#6 – Building a Music Career online with David Nevue – Courtesy of Kevin Breuner, CD Baby

Hi there and welcome to The Record Factory Blog. At The Record Factory, we help you the artist with free, honest and straightforward advice and contacts to help you make a CD. That includes all the contacts you need from graphic artists to recording studios to CD manufacturers. For free.

I've just read this article on CD Baby and couldn't wait until next week to share it. Enjoy – it's a ripper!

Thanks for follow The Record Factory blog. Visit www.CDBaby.org for more excellent music career tips...

Cheers,
Simon

For over a decade, CD Baby has been flying the flag of DIY independence, fostering a community of spirited, innovative, and self-reliant musicians. There is a cliché about the modern music business that rings true time and time again: Labels don't want YOU until you've done it yourself. Once you've done it yourself, you don't need THEM. With our DIY Musician newsletter, we're rallying the indie music community to share tips, tricks, and converse over topics that run through the collective conscious of every indie musician who creates, sells, and distributes their music with the world.

PODCAST SPOTLIGHT
Our DIY Musician Podcast distills the wisdom of industry experts into a 45-minute audio delight. For those of you who can't sit still that long, here's an excerpt from a classic episode to review at your leisure.

Episode #55: Building a Music Career Online, with David Nevue
Interview by Kevin Breuner

The internet is an irreplaceable tool for music promotion, but is it possible to build a music career in cyberspace alone? In a recent episode of the CD Baby DIY Musician Podcast we heard from solo pianist David Nevue who built his music into a full time career just by creating an effective online presence. It's important to note that David's success did not come overnight, but grew at a steady pace as he continued to release great music and home in on his online marketing strategies. David's business model is the perfect example of what can be accomplished with great music, a little merchandising know-how, and a long-term vision. We cover a lot of ground in the podcast interview but we have some interesting excerpts for you below. To hear the whole interview, you can listen at http://cdbabypodcast.com or subscribe in the iTunes podcast directory.

Tell us about yourself as an artist and your history of selling music online.
I'm a pianist and composer and have been playing music for a long time. I released my first album back in 1991. I had the fortune of getting a job working for a company called Symantec, which is best know for their Norton products like Norton Anti Virus. That put me in a position where I was able to work in a technology industry at a time where the internet was just coming into public view. It was back in 1995 when I first put my music online and started selling it through my website.

The thoughts that I really had was thinking about who my target audience is and figuring out how to find them. Being that I'm a pianist and composer and that I write this great piano music that people love and enjoy to play, a good chunk of my audience was obviously piano players. So I went out searching different places where I could find piano players hanging out on websites, and in piano player forums and groups and just started getting involved. People started to ask me about my music and then they started purchasing my music and things just sort of took off from there.

You recently had your highest weekly payout for digital distribution through CD Baby and it surprised you so much that you spent some time thinking about it and even wrote on your blog about it. What were some of your conclusion as to why your music sales where on the rise during an economic recession?
Well, the one payment that got me really excited was a one week payout of over $2,100 just for my digital sales (Not including CD sales). On average month, I probably do around $1,500 total, so this was my largest one-week payout ever. That doesn't happen usually unless you get really lucky and just have something that gets on fire and people are suddenly buying it for whatever reason. In my instance, I just have a lot of music available online and I have a lot of product out there. The more product you have, the more you have to sell, and I think it feeds into the whole internet marketing thing.

I have 150 tracks available online for sale and that's 150 opportunities for people to find my music. Also, when people find and they really love your music, they have a whole bunch more that they can buy. That's something that has been great for me as an artist because it's very common for me to sell multiple CDs at a time when people come to my website to buy music. It is actually pretty rare when people come to my website for them to only buy one CD. The more products you have, the more merchandise you have that people can purchase. If they find you and discover you and like your music, they're going to want more. If people are excited about your music then they also tell other people about it which is also a big key for selling music online. You've got to have music that people want to share.

What are some of the products you're offering through your website?
I have sheet music. I have CDs. And I link to CD Baby and iTunes for my digital downloads. I also have a DVD for sale that is just my music that someone put to some very beautiful videography.

Are you generating consistent income from your personal website as well? I know you mentioned your CD Baby digital sales, but does your website continue to generate CDs sales and sheet music sales on a consistent basis?
Absolutely. I do great in terms of sheet music sales. Probably in the neighborhood of about $1,500 a month. I sell the score for each song for $3.95, and I also sell them in groups so people can buy a sheet music package. The sheet music thing is something that I don't think a lot of artists are keying into that they ought to. You can sell sheet music or just lead sheets of your music or songs with the chords and lyrics with the melody, and fans of your music will buy that. Especially if they are piano players or guitar players. If you release an album, why not score your music or create tablature of your music? That gives you something else you can sell. For me, it's great because when I release a CD, let's say it has 15 songs on the album, I can sell that album for $10 as a digital album. I can sell it for maybe $12-$13 as a CD. But just from sheet music sales, when I sell it for $4 a song, I can get $60 for the sheet music sales from that same CD. That's a huge market!

Some keys to David's success
1. Taking time to listen to his audience and what they wanted — Artists and bands spend a lot of time and energy trying to communicate their music and message to their fans, but do you ever listen to what they say back? Have you ever asked them why they like your music in the first place? Their response may surprise you!

2. Sticking it out for the long haul — David started back in 1995, and he certainly didn't see success overnight. What he did notice is that as his fan base grew and his musical catalog grew, the whole thing started to snowball. Now, with over 150 tracks available for purchase, the cycle is somewhat self-perpetuating and new fans go back and buy many of the older catalog titles.

3. Creating other products for his audience — David generates quite a bit of income from selling downloadable PDF's of his sheet music. Give your audience other ways in which they can interact with your music

4. Maintaining an active email list — For any artist hoping to make a living from selling music online, this is key. You must keep active communication going with your fans.

#5 – So I’ve got an artist website, what now? 11 Things a successful website needs!

Hi,

Welcome to the fifth instalment of The Record Factory blog. So far we've had a chat about building relationships and maintaining professional standards, promotion of your music over the internet and last time out 'How do a find a Record Producer' was the topic.

This time, courtesy of merlesworld.blogspot.com/ via www.addme.com, the topic is '11 Things a Successful Website needs'. It's a really good read and the article makes some great points about what and what not to do. Points that I really think are relevant to artist websites are 'Contact us' boxes and Social Media Links...

I hope you find it helpful! Remember – if you're thinking about making a CD, or getting any of the 101 things done that are connected with releasing a CD, contact The Record Factory for free, honest and straightforward advice and contacts.

To subscribe email me (I'll send a weekly blog straight to your email) or click here.

To share this blog click one of the 'add me' buttons on this page.

Cheers,
Simon
www.TheRecordFactory.com.au

"11 Things Every Successful Website Needs

So you've put together a spectacular website, and you're ready to go live on the Internet for the whole world to see. Not so fast there Bucky. In case you didn't know, there are a few essential requirements that every site needs to include in order to be successful.

Let's review, shall we:

1) Privacy Policy/Disclaimer:

Now, I'm not a Lawyer and don't claim to be one, but these two documents should be standard issue for every site you have. People want to know how you're going to use their personal information, and a "privacy policy" does just that.

In today's litigious society you'll also need to include a disclaimer/terms of use page. This protects you and spells out to your visitors what they're agreeing to by using your website. If you don't know where to start in generating these documents, you'll find plenty of help online.

DMA Privacy Policy Generator
OECD Privacy Statement Generator
Google Adsense & other Ad Networks Privacy Policy Generator
Privacy Policy Generator
Free Site Disclaimer

This is not legal advice, and if you need help in this department, consult with a local attorney.

2) Contact Us Information:

I can't tell you how many sites I've been to that fail to include a way to contact the owner. If you can't include a phone number, at the very least have an email address or a "contact us" form. By providing this information, you'll make your visitors feel more comfortable knowing there's a way to reach you should the need arise.

If you need a form and don't know how to create your own, try one of these free form services.

Bravenet
Freedback

Email Me

3) Search Box/Site Map:

If your site is rather large, you'll also want to include a way to search, or have what is called a "site map". There are many ways to add a search function to your site, the easiest being to use Google's free service at- http://www.google.com/sitesearch/

or try PicoSearch.

A site map sounds technical, but it's just one web page that contains links to every page of your site, usually broken down by category. Here are some resources to help.

FreeFind

4) Google Analytics/Tracking System:

Once your site is up and running you'll want to keep your eye on traffic.

Who's visiting your website, what pages are the most popular, where is the traffic coming from. All of these questions and more can be answered by using a good analytics program.

There are several ways to add a thorough tracking system to your site, but the easiest and one that won't cost you a dime is Google Analytics Once registered, you can add as many sites as you like all under one user ID and password. You'll be given some code to copy and paste on your pages. Simple, easy, and you're done.

5) Newsletter Sign Up/RSS Feed:

There's an old saying that people won't buy from you the very first time they come to your website, so you need a way to stay in touch with them to bring them back again and again. By offering a newsletter, also known as an ezine, you'll be building a list of possible prospects which is invaluable to any site owner.

You'll find a multitude of free and low cost newsletter services online. It's up to you, depending on your needs and what you can afford. If you don't want to pay anything, my favorite free services are:

FreeAutoBot

Yahoo Groups

You can also offer an RSS feed for your newsletter, or updates to your blog or site. This makes it easy for others to keep up with your most recent posts. The best service for this is...

FeedBurner

6) Consistent Navigation:

This might sound like a no brainer, but many folks get it wrong. No matter what type of menu system you decide upon, make sure it stays the same across the board on all pages of your site.

Your job is to guide your visitors through your website, making sure they always know where they are and how to get to where they need to go.

For more see:

Eye on Web
Web Page Mistakes

7) Search Engine Optimized Copy:

At first glance you might not think this is so important, but trust me it is. You want your pages to rank well with the search engines and there are a few steps you can take to ensure this happens.

Each page of your website should be optimized for 2, or at the most 3 keywords/phrases. Weave the keywords into your titles and into the body of each page. You can also include them in your image titles, alt tags, even in the names you give your pages. Look at each page individually and decide what it's about, then optimize accordingly.

For help see:

MarketLeap
CopyBlogger

8) Social Media Share Button:

With the popularity of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, you'd be foolish not to include an easy way for your content to be shared with others.

You'll find many free services that will give you the code you need to instantly add a "share button" to your web pages so that visitors can instantly share them with their friends.

To generate your own buttons see:

AddThis

TwitThis

9) Meta Tags:

Some may tell you that meta tags are dead. Don't listen. Meta tags should be included in your HTML code at the top of every page. Many search engines will read them to pull a description to include in their search results.

Again, each page should be optimized separately and have a unique title, keywords, and description tags.

For help see:

AddMe Meta Tag Tool

10) Copyright Notice:

Sounds simple but forgotten by many. All pages should include a copyright notice. If you don't want to have to update it manually every year, find a simple Javascript that will automatically do it for you. You'll find one such script at:

Uncle Jims

11) Trust Seals/Testimonials:

I grouped these two items together as they both instil trust and confidence in your visitors. Remember, when someone comes to your website, they don't know who you are and if you're selling something, they may not feel comfortable giving out their credit card information. To help them feel more "warm and fuzzy", include trust seals for any organizations you belong to:

For example:

BBB
Honest E Online

Also, if you have testimonials from happy customers, or ezine subscribers, weave them into your site copy. People always love to hear that others have had a happy experience with your products/services. Make sure you get permission first from the testimonial writers before placing them on your website.

So there you have it -my short list of what every site needs to succeed online. Now that you're armed with this information, get out the magnifying glasses and take a close look at your own website to see what may be missing.

It's not hard to create a website, but for one that stands out head and shoulders above the rest, you need to include these important elements. When you launch your next site you want it to be successful, not average. So what are you waiting for? You've got a lot of work to do, so get busy."

About the Author Merle's Mission Blog "Rants, Raves and Random Acts of Kindness" a self proclaimed "Internet Junkie" with a passion for net marketing, affiliate marketing, social networking. An avid Blogger and writer with several niche sites to her credit. Find out more at http://merlesworld.blogspot.com/

#4 – How to find the right producer for you – by Simon Morel, The Record Factory

Hi,
Welcome to the fourth instalment of The Record Factory blog. In the past few articles, we've dealt with building relationships and maintaining professional standards. Last time courtesy of Nashville Songwriters Association International, promotion of your music over the internet was the topic.
This time, we're going to take a step back and look at the key things you need to consider when looking for a producer. Deciding on when, where, who with and how you are going to record your music is probably one of the most important set of decisions you'll make. After all, no amount of great mastering, cool artwork or top shelf promotion will sell music that has been poorly recorded after a bad set of decisions.

#1 – What's your budget?

Number one is to consider your budget. It's important to decide/figure out how much money you have and then go and make the best CD possible based on your budget.
Don't be afraid to talk to producers about your budget first and what their rates are. And don't forget to talk about a payment schedule. At The Record Factory we think 50% upfront, 25% halfway through and 25% before you get the masters is fair.
Talking about the money upfront is a good thing, it gets it out of the way and then you get to talk about the direction, vibe, sound of the CD. It also sets up expectations and no-one's time is wasted. For example if your total project budget is $1,000 for an 11 track album, then it's unlikely that ARIA award winning producers will be in your price range.
And one last thing whilst we're on the filthy lucre, don't forget the other things that you'll need to spend some of the budget on. CD manufacturing, mastering, graphic art and promotion will all require a slice of the pie.
#2 – Are you ready?
So after you've decided that your CD will sit right next to Pete Murray, Josh Pyke and James Blunt, you need to have a very honest conversation with yourself (and your band). Are we ready? Are we good enough? Can we play in time together?
If you've been playing the songs with your band at 5 gigs a week over the last 6 months, it's likely that you've refined the songs and are well rehearsed. If you finished writing the songs at 2am this morning and are due in the studio at 10am, it's less likely.
It can be a hard decision, but do make this decision. It will save you money in the studio. Think about it, if you're well rehearsed, the band may get it on the first take. Don't waste time at $400-1000/day in a studio rehearsing/re-writing/adding a bridge/changing the lyrics. The more prepared you are, the better the result. As my Marketing Director brother says – "Piss poor preparation, leads to piss poor performance". Enough said.
#3 – Do you buy your jeans from your local greengrocer?
Huh? Well, what I mean is make sure you're going to the right person for the job. Who are your fans (apart from your mum)? What kind of music do they like? Think about one of your fans, if they owned your CD, what other bands/singers CDs sit on the shelf next to it? This decision helps you think about what genre of music you make. That in turn allows you to consider who might be the right producer for you. Generally speaking, if you think your CD would sit nicely alongside Cradle of Filth's latest release – the best producer for you won't be a commercial tween pop producer.
What has the producer done before? Get a discography of their work. Go listen to it. Do you like the sound of it? Do you like the way it's been recorded? Can you imagine your song with a similar treatment? Do you like the way the vocal/drums/guitar/lute sounds? Does it sound like the record in your head? Think about it... as I said, you don't try and buy jeans from your local greengrocer, so why try the musical equivalent – you'll end up being disappointed.
#4 – How is your act set up?
Are you a band or a solo singer-songwriter? This will impact how you record your music and it may also have an impact on the budget.
A full band could book a studio with a live room and track the whole thing live (remembering that if you're rehearsed you'll need fewer takes/overdubs).
If you are a solo singer-songwriter, then you'll have to factor in budget for extra musicians, or even if you play every instrument you would like on the CD, you'll need more studio time as you can't play everything at once (unless you're a one man band with guitar, a bass drum on your back, a tambourine on your left foot and shaker on your right).
#5 – What kind of record do you want to make?
This is about getting a 'source CD' together of tracks that you love the sound or feel of – not always the songs themselves. This will inform the 'sound' of your record. Producers prefer artists to say "I want the drum sound to be like on 'Race for the Prize' by the Flaming Lips", not "I want the drums to sound, you know, more... like... well... I guess... more crimson." Further explanation after the producer hears the source CD is great. And remember, you're paying the producer not only for their equipment, experience and production skills, but also their ears! So use them.
In addition to the 'source CD', ask yourself how 'produced' you want the finished product to sound. Do you want 17 tracks of guitars on each song? Rock 'n' roll! - But that will take time, and as you know, time = money. Do you want a stripped back style with acoustic guitar, two vocals and percussion?
There are some studios which are set up for bands, some for solos, some for both...some producers play a whole bunch of instruments, some play none. Consider all these things when selecting a producer.
#6 – Do you think you'll get on with the producer?
Last but not least is the personal angle. I tend to think that the best work gets done when you're in a comfortable, supportive environment. I think it helps the overall vibe of the CD if everyone gets on. Do you like working with people you don't get along with? No, of course not. Catch up with producers over a cup of coffee before you start the project. Get a vibe for them, ask them about their best and worst recording experiences. Ask them what team they go for, what their favourite album is, if they prefer cats to dogs.... (Cats, by a whisker - thanks for asking)
Summary
So that's just some of the things to think about before you step into the studio. There's a fair bit more, but I've got to go and do the washing up. It won't wait any longer.
If you're looking to make a CD and are interested to find out how The Record Factory can help you, give me a call or email me.
All the best with your project!
Cheers,
Simon Morel - The Record Factory
www.therecordfactory.com.au