As an emerging artist, everybody is struggling to stand out, get noticed and gain visibility to ascend to the next level. It's just not about making good music, have an amazing singing voice, or a magnetic stage persona: as an artist, you are a brand and you must learn how to make a profitable business out of it.
Marketing, communications, design, publicity, strategy, and more are put to the test to sell your brand's top product which is your music. This is why, if you really want to make it in the industry, you have to take things seriously and put a major effort into the essentials listed below.
1. Have a good name
Sure, what's good for some may not be good for others, as this is a completely subjective concept, but remember: your artist/band name is sometimes the first thing people learn from you (even before listening to your music) and people tend to judge a book by its cover, in this case, by its name. Be sure to come up with a well-thought name that stands out, is catchy, and reflects the essence of who you are.
2. Make great music
This may seem kind of obvious, and that's precisely why this is hard to achieve. Not only are other artists, producers, and record labels looking for the next new sound, people out there are looking for it too and you have to make sure your music is going to deliver.
3. Have a good attitude
You must learn how to carry yourself depending on the situation: when to be fierce, when to speak out your mind, when to be funny, when to brag about your achievements, but remember to always do it in a good light and doing it in sync with what you want to project with your music.
4. Define your style
As an artist you have no limits on expressing yourself. Don't limit just to your music and make a statement of who you are through your style: hair, clothes, makeup, and more items can help you define who you are as a person, as an artist and create a sense of pertenence and coherence between you and your music.
5. Create a memorable brand image
You don't want people to relate your artist/band name to a poorly designed logo someone saw as a sticker once, right? Give it a good, deep thought to what you want your logo to look like in your future merchandise and think that, wherever you go, it goes first to announce you.
6. Choose your merchandise carefully
As good as t-shirts, posters and mugs are for merchandising any brand, think if you want your fans to have something every other artist/band has sold before, and doesn't say too much of who you are. Selling merchandising is a staple move for every musician, be sure to imprint your uniqueness even in this! Think out of the box and offer your fans something they'll want to keep and show off to everybody.
7. Don't sell out
Yes, sponsorships and freebies are great, just be sure you know who you're associating with in the long-term. Team up with brands that not only speak to you, but also to your fans, which take us to...
8. Be cool to your fans
They look up to you, want to be like you, and let's face it, without them your career might not launch into stardom someday, so strong, meaningful relationships are key. Communicate in a cordial, healthy way and engage with topics that matter, remember to not feed the social media trolls!
9. Have an online presence
The use of social media platforms is a huge part of networking nowadays, don't be left out of the conversation! Be sure to keep up with today's trends and topics, and stand out creating your own. Create conversation around your music, videos, singles and important updates.
10. Curate your social media feeds
Remember that your Facebook and Instagram profiles double as a digital business card, having all your important data and reflecting your brand image. Learn how to communicate what you do and what you love about it with content that's been specially crafted for this purpose.
Now that you know what can you do to stand out from the rest, start putting this tips to practice! Don't forget to register to Indiefy, our job is to make your music stand out in all the major music platforms with the best digital distribution program in the market, join us today!
