Artist Empowerment Radio Podcast #5 Is on the Air

I'm testing a new shorter version of the podcast. Hopefully, by making each show shorter, I'll be able to post a new one more often. This time I share some ideas on how the Grammy Awards teach us an important lesson about music marketing -- one that indie artists in particular should be aware of.

You can stream it, download it or podcast it from my own podcast page or GarageBand. Enjoy!

Let's Get Metaphysical

"Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." -Wayne Dyer

It was just a few years or so ago when I apprehensively dipped my toe into the pool of writing about it. I tried to slip it into the conversation when readers were looking the other way.

I'm talking about the expanding core of what I write and speak about. It's evolved from talking about marketing tactics (such as press kits, cover letters and package design) to encouraging musicians to embrace positive thinking. Now I also touch on concepts that border on being "metaphysical" or "spiritual" in nature.

The good news is, I'm no longer alone in writing about this stuff. Joe Taylor Jr wrote last week about Music Miracles and the Power of Intention, and today David Hooper responded with Manifesting Music Business Success.

Don't think for a second that these guys are, as my daughter says, "copying off of me." Not at all. What's most amusing to me is that three different people located in different parts of the country, who spend a lot of waking hours thinking about music career success, have come to similar conclusions: We live in an abundant world, and with the right mindset, we can tap into its many gifts and rewards -- while giving back at least as much as we take.

If you've seen the movie What the Bleep Do We Know? or read books by Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chopra, you know what I'm talking about. This isn't about promoting a religion. In fact, it's not about religion at all. I don't sit around and burn incense and meditate all day. I don't pretend to have all the answers to life's great mysteries.

I'm just a regular guy who has learned to open his mind to the possibilities that everyone has access to. And that's probably the biggest thing that has influenced my writing in recent years: understanding that answers, solutions and opportunities aren't "out there" somewhere. They reside within, and it's up to each one of us to stop searching high and low for the Holy Grail and look under our own noses for the real keys to success and happiness.

This philosophy dovetails perfectly with the "do it yourself" movement that is sweeping the planet. People are learning that they no longer have to rely on gatekeepers or lucky breaks to influence their progress.

Hot tip: Want to connect with the most powerful person who can impact your music career? Look in the mirror.

"All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth." -Napoleon Hill

Indie Music Success Stories

Here's more wood to throw on the independent path fire, courtesy of two items posted recently at GarageSpin.com.

According to this post on the Prefix Mag blog, indie band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah -- based in Brooklyn and Philadelphia -- has sold 17,000 copies of it self-released debut, all thanks to word-of-mouth.

"And while major-label artists make only about a buck a record, the Clap guys are making a whopping eight dollars per disc -- putting their take so far at more than $130,000. Not too shabby for an album recorded for less than ten grand and distributed by the band itself via countless trips to the post office."

And across the pond, this story in The Telegraph:

"Traditionally, bands have been forced to use radio play and record company marketing to create a buzz around their music, but the Arctic Monkeys, a Sheffield-based guitar band, built a committed following of young fans well before being noticed by the music industry."

Yup. Musicians are taking their music to the people like never before.

What have you done today to create music worth getting excited over ... and to find the people most likely to be excited by what you create?

Create a FREE Music Podcast

If you're hooked up with GarageBand.com, you may already know that the site just announced a new free service. Take a look at Gcast.com and you'll see that you can now create and host your own podcast via GarageBand.

I went ahead and tested the service by setting up a page there for my Artist Empowerment Podcast. I posted one of my earlier shows plus a newer one with more marketing tips material along with some killer songs by GarageBand-hosted artists Chris Gallagher, Heidi McCurdy and Denny Blake.

The GarageBand podcast deal is pretty quick and easy to use. In addition to basic podcasting, you can also record podcasts by phone, encourage other sites to embed your podcast onto their pages, and have fans sign up for email alerts.

I think I'll combine this new Gcast page with my own hosted Artist Empowerment Radio podcast page (which I also publish for free using a combination of Blogger, FeedBurner and OurMedia), along with a streaming version at Live365.

You should probably do the same with your original music podcasts. The more places people can access your songs, the better your chances of connecting with fans.

Meet Obstacles (and Go Around Them)

I'm a big fan of Curt Rosengren and his Occupational Adventure blog. A couple of months ago, he wrote two great posts on overcoming fear and steering around obstacles -- a topic that most musicians can learn from.

In Fearless choices, not fearful choices, he writes ...

It's so easy to stop with the assumption that it can't be done. Rather than assuming that [our goal] is forever out of our reach -- based on either past experience or beliefs we have absorbed along the way -- we can stop and ask ourselves, "OK, if it doesn't work this way, how else could it work?

And in a post titled Develop a 5 to 1 habit, Curt explains ...

When I talk to people about pursuing their passions in their careers, I often encounter an endless litany of "reasons why I can't." It seems to be wired into us to look for obstacles and declare them reality.

One of the ways to change that perspective is to develop a 5 to 1 habit. For every obstacle you recognize, commit to writing down five ideas for getting around that obstacle.

Great attitude. Roadblocks are rarely eternal or insurmountable. Most of what holds creative people back comes from within -- a false perception, a weak belief, a negative expectation.

These disempowering ways of thinking can be deeply ingrained. So you may at first have to force yourself to think in more optimistic terms. Stick with it and you'll eventually think less fearful thoughts automatically.

Thought nugget: Don't buy into the music biz obstacles you encounter. Find another route. If you can't work your way through or over a speed bump, find a creative way to drive around it. And keep going.

A Different Way to Tour

I just received an e-mail from a realtor pal and it got me thinking about unique exposure opportunities for musicians. It seems a number of houses in the same neighborhood have just been renovated and are now on the market for sale. To draw potential buyers, the realtors involved are having a house tour.

But the focus of this tour isn't only on the houses. To make things interesting, each house will host an exhibit by a fine artist and live music from an area musician. Cool idea.

Thought nugget: Anywhere that a group of people gather, it's an opportunity to get your music into the ears of potential new fans. Don't think about nightclubs, coffee shops and traditional venues only. Think in terms of opportunities to reach groups of people.

What other events and venues might apply? How about singles events, bingo nights, haunted houses (since we just celebrated Halloween), tenant appreciation parties at apartment complexes, art exhibit openings, or strip mall sidewalk sales?

The possibilities are limitless. Think about it. Then act on your ideas. Talk to people, make some calls, and make things happen!

Name That Tune

Your mission: Create a name for Werner John's distinctive style of music. That's the challenge being issued by my friend and fellow author Marcia Yudkin on her new web site, Named At Last.

The reward: If your entry is selected as the best new name, you'll win $100 and a shot at becoming a professional namer. The best name will sound great, fit the music, convey its intended essence and make a positive connection with the target audience.

Anyone, anywhere, any age may enter. And you can submit as many name candidates as you like. The contest closes at midnight, Dec. 31, 2005. Marcia will choose the top ten entries, and from these Werner will select the winner.

So visit NamedAtLast.com/contest.htm and start naming names!