What You Need to Build a Long-Term Career in Music
- More than talent: My wake up call to you: talent is a given and everyone’s great in the music business. Long-term success is a “Talent +” equation. You must learn more than simply being great at your craft and how to put that additional knowledge to work for you.
- Work Ethic: You are not going to stumble into success. You must be willing and able (see number 7) to work your butt off to find, make and take advantage of opportunities.
- Right Equipment: I’m not saying wait until you have the latest and best of everything, but if you want to be a pro, have pro equipment and know how to use it.
- Appearance: Remember, you are never NOT marketing, so make sure everything you do/are communicates what you want. As I heard TV host Jeannie Mai say, “people judge, give them something to judge correctly.”
- Personality: On a related note, you must also BE a great person. Do jerks work? Yes, but either (a) not for long or (b) they are NOT jerks to their team, band, crew, etc.
- People Skills: A personality is who you are, people skills are the how, why and when of interacting with OTHER people. Successful people do this very well. All the time, and with all people. If there’s one bigger “must have,” it’s this one.
- Cashflow: Having a consistent supply of money for food, shelter, basics and equipment means you are in control of your life and career. The opposite is being desperate and that NEVER turns out well.
- USP: You must fully understand your Unique Selling Proposition: the customer (fan, producer, fellow musician, etc.) focused benefit(s) that is unique to you.
- Target Market: You also must fully understand who your target customers are in as much detail as possible. You will find success when you clearly communicate your USP to a specific group of people who you’ve identified as needing/wanting what you offer.
- A Big Why: If you don’t have a bigger reason to succeed in music than hearing applause and being a star, you will never be a success. Your ability to persist will be directly tied to what you want out of life and a sense of purpose that matters for other people.
I find that most players, singers, songwriters and artists struggle most with numbers 7, 8 and 9. They are not difficult, but they can be tricky. Where are you with this list? How can I help?
