Marketing Tip of the Day: SCAMMERS!!

by: Jadée Nikita

A situation like the present drowning economy puts many people out of jobs.  Many of those who in turn like to find more creative ways to make money-by taking yours!  Therefore, working professionals like me and you must stay afloat and steer clear of the sharks that lurk in our midst.  Scammers are out in full force and they come in all shapes and sizes.  So beware my love muffs!!  Don't be fooled into a false hope.  If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is #BernieMadoff

Spotting a Scammer

• You get a private call or random email from a person asking for all of your personal information
• name
• age
• height
• where you live
• credit card info
• They give you no details as to who they are
• They ask for money 

What 2 Do 

• Ask them questions.
• Repeat name and company they work for
• How they got your info
• They are strangers!  Go with your gut feeling and never give in.
• Never give your personal 411 to someone you don't know!
• Tell them you are busy and you will get back in touch with them later.  Ask for a number and email address where they can be contacted.  
• Google them!

Industry Insight by Noizy Cricket!!

Striking While the Iron is Hot....

As in most things in life, TIMING is everything. Music is no different. buuuuuuut, being at the right place at the right time with the right product is only 88% of the battle. Once you are fortunate to be in that position where all eyes and ears are on you, you have to capitalize on the attention. Capitalization and consistency is what will keep you relevant for years to come. In this day and (digital) age where the human attention span is even shorter than a Kris Humphries love affair, you have to find creative ways to keep people interested through different mediums. Keep your audience engaged via social network communication, release content consistently while reaching as many markets as possible. Time flies, if you dont strike while your iron is hot, theres a chance someone elses is heating up... till next time... 

--le'Roy

CEO Noizy Cricket!! and Director of Urban Events @ Sounds of Brazil (SOB's)

Contact here!

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Prosperity

"Prosperity is a pursuit, not just a stop along your path in life."

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Keep Swimming

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."

No matter how hard your current situation is, take Dori's advice and just keep swimming.  Things will always get better.  With hard-work, persistence and goal setting, you can and will accomplish your dreams.  No one is going to hand you anything.  No one is going to do the work for you.  It's the daily grind that gets you your shine, and it's self-empowerment that motivates you through the daily grind.  So dig deep within yourself to make your dreams a reality.  No matter how big or small your visions are, ultimately, YOU are the only one who is responsible for your future.

Today is Tomorrow!

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Jewish Proverb

"He who puts up with insult, invites injury."

- Jewish Proverb

In a profession where you must build your reputation from the ground up, never forget to bring your values and morals up with you.  If there is something you don't feel comfortable doing, don't do it.  If you find yourself constantly being slandered or degraded, defend yourself!  If you don't protect yourself and speak up for what you believe in, other's will think it is okay to treat you the same way.  If you find yourself asking, "Why don't people respect me?" take a look in the mirror, and evaluate how you represent yourself in front of others.  It is one thing for people to talk shit, but it is another thing to let them walk all over you. Remember, there will always be haters.  Never try to prove anything to them.  Kindly keep it moving and let it be known that you will NOT be disrespected.

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Law 1

Today I am taking a page out of one of the most influential books in the world, The 48 Laws of Power.  If you understand this, humble yourself, and continue to stay on your grind, you will no doubt secure your success as an artist in the entertainment industry.

LAW 1:  NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER

When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all...This law involves two rules that you must realize.  First, you can inadvertently outshine the master simply by being yourself...by your charm and grace...Second, never imagine that because the master loves you, you can do anything you want...Never take your position for granted and never let any favors you receive go to your head.  

- Robert Greene 

 

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Time Management

Time is Money, honey!!

My first tip for you is to understand that there is no such thing as managing time.  Time is the only thing in this world that is constant, and waits on no one.  There are only 24 hours in a day, and that's all the time you have to accomplish your tasks.  So use it wisely.  During work hours, minimize the personal telephone calls and the frivolous social network browsing.  I guarantee you can add at least one hour of work time to your schedule if you do just that.
Now for those of you who say there isn't enough time in the day to do things, think about this tip:  Try waking up an hour earlier everyday.  Instead of starting work at 9, start at 8.  You will add at least five valuable work hours to your week just by waking up earlier.  If you are productive, those five hours can be exponentially beneficial for you and the success of your business.

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Self-Pleasure

lol, yes that's exactly what I want you to do...please yourself in everything that you do.  Don't worry about trying to please too many people.  While you are worried about doing things so that other's will like you, you are wasting valuable time and effort that could be spent on propelling your career forward.  Imagine all the hours we spend thinking about how other's will view us if we do x,y and z?  A wise man once told me, the biggest way to fail is to try to please others.  Just think about it.  Do an activity because it makes you happy.  Buy those fancy business cards because it makes you look good, not because your "friend" told you to.  When you start taking pleasure in doing things for yourself, you appear more confident in yourself, your decision making skills and more persuasive to others.

Choose to live your life!!!

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Competitors

Tip: Know your Competition

Although you may have a brand or business that you think is unique to the market, never assume that there isn't competition out there-because there is.  Do some digging.  Find out who is your direct and indirect competition and what they are doing to get your customers.  How can you distinguish yourself from them so that your clientele repeats business with you?  What is it about your competition that works for them and how can you implement their tactics into your already-winning plan?  It is important that you are continuously doing market research in your industry.  With new technologies, and this ever-changing technological environment, there are always new ways to improve.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

~Sun-Tzu

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Association

Tip: Association Fallacy

Now that you are taking yourself seriously as a professional, start surrounding yourself with other professional and influential people in your industry.  Don't be afraid to introduce yourself at parties and at other social gatherings.  People won't know who you are if you don't speak up.  So find your inner voice, and let the people know you are on the scene, ready to network.  Don't waste your time trying to impress, just be yourself, and the people you want to surround yourself with will come.  

Eliminate the negative personalities in your life, and those who have pessimistic views-they will mentally poison you.  Also, stay away from people who have a bad reputation for attitudes and trouble - you will be guilty by association!  So stay positive, and surround yourself with others who best represent you and your brand.  

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful of the friends you choose for you will become like them."

~ W. Clement Stone

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Casting Call Sites

Tip:  Join casting call websites!

These sites are your bloodline to getting work.  No matter the amount of cities you've toured, or the amount of artists you've worked with, you are never too big to attend casting calls and auditions.  Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry still have to submit their resumé, photos, and reels to get hired.  Plus, attending these cattle-call auditions is a great way to network with fellow artists, peep different movement styles, and tests your skill level against the competition.

Here are a few of my favorite sites:

Actors Access

Answers4Dancers

ModelMayhem

Backstage

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Social Media

Using resources like Twitter and Facebook to your advantage can make your life much easier if used correctly.  Start by creating an effective page where your fans can easily access your information.  Then begin looking for events or other artists in your area who share similar interests.  You are going to have to do some digging, but figure out who the important players are in the industry, and go to the events or classes they are hosting.  Before you know it, you will be booking gigs from Facebook - Lord knows I did!

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Success

Determine How to Measure Your Success

Success can mean many different things to people depending on an infinite amount of variables, world views, and experiences they may have encountered.  In this industry it is important that you set your own standards of success, or else you will fall victim to the "I wish I was like her" syndrome-and you don't want that.  As artists, we tend to be our worse enemy.  Self criticism can be good if you are positively growing from it, but when you start to cloud your mind with negative thoughts, you will slowly begin to self destruct and get sidetracked.  Don't let this be you!  Stay positive and determine what you want your ultimate outcome to be.  How will you positively contribute to the entertainment industry, and what steps are you going to take to get there?  Never determine your success based on what other people say.  Take charge and be the boss of your own destiny!

"When people believe in the themselves they have the first secret to success."

~ Norman Vincent Peale

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Be Proactive

It's time to take your life into your own hands.  Never wait around for an opportunity to drop into your lap and stop "wishing" that things will happen for you.  Make it happen!  No one has ever built an empire on hopes and dreams alone.  It takes a special person to be consistent, persistent and optimistic in this industry of rejection.  Therefore, never take "No" for an answer.  Always be on your A-Game, take classes, and go to events.  You never know when that small window of opportunity will open up for you.

"Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." 

~ William Eardley IV

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day: Events

Attend Events

A great way to start making a name for yourself in the entertainment industry is by attending important events that are relevant to your profession.  This is a good way to start networking and spreading awareness about your particular talent or skill.  When you are interacting face-to-face, you are personally sending a message that you are on the scene and a working professional who is serious about their craft.  If done correctly, your interpersonal skills alone will get you the job.  Ask any established professional in the game and they will tell you, "It's not what you know but who you know that makes the difference."

Find Events in NY @:

NYClout

Time Out NY

Artist Marketing Tip: Pay to Play

As a professional artist, it is okay to divulge and invest in yourself.  When considering buying products such as business cards, headshots, video reels, shoes, or anything that is a direct symbol of your brand, keep in mind that quality is key :)  

Remember:

• Do your research to see what works best for your budget.  
• Set aside a budget reserve for those important marketing materials.  
• When trying to establish your brand in an over-saturated industry, creativity, simplicity, and attention to detail are key.

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day

"Ask and you shall receive."

As an artist in the entertainment industry, it is important for us to find our own voice to get what we want.  I'm not saying to have a 3-year-old temper tantrum when you don't get your way, but there is definitely a sophisticated way, and tacky way to going about asking for things.  In any case, NEVER be afraid to ask for what you want in this business.  If you don't ask, no one will know what you want.  If they reject you once, go back to the think tank and come up with another way to ask your question.  Remember that saying, "There is more than one way to skin a cat?"  No one is going to stand-up for you or co-sign you in this industry.  Period!  So make sure you are able to fight for yourself and your talents.  No matter what people say, you are the bomb.com!!!  (lol, sorry I couldn't resist).

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

*Let me know what you think.  Comment below!

Artist Marketing Tip of the Day

Have Undeniable Skill

The competition is thick in the entertainment industry, and as an artist trying to break new ground, you must make sure you are the absolute BEST at what you do.  Be a student for a while.  Take the time to learn and perfect your craft before stepping into the professional arena.  It is a dog-eat-dog world out here, so make sure your skills are top-notch and no one will ever deny your fame!

Marketing Tip of the Day

Set Specific Goals!!

A non-specific goal: 

I want to dance in a music video.

A specific goal: 

I want to be the lead dancer in at least 1 music video this year.  

When you set specific goals you will subconsciously begin to take the necessary steps towards accomplishing them.  Make sure you set attainable objectives (aka baby steps), and a timeline to mark your achievements.  Start by setting monthly goals, annual goals, then long term goals.  Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?  At what level in your career will you be at 10 years from now?  It may seem overwhelming at first but once you have your plans in sight and in writing you will be able to clear away all the distractions and focus on what really matters...YOU!