Video by The Business Side of Music via YouTube
There’s more advice for new artists than ever: TikTok tips, podcasts, books, platforms pitching a "must-have" tool every week. Most of it never gets acted on, and chasing all of it can keep independent artists from moving forward.
In this episode of the Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with Dave Rose, owner of Deep South Entertainment and an artist manager since 1995. They strip the noise away and walk through the ten basics every developing artist should focus on to build a music career with a real strategy.
You’ll hear how to tell the difference between an opportunity and a strategy, and Dave’s three-month notepad trick for testing shiny objects before you spend time or money on them. You’ll also hear why the order of your steps matters (one artist showed up with an LLC, a website, and a checking account, but no songs), how to record without spending your life savings, and how to define your brand as a voice and values rather than a logo. They also cover why you should claim every social platform but only focus on the ones where your fans actually are, how to set six-month, one-year, and five-year goals, and how to release, measure, and adjust. Sarah also shares a fan campaign that tripled a young artist’s pre-saves.
You’ll also learn why an email address or phone number is the most valuable thing a fan can give you, and why social media is rented space you don’t control.
If you’re an independent artist, songwriter, or musician trying to figure out where to start, or an artist manager or music professional who wants to help clients cut through the noise, this one is for you. Dave also leaves you with the one question to answer before anything else: what does success mean to you?
The Business Side of Music helps independent artists and entertainment professionals understand the business so they can focus on the art.
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