1) Be honest and objective to yourself about your music.    Keep writing a
song until it's finished.  Listen to the radio to see what's out there and ask yourself
why the songs that you think are good are being played.  Be objective with your
songs, but not overly critical.  Songwriting is a craft that has to be developed, no
matter how much natural talent you have.  (Check out the songwriting tips section
for more on this.)  Once you are solidly behind a song, never back down.

2) Break down the wall between yourself and the music business in your
mind.
Too many people see the music business as this hidden city that is surrounded by an
impenetrable wall.  This is just not true.  If you are dedicated and serious about
music, they are no different than you.  Everything begins with your mindset.  If you
don't think it will happen, it won't.  You have to see yourself as a success no matter
what stage you are at.  Conduct yourself that way at all times.  Don't be surprised
when your CD sells out, be expecting it!

3) Invest in yourself.
This doesn't mean just financially, it means your time as well.  As with anything, you
get out of it what you put into it.  Be willing to work at it until it's right and be
prepared to finish what you start.  Give yourself the best possible surroundings to
create the best recordings.  This doesn't mean that you have to spend a fortune on
equipment or in a studio, but you have to know how to make a top of the line
recording with whatever you have to work with at the time.  The most important
investment you can make is an investment in knowledge.  (For more information on
what that knowledge includes, please go to the recording tips section.)

4) Create a presence.
Generate a buzz.  It's all about publicity.  If you are a performer or in a band, get
yourself in the paper as much as you can.  Get people talking.  Anything that will
make people want to see your shows or buy your CD.  After your shows, go on local
forums and see what people are writing about you.  Interact with them.  If you
have a recording that is radio ready, make sure that all of the local stations in town
have a copy of it and at every show, tell people to call up the stations and request
it.  They won't know unless you tell them to!  Call up the station yourself and
request it and have your friends do the same.  In the music business, it's all about a
presence.  No one is going to give you one, you have to go out and get it!

5) Use the internet to your advantage.
The internet is your ticket to getting your music heard worldwide.  Use it.  There
are unlimited ways that it can help you.  From online radio stations to having your
own web site, to talking with other musicians.  It's all possible online.  To learn
more, you can go to the marketing tips section and read about how it's possible to
create a strong presence online and why it can be used as a powerful vehicle to sell
your music.

6) Play for free.  What?  Isn't that the exact opposite of what these tips are
supposed to be helping you with?  No.  Playing for free can be a very effective
marketing strategy if it is done right.  In fact, you would be surprised how playing a
few songs for free can give you tons of great publicity.  On college campuses, there
are always places where bands can go to perform outside as all of the students walk
by.  It's exposure and it gets people interested in your music.  They know that it's
not all about the money for you and if you are willing to perform for them like that,
they will want to support you more, which means, going to your shows, telling
people about you, and buying your CD.  Also, you can perform at charity events,
volunteer to provide the entertainment for anything that gets media attention or is
for a good cause (try to pick causes that you believe in).  Make sure the announcer
of the event tells people that you are volunteering and not getting paid for your
performance.  Call up newspapers and television stations and make sure they are
there to cover the event.  You will get mentioned, you will feel good about helping
a good cause, and your name will be out there.  You could also organize your own
event and donate a percentage of the proceeds to a local or national charity.  Never
play anywhere without having plenty of copies of your CD available  for people to
buy and tell them about it while you are up there.  People will want to support you
if they know that you are helping out a good cause and especially if they enjoy your
music!

7) Never compromise.  This is extremely important!  The biggest mistake you can
make is to be talked into changing you or your musical vision.  Be open minded
about new things and ideas, but never compromise on what you feel your music
should be.  I don't care what kind of music you play.  If you write in a certain style
that is not as catchy or commercial, there are plenty of ways to still sell your music.  
If it's what's in your heart, go with it.  Remember, if Elvis would have compromised
and made his music sound the way the industry "professionals" wanted him to, rock
n' roll would have never gotten off the ground.  In the long run, you will be even
more successful by staying true to yourself because people will keep buying your
music again and again, instead of just for one song.  It's almost impossible to
convince people that you are "for real" after you have cashed in on the popular fad
of the moment.  Be who you are and keep growing musically.

8) Actively sell yourself and your music.  This is an easy one.  You can have the
best song in the world, but if you act unprofessional, or too reserved, that song will
need a lot of luck to be sold.  I do personally hope that one day, the music will
speak for itself, but for right now, you have to know that how you present yourself
is just as important as what you are presenting.  Be confident (not arrogant,
confident!).  You have something of great value to sell to whoever you are talking
to (publisher, label, producer, etc.).  Keep that in mind as you are dealing with
them.  Make sure all of your submissions are professional, whether they are mailed or
delivered in person (to have your songs professionally promoted and distributed,
please click here to read about the Song Warrior Music Promotion).  Feedback is
essential in building a great career.  Be prepared to handle anything negative that
they will have to say about your music.  For everything negative they point out,
have two or three positive things to say about it.  Keep reinforcing the fact that
you are 100% behind the song(s).  If you are choosing to sell your music
independently, you have to speak directly to the listener and give them a reason to
buy it (check out the Deluxe Course for exactly how to do this).  And always
remember that, no matter what kind of songs you have, there are people out there
that will enjoy your music, it is your job to find them!

9) Remember the audience.  The audience is the reason for your ultimate success
or failure.  If you don't remember that one thing, you will find it very hard to build a
successful and rewarding career in this business.  When you're on stage, your goal
should be to put on a show that will make them want to see you again and tell their
friends about you.  Simply stated, you have to impress them.  There are millions of
bands out there.  You have to stand out.  How do you do this?  When you are
playing, always have a good time.  I know that for those of us who enjoy music, this
won't be hard at all, but make sure that is really shows.  If the audience can see
that you are up there having a good time, then they can't help but have one too.  
Involve them as much as possible, talk to them between songs, get their feedback,
take their cues, and make them feel like they are just as much a part of the show as
you are.  And in reality, without them, there would be no show, so they are!  Every
show you play is one big reason for them to buy your music.  It's like one big
advertisement.  If it's not good, neither will your sales be.  Develop a personality
that connects with them and lends itself to your music at the same time.  This takes
a lot of rehearsing, but trust me, it's well worth it.  If you don't play out, you have
to find another way to directly connect with the people you want to buy your
music.  If you have a website (and by the way, you should have a website!), make
sure it has a personality that they can easily identify with.  (For help on building an
awesome website that connects with music fans, check out the Deluxe Course.)  

10) Be creative.  There are no rules in the music business.  And there are no limits.
 When you are looking for ways to sell more of your music, be as creative as
possible.  Here's one example- A lot of towns have local cable or radio stations that
do local advertisements.  These places will go to businesses in the area and film
commercials, then take them back to the studio and add music, etc.  Contact them
and tell them that you have some songs that they can use.  As more of the ads
play, people will become more familiar with your music.  Then, have your local paper
do a feature story on you and mention all of the ads your songs have been in.  The
article will also have a way that people can buy your CD, where you are playing, and
your website address.  Bingo, instant publicity!  That's just one thing you can do.  
There are literally countless other things that can help you get more exposure which
will result in more sales for you (many of these things are detailed in the Deluxe
Course).  As writers/musicians, I know that you are already creative, so apply that
creativity to your marketing strategy and never give up!