad did, der their names.
singing in church. As he grew into a young While Jack was understandably upset, at
man, it was evident that he, too, was a talented that point nothing could be done. With no proof,
singer, musician, and songwriter. By the time he Jack lost out on fame and fortune.
was in his early 20s, Jack was on the road as the What’s the moral of the story? There are a
musical director and keyboard player of a well- few. Trust the people you do business with. When
known recording act. you’re dealing with business, act professionally.
It was not surprising that Jack made a lot of Partying may have its place, but it is definitely
contacts and had a lot of friends in the industry. not appropriate when you’re dealing in business.
Jack and a two of his friends heard that a film As this story shows, it can be costly.
producer they knew was working on a movie
and looking for some music. One night the three Protecting Yourself
friends got together at Jack’s apartment and I’ve given you a lot of advice in this book. I’ve
were discussing the film. While the other two covered a lot of different areas. Here is one of
232 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
the most important things I have to tell you: As “We don’t need a contract; we trust each
a creative talent, what you have to sell is you. other.”
You are the product. Whether you are a singer, You need a contract.
musician, songwriter, producer, arranger, or any “We’re friends; we don’t need a
other person on the creative talent end of the contract.”
music industry, if you don’t protect yourself, A contract will assure you will stay
you will have nothing! Do not get so caught up friends.
in what you want that you forget this fact. “It’ a simple gig. Don’t worry about a
If you take nothing else from this book, I contract. All you have to do is show up,
hope you’ll take this. I want you to protect your- play, and you’ll get paid.”
self. Before you sign a contact, any contract, I You will have little recourse if you
want you not only to read it but know and un- don’t get paid. You need a contract
derstand what you’re reading. If you don’t un- or an agreement of sorts.
derstand something, no matter how small, ask. “A verbal contract is as good as a written
Don’t be embarrassed, don’t feel stupid, and one.”
don’t feel like someone will laugh at you. Ask Not really. You can produce a
and get an explanation of what you don’t under- written contract. Even if you have a
stand. Clarify points. witness to what was said, a written
If you’re thinking that’s what lawyers are for, contract is better.
the simple answer is yes. But that doesn’t mean “A contract is only as good as the paper
that you should leave your career to chance. Just it’s written on.”
While contracts can be broken, they
because a lawyer reads over a contract doesn’t
mean you shouldn’t too. Then ask him or her
are still contracts.
about points you don’t understand.
“Let’s just shake on it.”
You can shake on it, after you sign a
At some point during your career, I can al-
most guarantee you that someone, whether it be
contract.
a promoter, an agent, a manager, or a publisher,
will give you something to sign and say to you Are you getting the idea? You need to pro-
something to the effect of: “You can read it over tect yourself. Do you always need a complicated
if you want, but it’s a standard contract. You’re contract? No, a simple agreement can suffice
really wasting your time.” sometimes, but you you should always have
Should you take their word? NO! Read ev- some sort of dated agreement signed by both
erything. They probably are telling the truth, parties stating what is expected of you (or your
but perhaps their version of standard is not your act), when it is expected, and what is expected
version. Read every line. in return. The best person to give you advice in
I can also guarantee you sometime in your this area is an attorney.
career someone will say to you one or more of
the following:
12
Success Is Yours for the Taking
B
Do You Have What It Takes? not those of others, you usually are on the right
road.
Do you have what it takes to be a successful
professional? The music industry is huge. What is going
“Well . . . I think so,” you say. to be your contribution? Are you going to be the
You think so? That’s not good enough. You one who writes the song? How about the one
have to know so! If you don’t believe in yourself, who publishes it? Will you be the one who sings
no one else will. or plays the music? How about the one who pro-
“Okay,” you say. “I get it. I know I can be duces or records it?
successful.” Are you going give vocal lessons to singers
That’s good! Now what you have to remem- or teach musicians how to play better? Is your
ber is that no matter what comes your way, don’t job going to be at the record label, the music
give up. The music industry is a great one in publisher, or the booking agency? Are you the
which to work. There may be stumbling blocks. one who is going to find the next big star or the
You may have to take detours. There may even next big song? Are you going to work on the
be times when you have to choose at a fork in the sales and marketing end of the music industry?
road. But it’s worth it if you achieve your goals. Is your career going to be working in radio
Whether you are dreaming of success in as a program director, music director, or disc
the talent area as a singer, musician, songwriter, jockey choosing and playing the music and help-
producer, or arranger; whether you are dream- ing make the hits? What about a career publi-
ing of a career on the business end of the in- cizing musical artists and helping catapult their
dustry at a label, publisher, venue, magazine, careers? Are you going to be a music reviewer
newspaper, radio station, or school; always keep or music industry journalist? Are you going to
your eye on the prize. Whether you want to be work on the road? Are you going to manage an
in the forefront of the industry, the background, act, book them, or handle their legal affairs?
or somewhere in between, know that you can do Where do you envision yourself ? What do
it, as long as you don’t give up. you see yourself doing? Seize your opportunity.
Sometimes your dream may change. That’s It’s there for you. Grab onto your dream to start
okay. As long as you are following your dreams, the ball rolling.
233
234 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
I’ve talked to many people who are extreme- affairs at the record label? Do you know what
ly successful in all facets of the music industry. you’re going to say?
One of the most interesting things about them is If not, you should, at least in your mind.
that most were not surprised at all that they were Why? Because if you claim something, you’re
successful. As a matter of fact, they expected it. often closer to making it happen. Over the years,
I remember sitting backstage at a concert I have heard many similar stories from people
before a show talking to one of the singers in who have made it as very successful singers, mu-
the act. We were discussing some of the other sicians, songwriters, record company executives,
hot artists in the industry. The singer was telling publicists, journalists, and others. Was it that
me a story of another singer on the charts. “We they knew what they wanted to do and focused
knew he was going to be a star,” he said about on it more than others? Was it they had a pre-
the other artist. “When he was still in school, he monition and things just worked out? Were they
told everyone he was going to be one, and that’s just lucky? Were they more talented than oth-
all he talked about.” ers? Was it visualization? Or was it that a posi-
“Doesn’t everyone say that?” I asked. tive attitude helped create a positive situation?
“Sometimes they do,” he continued, “But No one really knows. The only thing that seems
what made him different was he was specific evident is that those who expect to be success-
about what he was going to do and when. He ful usually have a better chance of achieving it.
told everyone he was going to have a hit record Those who have a positive attitude usually have
r
before he graduated. [He hadn’t even recorded a better chance of positive things happening.
anything at that time.] He started acting like a
star and then dressing the part of a star. He went
on and on about it so much that he almost had
Tip from the Coach
to be a star to save face. Funny thing was, he did
Before writing my first book on the mu-
have a hit before he graduated and he did turn sic industry, I mentioned to a number of people
into a huge star.” that I was looking for a publisher. Their re-
I know of at least three singers in the indus- sponse was always the same. “It is very difficult
try who told me that they chose outfits to wear to get a publisher. Don’t get your hopes up.”
to the Grammy’s and American Music Awards While my book wasn’t yet written, I had al-
ready seen it in my mind. I knew what it would
the week they recorded their songs. Not only
look like; I knew what it was going to say. I
that; they wrote their acceptance speech. You told everyone the same story. I was going to
know what? I later saw them pull that speech send out queries to publishers whose names
out and read it when they won. started with A and go through the alphabet
Is it the planning and the work that creates until I reached Z and find a publisher. The
book would be a reality no matter what anyone
the reality, or is it the dream that puts them on
thought. By the time I got to the Fs, I had sold
the road to success? I think it’s a combination. my book idea. I wasn’t surprised, because I
Have you picked out your Grammy outfit? not only knew it would happen; I expected it.
Have you written your acceptance speech? Have That first book, Career Opportunities In The
you chosen the perfect suit you’re going to wear Music Industry, is now in its fifth edition.
when you are promoted to VP of A&R or legal
Success Is Yours for the Taking 235
We’ve covered visualization earlier in the Creating the career you want and love is not
book. Whether you believe this theory or not, always the easiest thing in the world to accom-
one thing is for sure: It can’t hurt. So plan your plish, but it is definitely worth it. To help you fo-
own personal Grammy party, plan your own cus on what you want, you might find it helpful
celebration, plan for your own success, and then to create a personal mission statement.
get ready for it to happen.
Your Personal Mission Statement
Creating a Career You Love There are many people who want to be in the
While working toward your perfect career, it’s music business. Some make it and some don’t.
important to combine your goals with your life I want you to be one who makes it. I want you
objectives. The trick to success in the music in- to be one who succeeds. Throughout the book,
dustry is not only following your interests but I’ve tried to give you tips, tricks, and techniques
following your heart. If you’re working toward that can help. I’ve tried to give you the inspi-
your dream, going that extra mile, and doing ration and motivation to know you can do it.
that extra task, it won’t be a chore. Obstacles Here’s one more that might make your journey
won’t be problems, just stepping-stones to get easier.
where you’re going. Create your personal mission statement.
By now, you have read some (if not all) of Why? Because your mission statement can help
this book. You’ve learned that there are certain you define your visions clearly. It will give you a
things you need to do to stack the deck in your path, a purpose, and something to follow. Most
favor whether you want your success to be on important, putting your mission statement in writ-
the business or talent end of the industry. ing can help you bring your mission to fruition.
You know how to get gigs. You know what What’s a mission statement? It’s a statement
to do with demos. You know how to find agents, declaring what your mission is in your life and
managers, and how to deal with record labels. your career. How do you do it? As with all the
And you know how important an attorney can other exercises you’ve done, sit down, get com-
be to protecting you in your career in the music fortable, take out a pen and a piece of paper,
industry. and start writing. What is your mission?
You’ve learned how to network and how Remember that your mission statement
to market yourself. You’ve learned some neat is for you. You’re not writing it for your fam-
little tricks to get past the receptionist and get ily, your friends, or your employer. It can be
your foot in the door. You’ve learned that you changed or modified at any time. Think about it
need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. for a moment. What do you want to do? Where
You’ve also learned that the music business is do you want be? What are your dreams? What
just that—a business—and you’re ready to treat is your mission?
it as such. There is no one right way to write your
Most of all, you’ve learned that it’s essential mission statement. Some people like to write
to create a career you love. You’ve learned that it in paragraph form. Others like to use bullets
you don’t ever want to settle and wonder “what or numbers. It really doesn’t matter, as long as
if ?” you get it down in writing. The main thing to
r
236 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
r
you can help someone else do that as well.
go from an act that some people have heard of a mega hit crossing over to different genres of
to the hottest act around? music. You never know when your act is going
There are many things you’re going to have to record a song that becomes number one. And
to do, but it can be done. We’ve covered a lot you never know when success will come your
of them. Work hard, keep a positive attitude, way. It can happen at any time.
and act professionally at all times. Stay abreast It should be noted that success means differ-
of the business, network, and hone your skills ent things to different people. There are many suc-
and talents so you can backup your claims of cessful people in the music industry who are not
accomplishments. mega stars yet they earn a high income and enjoy
Look for a mentor who can help you move the creativity of being a performer whether it be a
your career in the right direction and propel you singer, musician, songwriter or on air personality.
to the top of your field. Join trade associations, Some singers and musicians back-up other
read the trades, take seminars, classes, work- acts either live or in recording sessions. Others
shops, and take part in other learning opportu- experience success on a lower level but are suc-
nities. Be the best at what you do. cessful just the same. Some artists travel through-
Look at every opportunity with an open out the country or the world on either a regional
mind. When you’re offered something, ask or national level performing in hotels, casinos,
yourself: resorts, theaters, bars, clubs, and theme parks.
Is this what I want to be doing?
There are songwriters and composers who,
Is this part of my plan for success?
while they haven’t written a top-ten song, are
Is this opportunity a stepping-stone to
earning very good livings writing jingles for com-
advancing my career? mercials or music for other types of projects.
On-air personalities and disc jockeys move
Remember that job progression in the music up the career ladder becoming better known,
industry doesn’t always follow a normal path. building larger followings, and moving up to
For example, a fairly new assistant working in bigger stations and other opportunities.
the A&R department who finds the next big star
may be promoted to the position of a manager
Risk Taking—Overcoming Your
or director of the department before someone
with seniority. Fears
The opening act at a concert in June might Everyone has a comfort zone from which they
r
be the headliner by September if their new record operate. What’s a comfort zone? It’s the area
hits the chart with a bullet and moves up to the
top ten. There are countless stories of people who
have been fans in the back of an arena one year,
Words from a Pro
who are the headliners for that same band the
If you’re starting to feel comfortable in
next. That is one of the greatest things about a ca- your career or starting to feel bored, it’s time
reer in the music industry. You just never know. to step out of your comfort zone and look for
You never know when your song is going to new challenges.
be recorded by a successful artist and become
r
Success Is Yours for the Taking 239
r
erally not a life-and-death situation. If you stay
at the same job and find you should have left, for
example, all you need to do is look for a new job.
Words from the Wise If you change personal managers and you’re not
Whatever level you are at in your ca- happy, either you can find a loophole or eventu-
reer in the talent end of the industry, always ally your contract will end. Most things ultimately
treat your fans well. They are ultimately the
work out. Do the best you can and then go on.
ones who can make your career. Fans buy
your CDs, call the radio stations to request If your career is stagnant, do something.
your music, come to your shows, and cheer Don’t just stay where you are because of the fear
you on. of leaving your comfort zone and the fear of the
unknown.
r
240 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
B
Trade associations, unions, and other organiza- New York, NY 10036
tions can be valuable resources for career guidance equityjobsny@actorsequity.org
as well as professional support. This listing includes http://www.actorsequity.org
many of the organizations related to the music in-
dustry. Names, addresses, phone numbers, Web American Advertising Federation (AFA)
sites, and e-mail addresses (where available) have 1101 Vermont Avenue NW
been included to make it easier for you to obtain Washington, DC 20005
information. Check out Web sites to learn more (202) 898-0089
about organizations and what they offer. aaf@aaf.org
http://www.aaf.org
Academy of Country Music (ACM)
4100 W Alemeda American Bar Association (ABA)
Burbank, CA 91505 750 N Lake Shore Drive
(818) 842-8400
Chicago, IL 60611
info@acmcountry.com
(312) 988-5000
http://www.acmcountry.com
service@abanet.org
Acoustical Society of America (ASA) http://www.abanet.org
2 Huntington Quadrangle
American Choral Directors Association
Melville, NY 11747
(516) 576-2360
(ACDA)
asa@aip.org 502 SW 38th Street
http://asa.aip.org/index.html Lawton, OK 73505
(580) 355-8161
Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) acda@acdaonline.org
165 W. 46th Street http://www.acdaonline.org
241
242 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
247
248 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Bandname.com CountryInterviewsOnline.net
http://www.bandname.com http://www.countryinterviewsonline.net
Bandsforlabels.com Degyshop.com
http://www.bandsforlabels.com http://www.degyshop.com
Bandzoogle.com Demoshoppers.com
http://www.banzoogle.com http://www.demoshoppers.com
CDreview.com Earbuzz.com
http://www.cdreview.com http://www.earbuzz.com
CDReviews.com Entertainmentcareers.net
http://www.cdreviews.com http://www.entertainmentcareers.net
Cornerband.com Figgle.com
http://www.cornerband.com http://www.figgle.com
Appendix II 249
Gajoob Independentbands.com
http://www.gajoob.com http://www.independentbands.com
Monster.com Musictoday
http://www.monster.com http://wwwmusictoday.com
Musician.com Nolo.com
http://www.guitarcenter.com http://www.nolo.com
Pollstar.com Sputnik7.com
http://www.pollstar.com http://www.sputnik7.com
Poplife.net StarPolish
http://www.poplife.net http://www.starpolish.com
253
254 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
Brackett, David. The Pop, Rock, and Soul Read- Gruen, Bob. The Clash. London: Vision On, 2004.
er: Histories and Debates. New York: Oxford Hal Leonard Publications Staff. Melissa Ether-
University Press, 2004. idge: Lucky. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard
Brett, David. Elvis: The Hollywood Years. London, Corporation, 2004.
England: Robinson Books, 2004. Hendricks, Tim. The Mentor: The True Story of
Cashman, Lola. Inside the Zoo with U2: My Life an Hourly Factory Employee who Became Fi-
with the Biggest Rock Band. London: John nancially Independent. Nashville, TN: Music
Blake Publishing, 2003. City Publishing, 2005.
Campbell, Garth. Johnny Cash: He Walked the Keogh, Pamela Clarke. Elvis Presley: The Man,
Line. London: John Blake Publishing, The Life, The Legend. New York: Simon &
2003. Schuster, 2004.
Cherry Lane Music Staff. Steely Dan: Everything Layden, Joe. Home Before Daylight: My Life On
Must Go. New York: Cherry Lane Books, the Road With the Grateful Dead. New York:
2003. St. Martin’s Press, 2004.
Coffey, Dennis. Guitars, Bars and Motown Super- Lavigne, Avril. Avril Lavigne-Under My Skin.
stars. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michi- Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation,
gan Press, 2004. 2004.
Coleman, Mark. Playback: From the Victrola to Lewis, Dave. Led Zeppelin: A Celebration 2. Ed-
Mp3, 100 Years of Music, Machines, and Mon- munds, UK: Bish Bash Books, 2004.
ey. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2005. Markel, Rita J. Jimi Hendrix. Minneapolis: Car-
Collis, John. Ike Turner: King of Rhythm. Lon- olrhoda Books, Inc., 2003.
don: Do-Not Press, 2004. Marsh, Dave. Before I Get Old. The Story of the
Cook, Richard. Blue Note Records: The Biography. Who. London: Plexus Publishing, 2003.
Boston: Justin, Charles & Company Pub- Martell, Nevin. Dave Mathews Band: Music For
lishers, 2004. People, Revised and Updated. New York: Si-
Davis, Stephen. Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40- mon & Schuster, 2004.
Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones. Colling- McAdams, Tara. The Elvis Presley Handbook.
dale, PA: DIANE Publishing Company, London: MQ Publications, 2004.
2004. Nugent, Shemane. Married to a Rock Star. Guil-
Dolenz, Micky. I’m A Believer: My Life of Mon- ford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2004.
kees, Music and Madness. New York: Cooper Parish, Steve. Home Before Daylight: My Life with
Square Publishers, 2004. the Grateful Dead. New York: St. Martin’s
Gittins, Ian. The Stories Behind Every Song: Talk- Press, 2003.
ing Heads. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, Richie, Lionel. Lionel Richie Anthology. Hal Leon-
2004. ard Corporation: Milwaukee, WI: 2004.
Gonzalez, Gabriela. Backstage Pass. New York: Robinson, Peter. Busted on Tour. London: Virgin
Harper Collins, 2004. Books, 2004.
Graham, Bill. Bill Graham Presents: My Life Inside Ro, Ronin. Bad Boy: The Influence of Sean “Puffy”
Rock and Out. Boulder, CO: Da Capo Press, Combs on the Music Industry. New York: Si-
2004. mon & Schuster, 2002.
Bibliography 255
Rollins, Henry. Get in the Van: On the Road with Grant, A. and Rene, Lo. Music Business: It’s all
Black Flag. Los Angeles: 21361, 2004. about the Music, Right? Lincoln, NE: iUni-
Rubin, Dave. Rockin’ the Blues: The Best American verse, 2005.
and British Blues-Rock Guitarists: 1963–1973. Hall, Charles W. Marketing in the Music Indus-
Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation, try. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing,
2005. 2000.
Sandford, Christopher. Mick Jagger. Rebel Knight. Krasilovsky, M. William. This Business of Mu-
New York: Music Sales Corporation, 2004. sic: The Definitive Guide to the Music Industry.
Sawyers, June Skinner. Racing in the Street: The New York: Watson-Guptill Publications,
Bruce Springsteen Reader. New York: Penguin 2003.
Group, 2004. Prince, Dennis. How to Sell Music, Collectibles,
Sleazegrinde. Gigs from Hell: True Stories from and Instruments on eBay . . . and Make a For-
Rock and Roll’s Frontline. Manchester, UK: tune. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Headpress, 2004. Spellman, Peter. The Musician’s Internet: Online
Starr, Ringo. Postcards from the Boys. San Fran- Strategies for Success in the Music Industry.
cisco: Chronicle Books, 2004. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation,
Thompson, Dave. Red Hot Chilli Peppers: By the 2001.
Way: The Biography. London: Virgin Books, Thall, Peter M. What They’ll Never Tell You About
2004. the Music Business: The Myths, Secrets, Lies
———. Turn It On Again: Peter Gabriel, Phil Col- & A Few Truths. New York: VNU Business
lins, and Genesis. San Francisco: Backbeat Media, 2002.
Books, 2004. Williams, Alvin V., Jay King, and Ann Eliza-
Tobler, John, and Andrew Doe. Beach Boys: The beth Jones. The Business of Music for the Gos-
Complete Guide Their Music. Edmunds, UK:
pel/Christian Industry. Signal Mountain, TN:
Bish Bash Books, 2004.
Waldenhouse Publishers, 2005.
Wheeler, Jill. Jessica Simpson. Edina, MN:
ABDO Publishing Company, 2004. Careers
White, Charles. The Life and Times of Little Rich- Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in the Music
ard. The Authorized Biography. New York: Industry. New York: Checkmark Books,
Music Sales Corporation, 2004. 2004.
Wilson, Brian. The Beatles: Ten Years That Shook Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in Theater and
the World. New York: Dorling Kindersley the Performing Arts. New York: Checkmark
Publishing, 2004. Books, 2006.
Platinum Millennium Publishing Staff. Music Music Marketing and Public Relations
Business and Entertainment Law Contracts: Baker, Bob. Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook:
For Indie Recording Artist, Labels, Songwriters, 201 Self-Promotion Ideas for Songwriters, Musi-
Composers, Producers, Managers and All Others cians & Bands. St. Louis, MO: Spotlight Pub-
in the Record Industry. Waterbury, CT: Plati- lications, 2002.
num Millennium, 2004. Summers, Jodi. Making and Marketing Music.
Platinum Millennium Publishing Staff. 101 Mu- New York: Allworth Press, 2004.
sic Business Contracts – Updated Edition – Pre- Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in Advertising
printed Binder / CD-ROM Set: Containing over and Public Relations. New York: Facts On
100 Contracts and Agreements for Recording Art- File, 2001.
ist, Musicians, Record Companies, Managers,
Songwriters, Labels, Producers, Indies and Any Producing
and All Others in the Music Industry: Entertain- Avalon, Moses. Confessions of a Record Producer:
ment Law at Its Best! Waterbury, CT: Plati- How to Survive The Scams and Shams of the
num Millennium, 2002. Music Business. San Francisco: Backbeat
Schulenberg, Richard. Legal Aspects of the Music Books, 2002.
Industry. Lakewood, NJ: Watson-Guptill Burgess, Richard James. The Art of Music Produc-
Publications, 1999. tion. New York: Music Sales Corporation,
Wilson, Lee. Making It in the Music Business: 2004.
The Business and Legal Guide for Songwriters Granata, Charles. Sessions with Sinatra: Frank
and Performers. New York: Allworth Press, Sinatra and The Art of Recording. Chicago:
2004. Chicago Review Press, Inc., 2003.
Wilson, Lee. The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Howard, David, N. Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music
Handbook for Protecting and Profiting from Producers and Their Maverick Recordings. Mil-
Copyrights. New York: Allworth Press, waukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2004.
2003. Huber, Christian W. Producing Your Own CDs. A
Handbook. New York: Music Sales Corpora-
General
tion, 2004.
Blackwell, Roger and Stephan, Tina. Brands
King, Sahpreem A. Gotta Get Signed: How to Be-
That Rock: What Business Leaders Can Learn
come a Hip-Hop Producer. New York: Music
from the World of Rock and Roll. Hoboken,
Sales Corporation, 2005.
NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003.
Heitman, William P. Music’s Broken Wings: Fifty Publishing
Years of Aviation Accidents in the Music Indus- Howard, George. Music Publishing 101. Boston:
try. Durham, NC: Dreamflyer Publications, Berklee Press, 2004.
2003. Poe, Randy. Music Publishing: A Songwriter’s
Parker, Nigel. Music Business: A Professional Guide Guide. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 1997.
to Infrastructure, Practice and Law of the Indus- Smith, Regina. Music Publishing 101: Crash Course
try. Poole, UK: Palladian Law Publishing, Made Simple and Easy. No Walls Production
Ltd., 2004. & Publishing, 2000.
Bibliography 257
Martin, Bill. Pro Secrets of Heavy Rock Singing. (415) 485-0831 (fax)
London: Sanctuary Publishing, 2003. http://www.acousticguitar.com
Rodgers, Jeffrey Pepper. The Complete Singer-
Songwriter: A Troubadour’s Guide to Writing, Airplay Monitor
Performing, Recording and Business. San Fran- 5055 Wilshire Boulevard
cisco: Backbeat Books, 2003. Los Angeles, CA 90036
Rudsenske, J Scott. Music Business Made Simple: (323) 525-2000
A Guide To Becoming A Recording Artist. New http://www.airplaymonitor.com
York: Music Sales Corporation, 2004.
Alternate Music Press
Touring PO Box 2643
Gibson, Chris and Connell, John. Music and Hollywood, CA 90078
Tourism: On the Road Again. Cleavedon, UK: (707) 313-7740 (fax)
Channel View Publications, 2004. http://www.alternatemusicpress.com
Platinum Millennium Publishing Staff. The In-
dustry Yellow Pages: The Official Club and Ven- Alternative Press
ue Touring Directory, Listing over 1700 Music 6516 Detroit Avenue
Clubs and Venues in the U.S. and Canada for Cleveland, OH 44102
Your Touring Band to Play at: Are You Ready (216) 631-1510
for the Exposure That You Deserve? Waterbury, (216) 631-1016 (fax)
CT: Platinum Millennium, 2003. http://www.altpress.com
265
266 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
booking agencies 213–214 career success book. See personal career success book
booking agents 82–83, 157, 212–215, 225 career summary, resume component 108
booking gigs career v. job 13
using agents 212–215 Cashbox 89
by yourself 212 CDs
books as learning tool 191, 207 barcode on 225
bookstores and open job market 88 distributing 215
breaking up tasks 39 for storage 105
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) 54, 224, 229 releasing your own 224–225
brochures 121–123 cell phone 200
business and networking cards 13, 16, 92, 147, 187 charity auction 188
getting gigs and 214 Checker, Chubby 21
interviews and 165 Cher 239
styles of 121 chocolate chip cookies to get call back 142–143
tool for success 118–121 civic groups 152, 185, 187
business managers 16, 225, 228 classes
businesspeople 158 as networking opportunity 93
taking 27, 238
C teaching 186
cable station guest 187 clippings 60, 154, 185
candy bars to get call back 143 club owners 158, 211, 213
career, changing 85–87 clubs, going to 27
career, creating 102–103 cold calls 27, 92, 99–102, 138–139
career, music industry commitment to dream 35
creating 235 communication skills 179
your dream 23–24, 25 community service, resume component 110
finding job you want 87–92 compensation 171–172
getting what you want 30–31 competitions 157
your joy/happiness 28–29 composers 228–231, 236, 238
ladder 237–238 concerts
moving into 85–87 as networking opportunity 95
preparation 62–83 attending 27
reaching goals 42 conferences 97–98
setting goals 31–33, 42 confidential issues 124
your talents 29 contacts, music industry 16. See also networking
using job to create 84–85 following up on 97
visualization 33–36 making and using 156–157
what’s stopping you 24, 26–28 meeting the right people 145–148
what you want to do 18–23 types of 149–150
career coach 7–9 ways to make 27
determining right career 12–13 who you know 144–145
job v. career 13 worksheets 60
personal coach 9–11 contests 157
positive attitude and actions 11–12 contracts 83, 89
career fair 63 management 227–228
career guidance and trade associations 145 signing 232
career journal 11–12 conventions 97–98, 146
career manager, be your own 37 copyrights 156, 230–231, 229, 230–231
career objective, resume component 109 correspondence, importance of keeping 60
Career Opportunities in the Music Industry 172 courses
career placement offices 89 as networking opportunity 75
career portfolio. See portfolio as workplace learning tool 191
Index 267
E G
earnings. See salary Garland, Judy 63
EATM. See Emerging Artists & Talent In Music gatekeepers 137
education general work-related goals 33
requirements 26 gigs, getting 208–215
resume component 109 goals
training and 75–77 general work-related 33
work in 16 long-term 32–33, 42
educational symposiums as networking opportunity, 145 passions and 80, 82
egg idea to get call back 139–141 setting 31–33
emailing short-term 33, 42
confidentiality of 199 specific work-related 33
lists for 210–211, 214, 215, 217 golden rule 239
press release 184 gossip, office 192–194
resume 161 Grammy award 21, 234
Emerging Artists & Talent In Music (EATM) 146 grooming, personal 177–180
EMI 223 groupie 97
employment agencies 89, 90 guilt factor and persistence 138–139
ethics in the workplace 199–200
examples
action plan for specific job 54–56
H
handouts 61
basic action plan 44–46
help wanted ads 88. See also advertisements, job
bios 130, 131
hidden job market 87, 90–92
business and networking cards 119–120
hobbies 68
comments sheet 129
resume component 110–111
cover letter 116–118
Hoovers.com 116
personal action plan 46–52
Hotjobs.com 89
pitch letter 187
Houston, Whitney 21
portfolio contents 125
HR department. See human resources department
press release 182
human resources (HR) department 102
reference sheet 114
response card for demo 221–222
experience (professional and work), resume component I
109–110 independent labels 15, 77, 223–224
expert, becoming an 184–168 Independent Music Conference 146
exposure, getting 215–217 indies. See independent labels
268 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry
T U
unions 17, 145
tabloids 194 Universal 223
talent brokers 213
unsolicited v. solicited demo 217–223
talent buyers 209–210, 211, 214
UPS 148
talent end, success on 206
U.S. Copyright Office 230
breaking into music business 206–207
Usher 204
creating demo 217–218
finding label 218–223
getting exposure 215–217 V
getting gigs 208–215 vacation days 86
major v. indie labels 223–224 verbal communication skills 179
272 Managing Your Career in the Music Industry