5 Steps to Building a Sustainable Music Career and Revenue Streams in 2022

5 Steps to Building a Sustainable Music Career and Revenue Streams in 2022

1. Artist Commitment and Vision

No great accomplishment ever started out with a weak commitment. You won’t have evidence of your dream coming true at the start of a project. Commitment comes first.

You can’t know if you are going to be successful when you commit. The dream is BORN FROM your commitment. That’s how it works. What are you committed to?

In 1998, I had a successful voice studio in New York City making a 6-figure income. But my music dream was still unfulfilled. I closed my studio to find myself as an artist and to make a record. It was a risky decision. I didn’t know what would happen. The commitment came first.

During my 2 year hiatus, I started by following my instincts. Books are one of the first places I have always looked for knowledge, insight, and inspiration. After 3 recommendations, I picked up a book called “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. As I read the pages, the words leaped into my heart and I heard music. I had struck “the muse.”

Step 2: I flew out to CA for a workshop and met Miguel, his teacher Rita Rivera and a community of spiritual seekers. Someone at that event said, “someone needs to write music to Miguel’s prayer The Circle of Fire”. I had a premonition that I would write it.

Step 3: I flew home and wrote the music to his prayer The Circle of Fire. I then wrote a whole series of songs inspired by the heart-opening spiritual experience I was having.

I started making record-quality demos of the songs to circulate amongst his followers. Shortly after I signed a recording agreement and the record was released. I played Carnegie Hall and Town Hall to a standing ovation. Dream come true (You can find my record The Circle of Fire by Cari Cole on all digital platforms.).

What commitment do you need to make for your music career?

Take some time this week to honor yourself, listen to your conviction and then follow through and see what happens when you stick your neck out and bet on yourself.

If you’re ready to commit, join my?6-week Artist Development program.?Each month we go LIVE for insight, inspiration, and to connect with other artists in the community.?Learn more here.

2. A-Rate Songs

Your career as an artist is built on your songs. Nothing is more important than extremely well-written songs that deliver a strong and clear emotional message to the listener. Producer Linda Perry says she prays for strong songs when an artist brings her a record. You can’t make up for weak songs in the mix.

A great song starts with a strong song concept. Songs built on weak concepts tend not to connect. We teach artists how to write from these stronger concepts with a proven method only learned here. Building a strong song catalog starts with writing – a lot. In our?Signature Songwriting Circle?we teach you this method and VIP seats get to write with me and my expert songwriting team who has written with John Legend, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, FINNEAS and many more.?Learn more here.

3. A Compelling Marketing Message

Your marketing message and copy are what help to hook your potential listener. Use your writing skills to write copy that speaks to them. It starts with identifying your listener. The easiest way to identify your listener is to profile you. Your listener is going to be a person that is very similar to you in values, taste, and aesthetics. Now, build your marketing message based on the message in the record and target that person. Work with a copywriter or music business coach who can help you! Start with our?6-week Step Up to the Spotlight Artist Development Program?that walks you through how to build your brand, find your niche, and your hook!

4. Build Your Email List

Your list is the most important element of supporting your music career. People who are willing to give you their email to be on your list are more likely to support your music career.

Social media platforms come and go – and with it your followers. You can’t rely upon them – remember Myspace.com? All that networking is gone in an instant. And while these platforms lure us all with the broadcasting of our numbers – it’s actually their ploy to keep you there working to build your audience – except it’s their audience. Be sure you use social media to direct people back to your website or your landing page offers where you can get an email address!

Once on your list, you can develop a relationship with your monthly newsletter that points them to where you want them to go. You can also invite them into your Livestreams on platforms like Twitch where you can collect tips and offer subscriptions and grow your revenue there.

Your list builds revenue for your artist career. Create a really valuable offer – like give away one of your prior records or a bundle of demos or covers for new subscribers. Once they are on your list you can communicate with them in their inbox on the inside! Use an email platform like Mailchimp on Square Space to tag and segment lists and followers and send out a newsletter once a month that offers them value and connection. Additionally, send out email letters with invitations to Livestreams or events as you go. Watch the open rates and clicks. This is a way of tweaking your content to connect more to what people want from you!

Think of it this way:

• 500 true fans spending $250.00 per year = $125,000.00
• If 5% of your list buys, you’ll need 10,000 on your list, and to know how to sell to them (see #5).

I have artists making anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000.00 and they are not well known, they just have their funnel in place and they know how to monetize!

5. Your Products + Funnel

As an artist, you run a small business. Build your sales funnel to build revenue. Make interesting one-of-a-kind merch that people really want. Why shouldn’t they buy stuff they need from you? I’m developing product lines with all of my artists. One of my artists is from Finland so we are creating a special product line that you can’t find anywhere else! $$$

Your sales funnel:

1. Your Website and your Compelling Free Offer. Most artists give away a bundle of music or a free album. Even if it’s streaming you can still give it away via a Dropbox link. Album giveaways are great ways to grow your email list. Remember – you can sell to your list!
2. Once on your list -> send them your Monthly Newsletter with one CTA (One Call to Action: watch a video to grow streams; Stream your new release; Come to a Livestream; Join your Patreon; Come to a Live Show; Follow you on YouTube/socials – direct them to one platform that has the most activity).
3. Use social media with strong compelling visuals and a strong marketing message driving people to your website to get your free music and to your Livestreams where you collect tips and subscription revenue $$$. You can also sell merch at these Livestreams $$$.
4. Invite your List Insiders to special VIP Live Concert Events -> Sell merch $$$
5. Invite your List nsiders to a Patreo- type community behind a paywall $$$ where you host VIP Insider Events – concerts with conversations, songwriting, poetry, special merch giveaways and then sell merch at a discount for those who didn’t win $$$.

To get started, join our?FREE 6-week Artist Development program?Step Up to the Spotlight.?I created this program to help artists gain the tools, industry know-how and skills to live the dream and make a living doing music. Step Up was built over 12+ years and has my heart and soul in it. Since it began, this program helped over 15,000+ artists build a plan to make their dream of a career in music a reality and the community continues to grow.?Come join us?while the program is still FREE.