There's a great HBO movie called The Special Relationship, which explores the complex relationship between an American president (Bill Clinton) and a British Prime Minister (Tony Blair). Toward the beginning of the film, there's a moment when one of Blair's advisors, after seeing Clinton's success, tells Blair, “It’s easier to change what you stand for than to change what people want.” For an artist, of course, this is terrible advice. Creatively, moulding yourself to what you think people want you to be is the kiss of death. But when it comes to your business, knowing who your audience is - and knowing how to tailor your approach to them - is the absolute key to your success.
A tour is a political campaign. They have candidates. We have artists. Politicians hit the road with a message. We hit the road with our music. Politicians give speeches, but the most important way they connect is by meeting voters. We perform at concerts, but the most important way we connect is by meeting and interacting with fans. In politics, supporters speak with their votes. In music, fans vote with their money. Politicians are running for office so they can be the voice that speaks for their constituents' minds. We are running a campaign to be the spokespeople of hearts.
Many artists think that touring is about showing up, performing, getting in the car, and driving to the next place. For these people, vagabond mentality can easily take over on the road, and it's shortsighted. If they get in a disagreement with a venue owner or another artist, they figure it doesn't matter because they're leaving town and will never see them again. And for people who think that way, they're right. They'll never be invited back. The reality is, as much as that hour on stage may be your favorite hour of the day and the one that keeps you going, the other 23 will make all the difference between success and failure.
If it's not apparent now, wait until you get on the road and start navigating your way through complex and 'special' relationships with industry people, venues, fans, press, and other artists, over weeks, months, and years. You may be a musician, but make no mistake - if you tour for a living, you have a career in politics.
If artists really understood this concept, the world of touring would be completely different. Artists would approach the idea of professionalism differently. They would build relationships differently. They would spend more time making their fans feel special and important. And you know what? Artists would all make more money. Accepting that you are building a long-term reputation, and realizing that you have professional commitments to your colleagues, vendors, and supporters is an essential first step before talking about anything technical. Before you reach out to venues, it's important to know what you stand for, how you plan on conducting your business, and who exactly you should be setting your sights on.
Next week I'm going to talk about branding, and present a few ideas that may help in that process. A lot of artists have trouble with the concept of branding themselves (they somehow liken it to the process of being marked with a hot iron). Instead, think about the following question: If you were looking at this as a politician might, and you were running a campaign around your music, what would your platform be? Would you have a slogan? What types of signs would you want your fans to hold up for you? What types of people would you be targeting to 'vote' for you? And ultimately, what feeling would you want to leave people with when they met you and saw you perform?
More on this next week.
A tour is a political campaign. They have candidates. We have artists. Politicians hit the road with a message. We hit the road with our music. Politicians give speeches, but the most important way they connect is by meeting voters. We perform at concerts, but the most important way we connect is by meeting and interacting with fans. In politics, supporters speak with their votes. In music, fans vote with their money. Politicians are running for office so they can be the voice that speaks for their constituents' minds. We are running a campaign to be the spokespeople of hearts.
Many artists think that touring is about showing up, performing, getting in the car, and driving to the next place. For these people, vagabond mentality can easily take over on the road, and it's shortsighted. If they get in a disagreement with a venue owner or another artist, they figure it doesn't matter because they're leaving town and will never see them again. And for people who think that way, they're right. They'll never be invited back. The reality is, as much as that hour on stage may be your favorite hour of the day and the one that keeps you going, the other 23 will make all the difference between success and failure.
If it's not apparent now, wait until you get on the road and start navigating your way through complex and 'special' relationships with industry people, venues, fans, press, and other artists, over weeks, months, and years. You may be a musician, but make no mistake - if you tour for a living, you have a career in politics.
If artists really understood this concept, the world of touring would be completely different. Artists would approach the idea of professionalism differently. They would build relationships differently. They would spend more time making their fans feel special and important. And you know what? Artists would all make more money. Accepting that you are building a long-term reputation, and realizing that you have professional commitments to your colleagues, vendors, and supporters is an essential first step before talking about anything technical. Before you reach out to venues, it's important to know what you stand for, how you plan on conducting your business, and who exactly you should be setting your sights on.
Next week I'm going to talk about branding, and present a few ideas that may help in that process. A lot of artists have trouble with the concept of branding themselves (they somehow liken it to the process of being marked with a hot iron). Instead, think about the following question: If you were looking at this as a politician might, and you were running a campaign around your music, what would your platform be? Would you have a slogan? What types of signs would you want your fans to hold up for you? What types of people would you be targeting to 'vote' for you? And ultimately, what feeling would you want to leave people with when they met you and saw you perform?
More on this next week.
