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There are only 11 days left in 2011 and just 10 post’s left on my quest to post on my blog every day for 365 days straight with out stopping. With such a short time left in the year this is not the time to be thinking about what you didn’t accomplish for the year. The last two weeks of December should be all about the pre game.
To kickstart your 2012 this is the time of year that you should be:
- Recapping all of the positive things you did this year.
- Take time to be grateful for all this year has brought you.
- Get motivated to take on next year proactively. I suggest taking the three or four things that motivate you the most and doing a cram session right before the new year. My favorite books to read or just even skim through right before the new year starts are:
- Begin to think about your goals for next year.
- Make adjustments to any goals that may carry over from this year or didn’t quite go as planned.
- Get your fun stuff list together. I keep a list of cool things I want to try, books i might want to read, or places I might want to go. I go to this list through out they year when ever I have a bit of extra time or a few dollars to splurge on something fun.
- Reflect (Not dwell) on the few moments you may have had in the last year that sucked. If their are actionable items you can take to prevent things from sucking again, make a note. If not just keep it moving. DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST, just LEARN what you can from AND MOVE ON.
Dont wait until New Years Eve to start making some bullshit resolutions. Start planning and focusing on what you want in your life so you can take action.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
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From time to time we all become victims of the “Should”. When you catch yourself saying things “I should….” it is time to take a break and revaluate your focus. About three to four times a year I find I need a few days to look over my goals and do some house keeping. I take time out from the ordinary grind and start asking myself questions like:
- Where am I in relationship to my goals?
- What if any projects do I have outstanding?
- What do I need to do that I might be putting off? Why?
- What have I done successfully in the last few months?
- What are things I can do to improve my business and personal life?
- Which of these things will have the most long lasting impact or return on investment?
While your driving down the interstate of life it is a good idea to get off every once and a while. Grab a snack, check the oil, and check the map. Fill you fuel up and then get back on and keep going. Following the path to success is determined by knowing where your goals are and taking the appropriate steps to get there.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
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You Dot Com
(Total reading time 2 minutes)
This post is for friend I made today. I had the idea to write this after I had a conversation with them about creating a website.
There are many websites offering free websites giving you a place to call your own. By now every needs a web presence: musicians, singers, composers, bands, artists, business, everyone. For musicians there are sites like reverbnation.com ,and countless others, that let you set up shop for next to nothing. You have a place to show off your music, list performance dates and gather basic information about your fans.
So whats the deal then? Why not use it? There are a few reasons.
The first and most important is longevity. No one knows the future of any dot com. Even a website with as huge a following as Facebook could be old news in a year or two. Facebook old news? You think it couldn’t happen? Do you remember this awesome site called Myspace just a few years ago? Everyone had to have a Myspace page, every one used it, and many artists had built up huge fan bases on Myspace. So what happened? Myspace started to suck and people went else where leaving their pages behind. Almost everyone that used Myspace still has their page, but when was the last time they checked it? I haven’t logged into myspace in more then a year. This same fate could be that of any web start up. Of course the staying power of some companies and websites seems a bit better then others but you never know.
Owning and promoting your own domain name for yourself, band or business ensures that you are teaching your fans and customers where to find you no matter what. You domain name should not cost you more then $10 a year and basic hosting can cost as little as a a few dollars a month. That is a great price to own your own piece of the web.
The next reason I recommend avoiding free sites is advertising and distraction. If your fans on coming to a page about you then the focus should be about you. Your information should be the focus not some blinking thing on the side of the site or worse some annoying advertisement that pops up and makes noise. Some one took the time to actually come to your page, don’t wast there time with an advertisement for some web junk first. Advertising on your own domain on the other hand is a completely different story especially if making money from sponsors allows you to create more content for you fans. That is a topic for another post though.
A physical brick and mortar space in the real world would cost you a fortune to maintain monthly. $100 or less per year is worth the investment if your are serious about branding your self.
Have questions about getting started on the web branding your self? Ask in the comments section below.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
Composer
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Networking
(Total reading time 1-2 minutes)
Network, Network, Network. Thats all any one ever says about trying to launch a career in the music business. Yet time and time again I meet people that are trying to “build their network” that just don’t get it. Networking is not about meeting every one under the sun, going to parties and handing out business cards. Networking is about trust. Thats it. You need to have relationships with people that have faith that you can get a job done. That job could be something small or it could be a multi million dollar project. It is all related to trust. It bothers me that so many people moan and groan about how hard it is to get into the music business and proceed to fall to the side like flakes in a fish bowl. Don’t build your network by passing your business card out like appetizers on the snack tray. Just give it to a few select people and then follow up like you are a responsible person. Its not that hard.
The truth is that the music industry is looking for talent. They are just trying to waste their time sifting through the flakes. The people who don’t return calls, don’t answer emails, take for ever to get a demo, it goes on and on and on.
If you want to work in this business then make a clear decision to do so and then respect that any other job. Once people trust you they will talk about, give you work, and let you into their network. just because they trust your work ethic and personality.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
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Start marketing your music now.
Everyone loves to create music, no one likes to deal with marketing it. The cold truth though is with out marketing your music some way or another no one will hear it. Your marketing could be simple like sharing your music with friends on Facebook, youtube or twitter. On the other hand it could also be extremly complicated if your an established artist on a major label involving advertising campaigns, public relations firms, radio promoters, managers, tours, street teams and on and on and on. So where do you begin? Here are a few articles to get you going in the right direction. There is a lot to learn about marketing especially now that the internet has taken over as the most influential advertising platform.
And no music marketing article could be complete with out a link to Bob Bakers Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook
Now get out there and start marketing.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
Want to know more about Peter Weis the Composer
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How Do You Define Success?
(Total reading time 1-2 minute)
Everyone has a different definition of success. Some people measure success by their popularity, their financial status, the house with the white picket fence, their car in the driveway. And then there are other people who measure success by their contribution to society, the potential, and their happiness.
You can measure success by creating a goal for your self. If you achieve it you have succeeded. Ultimately though it is still up to you to create the definition of what that is.
Success is not perfection. True perfection can never be achieved. Success is an ever evolving thing that will grow and change at many moments of your life.
Dictionary.com defines success as:
- The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
That definition sucks. How would you define success? For me success is happiness derived from living to my fullest potential while living with integrity.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
More about: articles, ASCAP, Business, music business, Networking, New York, postaday2011, Success, Today 1 Comment »
A Day at the ASCAP New York Sessions
(Total reading time 2-3 minutes)
I went to an ASCAP New York Sessions networking event today and it was a great educational opportunity to learn exactly how not to network. The day long affair was made up of various music business panels. Each panel was made up of industry insiders and professionals. A lot of good information, but besides a few inspiring stories, nothing drastically new to the people who are actually listening. There were a few hundred people at the event, with the majority of the attendees committing some major networking crimes. Take a moment to learn from their mistakes.
1. Not taking your self seriously. If you can’t explain to me what you do, how am I supposed to know?
2. Not having a business card, or something with your contact information on it. Then giving some one your contact information only to tell them a few minutes later that was the wrong number. Sounds like a real pro doesn’t it.
3. Flooding the panelists with CD’s. They’ll take them of course to be nice. Where they will end up who knows. I am not against giving people demos but i think it should only be done once a relationship of some sort has been established.
4. Asking questions of the panel that aren’t questions. Rambling on about something until one of the panelists ultimately stops you a few minutes later and says, “Whats your question?” -you don’t want to be that guy. The panelist and every one else in attendance knows at that point to stay away from you.
(The only exception to this is to say thank you.)
5. Begging, pleading and bartering to get some one to listen to your music just shouldn’t happen. (Especially in front of an audience). It’s just not professional and further creates a divide between where you are in your career and where they are. This is not the way you want break the ice.
So what is the right way to network?
Networking is very similar to a relationship. Getting some one to hear your music is like going all the way. You don’t take off all your clothes in the restaurant on your first date, shake your parts around and start quoting Austin Powers. Go slow. Talk, have dinner, a glass of wine get to know each other. A few dates later maybe things will get a bit more interesting. Getting sone one on the “inside” to hear your music works the same way. An A&R, publisher, or record label executive will be more then willing to listen to your music once they know who you are. Pushing music and giving out CD’s may work (or may not) for building a fan base but thats where it should stop. If there is a panelist you want to give your music to, ask them for their information. Send a few emails back and forth and let things develop. Find out what they are actually looking for. I used this approach this fall and secured a great new relationship with a company here on the east coast. You might not give out as many CDs but the demos you get through the door will be a lot more effective.
Lastly big shout outs to Ariel Hyatt.
I have been following her posts and updates on facebook for a while now. She has written a book on publicity for musicians and is one of the few people that practices what she preaches. She took the time after an early morning panel to talk to almost every single person that wanted to speak to her. This kind of attention is rare and should really be appreciated by all who attended. Although I didn’t speak to her my self, watching her in action was enough for me to see her book is worth picking up. I look forward to taking one of her future music success challenges.
Keep networking and good luck.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
More about: Books, Business, Crush It, Gary Vaynerchuck, Inspiration, postaday2011, Reading, Reviews, Social Media, Success, Thank You Economy, Today No Comments »
What do I Think about The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuck
(Total reading time 2 minutes)
Last night I finished reading The Thank You Economy by wine guy (Check out his new site Daily Grape), and social media guru Gary Vaynerchuck. I think anyone who must promote and market themselves whether as an individual like a musician, freelance worker, or as a business big or small should read this book. The book outlines the importance for you to care about your work, and do the right thing for people. Gary stresses this through his own passionate view points and many different examples. If you are afraid of social media this book will help you understand its importance.
If you do not have time to read the book. Gary also included a short 2 page cheat sheet going over all the main points of the book as well. You can find it in the back. Here is my short recap:
Do the right thing, people will talk about you.
Do the wrong thing, people will talk about you.
Doing the right thing if you are genuine and honest will help you succeed.
I recommend you read Crush It, Gary V’s first book to get a feel for his style and to understand his passion, and then pick up the The Thank You Economy afterwords. Crush It is more actionable and motivating. The Thank You Economy is more of a wake up call to the people that just don’t get the effect that social media is going to have on society.
One last thing that Gary did in his book that I felt speaks more about his personality and honesty then anything else was written in last line of the acknowledgements in which he thanks Stephanie Land calling her “the best ghostwriter of all time”. As a person who has done “ghost” work I have a lot of respect for that.
Thats all I have to say.
Peter Weis
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Networking is one of the most important parts of getting your self out there. It doesn’t matter if your in the music business, selling real estate or making wedding cakes. Networking the right way will get you to the next step. In some industries its almost the only way to get to the next step. Dont have time to read, download an mp3 of the article you can listen to in itunes.
On one of my other websites DrumsAndSounds.com I wrote a short article about the Secret to Networking for Musicians. It is written with the music industry in mind but any one can learn from it. Musicians suck at networking.
If you want to be a better networker be cool and treat people like you would like to be treated. If some one rang your doorbell and tried to sell you a car you would probably slam the door in their face. If your friend came over for dinner and told you he was selling his car you actually want to know how much. You might not want to buy it, but you might know some one interested.
You didn’t slam the door on your friend. You listened to what they had to say.
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” you will fail. I don’t say that to discourage you, but to release you from the fear of failure … because if you already know it will happen, then there’s no pressure to avoid it. Failure is an inevitable part of change, and in fact it should be celebrated — without failure, we’d learn nothing. Fail, fail often, and learn. Then you’ll be better equipped for the next attempt. Find joy in every attempt, in every victory, in every failure, and the change will be a reward in itself.” – Leo Babauta
Simply put one of the best blogs on the net.
Leo’s book, “The Power Of Less” is a must read.
It is hard to think about failure when you want to achieve success. It has also been proven over and over again that if you want to succeed your going to have to face failure. Anyone who has achieved some level of success, no matter how you define it has experienced failure. What makes you successful at anything you do is the willingness to try, to experience failure as it comes and the most important part to TRY again. When you were 2 years old, you learned to walk. You tripped, you stumbled, you got up, you took a step, you fell, you got a little help from a nearby parent or grabbed on to a sofa cushion, and you fell a few more times. Nobody told you were a failure, but you were. They encouraged you to keep going for weeks until one day you were successful and walked on your own.
the formula for success is not: GOAL or IDEA => TRY => SUCCESS
the formula for success is: GOAL or IDEA => (TRY =>TRY =>FAIL =TRY AGAIN) REPEAT => SUCCESS
Take your first steps. Learn to fall, learn to fail, then get back up.
Ask your self again: Are you a failure?
(Hint: The bigger your failures the bigger your successes)
