How do I get a record deal, how do I get into the music business, how do I get a radio station to play my songs? I am always surprised how often I am still asked those questions, even though I have been out of music radio and the music business since my 14 year old son was born. Yet, I still get the question almost weekly from friends, neighbors, on my Facebook page, etc.
Here’s the answer I gave an aspiring rapper (how do these people find me) yesterday:
- Take advantage of social media – Facebook and Twitter – and make it easy for fans sign on to follow you
- Post the song occasionally and other songs
- Create a website
- Do a hot or funny video for YouTube
- Create a t-shirt and sell it on Cafe Press
- Use every method you can to get your music and name out there
- If the stuff is good, it will start to spread and the record companies will take notice
- Always better if the record companies and radio stations come to you!
- Work it every day
- Network, 24/7, what can you do for them?
Tony Shelton, crisis communication expert and good friend, sums it up best with his three questions he always asks clients:
- What do you want?
- Who can give it to you?
- And most important of all, why should they?
Whether you want to be a rap star or a business star, it all works the same.
