30 Action Steps for Setting Your Music Business Up for Success

Thrive as a musicpreneur when you follow these 30 action steps that Tiamo has trail blazed for you in setting up your music business for success! You’ll discover Tiamo’s most progressive and non-traditional ways to grow your highly profitable music business!

30 Action Steps

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Step 1:
Send out your 28-day commitment letter to your family and closest friends. This is a letter that shares in detail about your new commitment to growing your music business and the action steps you plan to take. It also invites them to hold you accountable and to support you in the ways you need support the most. When you commit to taking the action steps that you share in your letter for at least 28 days in a row, these action steps will become habit and your new routine. And once they become habit, this will become your “new normal” and so will the results you get!

Step 2:
Get an online calendar that potential clients and partners can book appointments
with you via a scheduling link. I use www.TimeTrade.com.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

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Step 3:
Go through your county clerk’s office to register your DBA (Doing Business As) company name.

Step 4:
Go to the bank and open a business account under your company name, not your
individual name.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='134' comment='Academy_M3W3']Step 5:
Get Merchant Services for online orders. I use www.EvoPayments.us as my online merchant provider and www.Authorize.net for automated credit card payment gateway processing. These are great for accepting automated monthly payments and for entering customer credit card orders over the phone. Other more basic and popular options are www.PayPal.com and www.Stripe.com.

Step 6:
Be able to take credit card orders at your gigs via your mobile device. I use www.SquareUp.com. You can also use the card reader from www.PayPal.com.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='135' comment='Academy_M4W3']Step 7:
Secure your domain name(s). I use www.GoDaddy.com. Another less expensive option is www.NameCheap.com.

Step 8:
Get an E-mail Database System (also known as a “CRM”) to set up your autoresponder to send live and automated emails to your fans and clients. I use www.OntraPort.com. A free, less comprehensive option for smaller fan bases and client lists is www.MailChimp.com. Other database systems are www.1ShoppingCart.com , www.ConstantContact.com, www.Aweber.com, and many others.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='136' comment='Academy_M5W3']Step 9:
Have your updated website up and running. Hire a professional web developer or wordpress designer if needed via www.UpWork.com or www.Fiverr.com. You can also create one yourself (or hire a designer via the links above) using DIY friendly sites like www.SquareSpace.com or www.Wix.com. For an even more robust and comprehensive site, my website designer is www.EndlessGraphics.com. You can see the work they did for me at www.TiamoMusic.com.

Step 10:
Register for a certificate of payment of business tax through your city/town Treasurer’s Office.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='137' comment='Academy_M6W3']Step 11:
Get incorporated with an entity specialist for tax benefits. Schedule a free business tax consultation to see which option is the best fit for you. I went through Laughlin Associates at www.DirectBusinessResource.com. My company is an S- Corporation. You might consider a Limited Liability Company as another option. Find out what kind of company is right for you.

Step 12:
Hire a Certified Public Accountant to manage your taxes[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='138' comment='Academy_M7W3']Step 13:
Get your EP/Album recorded. I recommend asking your fans for financial support by doing a crowdfunding campaign where they receive “gratitude gifts” for backing your project.

Step 14:
Get your EP/Album designed and manufactured. I use www.OasisCD.com. Also, order music download cards for your album. I use www.DropCards.com. Should you want to have your music on iTunes and other online sources, numerous CD manufacturing companies like Oasis will give you instructions on how to set this up as they are partnering companies.

Step 15:
Copyright your songs with www.Copyright.gov. Songs can be copyrighted all at once under a collection of works.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

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Step 16:
Become a writer AND music publishing member of a Performing Rights Organization. I’m a member of www.Ascap.com. Others are BMI, SESAC, etc.

Step 17:
Register your songs with the Performance Rights Organization that you become a member of. This is how you ensure that you get royalties for your music, not someone else.

Step 18:
Get business cards with your latest website and branding. I use www.VistaPrint.com. [/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='140' comment='Academy_M9W3']Step 19:
Get flyers that highlight your music services. I use www.Lupdom.com.

Step 20: Get a bookkeeping system and/or hire a bookkeeper.

Step 21:
Hire home help to free up your time. Another option is to hire someone to prepare and deliver meals. I use www.SunBasket.com and www.FoodMadeFresh.com.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='141' comment='Academy_M10W3']Step 22:
Hire an assistant with marketing and sales knowledge to follow up with contacts and manage your schedule. They can also contact associations, companies, schools, and organizations to book you and they get a commission for each booking. Alternatively, you can recruit interns to do this for free. Your fans would be a great place to start, or you can go through academic departments or career services at colleges and universities.

Step 23:
Keep stretching your prosperity consciousness. Books I recommend are “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”, “Think and Grow Rich”, and “Busting Loose From the Money Game”. For personal development, I recommend “The Surrender Experiment”, “Letting Go”, “A New Earth”, and “Loving What Is”. Any books in the “Conversations With God” series are my personal favorites for spiritual development.

Step 24:
Find accountability partner(s).
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[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='142' comment='Academy_M11W3']Step 25:
Hire a coach that you want to model your music business after to mentor you.

Step 26:
Reach out to 1 joint venture partner a day for your album launch or other types of promotion (Mon-Thurs). You can have your assistant or interns do this along with consistent contact tracking and follow up.

Step 27:
As you grow your database, send at least 1 email or video per week to engage your fans. Emails/videos can be simple and brief.[/accessally_has_any_tag]

[accessally_has_any_tag tag_id='143' comment='Academy_M12W3']Step 28:
Get clear on your performance rates and your perceived value. Speak your value with confidence.

Step 29:
Become an affiliate with Tiamo to make supplemental income as you grow your music business.

Step 30:
Get a gratitude journal and write 3 things you’re grateful for each day.

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