by Cari Cole

Over here at Cari Cole Voice and Music we know that the base of a music career lies in systems. You need a system for training the voice. A system for practicing your instrument. A calendar system to manage your time. A system to consistently reach out to your fans. A system to keep up with your industry connections. A system for social media or it eats you alive. A system to keeping up with finances and actually making a living as an artist.

In putting together the Fast Forward Program + Blueprint, I devised a 10 step system that I call the 10 Circles of Congruency. They are the steps that make an artist smart and congruent (when your music and your business are a match) – the musts to a music career that actually sustains you living the dream!

Within these 10 steps you will find everything you need to create a thriving career, because unlike other music marketing technique out there, your ultimate success is not just about marketing. If it was we’d all be rich and famous. It isn’t just about social media, or radio play. It isn’t just about touring or publicity. It isn’t just about how much money you have. It’s about becoming a brand people want to follow.

The “how-to” is in these ten steps. Each one is carefully and deliberately designed to cover anything you might be missing including your own interpersonal skills, mindset, organizational + leadership skills, music industry knowledge and business savvy.

Read through and ponder each step. What have you been missing or falling short on? It could be the very reason why your music isn’t connecting yet.
Step 1: Great brands know that they are 100% responsible for their success. There are no victims at the top. You can’t climb the Himalaya’s without a solid commitment. And – the stronger your commitment, the stronger your success. So if you waffle about your music career – on and off again – or if you let a few disappointments set you back – you may want to develop a stronger unwavering commitment! Give yourself a time limit of one year of full commitment – and see where you land.

Step 2: Smart musicians know that creating systems and foundational support is what helps them grow bigger. What systems have you created for the business side of your music? Do you have automated responses set up when you get an email inquiry? Do you have templates for contracts with venues? How do you handle press? Do you have a system for your finances? Or systems for your team? Systems save time and make musicians powerful and business easy!

Step 3: In today’s over-processed, over-saturated world, you have to cast your net as deep as it is wide to catch your potential fans and followers, they are not just going to come to you. What is the experience you’re giving your fans to make them want to follow you? How do you catch their attention and keep it? Even better, how do you turn a casual fan into a super-fan that supports your career? In my Fast Forward Program I teach the Fan Base Growth System: How to Attract + Capture a Tribe of Really Awesomely LIke Minded People Who Really Love You.

Step 4: Don’t expect to gain followers based on your music’s merit. You have to know how to capture them and I’m not talking about social media. You have to build your own platform. Is your website just a static brochure or does it capture fans while you are sleeping? What about your other list-building efforts? Make an irresistible offer to potential fans in exchange for their email address.

Step 5: Today is about community efforts. From crowdfunding and fan supported careers to music collectives and fan-run venues – community efforts trump solo efforts. Word spreads faster through word of mouth and people love to talk about the latest, coolest product or person they’ve discovered. How can you create stronger connections? Are you using Facebook and Twitter to the fullest? Think about ways to connect directly with your fans (in a professional way online) so people feel special and look forward to talking with you. In Fast Forward Program I teach artists the secrets to creating real Social Proof, Demystified and Simplified!

Using the tools in this module – a Fast Forward artist went from 200 Twitter followers to 30,000 in less than 8 months.

Step 6: The biggest key to success as an independent is how good you are at carving your path (no two paths are exactly the same). It starts with defining who you are and who you are not. Trying to reach and please everyone is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. You don’t have to be the best singer or performer in the room, but you want to be the most distinctive. Clearly identifying who you are and where you fit helps you carve a successful path. What can you become known for? How can you more clearly define your niche? In my Fast Forward Program I teach artists 10 Proven Paths in the music industry. Learn how to leverage what you’ve got – it’s the key to your success.

Step 7: Most musicians make the mistake of hiring a publicist or paying for radio promotion before they’re ready. What do I mean? Well, if you don’t have a strong following you’ll be throwing your money away. The first step is having a solid marketing plan for your record release and promotion. Failing to market is a sure-fire way to fail. The Fast Forward Program includes a complete Album Release Plan Spreadsheet for easy tracking that will keep you on target and organized pre-release, during release and post release! Don’t release your album without it!

Step 8: Wikipedia says Continuity is: “the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.” This is where most musicians fail – seriously. Your career will thrive when you have all of your possible income streams set up and that also means your entire catalog copyrighted and registered correctly. Have you completed the paperwork to set up your income streams to flow to you instead of away from you? Are you capitalizing on all of the income streams available to you? How can you make your cash flow and music more profitable and create lasting continuity for your music?

Using the tools in the Income Streams Module of the Fast Forward Program, one Fast Forward artist got a major licensing deal!

Step 9: Communication, negotiation and leadership are all elements of inter-personal skills you need to bolster. At what point do you reach out to people higher up in the music industry and how? How can you communicate your worth and get yourself “in the door” professionally and make a lasting impression? People skills are an important piece of the puzzle.

Using the tools in Module 9 of Fast Forward – How to Communicate to the Higher Echelon of Successful People in the Entertainment Business – a Fast Forward artist landed a label deal and another got a contract with an international booking agency.

Step 10: Are you taking advantage of all the music professionals who are here to help you grow your career? Often I find artists trying to do on their own what others can do for them, but they are unaware of the possibilities available to them. Once you have the knowledge of who’s who in the industry and how to approach them, you can step into conducting your career and building a team that supports you.

Interested in more? Check out our 4th launch of our popular online programs for independent artists worldwide:

Fast Forward Program + Blueprint: An Online Program for Smart + Resourceful Musicians to Build Your Brand and Launch Your Music to the World. Starts Nov. 19th. Save $500 now up until 11/13.

Wondering if Fast Forward is right for you?

Fast Forward is for: Recording artists, Musicians, Songwriters, Composers, Rappers, DJ’s, Producers, and anyone in music who wants to get more business, build a brand, and create more success in the music industry.