Jessica M wrote:Let me rephrase the question. Is a musician that is backed by you expected to already have a fan base already in progress. If the answer is no, then what do you do to create a fan base for a performer? How do you go about making sure that there are people to actually fill up that concert hall?
I hope that clears up my earlier question. As for the site link not working...It's the signing artists on the opening page. When you click on it, it acts like a link, but doesn't go anywhere.
No... an artist is not expected to have an already established fan base. I work with the aritst to create the fan base. I begin with online activities.... such as MySpace. MySpace has a membership of over 100 million people. I'm thinking... there should be a few people in there that will buy your CD. I vote lets find those people. Presto.... CD sales.
The online fan base is building a fan base for both online and offline activities at the exact same time.... as some of the fans you will earn will be right in your backyard (sort of speak). The Music Hall is being filled in the process. Add a few friends of yours.... a family member or two... and voila... ticket sales.
Its a matter of organization. Creating a structured goal... and understanding the stepping process from one partition of the overall goal to the next partition.
When your trying to build a successful fan base... you need to be where the people are. The people are..... in MySpace.
MySpace is the simplest... cheapest.... most profitable place to jumpstart a brand new career. From there... the earned funds allows for other opportunities... such as CD productions... touring... Radio Play... merchandising.... photoshoots.... etc.
It is very important that an artist doesn't allow a Label to overspend on their behalf. A Label often grabs the attention of an artist by promising thousands of dollars in advertising.... thousands more in merchandising... etc.... which can encourage the artist to become starry eyed.
What isn't always realized is... the Label recoups (takes back) ALL money spent on behalf of the artist from any CD sales BEFORE the artist sees a single penny of income......
.....So... if a Label says... I promise to spend $1000 to advertise you and your music... what the Label is technically saying is.... I will lend you $1000 to advertise you and your music.... and when you start selling CDs.... you can pay me back.
I don't mind spending my money to advertise an artist... however... technically... its not my money I would be spending.... its technically the artist's money.
Before paying thousands of dollars to put the artist in a newspaper (at the artist's cost)... I will first ask myself how many of those newspaper readers is a member of myspace.... and just how many of those people I can get for FREE.... simply by networking.
Such decision can be a tad time consuming... and alot of work.... but... it saves the artist alot of money. Which is important when trying to produce an artist successfully.
To answer your question.... I start with MySpace. I look to see what I can accomplish for FREE.... before I start throwing money around at the artist's expense.
