This may come across as a sharp post but it is something that needs to be addressed.

If you cannot discipline yourself enough to understand all parts of the music business this includes the supposedly difficult areas such as finance and law then why would anyone take you particularly seriously? Because you're talented? So is everyone else. 

Understanding the finance and law of the music business gives you the edge over the competition and I for one would prefer to have a conversation with an artist/entrepreneur who understood those things. An independent artist who doesn't understand those things is simply running an expensive hobby in my honest opinion. This person is definitely no entrepreneur.

If you cannot discipline yourself to do the requisite learning to understand simple music business contract law then I worry. What else don't you understand that you are actually signing? Credit cards, loans, insurance, telephone contracts, gym contracts? It's a form of laziness.

If you cannot discipline yourself to do the requisite learning to understand simple music business finance then I worry for the state of your finances and whether you are mature enough in your understanding of money to even manage an advance that might be offered to you. If not then you are financially illiterate.

You cannot blame anyone in the music business for ripping you off if you are not willing to go and do the learning on these topics which I guarantee you has been around for hundreds of years. Before Google there was the library that's where you went to pick up a law or finance book.

Because at the end of the day if you have a credit card or loan which you signed without reading the contract then you took the money. You wouldn't expect a bank to call you and say "Hey - I think you shouldn't sign that because you don't understand it. Let me walk you through what this contract means." 

It's Natwest not your nanny. 

You signed it because you wanted the money. The same applies in the music business. Take some responsibility for your decisions and become accountable. 

Understanding these things is the next stage in your development as an artist/entrepreneur. 

This is just an excerpt from my pitch - that I think I'm finally happy with!



"I noticed that there are 7 problems that we encounter when interacting with our fans these are:-

1. Forgetting To Listen

When you don’t listen to fans we miss out on critical information and therefore critical insights.

2. Misjudging How They Got To Be A Fan In The First Place

If we don’t know how they became a fan we will find it difficult to keep them as fans.

3. Underestimating How They Interact With Music 

Without a clear view as to how fans are interacting with music we cannot understand their motivations.

4. Misconstruing The Many Different Relationships We Have With The Fans

Fans have an increasingly fluid and complex relationship with music. If we understand this we can form stronger lasting ties with them.

5. A Lack Of Innovation With The Fans

Without innovation industries get left behind. The collective knowledge amongst the fans can give us crucial distinctions in innovation.

6. Overlooking Creating With The Fans

By overlooking creating with the fans we stifle their thinking around music. The more the fans think about music the more influence we have.

7. Neglecting To Measure Your Efforts Towards The Fans

By not measuring our efforts we cannot manage them."

Here it is - after drafting and re-drafting, this is the version I will be taking out and about. Pitches are never perfect at this stage - the more you use it the more polished it becomes. The market polishes and refines your pitch!


PERFECT PITCH FOR POSITIVELY MUSIC 2013

I run a start-up called Positively Music.

Positively Music provides music industry training in entrepreneurship and digital business.

What makes Positively Music different is that I, the Founder, have over twelve years in the music industry. I have 2 music business degrees. I have also trained over a hundred independent artists in the last 5 years. Though, most notably I have run numerous international, European and national digital marketing and PR campaigns for superstar artists from Beyonce to Take That.

Over the span of my career I have noticed that the music industry seemed to face deep challenges in keeping up with changing technology such as the Internet. It seemed that the music industry couldn’t compete with other forms of technological entertainment like video games and social networks and so the music industry as we know it has started to decline.

My solution is found in 2 training programmes. The first is called “Music Business Builder.” Music Business Builder is directed at the independent artist/entrepreneur. After working with over a hundred independent artists, I have noticed that there are 7 things that get in the way of their long –term success. These are:-

1. Misunderstanding Finance

As we know there are too few record deals and many more independent artists. By understanding finance independent artists are better equipped to make a success of their own ventures.

2. Confusing Copyright

Independent artists are overly concerned with the protection of their creations rather than getting the balance between self-protection and the commercial exploitation of their compositions.

3. Misinterpreting Marketing

Most independent artists are constantly bombarded with poor, derivative information on how to get more fans and boost views. A quality marketing and PR campaign provides these stats but also provides that extra respect and credibility because a campaign is simply the professional way to do things.

4. Wanting To Be A Star

There is a big difference between genuinely wanting to share a musical gift across the world and yearning for superstardom. Chasing celebrity is a very different business – independent artists need to understand the difference so that they can make better decisions about their wants and needs.

5. Chasing Record Labels

The party that has the most power is the sought after party. The artist with the profile, influence, sales and raving fans doesn’t need to chase record labels because the labels come to her.

6. Underestimating Playing Live

Some independent artists lack the strategy to properly leverage their live shows for commercial purposes. Unfortunately, this sets them up for mediocre results at best.

7. Underrating Musical Study

Many independent musicians don’t understand the music theory. Studying the Greats from the Classical to our current Electronic Dance Music leaders will develop you faster and in turn help you refashion your learning so you can better present your own take on your music genre.

"Music Business Builder" is a programme devised specifically to help you build a genuine enterprise. This isn't a programme that will help you use social networks and get more fans. This programme will teach you to understand solid business, such as finance from cash flow to break even analysis, copyright law, creative commons licensing, sales forecasting and yes we will cover everything you need to know about marketing and PR as well. Most critically however we will teach you how to create deals with partners so that you can make leaps and bounds in your progress. Through fourteen 90 minute online courses you will design a strong minimum 5 year plan upon completion so that you can create your own jobs via your own enterprise, jobs for other people and attract investment and sponsorship.

The second programme is the flagship programme called “The Fan Experience.” The world of the music industry has changed greatly since the heady heyday of vinyl. The way to a music fan's heart, however, has not changed at all. There was a time when fans fell in love with music and lined up for the next hot album release. Those days are gone. Music is increasingly becoming commoditized entertainment so touching the hearts of music fans has become increasingly difficult. How do you connect with fans in a lucrative way? How do you cut through the avalanche competing digital entertainment from online gaming to social media and from illegal downloading to free online music video? How do you make the fans fall in love with music again? My solution is “The Fan Experience.2

The Fan Experience is a 7 step sequence to fan centred music business. It marries old school music business know how with up to date customer experience methods and teaches you how to put the fan firmly in the centre of the music business.  However, I have noticed that there are 7 problems that we encounter when interacting with our fans these are:-

1. Forgetting To Listen

When you don’t listen to fans we miss out on critical information and therefore critical insights.

2. Misjudging How They Got To Be A Fan In The First Place

If we don’t know how they got to be a fan in the first place we don’t know how they fell in love with the music they are interacting with. If we don’t know how they became a fan we will find it difficult to keep them as fans.

3. Underestimating How They Interact With Music 

Without a clear view as to how fans are interacting with music we cannot understand their motivations.

4. Misconstruing The Many Different Relationships We Have With The Fans

Fans have an increasingly fluid and complex relationship with music. If we understand this we can form stronger lasting ties with them.

5. A Lack Of Innovation With The Fans

Without innovation industries get left behind. The collective knowledge amongst the fans can give us crucial distinctions in innovation.

6. Overlooking Creating With The Fans

Music fans are creative, by not creating with the fans or allowing them to create we stifle their thinking around music. The more the fans think about music the more influence we have.

7. Neglecting To Measure Your Efforts Towards The Fans

By not measuring our efforts we cannot manage them.

The fan experience formula comprises of 7 steps

1. Listen

Here we learn how to listen to the fans and use their valuable input as design criteria into our music business.

2. Milestones

We work with every exposure that the fan has with music directly or indirectly, refining them until they enlighten the fans.

3. Map

Here we map out the journey the fans take with music and leverage what we learn so that we can delight them.

4. Ecosystem

We look at the complex relationships that fans have with music and how the fans will allow us to influence those relationships to create fantastic fan experiences.

5. Innovation

We look at the tiny shifts we can make in our products, services and processes that can cumulatively create quantum leaps in our business efforts.

6. Co-Creation

We work to fashion and re-fashion music with the fans and allow them to become increasingly invested.

7. Measurement

By measuring our efforts we can devote ourselves to constant and never-ending improvement.

The benefit to the music industry is room to grow, sustainability and better management of change.

In 1 year I expect to be speaking at all music business conferences, in support of my book and my products. I also expect to be running online and face-time courses. Within 2 years I expect to be launching a film in support of this idea and within 3 years I expect to take this idea to TV. Within 5 years I will be looking to exit both businesses. All this is in support of a bigger vision. I want to do for music what Jamie Oliver has done for food. I believe music is too commoditized which means we are losing our connection to it.

The biggest issue I would have to resolve is resistance from the older members of the industry who think that people want bits of plastic containing music. The truth of the matter is we want the experience that music gives us. To resolve this issue I can gather support from an ever growing rank of the music business entrepreneurs who also believe that the fan should be the centre of the music business. The music industry is in decline and as such depends on entrepreneurship to grow. It is a new generation of music business entrepreneurs that can support growth within the music industry and that independent musicians share the passion and appetite for such growth.

I am known for my expertise, progressive work ethic, tenets, creative ideas and my ability to make the complex seem simple.

I leave the people I work with feeling inspired, invigorated, revved up and ready to go!

I was recently at a mus biz social and listened to a few pitches - I am re-drafting my own so here it is!

"Positively Music provides entrepreneurship and digital business training to the music industry.

Positively Music is unlike other music business training companies because I have 2 music business degrees and has worked with over a hundred independent artists over the last 5 years. I also have over twelve years in the music industry running international, European and national digital marketing and PR campaigns for superstar artists from Beyonce to Take That.

Over the span of her career I have noticed that the music industry seemed to face deep challenges in keeping up with changing technology and inventions like the Internet. It seemed that the music industry couldn’t compete with other forms of technological entertainment like video games and social networks and so the music industry as we know it has started to decline.

My solution is training in entrepreneurship and digital business via 2 programmes. The first is called “Music Business Builder.” Music Business Builder is directed at the artist/entrepreneur. After working with over a hundred independent artists, I have noticed that there are 7 things that get in the way of their long –term success. These are:-

Not Understanding Finance

As we know there are too few deals and many more independent artists. By understanding business finance independent artists are better equipped to make a success of their own ventures. What we need are independent artist/entrepreneurs who have the vision, confidence and grit to create their own jobs and jobs for others.


Not Understanding Copyright

Too few independent musicians understand copyright. Historically, the music business is a copyright business whether we are referring to the sale of recordings or the leveraging of the copyright in logo designs. They are overly concerned with the protection of their creations rather than getting the balance between self-protection and the commercial exploitation of their compositions. If an independent musician doesn’t understand copyright they do not understand the music business and no amount of fans or video views will help them reach their goals.


Not Understanding Marketing

Most independent artists do not have a decent understanding of how to deliver an actual marketing and PR campaign. They are constantly bombarded with poor, derivative information on how to get more fans and boost views. A quality marketing and PR campaign gives independent artists these stats but also extra respect and credibility because a campaign is simply the professional way to do things.


Wanting To Be A Star

There is a big difference between genuinely wanting to share a musical gift across the world and yearning for superstardom. Whilst it is true that there have been many stars that have achieved just that times are changing as the market is over saturated and fans are easier to access. Chasing celebrity is a very different business – it is in fact show business not music business and independent artists need to understand the difference so that they can make better decisions about their wants and needs.


Chasing Record Labels

Chasing record labels for a deal simply tells them you are not sought after. It is one of Life’s Laws that what you chase after runs away. You wouldn’t be the pursuer otherwise. The party that has the most power is the sought after party. The artist with the profile, influence, sales and raving fans doesn’t need to chase record labels because the labels come to her.


Not Playing Enough Live Gigs

Some independent artists simply do not play enough live gigs and they also do not play them with a campaign in mind. They lack the strategy to properly leverage their live shows for commercial purposes and fail to tie their live shows into a marketing and PR campaign. Unfortunately, this sets them up for mediocre results at best.


Not Studying Music

There is a raft of second hand experience that students can gain valuable lessons. After all why make mistakes first hand when you can get the lesson straight away and spare yourself the pain of any criticism? Many independent musicians understand proper harmonic form or instrumental ranges and as such write naïvely. Studying the Greats from the Classical to our current Electronic Dance Music leaders will develop you faster and in turn help you refashion your learning so you can better present your own take on your music genre.

To solve these problems Positively Music has created a programme called “Music Business Builder” to overcome these barriers to success. "Music Business Builder" is a programme devised specifically for artists who want to sharpen their business skills. Through a massive range of 90 minute online courses we will teach you everything you need to know about the business of music. This isn't a programme that will help you use social networks and get more fans. This programme will teach you to understand real business, such as business finance from cash flow to break even analysis, copyright law, creative commons licensing, sales forecasting and yes we will cover everything you need to know about marketing and PR as well.

It is a programme designed to give independent musicians a solid minimum 5 year plan upon completion so that they can create their own jobs via their own enterprise, jobs for other people and attract investment.

The second programme is the flagship programme called “The Fan Experience.” The world of the music industry has changed greatly since the heady heyday of vinyl. The way to a music fan's heart, however, has not changed at all. There was a time when fans fell in love with music and lined up for the next hot album release. Those days are gone. Music is increasingly becoming commoditized entertainment so touching the hearts of music fans has become increasingly difficult. How do you connect with fans in a lucrative way? How do you cut through the avalanche competing digital entertainment from online gaming to social media and from illegal downloading to free online music video? How do you make the fans fall in love with music again? The Fan Experience.

The Fan Experience is a 7 step sequence to fan centred music business. It marries old school music business know how with up to date customer experience methods and teaches you how to put the fan firmly in the centre of the music business.


1.    You learn how to listen to the fans and use their valuable input as design criteria.

2. How to work with every exposure that the fan has with music directly or indirectly.

3. Understanding the journey the fans take with music.

4. Understanding the complex relationships that fans have with music.

5. How to innovate with the fans

6. How to fashion and re-fashion music with the fans.

The benefit to the music industry is room to grow, sustainability and better management of change.

The music industry is in decline and as such depends on entrepreneurship to grow. It is a new generation of music business entrepreneurs that can support growth within the music industry and that independent musicians share the passion and appetite for such growth.

In 1 year I expect to be speaking at all music business conferences, in support of my book and my products. I also expect to be running online and face-time courses. Within 2 years I expect to be launching a film in support of this idea and within 3 years I expect to take this idea to TV. Within 5 years I will be looking to exit both businesses.

All this is in support of a bigger vision. I want to do for music what Jamie Oliver has done for food. I believe music is too commoditized which means we are losing our connection to it.

The biggest issue I would have to resolve is resistance from the older members of the industry who think that people want bits of plastic containing music. The truth of the matter is we want the experience that music gives us. To resolve this issue I can gather support from an ever growing rank of the music business entrepreneurs who also believe that the fan should be the centre of the music business.

I am known for my expertise, progressive work ethic, tenets, creative ideas and my ability to make the complex seem simple.

I leave the people I work with feeling inspired, confident, revved up and ready to go!"

I recently answered a question on Quora about whether people would still be buying CDs in 5 years time. You can see the answer here. I alluded to the idea that many territories might still use the CD format. With only a third of the world's population online at the moment it would seem that CDs might still have a little life left in them yet. However, as Eric Schmidt says, 


"For every person online, there are two who are not. By the end of the decade, everyone on Earth will be connected. #NewDigitalAge"



This is interesting as Statista very readily points out that millions of the people who currently do not have internet do not have the basics meaning clean water and are suffering from malnourishment. To this end we would have to look to the next predicted economic powers of India and China in terms of the music format adoption.

Your thoughts?

One time, a few years ago now I was invited to see the showcase at a hotel for a new girl band who were desperately vying for major label attention. I walked in with my colleague who immediately bumped into one of the girls from the act. They exchanged their "hellos" as I waited with appropriate patience to be introduced by my colleague. However, before he could say anything the girl piped up and said in a condescending manner,

"Aaw... Is this "the" girlfriend?"

(Wow!)

A few beats after we had parted ways I expressed my dismay at this girl's lack of grace and manners towards me. At that point she'd lost any semblance of support I might have had for her group. It was highly unlikely that I would help them. And I could have helped them. A HELL OF A LOT.

It is not that I think I'm entitled to any special treatment but as a person we are all entitled to manners. It is also simply normal to feel less incentivised to help someone who had just been rude to you.

Now, I have recently been contacted myself by an upcoming firm for an informational meeting and I feel pretty humbled by it. I find that I am planning some points of what to say and how I can best contribute to them.

Here's the thing I walk around both the major label world, the indie world and the unsigned world. I see no reason to separate them in my travels. I am open minded I will talk to everyone because I have much to contribute to all. However, what I have discovered is that many times when I reach out into the unsigned/indie world I get met with a lack of manners before people really know who I am. This generally indicates to me that they as an artist don't have much to give to the world because if you do, your approach is somewhat softer because you want people to listen to you. Even then some people will be extremely rude as if to suggest that my being in an independent or unsigned environment must mean that I am lying about my background or somehow I lack credibility or integrity.

Get rid of your ego, because you don't know who you'll be talking to and you don't know how much power they hold that could make or break your career. People in the major part of the industry talk and if anyone now asks me about any acts that I can remember that have been less than polite to me, whilst I won't have anything bad to say (because I wouldn't be like that) I won't have anything good to say either and that really says it all all. It doesn't matter how talented you think you are if you are not easy to work with, it is easier to opt for the equally or even lesser talented person because they are simply nicer to be around and they don't make the lives of others difficult. Don't worry this applies to superstar artists as well. I have a few of those stories but not for this page! :-) 

So the point is this - always remember your manners. 

Thank you for reading :-)

"In the first step of the Fan Experience strategy we looked at “Listening” which is a way of gaining more insight into how fans engage with music; understanding their perspective, actions, decisions, goals, questions and the barriers they put up. The relationship, however, that a fan feels with music and its artist depends on a much broader variety of factors. Some of these factors will be directly connected to the fan’s use of music products and services; other factors are based on far more subjective interactions – all these factors are called “Milestones” within the Fan Experience strategy. “Milestones” is the next link in the chain and this starts the process of building a framework for understanding how the fan is supported throughout their journey with music. So what is a “Milestone?” A “Milestone” is every interaction that is in any way associated in the fan’s mind with the musical experience. This means everything from all marketing communications, all broadcast communications and every social media interaction. Of course, it also means all purchases and listening to the music itself. “Milestones” are in the spaces between the borders of the music business organisation in question and the fans. Where you find Milestones in the Fan Experience strategy you will find lots of intersecting information because this is where the Fan Experience occurs. This terrain is unfortunately like shifting sand as there are generally many hands in it. 

                                                           This means that Milestones can prove to be surprisingly complex."

Check 'em out - what do you think? I think I like the third one best! I was having fun with video....

Check it out!

I think Christmas is a time to celebrate everything we can be grateful for. A time of reflection and a time to share our blessings. I have a lot to be thankful for and I want to thank anyone who read my posts and blogs over this past year. I also want to thank those to read my book and reports that came out this year, and I would like to thank those who gave me any feedback this year so that I could be challenged and so that I would grow from it. I haven't blogged in a long while as I have been trying to get books and courses written and audios recorded for 2013. So look out for lots of stuff next year in the meantime enjoy this little video brought to you below by Toy Story and remember...