What value are you offering to people - to venues - to your audience?

What is the backbone of your music that sets you apart? Is there one? 

If you plan to make money from music, you need to identify the value. Is it in your lyrics? Your vocals? Your live show?

Be honest with yourself or have someone else be honest with you.

You need to identify the uniqueness, strengths and weaknesses in your music to build on the value. Constantly look to improve and seek constructive criticism. Refine and hone those.

There are so many artists who put the cart before the horse and try to do too many things without first setting a solid foundation and building slowly but securely upon it.

Don’t worry about having a well produced full cd, a really nifty website, 10,000 myspace friends or your very own manager.

Focus on creating value for your audience.

I would rather spend $10 on a 1 song cd of Norah Jones playing a toy piano - recorded via a cell phone, than on a full cd of my local jr. orchestra.

Start small. Be excellent. Stay focused. Be willing to move slowly. Create value.

Hey Kat…

Great advice - wish I had it two years ago!

Seriously though, I’ve come to recognize (the hard way) that each day is a new day and this isn’t a race.  If I am to value what I do, I must take the time to really consider all the things you just said.  And as an indie, I have the luxury of setting my own timeline - so it’s good to take advantage of that.  Also, it’s easy to get sucked into making a lot of poor decisions when you don’t have a plan.  With a plan you can confidently say NO and YES to things… going forward in strength of purpose rather than casting about on the wind and hoping to catch a break.  There rarely is such a thing (a break) and if you live that way, you are missing a rich journey.

BTW - this is way cool.  Glad to know of your secret life. 

Excellent thoughts AJ.

I do think having a plan is crucial otherwise it’s so easy to waste time on things that won’t help accomplish your end goal. Indies, especially, need to be focused because no one is standing by to put them back on track.

I guess it comes down to two things:

1. Knowing your value - what sets you apart - and refine it.
2. Knowing your focus - what will get you ahead - and align everything with it.