It's 5:33 a.m. I am on my first cup of Joe,; a second will soon follow. Culling through emails, blogs, Craigslist ads and PR list to pitch my group and our CD's at this ungodly hour – has been a habit of mine for years and one every artist should develop if not in the morning at least at some point during the day.
Facebook does not have to be all consuming
Sending out email blasts, newsletter updates or posting new tracks on Facebook does not have to be all consuming – if you organize your time effectively it can be done a few hours each day – given that there are 24 hours in a day I spend 2-3 hours each doing just that – which nets me an average of 21 hours a week PRing my band and our work – almost one day's work.
It pays to get up early sometimes!
Remember the adage the early bird catches the worm? Last Christmas Day I was up at my usual early hour looking through CL adds in my city and came across an opportunity to play a holiday gig that day – needless to say by 9 am I was on the phone, booked the gig and landed close to $500 cash for playing an hours worth of Christmas music at a private party.
Don't believe the hype
One last thing – don't believe the hype that you have to have 1M hits on YouTube to make it big – you make it through consistent process and focusing your energies on the larger picture over time – being indie means breaking away from the norm and finding alternatives to making money with your music – use your creative process to do just that!
Here's wishing you success in developing good habits for getting your music heard and for making money as an indie artist. Peace through music.
Guest Post: Stefanie August has been active as a musician and music educator and consultant since 1983. She remains adamantly indie and continues to promote her work and the work of other indie artists.
