The most challenging thing for an artist or musician to do is stay motivated. Motivation propels your career forward. If you get anywhere as a musician, it’ll be through successful goal-setting. That’s why I am happy to announce…
Show Notes: Episode 1: Goal Setting For Musicians
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Welcome to Episode One of the Cyber PR Music Podcast. Over the past 23 years since I started Cyber PR, I realize that having a “hyphenated career” is essential for all of us as artists and industry peeps to learn a lot of things. Therefore…
The Cyber PR Music Podcast is a combination of 2 Things:
- Presenting my articles, parts of my books and observations in short form (approx 15 minutes each episode).
- Interviews with people furthering the conversation about marketing and PR in the music business.
Very few of us have goals written out with timelines attached and this is precisely why I wanted to start this podcast series with this topic.
There Are Two Types of Goals
Big Picture / Long Term Goals – What do you want your music to represent in this world and what is your intention for it? Why do you make music in the first place? What will you be thinking about when you lie on your death bed in regards to what you created?
Actionable Step Goals / Short Term Goals – These are the steps that create the map to your own personal success. Releasing your next music, taking your next tour, etc. They are goals easy to achieve and push you along in your career.
These work like a map so that you can actually get to where you want to go.
Note: Goals and Metrics are two separate things – I talk to so many artists who want metrics (like I want 1M streams on Spotify), but they don’t have a GOAL around the desire for the metric. Make sure that you differentiate.
Write Down Your Goals:
Start With Big Picture / Long Term Goals
With long-term goals, you want to put a 5 or 10-year timeline around these goals. They should be big and exciting.
Next, Get Detailed Actionable Step Goals / Short Term Goals
Branding – This includes your look, feel, image, and/or your health. It can also be your pitch, bio, unveiling your story, etc.
Marketing – What will you do for your marketing? Will you be hiring an assistant or a company to help?
Newsletter – Creating and sending it 12 – 24 times a year (1-2 times a month) is a very great way of not only keeping your audience in the loop, but is also an attainable goal. Also, you’ll want to set a goal on getting the numbers up on your mailing list while flushing out the inactive emails addresses on the list.
Website – How is your website looking? Is it time to build a new one, diversify your online presence, or re-brand?
Social Media – When was the last time you took stock in your overall social media goals? More specifically, Instagram?
Music PR – This includes getting coverage on online outlets (blogs, podcasts, websites). Are people talking about you in the blogosphere?
Booking – Are you thinking about touring or playing local gigs? Maybe a combination of both?
Downloads, Streams & Merch Sales – What will you release, distribute, and sell and where? What are your goal numbers around these?
Licensing – Will you work towards this in the near future in this domain? In other words, are you wishing to have your music available for others to use with proper licensing?
Expanding and Maintaining Your Fan Base – How will you focus on new fan outreach while still acknowledging and appreciating those who have been true fans of yours for years?
Team – Will you be trying to get a manager or a booking agent?
Writing & Recording – Are you going to be songwriting or recording an album or EP in the coming months?
Instruments & Learning – Will you be buying a new instrument or taking lessons?
Time Management – Find a way you can manage and balance your time to make sure you can focus on your musical goals.
Money – How much money would you honestly and realistically like to earn a year?
How To Write Down Your Goals
Write down each goal as if it is already happening. Add a date and remember it can’t rely on someone else.
Be pragmatic – make sure your goals are realistic and achievable. Start with something that is easy to do that you can check off of your goals list easily.
If you don’t know where to start, try practicing the KonMari / Marie Kondo method on your studio or closet. This can help clear out what may be cluttering your mind and keeping you from getting your goals activated in the first place.
Write Down 5 Successes Each Day
Write down five little victories each day. Once you start getting into this habit, you are training yourself to put the focus on the positive and get your brain to stop being so critical.
Put a notebook next to your bed and each day write down 5 things. Be sure one or two of them are music or band related.
Make Lists
Make daily lists of what you need to do to get your goals met – the night before!
Do the hardest thing first in the morning, don’t be a procrastinator. By getting the most daunting task done first, everything else will seem like a breeze.
Delegate the little activities that waste your valuable time to other people.
Don’t overload yourself – studies show that 6 tasks is the maximum you can achieve in one day!
If you have a day job, remember that you probably don’t have as many hours in the day as you think you do, so start with 1-2 tasks a day.
Episode Action Sheet:
Tools, Articles or Other Tips Mentioned:
Marie Kondo and the KonMari decluttering method
T Harv Eker mindset and money coach
Links Mentioned:
This episode showcases my article:
The Musician’s Guide To Setting And Achieving Goals on the Cyber PR Music Blog.
Work With Me:
Music PR
Musician’s Total Tuneup
Cyber PR LABS
Other Ways I Can Help:
1) Subscribe to my podcast – The Cyber PR Music Podcast
2) Check out my newly updated ebook Social Media Tuneup. Walk yourself through how to effectively crank up your social media presence across all channels
3) Order my bestselling book, The Ultimate Guide To Music Publicity: a step-by-step guide to being a successful publicist all on your own. Available on Amazon.
3) Learn in one of my LABS masterclasses. There are 12 to choose from and they focus on areas you may want to hone in on including: Supercharge Your PR, Release Music With Ease, and Getting Sponsored.
4) Read any of the 300+ blog posts I have written to help you get ahead in the business. My main focus areas are marketing, music PR, crowdfunding, and making money.
About:
Ariel loves the challenges that today’s music business presents and she leads her team to help clients come out ahead. Whether that is with a detailed Total Tuneup, a new brand, or an increased established digital footprint, she is dedicated to helping her clients leave more educated than they were when they came to Cyber PR. She has written over 300 blog posts and four books on marketing, crowdfunding, and social media for artists, two of which went to #1 on Amazon. Ariel has spoken to over 100,000 artists in 12 countries about how to take control of their own marketing leading masterclasses, workshops, and panels.
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