Over the past few months I’ve noticed some debates happening about musicians and branding. It seems that while some musicians “get” the fact that they (and their music) are a brand, others don’t.
I come down very clearly on one side, emphatically believing that every musician should think of themselves as a brand.
Why?
Think about what you’re selling. You’re selling a product you made, featuring… you. You’re selling yourself and you’re marketing yourself. You ARE a brand whether you like it or not, and you HAVE a brand whether you know it or not.
I get that it’s personal, and I get that it’s hard to step away from the music you create and see your brand for what it is.
But, it’s necessary. And here are some tips:
- Remember Your Roots Remember what you set out to create. What feelings did you want to inspire? What impressions did you want to leave your audience with? When you first started, how did you want your music to be remembered?
- Listen To Your Fans Go do a Google or Twitter search for yourself. Go back and read reviews of your albums, your shows, or your demos. What words are used to describe your music?
- Look Forward Music evolves just as people evolve. If you’ve been creating music for a long time there’s a good chance that your sound has evolved from where it began. Where are you now? What’s changed? Where do you see yourself going?
Through this exercise you should begin to get a good idea of what you set out to create, what you actually created, and what you want to create next. Take a look at the results. Are they what you expected? Are there parts that you really like? What about the parts that you don’t like?
For the parts you like – set out to develop those.
Perhaps your fans really did you music, but they also really dig how you interact with them at a live show. Find ways to incorporate more of that fan interaction across all of your activities. How can you make them more involved in the recording process? What about arranging meetups before you perform to actually sit and say hi to your fans? Are you connecting them with each other when you notice that they have something in common? How about sharing the love and helping to introduce them to other musicians you think they may like?
For the parts you don’t like – figure out how you can change them.
Do fans only seem to dig your uptempo songs, but not really be as into your ballads? If so, why? Asking them never hurt, but also, how can you work to evolve your craft? How can you get better and make your ballads just as good as your uptempo songs?
For everything you do – figure out where it fits into your brand.
Is it a natural extension? What about a complete departure? Can it help to evolve your craft? Can you make money off of it? How will your fans react? Think about these questions as you take on new projects, and don’t be afraid to explore. Music is personal and the relationship between band members, as well as fans and artists go far beyond typical co-worker or brand/consumer relationships. Remember that you’re a person, making things that connect with other people (and hopefully making a living off it!). Don’t be afraid to evolve.
What about you? What side are you on in this debate? Are you a brand, or are you just a musician?