D Leigh Biz

Ok, so it’s time to create my first band press kit.  There are a wealth of resources available for the “do it yourselfer” including books, articles, blogs, and websites.  Although electronic press kits are becoming more popular, it’s also advised that you create a hard copy version.  Never forget the “power of presence”, meaning, in person meetings with venue owners can make a difference. Even if they aren’t able to provide a booking right away, they may keep you or your artist in mind for future gigs, or could direct you to another venue that is currently seeking your style of music.

I’ve also found some great articles online related to band press kits.  Music Think Tank.com has a great article by Jonathan Ostrow that provided excellent instruction on the important elements to include in a press kit. Another good online article is titled “What Goes Into a Successful Electronic Press Kit (Digital Music Promo)?”.  It talks about EPKs and hardcopies, and the advantages of both. And Mike King speaks from experience, having worked at a record label and being the recipient of many press kits.  His article on artistshousemusic.org provides cautions as to what you should avoid. Sites such as Reverbnation.com and Sonicbids.com allow you to create an online electronic press kit (EPK). 

Beware of resources that may not deliver on expectations.  For example, I recently purchased a book for my Nook device by Ebony Pierce entitled Press Kits: The Complete Guide To Press Kits That’s Stuffed With Techniques for Getting Professional Results With Band Press Kits, Movie Press Kits, Online Press Kits, Media Kits and Electronic Press Kits. This book was a complete waste of my $3.50!  There was no true guidance, techniques or helpful direction.  Be sure to review the various free resources that are available before making purchases or signing up for paid services.  

Take Care,

D Leigh 

If you have been following my blog, you are aware that my primary purpose for starting a career in artist management is to represent my son.  Originally it was to represent him as a bass player, but now I have taken on a management role for his band, Three Story Hill.  Those in the music industry have heard it many times; the role of the artist manager can be extremely challenging.  According to an article on ArtistManagementResource.com titled How To Become A Music Manager, “the music business management career is simultaneously the most demanding (“why aren’t you doing more”) yet sometimes the most under-appreciated (“well, anyone can do that!”) in the eyes of many in the music community.”  Add the additional complexity of managing a family member or close friend, and this could be a recipe for disaster. But there are many examples of family members who have been excellent managers, and assisted in launching successful careers for their loved ones.   

Recently, I watched an E! television special regarding this phenomenon called “Fame in the Family”.  They showcased two artists, Sean Kingston and Romeo Miller (aka Lil’ Romeo), both of whom have their mothers as their managers.  Sean’s mother fits the definition of a personal manager.  They live together, she continues to cook and iron for him, and she also manages his schedule and ensures that his bills are paid.  Romeo’s mother has helped over time with his career, and is now working to launch the music careers of his 3 sisters.  She is actively involved in the studio and linking them with the right support team. This was a great inside look at how families can work together to support a rising star.

One of the most successful artist managers today is Kris Jenner, who manages the careers of her three daughters, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian.  Kris has even trademarked the term “momager”.  She was instrumental in inking multiple deals with E! television, and negotiated with clothing, cosmetic, jewelry and fragrance companies on behalf of her children.  In an interview with WSJ.com, she confirms that she earns 10% commission for her management responsibilities.  Other stars that have had “momagers” and “dadagers” include Usher, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson and Hayden Panettiere.

A few things I’ve learned about representing a family member include:

Finally, I realize that even with the best laid plans, there may come a time when we will need to part ways. Hopefully, it will be an amicable split. The last thing I want is to jeopardize my relationship with my son. I may not be his manager for the rest of his career, but I’ll be his mom forever.  

References:

Huffington Post. (2013) Celebrity momagers and dadagers: Who is running the show behind the scenes?  Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/05/celebrity-momagers-and-dadagers-behind-the-scenes_n_2398541.html

Peden, L. (2012) Entertainment Wise.  Kris Jenner makes it legal, receives plaque to trademark her 'Momager Position'.  Retrieved from: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/88273/Kris-Jenner-Makes-It-Legal-Receives-Plaque-To-Trademark-Her-Momager-Position

  

Rwakaara, J. (2012) Artist Management Resource. How to become a music manager.  Retrieved from: http://artistmanagementresource.com/management-advice/music-business-articles/232-how-to-become-a-music-manager

Ryan. (2013) Romeo and Sean Kingston Star in E!’s “Fame In the Family”. Living Civil.  Retrieved from: http://livingcivil.com/romeo-and-sean-kingston-star-in-es-fame-in-the-family/

Recently I’ve begun searching the Internet for a potential music internship for my son this summer (2013).  He will complete his junior year in college as a Music Major in May; therefore, now is a good time to gain some in-depth knowledge of the music industry.  In terms of his resume, he’s carrying a B average in Jazz Studies, performs off-campus in a hip-hop/fusion band, and has past experience working as a musician on a cruise line.  Here is what I found as I researched these opportunities.

I have subscriptions to various feeds via my Google Reader account.  One of my favorite sites is About.com Music Careers.  They have really good articles on a variety of issues, from authors that have excellent insight regarding the music industry.  The first article I read was titled, Reasons You Should Do a Music Business Internship by Heather McDonald.  She listed these 4 reasons: 1) music business experience, 2) connections, 3) learning standard practices and 4) building confidence. Young musicians, especially those in college, might not have a realistic view of how the business side of the industry operates.  An internship would be a great way to understand the internal workings of a music entity.  Keep in mind, the job may not be glamorous, and the tasks assigned to you may seem mundane.  Internships have also been described as “gopher” or “grunt” work.  But, if you utilize your networking skills, you may walk away from the internship with contacts, references, and an insider’s view of how to get started in the music business.

Another helpful article was titled Find a Music Industry Internship.  This article provided direction on how to search for internships.  If you don’t have direct connections to anyone at a record label or artist management firm, it can be difficult to figure out how to find these opportunities.  For college students, the article reminds you to utilize the placement offices at your school.  They can be very helpful in identifying internships, as they may have ties to various companies in the industry.  For those who aren’t in college, one interesting method that the author suggested was to create your own internship.  Basically, you would go to a local label or promoter, and ask to work with them, even on a part-time basis.  Again, the most important part about the internship is gaining knowledge of the industry, not necessarily the pay.

Finally, you need to approach the interview for an internship as seriously as you would with any other type of job.  Remember, these are professionals.  In terms of how you dress, it is better to overdress than to dress casually.  You want to make sure the interviewer believes you are serious about the job.  I would caution against  wearing jeans and Nikes.  Until you know the environment of the workplace, dress to impress.  With my experience in Human Resources, I also know that punctuality is a must if you are trying to impress the interviewer.  If you can, practice your route to the location.  If you just use Google Maps or Mapquest, there is a chance you may not understand traffic patterns and construction detours.  Also, during the interview, be prepared to answer questions related to the company and why you are interested in working there.  Doing research in advance can set you apart from other candidates. Two additional articles on About.com Music Careers that can help are; Five Music Business Job Interview Tips and What NOT to Say in Your Music Business Job Interview. 

Remember, you may not get your first choice of companies, but a different internship may yield great insight and connections.  So don’t automatically discount other companies. Per Heather McDonald, “The bottom line is that this your chance to start transitioning from student to professional. Even if you end up not working in music, this experience will help you in any industry.”

Let me know if you have any other ideas for locating internships by leaving a comment.

Take Care,

D Leigh

As an artist or artist manager, you will find yourself across the table from various representatives of the music industry.  How do you protect your interests and/or the interests of your clients?  In the absence of taking a college course or a workshop specific to negotiation skills, you can educate yourself by various means such as books, podcasts and related videos on sites such as YouTube.  In this article, I will provide guidance I have learned from reading the book Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William Ury and Bruce Patton.  These gentlemen are members of the Harvard Negotiation Project, which is part of the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School.  They have extensive knowledge in the area of negotiation and have written other books on the topic, which are referenced at the end of this article.

In terms of the book, Getting To Yes, the first sentence of the Introduction section says it all, “Like it or not, you are a negotiator”.  We employ negotiating skills in a multitude of situations, such as buying a car, accepting a job offer, and even making family decisions on where to vacation.  The authors provide some great techniques to ensure a successful negotiation, and it’s not the hard-nosed tactics you may have employed in the past.  For instance, the four points of their principled negotiation method are:

Using these techniques can create better, more engaging relationships with the other party, which can in turn forge the path for more constructive business dealings. 

            Principled negotiation had been adopted in various forms in practice and teachings.  For instance, Dr. Thomas N. Deuning discusses these concepts as a way to conduct “interest-based negotiations”.  His webinar, Principles of Negotiation, shows how conventional negotiation methods are ineffective.  This includes a win-lose attitude, asserting positions and personal preferences, being stubborn, threats, and bluffs.  Furthermore, he re-introduces the concept of having a BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement).  Duening goes a step further and provides four steps to acceptable negotiation outcomes: 1) obtain substantial results, 2) influence the balance of power, 3) promote a constructive climate, and 4) obtain procedural flexibility.  This information was extremely valuable in creating my negotiation process going forward.

Another resource that I found to be very informative was a video posted of a class conducted by Joel Peterson at Stanford University’s School of Business entitled “Conducting Effective Negotiations”.  He notes that the course was formerly titled “How to Negotiate When You Absolutely Have To Have The Deal”.  He commented that he would hope that no one would allow himself or herself to be placed in such a position!  In terms of business negotiations, Peterson states that the main deliverables are typically price, terms, timeframes, warranties and remedies.  I very much appreciated his take on the use of “dirty tricks” in negotiations.  In the video, he and the class members have an enlightening discussion about the various things they have witnessed, such as, being locked in the negotiating room, abusive language, shouting, lack of breaks and stalling to extend the meeting time.  His advice to the class was to “call them out” on the behavior, plan for contingencies, make the behavior ineffective or to simply ignore it.  He refers to a quote that states, “don’t wrestle with pigs, you get dirty and they enjoy it”! Another great learning was to treat the negotiation as “just a conversation”.  This makes it a less intimidating activity. 

Getting to Yes was originally published in 1983.  Since then, there have been other advances in negotiation techniques.  But the initial concepts have endured over time.  William Ury has been a consultant for the White House and has been involved as a mediator and negotiator for various global issues.  Recently, he has been involved in the Abraham’s Path Project, which addresses the Middle East conflict by encouraging people to travel the path of Abraham to recognize mutual benefit.  In his TED presentation, The Walk from “no” to “yes”, he talks about ways to resolve conflict and have better negotiations.  I was very impressed with the story he tells related to his interaction with a tribe in South Africa.  There are 3 tools utilized to minimize the outbreak of tribal war; 1) hide the weapons, 2) cooling off periods, and 3) the 3^rd side.  The 3^rd side is a concept of community, family, friends, etc. that helps you be more reflective and put things into perspective.  This in turn, reminds you of what’s important, and refocuses your efforts toward mutual gain.  He notes an African proverb that says, “When spider webs unite, they can halt even the lion”.   

I would encourage you to access the resources noted in this blog posting to improve your ability to negotiate for yourself and/or your clients.  Being well informed and prepared are your best weapons to ensure that no one takes advantage of you during those discussions.  Keep in mind; these techniques can be employed within all types of negotiations, including personal relationships with spouses, siblings, parents and children.  Learning more about appropriate ways to negotiate will allow you to be more objective and seek mutual gain. 

References

Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. New York: Penguin.

Conducting Effective Negotiations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCmvMDrCWjs

Principles of Negotiation Webinar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgkahscrvf8

TED talk – William Ury: The Walk From “no” to “yes”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc6yi_FtoNo

Additional Resources

Fisher, R., & Shapiro, R. (2006). Beyond reason: Using emotions as you negotiate. New York:Penguin.

Ury,W.(2007). The power of a positive no: Save the deal, save the relationship, and still say no.  New York: Bantam Dell

Stone, D., Patton, B., Heen, S. (20xx). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most.  New York: Penguin.

Those who have backgrounds that include business or technical instruction know the importance of creating a plan in order to succeed. In the music business, the art of planning is not always exercised.  Most musicians see success as a “hit or miss” proposition, believing that a fan base or networking is the only way to make it big.  I beg to differ.  Planning is an important part of success in any career.  Now, I admit, I tend to “over-plan”.  I don’t shop without a pre-written list, I utilize a daily planner for my “to-do” items, and I still have a separate account for automatic deposits from my paycheck for holiday savings.  Can you say ANALytical?!  Ok, that may be a bit much for most people, but don’t discount planning as a tool to move you toward your goals.

I recently read an article by Peter Spellman, Director of Music Business Solutions (mbsolutions.com).  Peter has over 15 years of experience in artist development.  He is the author of The Self-Promoting Musician: Do-it-Yourself Strategies for Independent Music Success (Berklee Press) and is currently the Director of Career Development at Berklee College of Music.  His article is titled, PLAN YOUR WORK, WORK YOUR PLAN: Creating A Map to Music Career Success. This article provides some great guidance for both musicians and managers.  He notes that “more often than not, musicians tend to get nowhere because of the absence of a map.”  But he also acknowledges that the map should allow for flexibility since there are many paths to success in the music business.  Having goals can be the difference between playing gigs part-time at your local club or becoming a national recording artist.  He quotes a study by the Ford Foundation where it was determined that 10% of the population had specific goals, but only 7 out of 10 of those people achieved their goals.  The top 3% had an 89% success rate, mainly because they wrote down their goals! 

One way I have started to claim my success is by creating a vision board.  I first became aware of this tool in reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.  I was awed by the story told in the book by John Assaraf, whereas he visualized a home he wanted to have, and years later actually purchased the home.  My vision board consists of pictures of the future I want for my clients and myself.  I plan to make sure my clients have clear goals, with the understanding that my job is to help them get there.  Here are a few of the strategies that Spellman notes in his article that I plan to employ.

These tips can help you to stay the course and realize when you have veered from your desired goal.  Be sure to take a look at Spellman’s article and note the additional resources that he provides (book titles, websites, etc.).  I found these to be equally informative.  Please be sure to leave a comment to let me know your thoughts.

D. Leigh

In today’s world of digital music, mixtapes, viral videos and Kickstarter, many wonder whether it’s worthwhile to be signed by a record label.  As long as you have loyal fans, gigs on the calendar and the freedom to make the music you like, why bother?  Well, it really depends on how large you envision your audience to be.  If you want to be well known in your city, then what you’re doing is probably enough.  But, if you want your music to be on a national or international level, you will need some marketing support and financial backing.  Therefore, this blog posting is for artists and managers interested in the “big leagues”.  For those of you still in denial about wanting to be signed to a record deal, this chart is for you…

Recently, I read a report entitled Investing in Music: How music companies discover, nurture and promote talent.  I highly encourage all artists and managers to read this document; I was truly enlightened.  This report was published by the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) and WIN (Worldwide Independent Music Industry Network).  IFPI is a not for profit professional association that represents the international recording industry and is affiliated with the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).  Their stated mission is to:

Plácido Domingo, world famous tenor and conductor, is the current chairman of IFPI.  He notes that to have a successful career in music, besides talent, you must have “ambition, passion, boundless energy and a relentless commitment to hard work.”  The report is comprised of sections related to record label investment, discovering and signing talent, nurturing talent and promoting talent.  The report provides great insight in terms of how record companies perform these functions.  And for those who are nurturing and promoting talent, it clarifies the label’s role via their A&R functions. 

So, how does a record company help?  Mainly, their investment includes payment of advances, tour support, marketing and promotion costs, financing recording costs, and even music videos.  They typically have a team of people who assist in all aspects of your career.  They can also assist in brokering collaborations with top people in the industry including producers, videographers and other artists.  A record label is also adept at developing synch deals with various brands to help promote your music.  This doesn’t negate the role of your manager, who will provide guidance in negotiating a deal with a record label along with your attorney.  You can also clarify if you want your manager to continue performing their current function. 

So don’t automatically decide you don’t want to work with a record label, there can be great benefits in creating this type of partnership. 

Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on the report. 

D Leigh