Social Media Made Easy

Let social media aid your sales efforts. Here are a few super easy steps for getting started on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and more.

 

Social media sites can contribute heavily to the top of your lead funnel if the engagement is original and custom-tailored to each specific social media platform. Here are some top tips for increasing online conversions through genuine engagement on top social media platforms based on the Slingshot SEO Guide Increasing Conversions with Social Media.With less effort than you think, your organization can increase online conversions through genuine engagement on multiple social media platforms. And who wouldn't want that?

Facebook

Be visual and light-hearted. Popular Facebook posts tend to be visual in nature. Studies show that photos and videos have a much higher rate of engagement than simple text-based messages. Rather than sales pitches, show the lighter side of your business by sharing office photos, especially of funny moments. No one wants to be given a sales pitch on their news feed!

Twitter

Twitter is all about engagement. Engagement can happen on Twitter with millions or with just one person. Find your target market's influencers and engage directly with quality content. Monitor your brand mentions by Twitter members using services like Twilert or Google Alerts. Optimize your broad-reach tweets to the optimal times throughout the day. For example, if your market were comprised of teenagers, you probably wouldn't tweet at them on Saturday mornings. Services like Crowdbooster will actually suggest the optimal tweeting times based upon previous tweet performance data.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is primarily a business network, so share more professionally focused content. Use the Careers tab to boost recruiting efforts. Post job openings and display employee testimonials. Use the Products tab to highlight different service offerings, display customer testimonials and solicit company recommendations. Interact with your industry's most popular LinkedIn Groups. If there isn't a group for your industry, start one. Deliver quality content to the group and interact with members on a regular basis.

YouTube

Think of this as your company's TV channel. YouTube is your opportunity to display thought leadership through video. Build playlists of videos around industry needs and topics. Be sure to optimize your videos by completing all video meta-data including title, description and keyword tags.

Google+

Pay attention to and interact regularly with Google+ since data suggests that usage is tied directly to SERPs and rankings. Google+ pages operate very similarly to Facebook pages. Be sure to differentiate the content that you share on these two platforms. Choose content for sharing based upon your specific fan base on each platform. Add users to G+ Circles who have circled your page. As a business, you can only add users to Circles who have already added you, but other businesses can be added at any time.

Being active on social media can connect your organization with people in entirely new ways and get them fired up about your company. Reaping the benefits from social media requires genuine engagement, valuable content and brand consistency. Make your engagement original and don't copy and paste content across social media platforms. Treat social media platforms as messengers to distribute content that your target audience will enjoy. Remember to be consistent with your brand communication across all social media platforms to coordinate and enhance your digital brand image.

4 Mistakes Young Entrepreneurs Make That Waste Time And Money

There are a few classic mistakes that just about every young entrepreneur makes when starting a business. Avoid making these to save yourself precious time and money.

Mistake 1: Spending too much time developing the product and not enough time selling it

Most young entrepreneurs spend far too much time in the “lab” before ever getting out in the field. Tinkering too long with a prototype and deliberating on patent filings are common mistakes that should be avoided, and are typical for young people who spend most of their time in the classroom. After all, you’re generally rewarded for the amount of time you study and are given weeks to complete assignments rather than days. School is an environment that lends itself to deliberation rather than execution. Never be afraid to put your best complete product in front of customers and try to sell it. If you don’t have sales (acquisitions, users, etc.), then you don’t have a business.

My motto is, “Sell first, build later.” There is no such thing as a perfect product, just a complete one, which is why I’m such a big advocate of Eric Reis’ The Lean Startup, and the MVP (Minimum Viable Product.) An MVP is an example of the minimum product that you can show a customer that works and that he will pay for.

If you spend too much time trying to perfect a product before getting customer feedback, then you’re going to waste precious time that you could be spending interacting with your customers finding out what will get them to write you a check and to come back for more.

Mistake 2: Being afraid that someone will steal your idea

Too many students let fear guide their decisions when bringing a product to market. Never be afraid to test your product before you think it’s ready. The naysayers will tell you that it doesn’t work, and, those who love it and give you useful feedback will be far too busy to ever take your idea and put it into action anyway.

Creating a company is hard work, and very few people are just going to take an idea that isn't even proven to make money yet. If you need to find a developer, file a patent and incorporate, sell your product to clients, and do all the other things that a startup needs to do to get going, then your copiers will too. Ideas are everywhere, but there's no such thing as a million-dollar idea, just million-dollar execution. And you need to get your product in the marketplace in order to gain traction and execute.

Mistake 3: Thinking that you are your customer

You are not your customer. The way you would use something is not necessarily the way that your customers will use it. Let them tell you what they will pay for, and then deliver it to them. If people aren’t willing to vote for your product with their wallets by buying it, signing up or making some other economic decision, then you must find another model. I encourage most students to take a step back and instead of creating a complicated business, just go out and sell something. Buy an inexpensive product for which you can retain a margin, and sell it. Get in the habit of selling because business is about sales.

Mistake 4: Trying to monetize ideas rather than monetize sales

If you ever want to take a test to find out where your business is really at, write an email to a few of your close friends and describe to them the next two months of your operations. If your email contains too many "could be's", "might-be's" "needing to find the right developer" type sentences, then chances are you have a project and not a business. When you have a business with sales, you will talk about what you need to do to monetize more sales. You move out of dream space and into reality.

Once you have a business model that actually works, the excitement of endless possibilities of monetization will be replaced by what you need to do specifically to sell more of what people are already buying. Until you find out what those revenue streams are, you need to keep iterating until they become apparent.

To talk about the many ways to monetize something before figuring out plainly how your customers will pay you for it is always premature. Monetize money first, then monetize your additional ideas later.

How To Run A College Radio Campaign Get your music played on college radio.

1. Compile a list of targeted college radio stations and shows.

Click here for a list of college and indie radio stations. Go to each station's website to research the shows that play your style and genre of music and get the station's music submission guidelines.

2. Set up a tracking system.

You'll need to keep track of who, where, and when you sent your CDs and press kits. If you don't have your own system or  database software, a simple spreadsheet is fine. You can even use the one we created -- click here to learn how to track a college radio campaign with a spreadsheet.

3. Call in advance and establish a relationship with the music director or show host.

When your list is finalized, call all of the stations to:

• double check the contact information
• find out exactly what materials they expect to receive
• Also, you will want to talk up your band and music. This is what professional independent radio promoters do for labels -- and you're up against them. The key to getting your CD played and in rotation is to build a personal relationship with the music director of the radio station or host of the show you're targeting. If you're going to be on tour in their area, tell them the date and venue to spark additional interest.

4. Prepare your CD.

For best results, send your CD in a standard jewel case (most stations use CD shelves sized for jewel cases). Take off the shrink wrap. Add a note to the cover of the CD listing 2 or 3 songs that are "radio-ready" and that you want them to listen to first. You don't want them dumping the disc after the first song if the best radio track is later in the album.

5. Prepare your press kit.

Click here to learn how to create a press kit. Radio stations are not the press -- they only need the most basic information. So, save money on postage and keep it simple for radio. Also, pay attention to their submission guidelines and tweak your press kit accordingly.

5. Mail it in.

If you contacted the station and they told you to send in your CD, then write "SOLICITED MATERIAL" on the outside of the envelope so they know it was requested by them. If you are touring in the station's area, write the date of your show on the envelope because this gives them another reason to consider your CD sooner rather than later. It also tells them when you will be in their area so they can announce your show, schedule an interview, or get you to play live on-air.

6. Call and verify delivery.

After a few days, call your contact at the station to verify that they received your CD. This is another opportunity to talk more about your music and upcoming shows. Ask when they'll listen to it and consider it for rotation. Note this date in your tracking system. If they didn't receive your CD, resend the materials.

7. Follow up to verifiy it was added to the rotation.

Call your contact again a few days after they said they'd listen to it  and find out if your music was added to the rotation. Note that being added to the rotation does not necessarily mean you will get played -- it's usually up to the DJs to decide when to play the songs. It's likely you won't know if your music was played unless you listen to each station or they keep a log at their website.

8. Keep calling back to verifiy it was added to the rotation until you get an answer.

Polite persistence works.

THE PALACE MUSIC GROUP EXPERIENCE

1. 1.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• Palace Music Group, LLC’s Business leaders want their employees to be fully engaged in the work they do instead of simply going through the motions. Senior management must find ways to get its A&R’s to fully engage their passions and talents every day, while ensuring that individual A&Rs’ differences are blended into a good uniform experience for its customers.
• It can admittedly be very awkward to find a balance between these two vital – yet sometimes divergent – leadership responsibilities. Through its principle of Make It Your Own, however, Palace Music Group, LLC has managed to create a model that encourages A&R’s at all levels to pour their creative energy and dedication into their jobs and inspire customers in legendary ways.

1. 2.      This structure is known as the “Five Ways of Being”.
2. 3.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• THE FIVE WAYS OF BEING
• WAY #1 : Be welcoming
  • Palace Music Group, LLC, “being welcoming” is an essential way to get the artist’s visit off to a positive start, and is also the foundation for producing a warm and comfortable environment. It lets A&Rs forge bonds with artists.
  • “ Being welcoming”, at its essence, is defined as “offering everyone a sense of belonging”. A&R’s should do all they can to create a place where artist feel that they are a priority and where their day can be brightened, at least for a moment.
  • Welcoming people by name and remembering them from visit to visit is a small thing, but it counts very much. People fear just being another member of the herd; they want to have their uniqueness recognized.

1. 4.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• THE FIVE WAYS OF BEING
• WAY #2: Be genuine
• At Palace Music Group, LLC, being genuine means to “connect, discover, and respond”. Focusing on these three elements in each artist interaction forms a quality relationship:
  • Connect. Legendary service comes from a desire and effort to exceed what the customer expects. Customers have repeatedly shared experiences of  Palace Music Group, LLC A&Rs making a connection well beyond some formulaic greeting. Individual staff uniqueness gives them a special way to connect with others.

1. 5.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• 2. Discover. Business success requires the discovery of each artist’s needs and individual situation. Discovery is essential to developing a unique and genuine bond. The special qualities and needs of each artist must be determined.
• 3. Respond. A lot of businesses do manage to achieve the first two elements, but they don’t always act on what they learn. Palace Music Group, LLC’s A&R’s not only listen to their artists, but also take action immediately based on what they hear and learn from these experiences for future artist interactions.

1. 6.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• THE FIVE WAYS OF BEING
• WAY #3: Be considerate
• Palace Music Group, LLCs A&Rs look beyond their needs and consider the needs of others – artists, artist customers, critics, co-workers, other shareholders, and even the environment – in sum, the entire universe of people and things Palace Music Group, LLC affects.
• At the corporate level, “being considerate” means exploring the long-term well-being of A&Rs and those individuals whose lives the A&Rs touch
• Thoughtfulness should become a part of a our company’s culture. Leaders should place a priority on consideration and encourage our staff to put their own twist on the concept.

1. 7.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• THE FIVE WAYS OF BEING
• WAY #4: Be knowledgeable
• What does being knowledgeable mean in this context? Palace Music Group, LLC A&Rs are always encouraged to love what they do and share it with others.
• A&Rs are encouraged to enhance their expertise in customer service. Value is always added to A&Rs’ efforts when they gain work-related knowledge. In addition, as they become more informed, their value to the business, self-confidence, and the impact they have on others all increase.
• Palace Music Group, LLC upper management also offers formal training opportunities to develop their knowledge of the music business that can lead to personal insights for artists.

1. 8.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• THE FIVE WAYS OF BEING
• WAY#5: Be involved
• This means nothing less than active participation in the company and in the community – a “yes, I will” attitude where breakthrough products and service are created. There must be a move away from a “bare minimum is OK” mentality.
• A&Rs look around the business for clues on how to make the artist experiences and the business better and to improve the manner in which artist needs are served.

1. 9.      PRINCIPLE 1: MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• WAY #5: BE INVOLVED
• continued
• The management makes it a point to listen and respond to the ideas and suggestions of A&Rs – as a result, A&Rs frequently take responsibility for suggesting and championing new product ideas based on the inputs from their artists.
• Lastly, there is community involvement, which can take many forms – from creating a community meeting place to staff volunteering in community-related activities, all of which are encouraged and supported by Palace Music Group, LLC leadership.

10.  PRINCIPLE 2: EVERYTHING MATTERS

• All business is detail. When details are overlooked or missed, even the most patient artists can be frustrated and costly errors can occur. What’s more, only a handful of unhappy artists bring their complaints to management – the rest simply bring their dollars elsewhere, and share their grievances with family members, friends, and acquaintances. (People are more likely to talk about unpleasant experiences than pleasant ones.)
• Leaders have to understand that they must take care of both the “below-deck” (unseen aspects) and the “above-deck” (artist-facing) components of the customer experience. In the world of music business, everything truly does matter.

11.  PRINCIPLE 2: EVERYTHING MATTERS

A small detail can sometimes make the difference between success and failure. Important details live in both that which is seen and that which is unseen by the artist. There is absolutely no way to hide poor quality in anything. Hide it though some may try, it always becomes evident in the end.

12.  PRINCIPLE 2: EVERYTHING MATTERS

• Website environment, product quality, training (doesn’t need to be boring, conventional or mundane), the development of a playful culture (a playful and positive work environment produces vital and engaged members), and a social conscience all matter a great deal.
  • The “Palace sensation” is driven not just by the quality of its products, but by the entire atmosphere surrounding the purchase of its entertainment packages, the openness of its webstore staff, interesting site, and other things besides.
  • The art of retailing MP3’s – and indeed many other things as well – goes way beyond product. The details of the total experience matter, from DOWNLOAD to delivery.

13.  PRINCIPLE 2: EVERYTHING MATTERS

• Details affect the emotional connection (the “felt sense”) that others have with you and your service or product.
• A&R’s should go out and ask what details artists notice about their businesses, in order to know exactly what to focus on (this doesn’t mean however that whatever’s invisible to the artists can be neglected, of course).
• Acknowledge the importance of everything, celebrate all the details, and play – have fun while working hard to make sure that everything is as good as you can make it!
• Lastly, not only does everything matter; everyone matters as well.

14.  PRINCIPLE 3: SURPRISE AND DELIGHT

• This idea behind the importance of this principle is hardly a new one. As early back as 1912, the Rueckheim brothers, who are behind the successful candy brand Cracker Jack, already knew that adding a surprise to each package would dramatically increase the appeal of their product.
• In that vein, delight is the caramelized popcorn – the basic product that your artists get – while surprise is the prize they get! Artists want the predictable and the consistent, while hoping for an occasional positive twist or added value thrown in.
• Nowadays, people have a certain anticipation for something special with just about every purchasing experience, or hope they will get surprised, even in the most mundane experiences.

15.  PRINCIPLE 3: SURPRISE AND DELIGHT

• Today’s artists are far more discerning than ever before and far harder to please than any others who came before them.
• To make matters worse, they have developed an insatiable appetite for what is unique and amazing in just about everything they buy. Most artists have such a high threshold for the cutting-edge and the most up-to-date that they thumb their noses at almost everything that doesn’t qualify as such.
• The most effective events are natural and spontaneous, not artificial or forced. Look first for a need, and then step in and fill it in the most genuine and spontaneous way possible.
• Surprise can result from as simple a series of events as offering a little guidance, and then stepping in and getting out of the way and watching (and learning) as people search for the things that bring them joy.

16.  PRINCIPLE 3: SURPRISE AND DELIGHT

• Your efforts to surprise others are a contagious force. Look for genuine opportunities to do the positively unexpected. This creates a “ripple effect” that will have artists talking and not only will help bring people to the web store, but will also serve to spread good word about our product quality and level of service. And, artists often end up surprising the web staff and/or one another as well!
• Artist delight comes from surprise as well as predictability. You should ensure that your artists rely on you and your staff to provide both products and experiences at a consistently high level of quality. The occasional surprise will only serve to sweeten the pot and bring people back for more.

17.  PRINCIPLE 3: SURPRISE AND DELIGHT

• When breakdowns occur, businesses can still delight customers by making things right. You can and should view breakdowns as unexpected (and not entirely unwelcome) opportunities to improve your artist experience.
• Delight is the result of an unwavering commitment to creating a comfortable and trusted relationship. If extra time and energy has been invested in delighting others and not simply satisfying them, you will be rewarded with nothing less than extraordinary results.

18.  PRINCIPLE 4: EMBRACE RESISTANCE

It was once noted that a person only profits from praise when he values criticism, and

Palace Music Group, LLC management has taken this to heart. Valuing criticism is a major part of the Palace Music Group, LLC puzzle. Embracing resistance involves a complex set of skills that can enable businesses and individuals to create business and relationship opportunities when confronted with irritation, skepticism, and/or wariness. This principle requires leaders to distinguish between artists who want their concerns to be resolved and those individuals who just can’t seem to stop complaining or seem to find it impossible to be satisfied. Embracing resistance is more than simply placating these groups; it focuses on learning from those individuals who don’t always make it easy to listen.

19.  PRINCIPLE 4: EMBRACE RESISTANCE

• The ball and chain of unintended obligations – virtually all successful companies make such obligations with their employees and communities and often they can prove difficult to fulfill.
• The warning signs of volume obsession:
• Guideline-free, ad hoc spending – the company has “more interesting” and “more challenging” things to think of instead of controlling costs.
• Functional-level cost centers – profit and loss are always calculated at the corporate level, even though it may no longer be efficient or sensible to do so.
• A culture of cross-subsidies – the success of one business unit is used to conceal the failure of another one.
• Truth in numbers – the company’s auditors, stock prices, or industry analysts are saying that the numbers are not in the company’s favor.

20.  PRINCIPLE 4: EMBRACE RESISTANCE

• It’s important to realize that nothing in nature grows without facing limiting forces, and businesses are no different. Therefore it’s best to learn to live with such challenges – and even use them to your advantage.
• To work with resistance effectively, you must distinguish between those people who really do want their concerns resolved and those who simply want to complain.
  • For some concerns, listening is all that is required. It offers space for commentary and constructive discussion.
  • For other types of resistance, direct action is required; management should know when listening is simply not enough.

21.  PRINCIPLE 4: EMBRACE RESISTANCE

• While it’s natural to want to avoid complicating the issue and avoid contact with one’s detractors altogether, quite a lot can be gained by welcoming these people to the early stages of problem-focused discussions. Their grievances can thus be voiced and their inputs incorporated early on – when doing so matters most.
• If and when the concerns of critics are allayed, these people can and often do become your most ardent supporters.
• It’s vital to correct misinformation as swiftly and rapidly as you can. Misinformation has a way of spreading and becoming even more complex and convoluted as it is spread, and the further this goes the harder and costlier it is to deal with.
• If and when errors are made, it’s important to take direct, unequivocal responsibility and follow this up with corrective action.

22.  PRINCIPLE 5: LEAVE YOUR MARK

We all end up leaving some mark on the world. What varies – and what is most important – is whether that mark is positive or negative. Do we give back more than we take, or do we take more than we give? This is particularly significant in the world of business, where managers’ actions have profound effects on individuals and societies. Some leaders believe that an important part of their business success is linked to the powerful and positive impact they have on their communities. Successful leaders realize that a key component of their success is leaving a powerful and positive mark in the communities in which their businesses operate.

23.  PRINCIPLE 5: LEAVE YOUR MARK

• Many business executives initially decide to be good corporate citizens because they hope it will improve their business.
  • Almost all who sustain this type of commitment do so because it becomes patently obvious that this is the right way – indeed, the only way – to do business.
• People want to do business with, work for, invest in, and patronize socially conscious companies.
• The most talented and qualified A&Rs increasingly consider a company’s ethics and community support when selecting an employer.

24.  PRINCIPLE 5: LEAVE YOUR MARK

• A&R morale is three times higher in those companies where community development is an integral part of the business model than in their less-involved counterparts.
• When A&Rs’ work environments match their personal values, they become far more productive than employees whose work environments don’t match what they value or uphold.
• By participating in community-based activities, A&Rs are given the chance to build leadership skills and grow as teams.

25.  PRINCIPLE 5: LEAVE YOUR MARK

• The value of a business’s brand is 100 percent linked to the trust people place in the company to do what it says it will do.
• Corporate social responsibility shouldn’t be seen as a passing fad or fancy. Instead, it should be valued as the way global business really gets done.
• We can all be the change we want to see in the world!

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Kamal Jabbar

What was your first job in the music industry? 

My 1st job in the music industry was General Manager at Black Market/Priority Records back in 1992-1996.

Who was the last artist you worked?
The last artist album I worked on was Centric’s  project/album.

What are your thoughts on the current musical landscape?

I have an expansive view of the music industry,
and this vision I bring to my work. So, I can’t speak for all music but as far as the urban musical landscape, it's terrible. In Rap music I feel there can be more creativity! Everyone that has solid backing sounds almost alike and all the music videos urban themes are really close to the same! Most have the shot in the club, whether the night club or strip club, with bottles of liquor and of course a bunch of half naked women. We all know sex sells, but there is nothing is left to the imagination anymore! I can't deny that, music is supposed to be a form of expression! I just wanna know, what happened to telling stories about life experiences? Now It's all about the imaging of girls shaking there ass’s and guys wearing platinum chains and driving expensive cars! We are more creative than that!!! Now, visually, we can't deny that it does draw attention, though.

Can you give us a description of your normal day?

As an digital distributor who specializes in International Music, my work hours have to accommodate half a dozen time zones on any given day. In a nut shell; A normal day for me, is that I get in on my home office laptop around 4:45 or 5:00 AM. I usually read BIllboard, Rollingstone, Variety, and TMZ, online magazine articles for about and 1/2 hour to :45 mins daily to  update me on what is going on in the entertainment industry. Around 5:45 or 6:00 AM and I write the palacemusicgroup.blogspot.com, as well as, check my voice mail. Then I check my emails and calendar to see what phone meetings I have for that day, so I can prioritize. By, 6:30 DAILY AM; Depending on what project I’m working on, I check the BDS on the song that my artist(s) have at radio.  Since I multitask, I also take this time to simultaneously update my my Personal Facebook, Company Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin pages. 7:00 AM Daily;  I usually phone conference my GM to speak about any new projects and how to make sure  we can increase online visibility of the company. This will include any company issues, as well as, a brain storming session. Around 8:00 AM I usually read Essence, Global Grind, Jet, XXL, and Vibe articles online for about and hour to update me on what is going on in the R&B and urban/hip hop music industry.Then around 9:00 AM I usually call my artist manager to check up on them to see how they are doing.I usually speak with the A&R(s) or marketing person for the particular artist projects to make sure my artist calendar is in-line, as well as, come up with new ideas on how we can further the artist visibility to the online consumer. My days are always different, but this frenetic, time zone-leaping schedule is a constant. By 11:00 AM If I’m in the recording process of an album, I go to the studio with the artist or check in with him or her, to make sure the session goes as planned! I have to make sure the producer creates the right beat for the artist I’m working with. By 11:30 AM I'm out the door, to around 12:20 PM  to take a daily walk and reflect on the information gathered the morning meetings. Around 12:45 PM or 1:00 PM I review artwork for and hour and enjoy a meal at my desk, normally light lunches, since I work from home most of the time. At 2:00 PM I make calls, for and hour, as well as respond by written word,  future business inquiries on my linkedin page. In between meetings and calls, I dedicate time to producing content to be shared with artists and and my music industry site. 3:30 PM GYM MON-FRIDAY for hour or more. AT 5:00 PM There’s music to listen to. I spends time reviewing client projects, and working out release plans. After a listen-or 5—and some yellow-padded brainstorming, I begins exploring if any of the artist songs can be licensed for film or television. 6:00 PM Down time before I answer another round of emails for the evening. 9 pm -1 pm Creative meeting with a managers and studios. Who I’ve been discussing strategizing possiblities.

What are your thoughts on the current state of radio?
I  only speak for urban radio but I feel that all the stations play the same songs and of course that's political. My personal feels are, that the DJ’s don’t have the freedom to play what they want to play anymore. They have to follow a playlist that has been created by an, out of tune, corporate program director! It does not matter if a DJ wants to play a certain song that the streets think is hot. If its not a part of that playlist the commercial radio DJ can't play it on air! Trust me that isn't the play list that DJ has in his Ipod. Let him play that on air.

How much time do you spend looking for new artists?
We're always looking for new manageable great performing artist!! There is never a time when we're not looking for new great performing artist! By great performing artist I mean the ones who consistently do excellent shows. We all know that is part of developing their craft. Excellent shows get great artist paid. I didn't say okay artist. We look for great performing artist. Okay sounding/performing artist, don't get you paid. Okay doesn't change your lifestyle. Okay doesn't give you a top ten hit record, that calls for you to tour around the U.S. to support your records major radio play in different marketed demographics.

Who are some of your “current’ favorite artists?
That's a good question!!! I don’t have a current favorite! And that's really Sad! Today they all are developed in a cookie cutter process. Don't take my opinion wrong this isn't a easy process to make work. The life experiences that we use to listen to in music is gone. The artist and companies are under tremendous pressure to produce a hit single/record.  They are under the pressure to recoup millions of dollars of losses in revenue, that the major labels have given out in the form of large guaranties or advances in the past. Money advanced to artist that become only shelved or drop from the label as well as the companies investment into the current artist career.

How do you feel about the current “American Idol” Phenomena?
I’m not a big fan of American Idol. Not for the lack of talent because we all know that if you put anyone with talent in front of millions of people every night of the week, they will sell records. That's what we are in the business for. To sell records, downloads or musical content. Now on the other hand I think the process worked for artist like Fantasia and Kelly Clarkson who in today's market otherwise would not have gotten deal!

You have seen the industry executive changes. Tell us about your experience dealing with these changes.
It's really no real other way to deal with it; you just roll with the punches and go with the flow.

What happened to rock stars? Rap stars?
What I think happened to the “Rap star” Is that they all started to bite; copy each other! You can’t tell who is who anymore! And the few artists that aren’t biters; copy cats, they're concerned that their imaging and sound is not going to come across as authentic or believable!

Any advice for aspiring artists who want to break out into the big leagues?
Be prepared to work harder then you have ever worked in your life! And then you got to work even harder then that! Network, this industry is built on relationships so it's all about who you know! So meet as many people as you can in the industry because you never know when you might need them!

What would be your advice to the independent musician today?
Hire the social media member. Add someone to your band/group that just takes care of your social media, marketing and the day-to-day management of the band. Pay her or him like a member and treat them like they are as important as your lead guitarist. It’s good advice because it bridges a gap that I was having trouble bridging in my mind before hearing it. We’re teaching these artists that they have to run their art like it is a business. They have to fight for every dollar, play shows, promote themselves, be savvy social media pros, create buzz about product launches and monetize 1000 different ways, but they mostly just want to make music. 

How do you get someone invested in your band and only your band like a manager? Well this is how. You need the guy that plays the Twitter.

My advice?  Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something because they don’t think you’re good enough or your size, color, age, looks, beliefs, or what kind of music you are playing. Do it to make you happy. Don’t lose focus on what you want to do but be free to experiment. The more popular you get, the more negativity you’ll see. That’s all part of the job.

My motto is strategize, negotiate, and promote.