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Blogger Spotlight: Ashley Osborn (Highlight Magazine)

Welcome to the second Haulix Blogger Spotlight of the week. This time around we are headed to the windy city known as Chicago, Illinois to speak with talented young writer who is working tirelessly to create a new kind of music site that is sure to please those with a nostalgia for the glory days of entertainment magazines. She is not alone in her pursuit, and in the months ahead we plan to feature a number of people working alongside her, just as we have done with multiple sites in the past. If you have a writer you would like to recommend for a future installment of this column, please email james@haulix.com and share your story. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook.

Today’s highlighted talent is the co-founder of a digital publication that has taken the idea of a modern webzine to places none of the other sites featured up to this point have dared to explore. She and her team are amongst those leading the online music journalism evolution, and it is a truly pleasure to share her story.

Highlight Magazine is not your typical music blog. They feature similar news coverage and exclusives as any other site, but once a month they also publish a digital magazine offering in-depth reporting and gorgeous pictorials (for free, no less). They cover everything that falls under the category of ‘could one day be on Warped Tour,’ and in a little over have attracted a dedicated online readership built thanks to solid marketing and strong word-of-mouth. Leading the team (along with her two co-founders) is Ashley Osborn, a Chicago native with a passion for music and photography that is second to none. We spoke with ashley about the inspiration for Highlight Magazine, balancing her rising popularity as a photographer with her commitments to the site, where she sees the industry headed, and much more. You can read about her adventures in music below.

If there is one thing to take away from Ashley Osborn’s story it’s that hard work and good networking skills are key to success in the music industry, and that goes for musicians as much as it does members of the press. Talk to people, not at them, and learn about their journeys in the business. You never know where your connections may lead, and even if the go nowhere you’ll at least have a new friend who can relate to your struggle.

Ashley Osborn can be found on Twitter, as well as in the photo pit at major music festivals across the country. Those of you looking for latest music news can find it on Highlight Magazine’s official website. If you would like to see some of Ashley work as a photographer, click here to view her portfolio.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

AO: Ashley Osborn, Highlight Magazine, Editor-In-Chief/Co-Founder/Photographer

H: I believe you’re the first blogger based out of Chicago to be highlighted in this feature. What was the first album you fell in love with, and when did you know you wanted to work in the entertainment industry?

AO: I hate being that guy (hehe)! But I’d have to say Fall Out Boy’s Take This To Your Grave. It came out when I was in one of the most awkward stages of my life. A close family friend that used to babysit me (I was 11 at the time) was a scene kid and had me listening to all of this incredible music starting at the age of around… eight. But that album was definitely one that caught on. When I was around 11/12 I began going to shows a lot more with her and by the time I hit 7th & 8th grade I was definitely way into the Warped Tour scene. Never looked back. Started joining street teams for labels and assistant managing some local bands with social media/marketing. I just loved it and I loved that the community was such a family!

H: Being a blogger is about more than just typing, and one of the things you’re probably most known for is photography. Where does your interest in this medium come from?

AO: When I used to go to bigger shows I used to see this local Minneapolis (hometown) photographer, Joe Lemke, and he always intrigued me. I literally ALWAYS had an obsession with awful point and shoot cameras. I’d go to shows and all I ever really cared about was having photos to remember. I’d always snap way too many from the crowd (so weird). And eventually at a Paramore show in late 2009 I talked to Joe and he told me about what he does and that’s when I was like, “Holy shit, I’m going to do that.” After that night I saved up to get my first camera.

H: First camera? What you use now?

AO: I got a Canon Rebel XS in 2010 and then a Canon EOS 7D in 2011, worked with a 5D Mark ll for a while and I just bought a 6D!

H: Back to the site. You’re one of the co-founders of Highlight Magazine. How did you and Cara (the other co-owner) meet?

AO: We actually met at a Bayside / Saves the Day show at House of Blues. We were always in the photo pit together (Cara is an amazing photog who used to shoot for Beyond The Barricade with her co-founder, Jenna) and we never talked. Randomly this night we did and the rest is history!

H: So you meet, and we assume you became friends shortly thereafter, but where did the idea to start a website come from?

AO: I was actually at Chili’s (the best restaurant on earth) with our other co-founder McKenzie (Mackie) Hughes. Her and I had talked about our love for the industry and how I wanted more opportunity to work with (shoot with) artists because I was getting really serious about my career. We basically discussed the state of the industry for hours over endless chips and salsa + diet coke. Mackie and I knew that we wanted to start a magazine that was unlike the rest of the zines out there. One that only focused on positivity and overcoming struggles. One that could help the underdog and spread ideas/lessons across the board. I knew that Cara had interned with Alternative Press and I loved her work so I immediately brought her up. I remember telling her this idea that night and she was in!

H: Unlike most blogs, Highlight Magazine is actually available in magazine form (digital, of course). Can you tell us a bit about the decisions that lead you to create something more than your typical music blog?

AO: A lot of it was the actual magazine part. Something people could read through page by page and hold in their hands. Since we wanted Highlight to be a community we knew this would be fitting (in our minds at the time). I also was sick of all of the same old styles out there and I knew we could create something brand new. I’ll never forget the night Cara sent over the first draft of Highlight at the end of Feb 2012. I actually teared up because it was so amazing and I was so excited. She created it all from SCRATCH.

H: In addition to the digital monthly magazine, Highlight also features daily news updates, exclusives, and the like. How do you decide what content makes the magazine and what is better left on the newsfeed?

AO: Jenn Stookey is our managing editor and Anjel Lopez is a goddess who literally helps with everything. Her and Jenn coordinate all of the online side of things. When publicists come to us with pitches I try to accommodate the best I can – especially with the up and coming acts since that’s what we are about. But I send out more press requests than I can even calculate sometimes. We aim really high. 75% of the emails I get back are still no’s but it’s okay – makes it interesting!

H: How far in advance do you plan the cover articles for Highlight Magazine? *Bonus points if you reveal next cover star*

AO: Anywhere from five months to five days. Things get pretty insane… Nothing is ever set in stone. Somehow September’s cover artist (I can’t say who but I can say they are from Australia) has been planned for about two – three months now!

H: When you’re interested in discovering new music, where do you look?

AO: Honestly? My inbox. I also search around on random spotify playlists a lot!

H: What advice would you offer aspiring new talent hoping to be featured in a future issue of Highlight Magazine?

AO: Please do not Facebook message me. Email me! I read everything – truly. And if I can’t help I forwarded it to Jenn and Anjel! But I can say that you should make sure your band has solid support behind you. That sounds weird. But it’s hard for us to feature really small bands because we aren’t a huge world-wide publication (yet). We need your help with promotion and we need your fans to be excited you are joining our family.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

AO: I know this is a Haulix interview but I love Haulix… When I dabbled in starting my own PR company I even used it! It’s very easy and it let’s me see everything I need use and download to all at once. I also use dropbox (the entire magazine runs via dropbox).

H: Highlight Magazine is currently a free publication. Do you have any plans to monetize your efforts in the foreseeable future?

AO: We made an attempt actually in June to have $1 digital downloads. It’s weird for me to talk about this but here it goes. Highlight averages 18K impressions an issue, when we tried to monetize it we didn’t get near that. It was never our goal to make money. Sure it would be really nice and we do have plans to push it more with advertising. But we want to keep the magazine free because we want to reach new people and continue to build this community we have created. We were founded on those principals and I want to keep those values going.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

AO: I’m not exactly sure. I’d have to think about this long and hard. But I will say that Warped Tour this year was sad. When I was home in Minneapolis there was barely anyone there and that’s pretty terrifying considering I grew up around that scene. I guess I hope that this up and coming generation gets converted over to rock and roll instead of electronic and pop music. I may be 21 but if Warped Tour ever ended… I have no idea what I’d do. Just wouldn’t feel like summer.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

AO: In regards to Highlight, the team is ever growing. One of my writers just stepped up to manage our digital marketing. I can’t really say that I’m thankful for the team enough. We’re incredibly small but we are all passionate about the industry and have the same vision. I’m very proud of what we have done. We won’t stop until we get Fall Out Boy, Paramore or One Direction (Cara, Jenn and Anjel really want One Direction – hehe).

In regards to my photo work, it’s been pretty all over the place. I’m just trying to focus on landing a tour that I can afford to take because all I’ve ever wanted to do was document that side of the industry. I just have so many ideas and I want to keep pushing myself in every single way I can. This year I’ve been lucky enough to have done a few short tour runs and it was so nice to get my shoes wet… But I really want a full US or UK/Europe. As of now I’ll just be in Chicago working my boring day job and traveling a bit working on some small projects.

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PR Spotlight: Jamie Coletta (SideOneDummy Records)

Hello, and welcome to the very first Haulix PR Spotlight. We have enjoyed getting to know the blogger community over the last two months, and we certainly plan to continue that series as long as there are writers willing to talk to us, but we also want to highlight those working everyday to get talent in front of journalists around the world. If you know a PR talent we should feature in a future installment of this column, email james@haulix.com and tell us their story.

Designer Roy Halston Frowick once said “Buzz and the right publicist are not only important, but crucial in show business.” If you’re a rising punk talent who isn’t afraid of a great pop song and people with the type of personality you cannot help but love, the right publicist for you may be SideOneDummy Records‘ Jamie Coletta. Since joining the team in 2012, Jamie has furthered SideOneDummy’s already well established brand online and off while simultaneously helping develop new talent from a wide variety of genres. She has been working nonstop within the industry for the better part of the last half decade, and in that time has worked with nearly every type of artist or group you can imagine. We are honored to have her serve as our first highlighted publicist, and hope the insight she provides will aide future PR stars in bettering their efforts.

As always, if you like what you read, be sure to reach out and let Jamie know you enjoyed her interview. She can be found on Twitter, just like SideOneDummy, and is often spotted singing at the top of her lungs while standing side stage at pop punk festivals across the country. If you have any additional questions for her, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section at the end of this post.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the company you work for, and your role at said organization:

JC: Jamie Coletta, SideOneDummy Records, publicist. I handle in-house radio promotion.

H: You’re an East Coast girl who now resides on the West Coast, so surely you have a story to tell. When did you first realize you wanted to work in music?

JC: That’s hard to pinpoint but it probably all started from some random night at the Living Room (RIP) in Providence, RI. I would go there all the time in high school just to be around live music. I helped bands flyer from time to time, joined street teams and eventually starting booking local shows.

Once I got to college and realized that my school had an actual degree in music business, I knew that was the only option for me. I actually didn’t even get accepted at first because my grades were so low (woops). I ended up writing an essay about my favorite concert of all time (Yellowcard/Something Corporate/The Format @ Bentley College, 2004) that convinced them to let me into the program.

I moved to LA after college because I knew that it was the only place in the world I would be happy. And I am.

H: Where did you first find work in the industry (and yes, working for free counts in this case)?

JC: My first internship was at Riot Act Media with a great publicist named David Lewis.

H: Okay, now the big question: Where did you first find paying work in music, and how did you go about landing that job?

JC: My first paid job was assisting an independent publicist at Fly PR. It was short-lived, though, because only a few months after starting, I got hired to work at a major label and obviously took it.

H: Many may believe the ultimate goal of people working in music is to be part of a major label, but your career has gone another path. You were at onetime a member of one of the largest labels still around, then chose to go the indie route and joined the SideOneDummy Records team. What inspired this change of pace?

JC: Honestly? I didn’t like it. I never set out to be a major label publicist or work with pop music but I needed (and wanted) the experience. The majors are basically a jungle and if you’re into that sort of thing, then go for it. Personally, I’ve always wanted to work with the bands I love and have a direct hand in their success. That just wasn’t going to happen at a major pop label so after a few years, I decided to move on. I’m grateful for the entire experience, though, especially meeting people like Rey Roldan who put me in touch with the SideOne team.

H: There has been increasing talk of the necessity for labels ever since the rise of social media. Having gone from major to indie, do you feel smaller labels serve more important/lasting purpose than majors?

JC: Smaller labels have the ability to give you more of a hands-on approach and really work as hard as possible for their artists. Majors just shell out cash and hire a bunch of super smart people to make shit happen. You can still end up on the back burner at both but with an indie, your team is much more likely to care about your music and success, I feel.

H: Most of the artists you work with now fall under the punk category, but that was not always the case. Have you found any major differences between the various genres and artists you have worked with? Is any particular genre necessarily easier than another?

JC: Well our roster is definitely not strictly punk – we’ve got a really diverse mix of bands and artists here so that’s rad. But yeah, I’ve worked in a whole bunch of different genres now and I think it all depends on you. Personally I like punk and alternative so I tend to find it easier to work within those worlds because it’s what I feel most passionate about. Although a mentor once told me that a good publicist should be able to work PR for a bar of soap…

H: As a publicist, what advice would you offer writers hoping to work with your clients?

JC:  

H: Piracy is one of the most discussed topic in the industry today. Do you feel album leaks are preventable? If so, how would you advise an artist to keep their music safe while still getting the word out? If you can, share an experience.

JC: It’s hard to say. If you don’t want your album leaking, then you really just need to be super selective with who you give it to. If you can, utilize a service like Haulix or something that will let you watermark the promo so you can track it if it does leak.

But at the same time, I feel like a leak is a sign that people care so much about the record that they’re willing to go through any length to get it early. Does it suck, especially after you & your team have been working your butts off on a release? Of course it does. But it’s a part of the industry now so you just have to be mindful of that when preparing a release.

H: When it comes to working with your clients, how do you prefer to share their music with press? What is it about this method that appeals to you the most?

JC: I would always rather show someone music in person, mostly because I can display my excitement better that way. But since we live in a digital age and the majority of my contacts are spread across the country, I use Haulix, Soundcloud and YouTube primarily. Each have their own unique benefits but overall I just like the process to be quick and painless for a writer whose trying to decide if they’re into something or not.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

JC: There are so many talented musicians in the punk/alt community that get categorized as Warped Tour or Hot Topic bands and for whatever reason, that holds a negative connotation in the mainstream music world. I think that sucks.

Oh also, there is a major difference between hardcore and metal. Thanks
.
H: Your roster is as eclectic now as ever before. Do you have any plans or releases on the horizon you’d like to share with our readers?

JC: We’re putting out Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants new album later this month and I’m predicting that to be one of the best country/americana records of the year, hands down. Otherwise we have a bunch of surprises up our sleeves for the next couple months so you’ll just have to stay tuned for that.

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News

Blogger Spotlight: Jonathan Barkan (Bloody-Disgusting)

Hello, everyone. Welcome to a new month and a new edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. We have a lot of new content coming your way in August, including new columns that I cannot reveal just yet, so make sure you follow Haulix on Twitter and Facebook to ensure you never miss another update.

So far, all of the writers we have featured in this column have written for publications known primarily for their music coverage. While those writers have keen insight on building a reputation within the music industry, there is something equally worthwhile to be said about those whose music coverage serves as one piece of a much larger online community, and that’s why today’s featured talent is none other than Bloody-Disgusting’s Jonathan Barkan.

Bloody-Disgusting has been the number one online destination for all things related to horror films and the community that supports them since its launch in 2001. While Barkan was not a part of the site at that time, he was a follower, and over the course of several years worked his way to being the Music Editor. Now, with the help of contributors, Barkan leads the Bloody-Disgusting music department with an ear for all things rock and roll. From news, to reviews, song premieres, video exclusives, contests, and beyond, Jonathan and his team have made Bloody-Disgusting just as important to the heavy music community as it is to those who love Jason Vorhees.

We spoke with Jonathan about his rise through the ranks of Bloody-Disgusting, the art that got him interested in this line of work, and a whole lot more in order to complete this spotlight. His knowledge of working as part of a team in the digital realms should be considered indispensable, and his drive to make a name for himself is downright admirable. If you enjoy what he has to say, please make it a point to follow Jonathan and Bloody-Disgusting on Twitter. If you have any additional questions, feel free to add them in the comments section below.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

JB: My name is Jonathan Barkan and I am the Music Editor for Bloody-Disgusting.com.

H: Since you work for a site covering multiple areas of entertainment, it seems only right to figure out what got you into the unique position you hold. What was the first album and horror movie you fell in love with, and at what point did you know you wanted to work in entertainment?

JB: The first album that I truly fell in love with was Metallica’s Black Album, which is also the album the spurred me to learn how to play guitar. The first horror movie that I remember clear as day was A Nightmare On Elm St. Part 4. The scene where Krueger bursts through Joey’s waterbed is my first horror movie memory, not to mention my first movie memory! Since then my tastes have obviously changed and evolved but that album and that film hold special places in my heart.

I knew that I wanted to work in entertainment from fairly early on. I was always so entranced by the creativity that went into making a film, recording an album, etc…, and then creating a whole package to go with it. I was the kid that loved reading video game manuals. I was the kid who read through CD booklets. I wanted books with pictures not because they were easier to read but because it was a direct path into the mind of the author, to see what they wanted me to see. The amount of work, love, and passion that goes into a fully realized product is astounding and it always appealed to me to learn more about that in the hopes that I could one day be a part of it.

H: You’re the first person to be featured who writes at a site that isn’t essentially known for its music coverage. How did you come to work at Bloody-Disgusting? If there’s anything more to the story, can you also provide a bit of background on BD’s music coverage (launch, etc)?

JB: So my story of how I came to write at Bloody-Disgusting is a bit amusing. I had been coming to the site pretty much since its launch in 2001 as, by that point in my life, I was a horror hound. So, one day in October 2009 I went to BD and suddenly saw a brand new area: The ‘Music’ section. I immediately sent a PM to the author of one of the articles not realizing that it was Tom Owen, the co-owner of Bloody-Disgusting. I expressed my deep interest in contributing for the site, citing my certificate in Music Production and Engineering as well as my band playing/guitar tech experience as reasons why they should bring me on board. Keep in mind that I had zero blogging experience as well as zero music industry experience. This was all brand new to me.

So, in the beginning I was asked to write 1-2 album reviews per month. Once give that clearance, I got in touch with every record label I could think of to begin getting advance copies of albums for review. But then labels began saying things like, “Hey! On top of a review, how would you like to interview the band?” How could I say no? I started doing video, email, and phone interviews, contests, and more. Within two months I was posting 4-5 articles per day and I was landing opportunities that I’d never before thought possible. Since then, I was elevated to the Editor position and I’ve been going along ever since!

To make it very short, I pestered the hell out of Tom and Brad Miska (the other co-owner) until they took me on. Sometimes nagging CAN work!

H: Though the list of bands that could potentially appear on BD is rather endless, it’s safe to say you tend to focus on all things related to rock and roll. How would you describe the coverage offered by your music department?

JB: I look at bands to see if they challenge conventions of society, the industry, and what is “popular”. At the same time, we obviously love bands that love horror and incorporate it into their theme in some way, shape, or form. It doesn’t have to be through look, such as bands like Slipknot, Motionless In White, Mushroomhead, etc… It can be lyrically, thematically, tonally, and more.

From news to exclusives, premieres to interviews, editorials to contests, rants to lists, the coverage we offer is fairly endless. Horror fans love seeing passion and we want to cultivate that. We wants the readers to know that we love hearing from them, even if their opinion is completely contradictory to our own.

H: Aside from the presence of every horror fan in the world, what is it about your coverage on BD that separates what you do from the numerous music blogs around the world covering essentially the same talent?

JB: I love to think outside of the box. I want the bands to be excited to appear on BD. I want them to think, “This is something different, something I’ve never done before or been asked before! Let me show my love and passion here because it’s not the same thing that I’ve done over and over for days/weeks/months/years!” I want bands to have fun and get creative, which, in turn, shows in the article. Readers can tell when someone is being genuine and they feed off of that.

H: The team at Bloody-Disgusting is spread throughout the country. You live in Michigan, for example, while site creator Brad Miska resides in California. What are the biggest challenges you face in this digital office space, and do you think it’s better or worse than having a physical location you report to daily?

JB: It can be very challenging to maintain constant and open communication. However, we are always working very hard to ensure that we are all on the same page in terms of article scheduling, back-end business, upcoming features, etc…

I would love to know what a physical location for Bloody-Disgusting would be like! I’m guessing we’d have a screening room and watch horror movies constantly. I would definitely gain about 15lbs just from all the popcorn we’d be eating!

H: What do you think of the rising popularity of absurd subgenres throughout the metal community in recent years? Do you think whether you call yourselves “metal” or “subterranean New England metalcore” makes that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things?

JB: In many ways I think it can be very useful for bands to appeal themselves to particular audiences. However, there comes a point when it’s too much and these subgenres can turn off people just as much as they can guide them. The argument between “djent” vs. “prog metal” vs. “tech metal”, for example, can get a bit ridiculous. If someone enjoys music, does it really matter what genre it’s from? Music should be shared, not contained.

H: You have featured a lot of rising heavy acts over the years. Where do you go when you want to discover new music?

JB: I love checking out Reddit as well as hearing about bands via word of mouth from friends. But the best place for me is honestly in the vast amount of press releases I receive. Engaging headlines and well written band descriptions can be just the thing to draw me in and, ultimately, provide coverage.

H: What about when the bands come to you for news coverage? What advice would you offer bands hoping to stand out from the others vying for attention in your inbox or social feeds?

JB: You should absolutely check your spelling and grammar. A poorly written, poorly phrased email is a HUGE turn off.

Also, don’t presume that I’m 100% going to write about you. If you’re a rising band, have humility. Nothing makes me hit the ‘Delete’ button faster than a message from a band stating how I NEED to write about them because they are the biggest thing since sliced bread.

Lastly, show me that you’re into being on Bloody-Disgusting for a reason. Don’t send me a copy-paste email that doesn’t address our readers and their interests in any way. If you’re some band that doesn’t care about horror movies or care about the horror crowd, why even come to me?

H: In the digital age, do you feel there is still a need for physical press kits?

JB: I definitely think there is something to be said about holding something in your hands. I grew up before the internet was even available. I bought cassette tapes. I watched movies on VHS and dealt with tracking on my VCR. I still respect the feeling of being able to see and feel a physical manifestation of an artist’s work.

That being said, the convenience of digital cannot be denied. Throwing an album on my MP3 player and plugging it into my car for long drives is just incredible. So I believe that there is place for both.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

JB: If it’s for a feature consideration, either an album download link via Haulix (which is honestly the service I use the most) or Sendspace would work great. If the label wants my opinion on a band, a simple YouTube link works great. It’s fast, I can load it in HD for good sound, and I don’t have to go through the rigmarole of downloading a file, unzipping it, dropping it into iTunes, deleting the zip file, deleting the folder, blah blah blah. It’s a hassle.

For review, absolutely a download link or a physical CD (which I ultimately rip onto my computer and then put on my MP3 player or play through my sound system).

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

JB: I would change the antiquated notions that things cannot/should not change. The world is moving at breakneck speed and social media and the internet has dramatically changed the playing field. The music industry has to accept this and find new solutions rather than taking tried and true methods from ten years ago and trying to make them applicable in today’s world. The music industry needs to embrace radical, risky, innovative ideas that shock and wonder people. People will spend money in the right places if they are given the right reason and the right method.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

JB: As of now, just doing what I do! I always try to challenge myself to bring new ideas and new coverage to the site so we’ll just have to see what lightning bolt strikes me next!

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Haulix Advice: 4 Aspects Of Artist Branding

In an attempt to split the information shared into easily digestible pieces, this discussion on branding is being spread across the next few weeks. This is part one, and next Friday part two will go live.

Branding may very well be the buzz word to end all buzz words, but when you get past its overuse in the business world you find it is a very real topic that many artists struggle to grasp. We want to help with that, and today we’re looking at 4 aspects of branding that effect all artists. There will be plenty more to come on this topic in the weeks ahead (3-4 at a time), but for now this should at the very least point those completely lost in the right direction. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to add them at the end of this post.

1. Music – This one is a given, but it bares repeating. Your music is your brand, and every element of it that finds its way to your fans will leave an impression on them. With that in mind, make sure what you’re putting out is the best representation of who you are (or want to be seen as) possible. This needs to be at the forefront of your mind from the first time your pen touches paper, to the moment you’re sitting in the studio mixing your completed tracks. Does the recording sound the way you hear the music in your mind? Am I being honest with myself and fans through these lyrics? Shallow, cash-grabbing efforts will almost always yield short-term returns, but those last make a career out of this business do so by being themselves. Always.

2. Image (Photos) – There is nothing worse than discovering a great talent who has no idea what they’re doing with their image. Fashion may not be your thing, and it certainly doesn’t need to be in order to take control of this of your brand, but you do need to recognize there is more to being an artist than simply creating great art. For all intents and purposes, you are a business, and as such you need to present your product (the music) in a way that is appetizing to as many of the senses as possible. There may not be a rule book for how any one sound needs to look, but I am sure we can all think of artists who have gotten it wrong from time to time. Remember when Garth Brooks thought he could have emo bangs and release an album as Chris Gaines? Yea, I tried to forget too.

3. Social media presence – I feel like we are getting close to beating a dead horse with this topic, but not a week goes by that I do not see a talented band or artist who fails to grasp the purpose of social media. It is not a soapbox for product promotion, though it can help your sales. Sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook exist for the purpose of creating new communities based on interests, and artists need to learn to see their presence on these sites as the hub of their online community. Don’t just talk at fans, engage with them. Listen to what they have to say, reply to their questions, and in between that get the word out about your latest promotions. If your fans feel like they are in fact a part of the community, they are far more likely to help with  promotion than someone who feels as if they are receiving a steady stream of advertising. No one wants a wall of ads on the browser, and even if they like what you do they probably won’t stick around that long if sales are all that’s on your mind.

4. Stage presence – There is no better environment to get the word out about your brand than the concert setting. Even if the audience did not specifically come to see you, they are in the venue to hear great music, and if you can provide that they may very well become fans before heading home. In addition to following the golden rule to “practice, practice practice,” make sure you and your bandmates have an idea what the audience will see while you’re on stage. It may be all about the music, but in this setting the visual element can play a large factor in how the audio is received. Don’t be someone you’re not just for a few extra claps, but do make an effort to engage the audience with what is happening on stage so they feel compelled to see it again the next time you’re in town.

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