The most challenging thing for all artists is staying 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 share
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 two decades years since I started Cyber PR, I realized that having a “hyphenated career” is essential for all artists and industry peeps
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, so I wanted to start this podcast series on 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 steps create the map to your 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 get to where you want to go.
Note: Goals and Metrics are two separate things. I talk to 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 includes your look, feel, image, and/or health. It can also be your pitch, bio, story unveiling, 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 did you last take stock in your overall social media goals? More specifically, Instagram?
Music PR 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 shortly in this domain? In other words, do you wish 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 try getting a manager or a booking agent?
Writing & Recording – Will you be songwriting or recording an album or EP in the coming months?
Instruments & Learning – Will you buy a new instrument or take lessons?
Time Management – Find a way to manage and balance your time to ensure 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 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 in 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 meet your goals – the night before!
Do the most challenging thing first in the morning; and don’t procrastinate. 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 six tasks are the maximum you can achieve in one day!
If you have a day job, remember that you probably don’t have as many hours 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
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 crank up your social media presence across all channels effectively
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) Read any of my 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 of today’s music business and leads her team to help clients come out ahead. Whether 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 marketing, leading masterclasses, workshops, and panels.
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