January

Music Is Your Business. Is Business Good?

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

No matter what your particular niche is when it comes to music, the ultimate goal is to make a living doing what you love. Making a living from music requires more than just talent. It requires dedication, drive, perseverance, and a burning desire to succeed. Unfortunately, most musicians’ brains cease to function once they cross the threshold from creating art to running a business. It’s a delicate balancing act, but music is still a business. So, we must learn from the business world?

Create a Business Plan. A business plan can range from simple to complex, but they merely function to keep us on task. They clearly define our business structure, who is in charge, and how decisions are made. They serve to define our goals, especially fiscally, and helps to identify how to reach them. It helps you in your search for funding, and helps lenders know how you intend to pay them back. Your local small business administration can help you to develop your plan. There’s even software to help with the task of creating a business plan.

Create a Marketing Plan. A business plan is not enough to succeed. You need to know how you will get your music, products, or services to the masses. That requires a marketing plan. These help you to know what avenues you will use to advertise your products or services, create budgets, and build your brand.

Build a Team. No man is an island. Only few people can perform every single duty when it comes to running a successful business. Even fewer of those people keep their sanity. So, develop a team of people who can help you succeed. It’s difficult, but don’t be afraid to Recruit fans to help you promote. Outsource tasks like printing, cd duplication, photography, or graphic design (even more so if the tasks aren’t your strong suit). Hire a bookkeeper and tax professional. Even hire a roadie and recruit someone to work your merchandise table–vital if you want to preserve your strength for gigs! Outsourcing to trusted professionals only serves to help you maintain a professional appearance, which is crucial in business.

Keep the Books. If you’re making money from your music (or anything for that matter), you can bet Uncle Sam wants his share. On the up side, though, being in business affords you certain tax deductions of business expenses. Be sure to keep up with all of your income and expenses. It’s not enough just to write them down; you MUST be able to show proof in order to receive your deduction. So, keep your receipts, log your mileage for business-related trips (including odometer readings and purposes for the trip), and organize your income and expenditures. Intuit’s Quicken Home and Business edition is a great way to stay organized, but it’s always a good idea to consult a tax professional for preparation and general advice.

Focus on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. Keeping your fans happy (and coming back again and again) is what will keep food on your table. Engage them. Show some interest in them as people and not just as numbers or dollar signs. Foster their trust and loyalty and then the sales will follow. Here’s a related post on building a loyal fanbase.

These are just some simple guidelines to help you succeed with your own music business endeavors. Comment and tell us what helps you succeed!

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

0

January

27

Your Music Ministry: A Real-World Business Model

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Worship, Marketing & Promotion, Music Theory, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Many churches prefer not to think about it, but, like it or not, a church’s music and multimedia ministry is a part of the music and entertainment industry. If music and multimedia is a commodity for day-to-day operations, you are indeed a part of the music biz.

Anyone who is in business will tell you that you must study and analyze your competition in order to survive. In music ministry, we are in competition with the secular entertainment market. In order to draw people in and engage them, our “product” (in this case, the worship experience) must offer a viable substitute to what congregants can get anywhere else. A growth-focused contemporary church’s music, video, multimedia, and visual experience must rival what people find on the radio or at a concert–relevant and “in the now”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that worship is a concert or performance, but let’s face the facts: those things get people through your doors. Now that you’ve drawn them in, it’s the substance that’s combined with the experience that creates true relevance.

So, how can we build a vibrant and relevant music ministry? Let’s take a cue from a real-world business model, by adapting what works in the secular markets, and putting it to work to help further the Kingdom of God.

Sales and Marketing. In music ministry you’re engaged in sales and marketing. You’re basically getting someone else to “buy in” to a ministry opportunity with their time and talents. You must publicize available positions, special events, etc. If no one knows, then no one will volunteer or participate.
Human Resources. You’re also responsible for seeking the right person for the “job”. You’re saddled with the task of conducting auditions and interviews. This task is a weighty responsibility for any ministry team, because desperation to fill a given position most often results in a poor decision.
Public Relations. Your team must portray the image of your parent company, in this case, the church. This image must be exuded both inside and outside the church’s walls.
Employee Evaluation. A ministry’s responsibility is to constantly asses the work ethic, attendance, and attitude of each “employee”. Furthermore, you must assess each team member’s competency in his/her job. Are they growing and learning their instrument? Are they progressing with their musical knowledge? Can they pull their weight? Are they growing spiritually?
Legal Department. Churches all over the world break the law every week, and they don’t even know it. It’s the ministry’s moral obligation to understand intellectual property rights and the church’s legal responsibilities as it pertains to those rights. You also often deal with member contracts once players are recruited.
Maintenance and Quality Control. The ministry must supply a quality product (i.e. worship experience) each week. So, the ministry must seek out and address areas of weakness and constantly look for ways to improve.
Research and Development. Again, to compete and survive, you must analyze and learn from the competition. A ministry must learn from the most current trends and seek out ways to push forward. You must research and implement new ways to improve and become more productive. You must test ways to make your product become a viable substitute to what’s on the radio and in other entertainment.

While this is just a basic overview, there are many other parallels and lessons to draw from the business world when it comes to building a vibrant ministry team. See www.butlerproductionsmultimedia.com/seminars to bring this and similar information to your church.

Comment and tell your ministry’s Startup Story!

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

0

January

25

My 50th on My 30th

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Educators, For Worship, Marketing & Promotion, Music Theory, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Today marks two milestones. First, I turn 30 today. Second, it’s our 50th blog post!

I don’t really feel like I’m “in my thirties”. Looking back, I did achieve one of my major goals of owning my own business and working for myself while still in my twenties. I’m so blessed that I get to do what I love–making music–for a living (sometimes in my pajamas). I like being able to say that I’m an author, musician, and an entrepreneur. More than that, I love being able to help others down that same path with the MusicIsMyBiz blog, classes, seminars, and books. Life is good.

So, this marks our 50th blog post! It’s been my goal to create a place where aspiring musicians can go for information about the music business. It’s a place where teachers and business owners can learn how to use audio to improve their productivity and achieve their goals. It’s a place where churches and ministries can learn how go grow, improve, and protect themselves when it comes to music and multimedia. If you use music or audio in day-to-day activities, then MusicIsMyBiz is designed for YOU.

It’s my desire that you succeed. That’s why I’m unveiling our new book on MusicIsMyBiz.com on such a day as today. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to record and produce your own music, then I’ve put together the beginner’s guide, Recording Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Music. We’ll cover all the necessary information to get you started producing and recording music for yourself or for others.

Basic Acoustics
Digital Audio
Common Studio Equipment
Microphone Techniques
Recording Common Instruments
Microphone Types
Microphone Placement Techniques
Tracking a Live Band
Mixing Guidelines
Thinking Like a Producer
Chord Charts and Song Matrices
Musical Arranging
Audio Editing Principles
Introduction to the Mastering Process
Plus lots more…

As a bonus, you’ll receive the guide Home Recording Savvy: Tricks to Tracking Great Sounds at Home. Let’s face it, many times we can’t afford the luxury of a professional recording studio, especially when starting out. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get great sounds, even if you’re recording at home. With this additional guide, you will learn great tips and techniques that you can apply in the home recording environment.

If you’re a budding songwriter who wants to make your own demos, or if you’re an aspiring producer who wants to work with other artists, then this book is for you. Check it out. If you don’t think the information you learn from reading this book helps to make your recording skills better, then let me know within 30 days, and I’ll give you a refund. You’ve really got nothing to lose.

Recording Basics Ebook

$19.95 Blog readers, receive a $5.00 DISCOUNT by entering the Discount Code MIMB.

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

1

January

23

The McTrademark and Intellectual Property Rights

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, For Worship, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

I’ve been teaching a series of seminars and classes on taking your church’s music and media ministry to the next level. We start off by focusing on “keeping it legal” by acknowledging and respecting the intellectual property rights of others. This morning on the WalletPop blog, there’s an article of a teen named Lauren McCluskey, along with another girl with Mc in her surname, who raised $30,000 for the Special Olympics with a charity concert series they called the McFest. McDonalds claimed it was infringement of their “Mc” trademark. In the December issue of Recording Magazine, another teen was sued by four record labels for illegally downloading and sharing 24 songs. The verdict after two trials? Punitive damages of 1.93 MILLION dollars. It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or turn on the computer, there’s an article dealing with an infringement case. It just serves to further remind us that INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE A BIG DEAL!

If you’re a songwriter, performer, or artist, those rights are a big deal to you, too. It’s how you make a living. (See our previous posts on How to Get Paid for your Music and How to Start your Own MusicPublishing Company.) If you’re a venue, church, or broadcaster, they’re also a big deal for you, as well. Understanding the rights of others, in addition to your responsibilities pertaining to those rights, ensures that you don’t get sued (if you abide by them).

The law allows Intellectual Property owners certain EXCLUSIVE rights:

To reproduce the works
To create derivative works
To distribute the works
To perform the works
To display the works

No one else can do those things (well, legally, anyway). So, then, how does a potential music user get permission to do any of those things? Licensing. You must purchase a license in order to use the music of someone else for any reason. Each potential use requires a specific license.

To have music at your venue, club, or restaurant, you need a Performance License from a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC.
To broadcast music on television, radio, or the internet, you also need a Performance License from a PRO.
To use music in a church worship setting, copy music, or display music/lyrics, you need a CCLI license from Christian Copyright License International.
To record someone else’s music onto a CD, for example a compilation, you need a Mechanical License, which can generally be obtained through the Harry Fox Agency and a Master Use License.
To record your performance of someone else’s music, for example a CD of cover tunes, you must also have a Mechanical License, but not a Master Use License.
To use someone else’s music on a video for broadcast, you would need a Broadcast License, a Synchronization License and a Master Use License. If it then goes on a CD or DVD for sale, you must add a Mechanical License.

Keep in mind that when you buy a CD, the ONLY thing you own is the little plastic disc and a License to listen to the music. You in no way own the music. You cannot copy, perform or distribute any of that music. Period. Well, unless you buy a license.

Comments? Questions? Keep ‘em comin!

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

3

January

21

New Look, New Name, Same Great Info!

Posted In: Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

We’ve made a few changes! But, don’t worry, they’re only to make your experience here EVEN BETTER! Since we’re focusing on bringing you great tips for how to use music in your business, we’re now calling ourselves the MusicIsMyBiz blog. We’re still dedicated to bringing you great information for using audio and music in your classroom, business, and worship services. For you musicians and bands, we’re still going to provide the same great information to help you succeed in the Music Biz.

Let us know what you think. Comments and questions make us happy.

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

1

January

16

Going Viral with your Pants on the Ground

Posted In: Band Management, Career Building, For Businesses, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

Since “The General” performed on American Idol, the country has been obsessed with “Pants on the Ground”. The absurdly entertaining, yet socially relevant performance has spurred everything from hats and handbags, to shirts and skivvies. There are mixes, remixes, and acoustic covers. Literally overnight, the entire world was talking about Pants on the Ground. You can’t turn log onto the internet, especially Facebook, without hearing the phrase, seeing the posted video, or seeing a link to some apparel emblazoned with the phrase. Truly, this is what it means to Go Viral.

So, what can we learn from The General when it comes to our music and marketing? With the right blend of cheese, relevance, entertainment value, and a certain endearing quality, people will talk about you. Granted, being on the highest rated and most watched television show in history, American Idol, doesn’t hurt. But, nevertheless Viral is possible.

Quite simply, if everyone is talking about something, then people can profit from it. This is precisely what we see when we log onto the internet with “Pants on the Ground”. Countless people are using his idea to make money for themselves. While you don’t necessarily want others to profit from you, the real key is to make this principle work for YOU and your music, video, or product.

Although no one can really guarantee viral status, what can we do to help get noticed?

Make it really entertaining–keep the viewer engaged.
Make it original–do something fresh or unexpected for the viewer.
Make it mindless–don’t make the viewer think too hard.
Keep it relatively short–leave the viewer wanting more.
Get a reaction–shock the viewer or make it endearing.
Make it catchy–make it memorable for the viewer.

Once you get the viewers talking and sharing, you’re over the biggest hurdle. To make viral marketing really work for you, you must have them associate the content to you or your brand. So, make sure the video has your web address and/or branding visible at some point. They’ve found your content, now make sure they know who it belongs to and how to find YOU.

Again, no one can really guarantee that their content will go viral, but keep these tips in mind when you produce your next web video or publicity campaign. Here’s a great book titled The New Rules of Marketing and PR, which goes into great detail about “Going Viral”.

Good luck!

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

1

January

13

Production Perseverance: Struggling to Stay Motivated

Posted In: Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Recording, Uncategorized by claybutlermusic

One of the most difficult aspects of being a full-time musician is staying motivated, especially when it seems that we’re not making any progress. The lack of apparent progress fools us into thinking that we’re a failure, which is a motivation killer.

For folks like me, who compose production music and create other content for a living, the biggest motivation killer is the lack of immediate results. We produce music for use in television, yet we may never know if the music gets used until months (even years in some cases) after the broadcast when we get our PRO statement in the mailbox. When you’re first starting out, though, the statements that read, “We regret to inform you…” that can suck the life right out of you. That’s when it’s hard to stay motivated.

Perhaps you’ve produced a great CD or book. Everyone you talk to thinks it’s great, and you’ve even sold a few. But, every time you walk into the garage, you’re faced with the boxes–ever present reminders that you’re not selling well.

Failures? Maybe. But within each of those “failures” lies potential success. We just need a catalyst–something that will kick start a little victory to carry us over to the next.

With production music, it’s a numbers game. So, the more you produce and “get out there”, the more likely you are to get your music placed. Let the satisfaction of seeing your catalog grow spur you on to produce more music.

In both cases, though, let your marketing motivate you. Get excited about the ways you can get your product (be it production music, a CD, a book, a blog, etc.) in front of as many people as possible. Better yet, bring them to YOU, and you’ll likely start seeing results. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it.

Most importantly, CREATE! If you offer people more, your chances of success automatically increase. Nice how that works, isn’t it?!

Share This Post!

More »

Up?

0