The Savvy Musician Show

Latest Episodes:

The Last SMA Podcast? - SMS115 Sep 21, 2020

Leah’s back! Where has she been? What’s she been doing? Where to from here for music marketing and the Savvy Musician Academy?

In this episode, Leah joins C. J. for an in-depth discussion of her new business, Mythologie Candles, and what her plans are for the near future.

But they also discuss this podcast because after a recent survey conducted by Leah of followers and students of the Savvy Musician Academy, a lot was revealed that prompted a reconsideration of our efforts.

Long story short, Leah and C. J. discuss the plan to take a sabbatical on the podcast in order to invest more in the coaching of our existing students.

BUT… there’s a ton of great principles taught in this episode, so don’t miss it!

Key Points From This Episode:

Catching up with Leah
Mythologie candles is booming!
How to market a sister brand
Polling your audience
The state of the podcast
Focusing more on the students
People who buy the course but fail to engage
2020 in hindsight
How different personality types work together
The new Instagram 4 Musicians course

Tweetables:

“We know that those who have already invested in courses, if we dedicate more to them, to help them get results, that is probably the best investment of time and money.” - @metalmotivation [00:31:25]

“You can make it happen. It really does come down to, ‘How bad you want a music career?’” - @metalmotivation [00:38:54]

“That’s where musicians shine is we think outside of the box.” - @LEAHthemusic [00:41:28]

“My magic phrase, getting to half a million dollars in six months with this company was, ‘I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.’” - @LEAHthemusic [00:42:30]

“Maybe I end up starting another podcast that’s less about the music industry and it’s just more general online business.” - @LEAHthemusic [00:48:24]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mythologie Candles — https://mythologiecandles.com/ Instagram for Musicians — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/ig4m Explode Your Fanbase — https://explodeyourfanbase.com/

How To Make Money With Spotify - SMS114 Sep 07, 2020

Are you trying to figure out how to get more streams on Spotify? Did you know we offer a course on this? This week C.J. welcomes Dave Powers, the co-founder of the course, and Kirk Smith, one of its top students and rising stars.

Dave and Kirk tell how they started making hundreds of dollars and thousands of streams a day by focusing on getting on big playlists by building relationships with curators and sending them steady streams of singles. You could do this too and it all starts with learning more with this weeks episode of The Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Introduction to Dave Powers and Kirk Smith
Why focus on Spotify?
What is a curator?
The power of the playlist
Releasing singles instead of albums
Staying consistent with reaching out to curators
A steady stream of content
Spotify is content marketing
User-generated, algorithm, and editorial playlists
Keeping users on the platform
The music business is a relational business
Getting past rejection
Why you should be in the Spotify course
Focusing on one music style
Bad quality music fails quickly
Having faith in yourself and the principles
The Spotify course group

Tweetables:

“I ought to focus on a platform that actually could make me money rather me spending money to grow.” - @Mtncitymusic [00:04:08]

“I put the record out. I probably should’ve been putting out singles, but I learned that lesson.” - Kirk Smith [00:08:39]

“I’m starting to see like, ‘Okay, I need to plan stuff out to where I’m putting out every six to eight weeks or every couple months.’” - Kirk Smith [00:11:30]

“Spotify is content marketing, and the content is the music… their main thing isn’t to get music to people. Their main thing is to get people to Spotify.” - Kirk Smith [00:11:56]

“You have to be consistent with reaching out and with making the content.” - Kirk Smith [00:18:52]

“The sole purpose of any platform is to keep people on the platform.” - @metalmotivation [00:21:22]

“Selling your music is not the end. It’s a means to an end. It’s one part of all the things that you will do in this new era of social media-driven marketing where you're sharing a lot more of your life than just the music itself.” @metalmotivation [00:22:05]

“If your desire with everything that you post is to keep people on the platform, attract them to it, and keep them on the platform for as long as possible, guess what the algorithm is going to do with your content? It’s going to favor it.” - @metalmotivation [00:22:55]

“I think in the last couple of years, there’s been a real understanding among artists that culturally people are listening to one song as opposed to albums more frequently.” @Mtncitymusic [00:24:20]

“Whereas Spotify is technically the label now. The curator becomes A&R.” - @metalmotivation [00:30:19]

“The music business has always been a relational business, but I don’t know of a time when there’s more opportunity for an artist to develop relationships that can advance your career outside the context of a record label.” - @Mtncitymusic [00:31:42]

“If you have bad quality music, good marketing helps bad products fail quickly.” - @Mtncitymusic [00:50:52]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Kirk Smith (Spotify) — https://spoti.fi/2FcCAFM Dave Powers — https://www.facebook.com/mountaincitymusic/ Spotify for Musicians — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/spotify/

Getting Fans to Buy Your Music - SMS113 Aug 31, 2020

This week is a paragon case study of a band who has been at it for awhile, doing pretty well, but looking for what they can do to take it to the next level. Insert C.J. sitting down with Elliot and Dave from the band Welter, all the way from Australia, and we have almost two hours of real discussions and problem solving in the new music industry.

From things that have worked great to things that have become problematic for Welter, there’s something here you’ve either dealt with yourself or most likely will encounter and the best advice for how to handle it is in this week’s episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Introduction to Elliot and Dave from Welter
How to evolve with a tagline
Growing beyond your micro-niche
Being true to yourself with your posts
What is the good life?
Fans making their own interpretations of your songs
Making the music the focal point
Being resolved in yourself
Promoting the music and the culture around it
Writing copy to get the click
Always adding value to the fans experience
Creating a healthy sense of obligation
Being authentic with your social media
What are good metrics?
10x everything
A new email campaign idea
The algorithm rewards daily posting
Fan page vs. fan group
Nurture sequence and sales pitch balance
How to get someones interest
Non-clickbait engagement
Creating hashtags from your lyrics
The Aspirin of music
Using the momentum of your audience against them

Tweetables:

“It's the only way I have as a person of getting the paint out or getting the chisel and the cold hammer and etching your name into the wall of time. The only way I have of doing that is by writing some songs and making some music.” - Elliot: @weltermusic [0:07:51]

“I'm not in search of a destiny. I’ve chosen the destination." - @metalmotivation [0:09:37]

“It’s about honesty, and we need to be honest about who we are and how we feel about our branding, what we post on Facebook, everything that we write, everything that we do, and everything that's seen as us needs to be honest, it needs to be who we are.” - Dave: @weltermusic [0:16:56]

“As soon as you write a song and put it out there, it’s not yours anymore, it’s for the listener and they can take on their own interpretation too.” - Dave: @weltermusic [0:25:47]

“To witness, for example, the lion attack the antelope up close, we’re taken aback as humans by the ferocity, the violence of the moment, and that’s resolved. That’s the complete elimination of self-doubt. ‘I am a lion and this is what I do.’ You are musicians, and this is what you do.” - @metalmotivation [0:29:51]

“There’s nothing more potent in your promotional arsenal than the music itself. Second to that is going to be what you have to say, your relationship, the story of the band, what you believe, your values, et cetera.” - @metalmotivation [0:32:25]

“So all we’re focusing on is writing copy that gets people to press play. That’s all we want to do. What can we say in the shortest, sweetest, most powerful, provocative way that forces them to click play?” - @metalmotivation [0:34:00]

“Everybody listens to the same radio station, WIFM, ‘What’s in it for me?’” - @metalmotivation [0:35:36]

“Which is a good thing to do, creating in them a healthy sense of obligation, creating in them a good debt, a debt they want to pay, which means buying the shirt, going to the event, attending the livestream, getting on an email list, buying the CD, sharing it, those sorts of things. That comes because you continually deliver on that promise to add value to their life.” - @metalmotivation [0:41:10]

“The funnel sits on our fan page and that’s where we’re bringing all the potential people.” - Dave: @weltermusic [01:07:39]

“I make my funnel approach very, very simple. I want to do one thing through anything that I say or post or share with my audience. I want to add as much value as I can. So I have to decide, okay, well, what adds the most value?” - @metalmotivation [01:23:16]

“So why not 10x it? Why not multiply our efforts to excel, because it’s only going to mean more people are going to hear music that’s going to lift them out of their troubled moment for a time. And that’s worth it.” - @metalmotivation [01:46:18]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Welter — https://www.facebook.com/weltermusic Instagram for Musicians — https://www.savvymusicianacademy.com/ig4m The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Making Your Home a Music Factory (Interview with Steven Wood) - SMS112 Aug 24, 2020

Whether it’s a top of the line music studio, just your phone and instrument, or somewhere in between, you should be using what you have to be making more music, reaching more people, and building the relationships between you and your fans. So how do you maximize your resources and abilities to increase the output and quality of your music from your home?

This week C.J. welcomes Steven Wood to the show, someone from outside Savvy Musician Academy, but someone very familiar with the new music industry. They go so deep into how to turn your home into a music factory, that by the end of this episode, you will be inspired and equipped to be pumping out more and better music from your own home than ever before.

Key Points From This Episode:

Introduction to Steven Wood
Musicians dropping out of the business
Studio vs. live musician
Trying to get discovered on social media
Mixing everyday
Reverse engineering
Different DAW’s
Getting familiar with your gear
Producing: less is more
Pro’s and Con’s of perfectionism
How to do a cover song
The emotional impact of music
Limiting your area to get things done
Keeping it simple and clear
The song makes the musician

Tweetables:

“A live guy, he’s looking at it different than the typical studio guy. He’s looking at, do I want to continue to keep on going to these clubs and getting home 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:07:02]

“You got to think, not just with different hats of production, but also different hats you had to put on when it comes to marketing and knowing that one basket is not the way to go.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:10:15]

“Record companies can get you on radio. And to a degree that’s about the only thing that they can do for you.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:12:01]

“I think that’s what everybody right now in this new form of the wheel that we’re trying to create in the virtual world of not just music, but everything else. How do we make a living? How are we successful using a computer and a mouse?” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:12:49]

“I’ve learned to a degree it doesn’t matter which DAW, digital audio workstation, I use. For some reason, it’s still sounds like Steve Wood mixed the song.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:19:44]

“When it comes to producing, really, man, I mean, less is more. It may sound like whole lot’s going on, but it is. But yet individual parts all make up this beautiful pie. And so just let the song tell you where to go.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:21:53]

“I believe that the song is what makes the artist, then the artist has a chance.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:26:17]

“If you say, ‘Man, all I like to do is play guitar and sing.’ Well, work the hell out of that.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:34:48]

“Music is supposed to deliver an emotional experience. I don’t care whether it’s Metallica or Rod Stewart.” - @metalmotivation [0:36:20]

“If you have to explain the song before they listen to it, then you didn’t do a good job. Because the songs should be able to play on its own and take you on a journey.” - @stevenwoodmusic [0:42:56]

“I’m not talking about software. I’m not talking about hardware. I’m not talking about any of these things. I’m talking about what it takes to touch someone else, what it takes to inspire someone else, what it takes to... It’s the human aspect.” - @metalmotivation [0:50:35]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Steven Wood — https://www.facebook.com/stevenwoodmusic Instagram for Musicians — https://www.savvymusicianacademy.com/ig4m The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Fulfilling Your Creative Mission - SMS111 Aug 17, 2020

Are you having writers block? You just can’t figure out what the song is supposed to be about or what goes with that great riff you’ve had forever? It’d be great if the answer just magically fell out of the sky, making it so easy everyone could do it, but we know that’s just not the way it is!

Creativity comes from relentless hard work. You keep trying new ideas until… Boom! There it is! It’s perfect! Nothing else will do! It only took 99 other horrible ideas but the 100th one is just the cats pajamas and makes it all worth while. As C.J. puts it so simply and unequivocally, “Creativity doesn’t come from inspiration, it comes from perspiration.” Again, it’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it. So tune in to what C.J does best, motivating you to achieve your full potential and creative ability through daily hard work, and explode your creativity with this weeks episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Fulfilling your creative purpose in life
Perspiration not inspiration
You ideal workspace
Everything starts as a demo
Achieving more output
Disciplining yourself for daily work
Feeding your creative process

Tweetables:

“The secret to creativity is not inspiration, it’s perspiration... Perspiration is what gives birth to inspiration.” - @metalmotivation [0:08:26]

This is the creative process. It’s not Hollywood. It’s a crucible of relentless, persistent problem solving, where you turn yourself inside out in order to make a… riff into a killer song.” - @metalmotivation [0:14:26]

“You’re as capable as anyone to go beyond your present output right now.” - @metalmotivation [0:14:46]

“How can you expect other people to appreciate your gifts, talents, and abilities if you’re not treating them well. How do you treat them well? By submitting them to the process of hard work.” - @metalmotivation [0:21:17]

“Be faithful to your musical mission, your calling, by working hard daily.” - @metalmotivation [0:23:58]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Instagram for Musicians — https://www.savvymusicianacademy.com/ig4m The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

An Interview with Jason Stallworth (Elite Student) - SMS110 Aug 10, 2020

This week C.J. is joined by Jason Stallworth, one of our first Elite students. There is so much experience and advice shared that it’s hard to pinpoint any in particular. Really what you get this week is a look into the life of someone who is really doing it and their best advice for you.

As Jason states, “That’s the biggest thing—you have to be in this for the long game. You have to be passionate about your music…that passionate about your music to stick it out.” A lot of people are quick to give up, but by applying what SMA teaches, and what you’ll learn in this podcast, you will see results and then scale what’s working. It’s so simple we often overcomplicate it. Well, this is one decision you don’t have to overcomplicate, listen to this week’s episode of the Savvy Musician Show to keep building your music empire!

Key Points From This Episode:

Intro to Jason Stallworth
Surveying to find your micro-niche
Targeting the right audience
Page like ads
Writing better copy
Putting out organic content
Using vulnerability to connect with fans
Responding to all your fans
Launching and promoting your album
Creative ways to promote your sales
Diversifying your income
Committing to the long run
Going back through the course
Using what you learn from SMA in other places

Tweetables:

“I think I made it more complicated than what it needed to be. I was like, ‘Well, what’s my micro-niche now?’ Going through the steps though, asking your fans, that’s the biggest thing that I’ve seen that’s been so helpful to me.” - @jasonstallworth [0:10:57]

“Not everything’s going to work like you expected, which is why we test things. So, just be authentic and organic. I mean, it’s your genre, so, you know how your audience speaks.” - @jasonstallworth [0:22:20]

“You have to present yourself and your music in a way that’s beneficial to them (your audience).” - @jasonstallworth [0:31:08]

“Launching your album, or I should say promoting your album, doesn’t stop after it’s launched, you have to keep that momentum going.” - @jasonstallworth [0:37:54]

“You give that message out there, that authentic message that tells what you are and what you do, but also tells that person that, ‘Hey, I’m one of you.’” - @jasonstallworth [0:45:34]

“That’s the biggest thing, you have to be in this for the long game. You have to be passionate about your music, that passionate about your music to stick it out.” - @jasonstallworth [0:48:39]

“If you’re getting frustrated over these types of things, then that frustration is going to show whenever you do put something out there on Facebook or on Instagram or wherever you’re putting it on.” - @jasonstallworth [0:52:50]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jason Stallworth’s Facebook Page — https://www.facebook.com/jasonstallworthmetal/ The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Copywriting for Social Media & Email - SMS109 Aug 03, 2020

So you’ve got a social media post to make or an email to send out, but what exactly do you say? Are you seeing the results you want from your posts and emails?

Whatever your situation is with your copywriting, it can always improve. This week, we’re sharing a live stream from the Savvy Musician Inner Circle in which C.J. teaches a packed lesson on copywriting for social media and email. If you want more results from your posts and emails, tune in to this week’s episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Traditional copywriting
Personal vs impersonal branding
Compound marketing
Positioning is branding
Your ideal customer
Audience targeting
Direct response marketing
Benefit-driven copy
Building long-term relationships

Tweetables:

“Writing copy for your personal brand on social media and email is going to require modifying traditional copywriting. But you must still understand the fundamentals in order to know why.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:40]

“You can’t write your copy if you don’t know who you are.” - @metalmotivation [0:08:45]

“Half the battle of great copywriting is audience targeting.” - @metalmotivation [0:11:00]

“That’s your ideal customer, the person who's going to most going to benefit from what you're offering.” - @metalmotivation [0:11:47]

“Direct response marketing relies upon you targeting the right audience with benefit-driven copy.” - @metalmotivation [0:17:38]

“People are expecting results quicker than they should. And the reason being is because they don't have a relationship established.” - @metalmotivation [0:20:11]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

The Power of Personal Branding for Your Music Business - SMS108 Jul 27, 2020

When people think of you and your music, what do they think of? Well, whatever that is, that’s your brand! What we want, is to design and utilize this idea to build your music business.

This idea should be personal, authentic, and we want to amplify it however we can. If you understand how important this is, then you already know the next step is to click that play button and try and learn as much as you can from C.J. in this week’s episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

What is branding?
Idea-driven branding
What differentiates you in the marketplace?
The effective marketing strategy
Personal branding
Brand awareness/engagement/marketing
Being authentic

Tweetables:

“65% of those surveyed following the Savvy Musician Academy… are solo artists, not actually band members.” - @metalmotivation [0:03:23]

“Branding is not something seen. It’s something that happens first in the mind of the marketplace, in the mind of your potential super fan, when they encounter you and interact with you.” - @metalmotivation [0:06:28]

“It’s not just an issue of who can spend the most money on advertising. It’s an issue of who can most differentiate themselves, which is again, idea-driven branding.” - @metalmotivation [0:08:57]

“The new era of digital marketing is really personal branding.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:54]

“Your personal brand is something that’s already inherent in you.” - @metalmotivation [0:20:38]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

David Williams’ Facebook Page — https://www.facebook.com/weltermusic/ The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Music Marketing Without Paid Advertising - SMS107 Jul 20, 2020

Would you keep betting on a horse that never won a race? Seems ridiculous, but people keep throwing money at advertising for posts that never did well in the first place. In this episode, C.J. sums it up perfectly when he says, “If it doesn't work organically without paid traffic, it’s not going to work with paid traffic.”

It works or doesn’t work because of how well you know your audience. C.J. explains that you need to be focusing on understanding your audience, what they respond to, what inspires them, what they will click and share and what will expand your reach. This concept is so simple it is overlooked and yet so important it needs your complete attention. Check out this week’s episode so that you don’t overlook what you should be doing everyday.

Key Points From This Episode:

Being the bright side
Getting past looking for secrets and hacks
Connecting with your audience
This is a longterm business model
Focusing on organic reach
Multiplying what already works
Researching friends for superfan information
Putting in the work everyday

Tweetables:

“The whole world is learning the hard way that they should have been building an online music business.” - @metalmotivation [0:00:48]

“I almost never see questions about the very thing that creates sales… ‘How can I better connect with my audience?’” - @metalmotivation [0:06:11]

“Being an online musician is a longterm business model.” - @metalmotivation [0:07:08]

“If it doesn’t work organically without paid traffic, it’s not going to work with paid traffic.” - @metalmotivation [0:11:18]

“The person who’s totally abandoned to their audience is the person who’s going to learn their audience, and the person who learns their audience is going to be the person who sells. That’s going to be the person who succeeds.” - @metalmotivation [0:19:49]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Amy Vanessa Dullum Facebook Page — https://www.facebook.com/amygoloby/ The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Starting Over: A Coaching Session with an Artist Who Once Sold Millions of Records - SMS106 Jul 13, 2020

Imagine selling millions of records only to end up starting from scratch in an entirely new music industry. This is the story of J.R. Richards and our SMA student guest joining C.J. this week. J.R. was the vocalist for the 90s band Dishwalla, which had two Gold and Platinum albums, and also won Billboard Music and ASCAP Awards.

Now as a solo artist with a mainstream sound, C.J and J.R. tackle how to find his audience through other ways than sub-genre targeting. If your music is more mainstream and you are trying to find your audience, this is the episode for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

Introduction to J.R. Richards
Finding old fans vs. making new fans
What is your personal brand?
Finding your audience as a mainstream artist
Focus through resolve
Having an ultimate objective
Expanding and targeting key audience demographics
Culture-based niche marketing
Writing emotionally focused copy
The almighty play button
Juxtaposition to find new ideas

Tweetables:

“It’s one thing to understand everything theoretically, it’s another thing to apply to your own music business, and connect with your fans, and figure out how that monetization needs to work for you.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:10]

“I love the idea of being resolved because resolved means there’s no second guessing, and I don't want to see someone second guess themselves when they need to be marketing.” - @metalmotivation [0:18:43]

“I really don’t care what your logo looks like because for all intents and purposes, the only logo that people are seeing is a profile pic and a blue name.” - @metalmotivation [0:46:11]

“I’m actually excited about going back through the program again just because it’s a lot, and you have to kind of mature with it in order to fully appreciate what's going on. It’s like reading a book twice that you really enjoy. You're going to get a lot out of it the second time around.” - @JRRICHARDS [0:54:28]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

J. R. Richards Facebook Page — https://www.facebook.com/JRRICHARDSMUSIC/ The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Facebook or YouTube? Which is the Best Platform for the Online Musician? - SMS105 Jul 06, 2020

If you are building a music business, should you focus on YouTube of Facebook? Well, both honestly! But as C.J. explains the pro’s and con’s of both, you’ll find that Facebook by far has the advantage.

Would you rather have 1,000,000 video views on YouTube or 100 superfans that would buy anything in your store? If you’re serious about earning a living from your music, and not just doing this for vanity, the answer is obvious and C.J. tells you how and why Facebook is the answer.

Key Points From This Episode:

Getting a plan for your music business
How YouTube is favoring mainstream media
YouTube is a search engine
Facebook is a share engine
How Facebook is true social media
How to find your superfans with Facebooks ad manager
Uploading videos directly to Facebook vs. sharing from YouTube
Connecting your Instagram and Facebook business profile
Personal vs. business profile

Tweetables:

“You need a way forward to how you can find your place in this online busy world, stand out, gain a following, build your little musical empire, and earn a living making music.” - @metalmotivation [0:02:18]

“You can get millions of views on YouTube and it not make a single dent on your bank account.” - @metalmotivation [0:04:03]

“YouTube is a search engine. Facebook is a share engine.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:20]

“Unless somebody is specifically sitting down and looking for you, it’s not likely that they’re going to stumble upon you.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:45]

“Facebook is true social media. Social media, it’s the broadcasting of person to person.” - @metalmotivation [0:07:12]

“The first step now to building a successful online music business is going to be connecting with your ideal superfans, and the best way to do that is going to be with Facebook.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:03]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Behind-The-Scenes at SMA, Part 2 with Steve Harnett (Chief Operating Officer) - SMS104 Jun 29, 2020

Continuing our look behind the scenes here at SMA, this week C.J. is joined by our very own Steve Harnett, Leah’s wonderful husband, and our Chief Operating Officer. This is Steve’s first time on the Savvy Musician Show, but he has been with SMA since day one and his experience and insights shared today can not be overstated.

Jumping form topic to topic with lots of humor in-between, these two great minds offer something for both the beginner and seasoned online musician in this week’s episode, so don’t miss out on getting to learn something new and meeting the one and only, Steve Harnett!

Key Points From This Episode:

The Synergist’s four leadership styles
Who SMA is for
Steve’s bio with SMA
Being your brand
It’s all about the principles
What it means to take ownership of your business
Reasons to add an online component to your business
Your music is not for everybody
Updates with Tom 3.0 and The Inner Circle
The psychology of sales through social media

Tweetables:

“A lot of conflicts within bands could be easily resolved if everybody just took on this sort of perspective where you realize that giftings are different, they’re natural, they’re organic, and you should be complementing one another.” - @metalmotivation [0:12:32]

“Who we (SMA) are for are the musicians who actually want to make a living with their art, which is not thing to be ashamed of, nobody should ever feel bad about that ever.” - Steve Harnett [0:21:19]

“Operational people tend to be the break pedal. Visionaries tend to be the accelerator.” - Steve Harnett [0:27:40]

“It’s about a movement, it’s about independence for musicians… and all musicians are going to be personal brands, and that’s perfectly fine, but you have to understand then that you are the brand.” - Steve Harnett [0:30:47]

“It’s really about the proven principles of marketing because that’s all Leah has ever been doing… and those principles can be breathed through anyone who applies them and knows them.” - @metalmotivation [0:33:47]

“The online aspect of your business is another leg of your table. You can’t have a table with one leg. You better have two or three legs on that sucker, four if you can.” - Steve Harnett [0:38:53]

“If you have an audience, you have capital. If you have social influence, you have capital. You have something someone else doesn’t. It is all to your advantage.” - @metalmotivation [0:41:14]

“Relationship building, culture building, lifestyle building, that’s what creates the sale.” - @metalmotivation [0:51:11]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://theonlinemusician.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Behind-The-Scenes at SMA, Part 1 with Amy Roy (Customer Service Director) - SMS103 Jun 22, 2020

If you haven’t already, you get to meet our very own Customer Service Director, Amy Roy. This is a treat not only personally but also professionally. You name it, she’s seen it and is now giving you priceless insight into a musicians journey through SMA and an online music business.

From your first phone call to SMA to years down the road, Amy and C.J. discuss what most musicians wish they had known years ago! Get ahead of the curve with this week’s episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Introduction to our SMA Customer Service Director Amy Roy
Jaded musicians not being a good fit for SMA
What is seasonal and what is not
Be the engagement you want to see
Having a clear goal
The pros and cons of the course
Progressing before establishing your micro-niche
Writing copy thats simple and emotionally effective
The demand for your music
Getting a taste of victory

Tweetables:

“Success in the online music business is really about principles.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:58]

“You have to learn how to do things year round. It can still be in seasons, but you can’t just start a course or start building your business but then take six months off because you’re not feeling it.’ - Amy Roy [0:12:20]

“If you want people connecting with you, engaging with you, you better make sure you’re also in there connecting, and engaging, and encouraging.” - Amy Roy [0:22:13]

“I am a perfectionist, which means I’m also a procrastinator because if I can’t do something perfect the first time right away, I don’t do it at all.” - Amy Roy [0:30:24]

“I think another good thing to do when you do come up with something you're just stuck at is at your desk or wherever have a notepad or piece of paper and just write it down. Getting that out of your brain onto paper.’ - Amy Roy [0:33:23]

‘What’s going to sell is you communicating with someone emotionally.” - @metalmotivation [0:35:15]

“Whatever genre you do, I guarantee you someone needs to hear your music right now, and someone needs to hear your thoughts and your heart right now, and it’s your job and your responsibility as a musician to give that to them.” - Amy Roy [0:39:02]

“Selling that first shirt, and getting your website up, or your Shopify store up, or reaching your first 1,000 fans, these are big victories. What we want for you is to get a taste of that. We want you to taste victory.” - @metalmotivation [0:41:42]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

7 Reasons Why Musicians Fail in Building an Online Business - SMS102 Jun 15, 2020

C. J. has spent countless hours coaching musicians one-on-one on their marketing and out of it he shares seven reasons why musicians fail in building an online business.

What might be surprising to discover is that the main reasons for failure or quitting don’t have to do with marketing knowledge or proficiency in technology. It’s more mindset and attitude, and most students just need to get out of their own way!

Check out this week’s episode to find out not just what these seven things are but how to understand them and more importantly what to do about them!

Key Points From This Episode:

The 7 reasons why musicians fail
Not following instructions
Standing in your own way/self-defeat
Getting stuck on technology
Not being resolved
Not being consistent
Not understanding the significance of social media
Being afraid of the future

Tweetables:

“By the middle of 2020, it should be clear that everybody needs an online business.” - @metalmotivation [0:02:49]

“The best way to stay motivated is to know how to solve your most pressing problems.” - @metalmotivation [0:08:28]

“Just do something every day, just show up every day, because if you stop and you let that go for a few days, not doing anything, it’s so much harder to start up again.” - @metalmotivation [0:17:02]

“You don’t need to punish yourself. You just need to get right back at it as if you never faltered… Stop turning on yourself. Don’t be your own worst enemy, be your best friend.” - @metalmotivation [0:19:27]

“Social media is the answer to the music problem created by Napster at the end of the 20th century.” - @metalmotivation [0:21:10]

“The key to being unafraid of the future is to strengthen yourself—to equip yourself because your best defense in life is to build a stronger you.” - @metalmotivation [0:24:41]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com The Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Leah Life Update - SMS101 Jun 08, 2020

Leah’s been devoted to so many things it’s wonderful to have her back on this week’s podcast and to hear what she’s been up to and her plans for the Summer.

As we all know, you can work yourself so hard you just burn out. Leah explains how to recognize signs of this happening and how to go about taking a break and staying healthy. Check in with Leah this week to hear more and also her plans for this summer!

Key Points From This Episode:

Leah’s quick overview of the last years
The origin of Mythologie Candles
Preventing a burn out
Acute vs. chronic pain
It’s okay to take a break
Leah’s book suggestions

Tweetables:

“This idea popped in my head about releasing candles to go with the music, because I wanted to create a multisensory experience and I just thought, wouldn't that be cool?” - @LEAHthemusic [0:06:01]

“When you become obsessed with your fans and your followers and your customers, that's where it becomes lucrative.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:13:23]

“And let me tell you, burnout, it doesn’t always look the way you think it looks and this is something I’m dealing with constantly.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:14:26]

“Chronic stress leads to lowering your quality of life and you can’t be in an inspired state when you’re also in a chronic state of stress and burnout.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:23:44]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com SMA Inner Circle — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Interview with Anna Brzozowska - SMS100 Jun 01, 2020

This week C.J. interviews another successful SMA student, Anna Brzozowska, an ethereal pop artist originally from Poland but is currently living in Spain. Anna shares her story of how she almost gave up on her music after the expenses of touring, but after finding SMA, she’s back to building a lifetime music career.

If you’re wondering about your artist identity, how to write your own copy, what is the basis of marketing and building your online business, then this is the episode for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

Developing your micro-niche as you go along
To be yourself or a character?
Why you shouldn’t just get someone else to do it for you
Being yourself in your copy
The principles of marketing are still the same
The expenses of being a live musician
Anna’s experience with Savvy
The two mental blocks that every musician must get past
The significance of having the right mindset and a strong heart

Tweetables:

“I want to encourage anyone who’s starting out; who doesn’t really know what their micro niche are, to not fixate so much on it, and just move on because your fans are going to help you discover that as you go along.” - @aniabmusic [0:02:53]

“I think that marketing, to me at least, is just learning how to get in front of the right ears.” - @aniabmusic [0:09:41]

“You’re the one who’s initiating the relationship through your ads.” - @metalmotivation [0:11:59]

“I don’'t think anyone else can write your copy for you as well as you can. Even if you think you suck at the beginning, just be yourself.” - @aniabmusic [0:14:28]

“The best motivation I’ve ever seen happen in anybody’s life is when you understand how to solve your most pressing problems.” - @metalmotivation [0:29:17]

“The education is important, but without heart; without the right mindset; without overcoming yourself, it doesn’t matter how much information you have.” - @metalmotivation [0:42:45]

“I will recommend Leah to the death to a musician, but it’s up to them, obviously. If they sign up for a course and watch videos, that’s not going to change much for them. They will need to change.” - @aniabmusic [0:43:50]

“You’re not going to get anywhere until you conquer your mind.” - @aniabmusic [0:44:11]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Anna’s Facebook Page — https://www.facebook.com/AniaBmusic/

Anna’s Website — http://aniabmusic.com/

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

The Inner Circle - https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

An Interview with Ty Richards - SMS099 May 25, 2020

If you were to ask someone for $20, who would be more likely to give it to you, a good friend or a complete stranger? Obviously a good friend.

Have you ever met someone and had so much in common that you immediately became good friends? More than likely.

If you can understand this, you know the foundation of building an online music business. That’s all it is, getting more and more people to know, like, and trust you, just like that good friend who’s willing to give you that $20. What do you and this good friend have in common? Your music and the culture that surrounds it. How do you find these good friends and build these relationships? Social media. In this episode C.J. discusses this fundamental aspect of the business in greater detail and is so important you do not want to miss out!

Key Points From This Episode:

Are you self-defeated?
The unstoppable mindset
The essential fundamental to successful online marketing
How to build your relationships
Funnels
Why Facebook and Instagram?
Studying your audience
Getting comfortable with sharing yourself on the internet

Tweetables:

“Getting you in connection with your ideal super fan is the core. It’s the recipe for success in the online music business.” - @metalmotivation [0:02:19]

“You can’t be successful when you’re self-defeated before you even start… You have to get out of your own way.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:26]

“If you believe that there are principles the cause the kind of results that you want, and you believe that you have the ability to apply those principles, isn’t that all you need?” - @metalmotivation [0:07:17]

“Here’s the essential, basic, fundamental truth about online marketing in 2020. Getting more and more people to know you, like you, and trust you as an artist.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:06]

“Funnel is the process of taking somebody who doesn’t know you to see the first promotion that you ever offer them, bringing them along in a relationship with you until you finally create a sale.” - @metalmotivation [0:29:00]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

The Key to Success is Mastering Fundamentals - SMS098 May 18, 2020

If you were to ask someone for $20, who would be more likely to give it to you, a good friend or a complete stranger? Obviously a good friend.

Have you ever met someone and had so much in common that you immediately became good friends? More than likely.

Key Points From This Episode:

Are you self-defeated?
The unstoppable mindset
The essential fundamental to successful online marketing
How to build your relationships
Funnels
Why Facebook and Instagram?
Studying your audience
Getting comfortable with sharing yourself on the internet

Tweetables:

“Getting you in connection with your ideal super fan is the core. It’s the recipe for success in the online music business.” - @metalmotivation [0:02:19]

“You can’t be successful when you’re self-defeated before you even start… You have to get out of your own way.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:26]

“Here’s the essential, basic, fundamental truth about online marketing in 2020. Getting more and more people to know you, like you, and trust you as an artist.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:06]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Find Your Niche: The Difference Between Failure & Success - SMS097 May 11, 2020

Before we go any further, do you know what your micro-niche is? It cannot be overstated how important it is to be rock solid in defining, understanding, and utilizing your micro-niche, because it is the foundation of building your fanbase and music business.

Whether you’re just learning this word for the first time, or well acquainted with it, Leah lays out some incredible insights into the micro-niche approach in this week’s episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

What is your micro-niche?
Standing out in the crowd
Being important to the people that matter
Being easy to find
The difference between SEO and your niche
Finding your twist
Going smaller
Your niche title accurately describing your sound
Targeting your sub-genre fans first strategy

Tweetables:

“You only need to be famous in your micro-niche.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:03:07]

“My fans in my genre know exactly who I am, and that's all that matters.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:03:34]

“The nice thing about going smaller and becoming the big fish in the small pond is that it makes it so much easier for people to find you.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:05:24]

“If you think you can put up a Facebook page and you can put out music and that people will magically find you, you're delusional.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:05:45]

“There's a big difference between search engine optimization and keyword titles, say in a YouTube video and a niche.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:06:30]

“People should be able to imagine and know what your music sounds like based on what the niche title is.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:08:15]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

How Social Media Is Changing The Music Industry - SMS096 May 04, 2020

This may be the most concise, yet comprehensive, description of where we are in the music industry and what may be the greatest opportunity for artists in the last 25 years.

At the end of the 90s, Napster changed the old music industry with illegal downloading of digitized music, and a few years later, iTunes capitalized on that by now selling downloadable mp3s. And just a few years ago, another shift happened when apps like Pandora and Spotify eliminated the mp3 with music streaming.

All of this represented just more taking advantage of the artist as new companies made bundles while artists got pennies. They’re all just another version of the record labels.

But, the problem the internet created by Napster, iTunes, and Spotify has also now provided artists with a way to finally control their own careers and make the money they always wanted without a record label!

In this special episode, C.J. breaks this down in such as way that you’ll be fired up and ready to go to work on marketing your music. Buckle your seatbelts because you’re in for a ride!

Key Points From This Episode:

The impact of the internet and Napster
Sad tales from the road
Social media is the new music industry
Why being discovered doesn’t matter anymore
Dialing in your Facebook ads
Getting more gigs because of your strong social media presence
The super fan system
Creating merchandise to sell while having no inventory

Tweetables:

“Social media is the single biggest game changer for the music industry since it began.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:01]

“It’s not about potential fans discovering you, it’s about you discovering fans.” - @metalmotivation [0:10:37]

“If you have a musical brand that you can now push out to an audience and you know how to target those people, then you can build an online music business.” - @metalmotivation [0:16:45]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Making Good Use of Your Isolation, Pt. 2 - SMS095 Apr 27, 2020

Part 2 of “Making Good Use of Your Isolation” gives you more pro tips on what you can be doing right now at home to expand your music business. With so many people at home and online, this is such a great opportunity for you to provide people with some normalcy while building relationships and increasing your sales.

In this episode, Leah and C.J. discuss what you can be doing to reach more people and how to do it as effectively as possible.

Key Points From This Episode:

Selling music vs. selling anything else online
Short-term vs. long-term fan building tactics
Optimizing your online store
Incremental long-term profits
Nurture emails
Spam email trigger words
Online concerts
A different approach to merchandise
Seizing this opportunity with people at home and online
Being an encouragement to others right now

Tweetables:

“Something that screams unprofessional is one product page is using one font and one formatting and whatever and the next product page is a completely different font, different size, different color, different style images, different everything.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:21:30]

“Your goal is to just bump that little percentage up half a point at a time. Just continuing until you’re getting a really good take rate on that upsell. So, the devil’s in the details on those numbers, you don’t go for big numbers.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:25:59]

“The way to optimize it (your email), first of all, take a look at your open rates and take a look at your click-through rates. That’s really the starting point, when I’m looking to improve it, that’s the first thing.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:27:13]

“Usually the subject line just needs to be changed, we need to try something else. Sometimes certain trigger words will end up in the spam, will cause your email to end up in the spam.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:27:29]

“Sometimes the right shirt or thing to have is one that says something about the person wearing it.” - @metalmotivation [0:31:14]

“So many people are home, they’re online, they’re bored, you have the opportunity of a lifetime to capture their attention.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:33:17]

“Take advantage of this time to be encouraging. It’s not just about you going on to play, it’s about you talking to them, too.” - @metalmotivation [0:33:52]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Sam Morrisson (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/SamMorrisonBand/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Making Good Use of Your Isolation, Pt. 1 - SMS094 Apr 20, 2020

Whether your work has been affected by the pandemic or not, now is the time to seize this opportunity to improve your online music business! People are still online shopping and with Amazon limiting it’s service, there’s a greater opportunity for you and your business!

In this episode Leah and C.J. discuss what you can be doing right now to expand your fan base and earn more with your online sales. There is so much information and tips they have for you that this is just part 1 of “Making Good Use of Your Isolation.”

Key Points From This Episode:

Leah’s booming candle business during the pandemic
Focusing on your specialty
Synching with your culture and posting more
Building your email list organically
Creating more YouTube videos
The major difference between YouTube and Facebook
How YouTube is currently changing
Improving your e-commerce store and sales
Online shopping has not stopped because of Amazon’s “non-essential” policy

Tweetables:

“I like focusing on the things that you can do, things that are within your grasp, your control.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:16:12]

“You’re not going to build any followers if you’re not posting anything… You need to understand your culture, because then you know what to post.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:21:38]

“Focus in on what is the culture you’re trying to build, who are you and also think about what your fans have in common.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:23:00]

“Because social media enables you to focus in on the culture, and if you can focus in on the culture then you have something more in common than just you and the promotion of your music.” - @metalmotivation [0:24:03]

“YouTube is a search engine, Facebook is a share engine.” - @metalmotivation [0:26:40]

“Put yourself in the shoes of someone. What are they actually searching for?” - @LEAHthemusic [0:31:23]

“When we’re talking about making money in an online music business, Leah, e-commerce plays such a major role.” - @metalmotivation [0:34:06]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Ben Stubbs (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/Flamenco4U/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

How To Reap The Benefits Of A Millionaire Mindset, Pt. 3 - SMS093 Apr 13, 2020

Concluding the three part series on “The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class” by Keith Cameron Smith, Leah and C.J. discuss taking calculated risks. How long did you dream about being a musician before you decided to take the risk? What have you risked to get you where you are today? What are you willing to risk for the tomorrow you want?

“How do you take calculated risks? Ask yourself these three questions: One, what’s the best thing that could happen? Two, what’s the worst thing that could happen? And three, what’s the most likely thing to happen? If you can live with the worst thing that could happen and if the most likely thing to happen will get you closer to your goals, then go for it. If you aren’t able to handle the worst that could happen, and if the most likely thing to happen doesn’t get you closer to your goals, then don’t do it. The next time you have an opportunity to take a risk, ask yourself these three questions.”

Doesn’t that make incredible sense? Wow. There is so much more to this message you have to hear in this week’s episode.

Key Points From This Episode:

Staying in a learning mindset
The importance of marketing in the new music industry
The correlation between your finances and the rest of your life
An abundant mindset
Taking calculated risks
Failure as a part of the path to success
Choosing success over acceptance
Playing to win instead of playing not to lose
Using money as a seed
Deciding nothing will stop you
Rejecting complacency

Tweetables:

“If you’re going to succeed in this new era of the music industry, you have to be a marketer.” - @metalmotivation [0:06:02]

“You can’t separate finances from your mental life, your thought life. You can’t separate money from your health and your health from your career.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:13:40]

“You can do more when you are more abundant. You can do more for yourself, you can do more for the world.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:16:12]

“When it comes to money, if you hang on to it, that’s the most it’ll ever be. If you let it go, that’s the least it’ll ever be.” - @metalmotivation [0:29:40]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Sam Morrison (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/SamMorrisonBand/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

How To Reap The Benefits Of A Millionaire Mindset, Pt. 2 - SMS092 Apr 06, 2020

Continuing last weeks case study of “The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class” by Keith Cameron Smith, Leah and C.J. focus on the distinction of how one handles change. Musicians of all people, with the recent digitalization of music sales and the rise of online culture, should understand how important it is to not only embrace change but seize its opportunities.

Keith Cameron Smith says, “Learning to embrace change assures that you are becoming a person who can profit from life's opportunities. The future belongs to those who can change with the times.” Does the future belong to you? If so, you’ll be checking out this week’s episode to find out how!

Key Points From This Episode:

Building self-confidence
Embracing change
Profiting from opportunities
Using change to grow
Choosing the people in your life
Having an abundance mindset
You are the bright side
A mindset that adapts to change

Tweetables:

“How do I build self-confidence? Little victories.” - @metalmotivation [0:02:59]

“A choice is backed by belief that you can do it. A wish is backed by a doubt that you can.” (The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class) - @LEAHthemusic [0:08:46]

“Change shows you what you're made of. It reveals what’s inside of you.” (The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class) - @LEAHthemusic [0:09:37]

“The number one reason people resist change is fear. Fear blinds you to opportunities.” (The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class) - @LEAHthemusic [0:10:13]

“Learning to embrace change assures that you are becoming a person who can profit from life’s opportunities.” (The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class) - @LEAHthemusic [0:11:13]

“Relationships are capital.” - @metalmotivation [0:18:19]

“No matter where you are in life, you can always think bigger.” - @metalmotivation [0:20:37]

“You will become like the people you spend time with.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:23:01]

“When you get into this abundance mindset, you realize how toxic so many people in your life really are.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:23:29]

“The less the people around you understand how success is achieved, the more they’re going to think you cheated to get it.” - @metalmotivation [0:24:48]

“If you want to look on the bright side, look in the mirror, because you are the bright side. And if you can’t say that to your situation, then you know you’re the problem.” - @metalmotivation [0:27:07]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Dawn Boudreau (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/Dawn.Boudreau.Musician/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

How To Reap The Benefits Of A Millionaire Mindset, Pt.1 - SMS091 Mar 30, 2020

This episode begins a case study into the book, “Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class” by Keith Cameron Smith, and you might be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with music?”

SMA’s focus is to equip you as an entrepreneur to create and sustain an online music career, and that means you have to start thinking differently about business and money.

For example, having a long-term mindset instead of a short-term mindset is not only one of the main distinctions that separates millionaires and the middle class, but also those who make it in the music business and those who don’t. Therefore, if you want a music career, you simply can’t think short-term.

If you start thinking with a “millionaire mindset,” then your approach to your music business will shift radically, and you’ll start to see new results as your thoughts and actions change.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s in this episode. “Gold,” Leah says, “ This is gold!” Your next step towards success is right here. This is it!

Key Points From This Episode:

The importance of your mindset
Leah’s introduction to the book
Seeking wealth in every aspect of your life
A principle based strategy
Getting out of your own way
Thinking long-term
Seeking freedom over comfort
Becoming a whatever it takes kind of person
Self-dependence
Breaking the shackles of poverty thinking

Tweetables:

“If you can move it an inch, you can move it a mile.” - @metalmotivation [0:3:31]

“If I could spend all of my time on one subject, it would be the way that you think.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:08]

“Tips and tricks and tactics only get you so far and really, if you don’t have the right mindset, then they don’t even work anyways.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:11:40]

“Change your thinking in a sense that you will begin to see increase in your life in all areas of your life, simply because you're no longer standing in your own way mentally.” - @metalmotivation [0:19:00]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Tracey Forrest (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/KeyTurnerMusic/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Interview with Noe Venable (TOM & Elite Student) - SMS090 Mar 23, 2020

In this episode C.J. interviews elite student Noe Venable, a mother of two living in the San Francisco area, who has experienced great results by faithfully following the course work in the Savvy Musician Academy (SMA).

This is more than a plug for our courses. Noe has tirelessly wrestled through multiple challenges trying to dial in her audience and get results, and her breakthroughs have both inspired and taught other SMA students to try and achieve the same.

In fact, Noe also applied her new skillset another small business she has, and that has also gone to the next level for her.

If you are wondering how to figure out who your audience is and how to motivate yourself to take the next step with putting your music into the world and sustaining yourself by finding your super fans, this is the episode for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

Self-Determination
Background on Noe Venable
Finding super fans through culture
Frequency of social media posting
Sharing content that’s authentic and deep
Protecting and tending to your fanbase
Audience is digital capital
Pushing past inner resistance
Sticking to the principles
Living the culture you portray
Maximizing your potential

Tweetables:

“Success is about you. It’s about how much you determine that you are going to make this work no matter what.” - @noevenable [0:04:20]

“If we as musicians want to be successful at getting our work out there and making a sustainable life for ourselves as artists using these tools, we have to be culture makers, we have to be culture nurturers.” - @noevenable [0:13:18]

“It’s a joy that you do get to share community that it’s not just as you said chumming your fans with just drivel, social media drivel, but very deep conversations.” - @metalmotivation [0:17:57]

“Tending a culture really requires a certain amount of fierceness when necessary. I have to be willing to be the tigress sometimes.” - @noevenable [0:18:38]

“True capital in the era of the digital age is an audience.” - @metalmotivation [0:27:48]

“If you want to live in a way that lets you bring your deepest gifts to the world, you have to make it sustainable and money is a big part of what it takes to do that.” - @noevenable [0:29:42]

“I’ve learned from this course how to push past inner resistance.” - @noevenable [0:33:19]

“Scarcity, impoverishment, these are real mentalities that war and neutralize people.” - @metalmotivation [0:35:50]

“You know, the biggest, most valuable thing that I have learned over this last year is this, if people are not really responding, if you feel like you’re not being seen somehow, it’s because you haven’t made it visible.” - @noevenable [0:37:23]

“When we focus on the things that fascinate us, that’s when we start to be able to create content that’s fascinating to others. We have to be fascinated.” - @noevenable [0:40:34]

“Your creativity doesn’t have a fear of rejection. Your creativity is not afraid of people.” - @metalmotivation [0:42:51]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Noe Venable (TOM & Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/noevenablemusic/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Interview with Jeff Pearce (TOM & Elite Student) - SMS089 Mar 16, 2020

At the Savvy Musician Academy (SMA), we have musicians and bands of all kinds and different genres. One of the interesting genres is ambient instrumental music, and our special guest in this episode is a prolific recording artist who’s released 15 albums of his ambient guitar music!

Jeff Pearce’s last album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard New Age sales chart, and he credits what he learned from SMA—became a student in 2016—for helping him achieve his results. In this interview, Jeff shares his recording experience and learned insights that are helping him to continue to build his own musical empire online. Enjoy!

Key Points From This Episode:

Different approaches to guitar
Before the internet
First impressions of SMA
Audience discovery
The extensiveness of The Online Musician Program
The importance of enjoying your own genre
Targeting your super fans
The demand for physical merchandise
Updating the course

Tweetables:

“(The Online Musician) really changed how I approached not only what I was doing in a marketing sense, but also what I was doing as far as audience discovery.” - @jeffpearcemusic [0:15:35]

“The course… takes a serious amount of time.” - @jeffpearcemusic [0:16:09]

“Google is a search engine, Facebook is a share engine.” - @metalmotivation [0:17:04]

“(The Online Musician) challenged a kind of long-held belief that I kind of knew what my audience was.” - @jeffpearcemusic [0:18:46]

“You’re not looking for millions and millions of just generic listeners. You’re looking for the superfans. You’re looking for a smaller community of dedicated people who really are invested in this form of music. With that and with that alone, someone can sustain their livelihood.” - @metalmotivation [0:28:50]

“My second-most recent album, the one that was released in the fall of 2019, it debuted at number two on the Billboard New Age sales chart. I’m completely convinced it was because of what I’ve learned through Savvy Musician Academy and the courses.” - @jeffpearcemusic [0:32:24]

“What Leah does with her courses that other people don’t is that she goes back and updates them.” - @jeffpearcemusic [0:33:03]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Jeff Pearce (TOM & Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/jeffpearcemusic/ Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Only Focus Online - SMS088 Mar 09, 2020

How many musicians have gone viral, or received mass exposure on American Idol or The Voice, and unfortunately still have nothing to show for it? This hoping to get discovered still represents the old model of the music business and will not guarantee your success.

In this episode, Leah and C.J. go over what does work and how you can achieve success by reaching your fans through the internet. We’re not just talking about just getting on Spotify, YouTube, and creating a Facebook artist page to post your next show. Reaching your ideal fans online is more sophisticated than that, and that’s what we’re breaking down in this episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Billy Corgan’s advice to focus 100% on being an online musician The difference between a valuable metric and vanity metric Getting mass exposure but going nowhere with it Targeting and building custom audiences with Facebook videos The new frontier for musicians Losing the old music world mentality Leah’s ten year prediction TOM 3.0 announcement

Tweetables:

“I’m looking forward to my next win because it’s addictive.” - @metalmotivation [0:03:30]

“The internet is just a vehicle for reaching people.” - @metalmotivation [0:08:10]

“I’m going to put all my focus into reaching people through the internet, do my best to build an audience around the world without having left my house.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:10:25]

“Out of 2.5 billion people, your audience isn't there? Are you kidding?” - @LEAHthemusic [0:11:26]

“The new gold rush for musicians is to get out there and start to carve out their little niche. You don't need to be everything to everyone.” - @metalmotivation [0:24:10]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com Annissa Mlhns (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/AnnissaOffi/ Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

60+% Believe You Can’t Make Money Online - SMS087 Mar 02, 2020

One of Leah’s recent surveys showed that 60% of musicians do not believe you can make money online with your music. In this episode, Leah and C.J. discuss why musicians might think this and explain how you most definitely can make money online with your music!

You probably already have the motivation, but you just need a clear path to see ahead and take the next step. Listen to this week’s episode to discover how you can earn money online with your music and move past the defeating behaviors and beliefs that hold back most musicians!

🔑 Key Points From This Episode:

The error of Youtube learning from multiple sources
Berklee compared to Savvy Musician Academy
60% of musicians do not believe you can make money online with your music
The starving musician mentality of “Waiting to be discovered”
The actuality of file sharing today
True fans will pay for your music and merchandise
The benefits of streaming services
The demand for physical merchandise
Do you have to write a hit single and become a star?

🐦 Tweetables:

“Our goal here is to offer as much value as we possibly can.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:06:54]

“60% of the people surveyed, these are musicians, 60% do not believe that you can make money online with your music.” - @metalmotivation [0:09:51]

“True fans will pay for music.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:14:08]

“(Streaming services) are most importantly discovery tools and platforms where they would never have found you if you weren’t there in a lot of cases.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:15:35]

“Can you build something bigger than just the music?” - @LEAHthemusic [0:19:58]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Online Musician 3.0 — https://explodeyourfanbase.com

Michele Vreeland (TOM Student) — https://www.facebook.com/michelevreelandmusic/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Discouragement - SMS086 Feb 24, 2020

Sometimes out of the multitude of compliments you receive online, it takes only one negative comment to get under your skin and ruin your day.

You start to question yourself, and self-doubt begins to grow.

You begin to resent people, and that’s not going to help you grow your music business.

What do you do?

In this episode, Leah and C.J. discuss a recent incident with Leah’s new candle endeavor to show you how to professionally and personally handle discouragement. You’re going to get a lot out of this!

Key Points From This Episode:

The difference between an objection and insult
Not being valued
Giving words their power
Developing thick skin
The importance of mental health
Two secrets of the ages

Tweetables:

“It’s always a vulnerable feeling to put your soul out there to the INTERNET, even just with your music.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:07:23]

“I had to quickly learn the difference between, okay, what’s an objection in a rude way and what's a flat out insult.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:09:39]

“If I’m making a mark on this world, I will have haters.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:12:49]

“It’s amazing when people do value you, but for some reason the negative always seems to stick out more.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:22:37]

“The power of a word over you has as much power as you grant it.” - @metalmotivation [0:24:01]

“You got to get used to the fact that you’re going to get people who don’t value what you do and they’ve got very harsh things to say about your music.” - @metalmotivation [0:32:26]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mythologie Candle Co. — https://www.facebook.com/mythologiecandleco/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

David Williams (Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/weltermusic/

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Sister Brand Follow-Up - SMS085 Feb 17, 2020

Continuing last weeks episode on Leah’s new sister brand product, Mythologie Candles, Leah and C.J. go further in depth analyzing the details of how she achieved what she called “a million dollar day.” Listen to find out what she means by that.

It would be great if you could live off of selling your music alone, but these days anything you can do to earn an income as an independent artist should be explored. Take your understanding of creating a sister brand to the next level in this week’s episode of The Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Principles trump tactics
Minimum Viable Product
Gauging interest in your product
Tapping into an existing culture
Creating a seed audience
Hashtags and DM’s on Instagram
Doing a pre-launch/Bootstrapping
Running an opt-in ad
What is a million dollar day?
Sharing content related to your culture to build an audience
Thinking Big

Tweetables:

“Principles trump tactics.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:04:48]

“If you can’t create culture, tap into an existing one.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:15:26]

“Hashtags help a lot on Instagram, using hashtags that people are interested in.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:15:33]

“I would personally DM them, thank them for following me… And the fact that there’s DMs happening, Instagram will now show your stuff in their feed more often because there’s been interaction.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:17:59]

“It’s called bootstrapping. You hold a pre-launch and however much people buy, there's your capital to get the manufacturing done.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:19:04]

“You got to wonder why people rush headlong into dismissing something that successful. Is it because they’re scared that there’s work involved?” - @metalmotivation [0:30:05]

“We look ridiculous dressed up in excuses.” - @metalmotivation [0:30:22]

“However big you think you're thinking, it’s not big enough and you can’t be afraid to engage in limitless thinking, you can’t. The more limited you are in your thinking, the more limited will be your results.” - @metalmotivation [0:31:32]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mythologie Candle Co. — https://www.facebook.com/mythologiecandleco/

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Lora Hodges (Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/lorussmusic

Inner Circle Membership — http://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Creating A Sister Brand to Your Music - SMA084 Feb 10, 2020

When people first encounter Leah, they struggle to wrap their minds around the fact that she earns six-figures annually from her music business. What they don’t realize at first is that she’s earning that income from more than simply physical or digital music sales. She’s also selling merchandise, accessories, and bundles that are all related to her music and culture.

Now, Leah is taking this a step further by creating a sister brand for her music business called Mythologie Candles which is a new line of fantasy products catered to the very same culture and audience that listen to her music.

If you understood your artist identity and the culture that connects you with your audience, what products could you sell really well? Check out this weeks episode to learn more!

Key Points From This Episode:

Not getting overwhelmed
What is a sister brand?
Why you should consider a sister brand.
Leah’s new Mythologie Candles
The benefits of doing your own shipping
The three P’s of Marketing: People, Positioning, Product
Doing what you’re into

Tweetables:

“You can tell those students who you know are going to do well just because of the way they attack their present.” - @metalmotivation [0:05:00]

“When we get so fixated on the mountain, we miss how easy it is to take a step forward.” - @metalmotivation [0:06:18]

“We are the creative class and that means going outside of the norm.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:08:33]

“There’s nothing proprietary. It’s all positioning. It’s all branding. It’s all marketing.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:10:13]

“You should always do things that make you come alive.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:10:28]

“The fun about handmade products is that you can control the quality, you can control even the unboxing experience.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:13:38]

“There’s no rules saying that you can only make music and you can’t stop and go make jewelry for a while.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:15:11]

“If the product is crap, or the music is crap, you’re not going to sell jack.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:24:48]

“Someone learns how to market, they’re never going to be without a job.” - @metalmotivation [0:27:18]

“There’s nothing that I’m applying in this business that you guys don’t already have access to.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:31:04]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Michael J. Arbogast (Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/TheNewRelics/

Top 9 Marketing Metrics You Need to Know to Grow Your Music Business - SMS083 Feb 03, 2020

Leah and C.J. practically give you gold in this week’s episode on metrics, where they discuss nine different metrics you will find in any successful ecommerce business.

What are metrics? Metrics are a mode of measurement that you need to be aware of and be tracking in order to be a profitable musician.

The dirty details of “business” analytics can be off putting to a creative soul, but if you’re going to succeed in this new music industry, then you need to know and understand the basic metrics that will propel your music career forward. What are you supposed to be measuring? Tune in to Episode 83 and find out!

Key Points From This Episode:

Email is still King
“What is The Metrics?”
Cost of Goods Sold
Gross Margins
General Overall Conversion
Average Order Value
Customer Acquisition Cost
Lifetime Value
Customer Retention Rate
Abandoned Cart Rate
Return On Ad Spend

Tweetables:

“If you have 10,000 email addresses, that’s a potential of $10,000 a month.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:03:07]

“The goal is get those email open rates up.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:03:20]

“This has everything to do with how do you make money online, how do you advertise, all the principles of good marketing. But you put music in it and now we’re just in a new industry. - @LEAHthemusic [0:03:07]

“In e-commerce, you’re going to see anywhere between 1 to 3%. That’s a normal conversion rate…. So that’s going to give you an idea of how much traffic you really need to be getting to your shop in order to be profitable.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:15:42]

“If you want to become good at this, start becoming fascinated by psychology, because that’s all this is. It’s what makes people do certain things.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:18:28]

“Your money’s not made on the front end. It’s made on the back end. All the emails, those abandoned carts, those upsells, those relational emails. It’s all email and retargeting, showing people ads later on.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:22:40]

“If you listen to somebody’s early work, it doesn’t sound as good as the stuff they write now, and why? Because they grow as an artist, and you’re going to grow as a marketer. You have to give things time to work.” - @metalmotivation [0:33:16]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Andre Tempfer (Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/dretamashi/

2020 Annual Planning - SMS082 Jan 27, 2020

Time to plan out your 2020! We’re making small steps toward big goals to push your musical career to the next level, and in this episode, Leah and C.J. discuss how to get intentional with your music business.

We want you to do more than simply set goals. We desire for you to set achievable goals that still challenge you, and that means really growing this year as an intentional online marketer!

In this episode, Leah reveals her own 2020 plan in light of the fact that she’s not releasing a new album this year. Will she be busy? What’s her focus going to be? Listen in and find out!

Key Points From This Episode:

Dynamics of a music business team
Annual planning session
Choosing a theme word for the year
Leah’s focus for 2020
Optimizing your sales
Getting intentional
The Map Your Music Guide
Writing and speaking life into your goals

Tweetables:

“I actually have a tagline that is the focus for at least the first quarter of this year in my team, in my music business, and that is analyze, simplify, and optimize.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:12:08]

“There’s so much you can do on the on and off year if you’re not releasing any music.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:12:21]

“Don’t wing your life. Get intentional about living.” - @metalmotivation [0:17:00]

“Plan and think big enough that you’'re slightly uncomfortable with what you’ve created, but not so big that... I think you know in your gut when it's just totally out of the realm of what’s reachable.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:21:01]

“When it comes to your businesses, this is your kid, what you put into this is what you’re going to get once it all grows up.” - @metalmotivation [0:28:56]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Map Your Music Year (PDF) — http://MapYourMusicYear.com

Marcella Puppini (Elite Student) — https://www.facebook.com/marcellapuppiniofficial/

An Interview With Rob Hulford (Elite Student) - SMS081 Jan 20, 2020

Savvy Musician Show co-host, C.J. Ortiz, interviews Rob Hulford, another Elite student from the Savvy Musician Academy (SMA). Rob’s music style is self-described as an “Ambient downtempo chilled genre geared towards helping people to unplug.”

In this interview, Rob explains how SMA helped him discover his true self as an artist, his true audience, and how to communicate with them. Rob shares not only his story but also some helpful advice and insights that will bring you quick results in your own marketing and social media engagement.

Key Points From This Episode:

Marketing any style of music
Making an investment in yourself
The impact of the Elite student group and Coaching
Mastering the newsfeed
Getting paid for your music
Trimming your marketing audience
Creative merchandise ideas
Writing concise and effective copy
Viewing yourself as a business

Tweetables:

“Everything I ever did at the outset, that Leah encourages you to do, worked for me, and it grew my business.” - @robhulford [0:08:05]

“What you invest now will pay you dividends later.” - @robhulford [0:10:38]

“It’s the whole experience that’s offered on this course, not just the learning, but the interaction, the one on one, the Facebook group, which is an incredible resource.” - @robhulford [0:13:18]

"Stop the News Feed. Disrupt the News Feed. And it's free advertising, if you can post good content.” - @robhulford [0:17:10]

“I think that we have a right to be paid for what we do.” - @robhulford [0:21:27]

“Reduce your audience size to those who you know will buy your music and you'll find that your cost per ad will just plummet.” - @robhulford [0:29:57]

“You could have great success with half the knowledge that Leah shares in the group, if you just could get over yourself, and put yourself out there.” - @metalmotivation [0:31:10]

“It’s very important for me, to be informed, to have the knowledge that I need to make the right decisions, to not waste time, and to channel my efforts into what’s going to serve my music well for the future, and serve me well financially, as a business owner.” - @robhulford [0:33:27]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

The Inner Circle Membership — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Rob Hulford - https://www.robhulfordshop.com

An Interview With Jacqueline & Augustus of The Galaxy Electric (Elite Students) - SMS080 Jan 10, 2020

We have all types of musical genres represented in our Elite students at the Savvy Musician Academy, and some of these genres are so unique that you can assume there’s no audience for them. Not true, and our special guests in this episode are proof of that!

Jacqueline and Augustus of The Galaxy Electric are a fun musical duo whose niche “cosmic tape music” has a dedicated following of like-minded fans who celebrate both the music and the culture that surrounds it. And it’s this understanding that’s empowering The Galaxy Electric to carve out their place in the new music industry. You’re going to love this discussion!

Key Points From This Episode:

The biggest hurdle for an independent artist.
The importance of digging into your audience and culture.
How they found their sound.
How things changed when they joined Elite.
No creative limits to any niche.
The importance of knowing your strengths.
Changing the way you see social media.
Getting past the fear of rejection.
Maximizing Facebook Groups.

Tweetables:

“I would say the biggest hurdle is figuring out exactly who you are as an artist.” — The Galaxy Electric [0:04:36]

“We connected deeply with a very small group of people who encouraged us kind of to keep going.” — The Galaxy Electric [0:11:55]

“We haven’t been talking to people, we’ve been talking at people. That is not how you build a relationship.” — The Galaxy Electric [0:20:02]

“Staying on the app and having conversations and that's ultimately what Facebook wants.” — @metalmotivation [0:25:20]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Inner Circle Membership — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

The Galaxy Electric — https://www.facebook.com/thegalaxyelectric/

Creating Boundaries with Fans: Where to Draw the Line - SMS079 Jan 05, 2020

In this episode Leah and C.J. discuss setting boundaries between you and your fanbase in proactive ways to create a better customer support experience for you and your fans. In other words, setting boundaries is for more than protecting you, your privacy, and your time. It’s about creating a better experience for them too.

As Leah and C. J. touch on their personal experiences, they provide key insights to setting up boundaries, creating customer support techniques, and utilizing guidelines for conversing on social media.

Customer Service is more than what we think, and it’s so important in the age of social media and digital marketing that you have to get it right from the beginning, and in this episode you’ll learn how!

Key Points From This Episode:

The new role and accessibility of musicians
Separating your personal and business life
Different types of boundaries to have
The importance of customer service
Handling negative customer behaviors
Setting up customer expectations
Professional attitude and mindset
Problem solving in the customer service area
How to converse on social media
Setting up a P.O. Box
Setting up business hours

Tweetables:

“The battle you have to win every day is the battle of the newsfeed.” - @metalmotivation [0:04:26]

“I’m going to have a personal page that’s for me, my personal profile. I’m going to have a professional page, and that’s where I’m going to post all my music stuff.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:08:17]

“(Customer’s) expectations are incredibly high for response on all platforms at all times.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:010:18]

“If there’s anything really important that you need them to know put it in the receipt email.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:015:55]

“We’re always looking to improve what we’re doing on our end, so I never automatically blame the person” - @LEAHthemusic [0:016:39]

“Put yourself in the shoes of a fan who’s buying something from you.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:18:39]

“I think what’s most important is the change that needs to happen in the artists themselves, to be strong, to learn to be firm, to know that just because this one person is difficult to deal with, is not a reflection on you.” - @metalmotivation [0:21:33]

“Boundaries and dealing with customer service are part of growing your empire.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:28:10]

“I try to treat every interaction as though this is life or death for my business.” - @LEAHthemusic [0:35:49]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us — http://www.CallSMA.com

Noe Venable (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/noevenablemusic/

Leah’s Black Friday & Cyber Monday Results - SMS078 Dec 30, 2019

2019 was one of Leah’s busiest years yet with a crowdfunding campaign, launching a new album, and aggressive holiday sales.

In this episode, Leah and C. J. discuss her results and lessons learned from her Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

She shares what she spent in ads. She shares what she earned. And she shares the lessons learned and how she’s planning the upcoming year.

Remember, year-end holiday sales always begins now by bringing in new followers and turning them into superfans who are ready to spend money with you by the end of the year. Enjoy this episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Why you shouldn’t feel bad about promoting often.
The cynical nature of social media.
Leah’s music marketing team.
Leah’s holiday sales results.
What Leah’s focusing on in 2020.
Leah’s warm audience strategy.
Leah’s total ad spend.
Creating incentives for customers to buy now.
Leah’s 5 top-selling products.
Should you release an album during the holidays?
What Leah did differently this year.
Email vs social media ads.

Tweetables:

“When it comes to advertising, people need to see it multiple times.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:04:00]

“My gifts and abilities as a marketer myself, are inspired by someone else’s vision, someone else’s faith, someone else’s success.” — @metalmotivation [0:07:56]

“You have more gifts and abilities than you realize, and it's just a matter of learning the skills to go ahead and put it out there to the world.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:13]

“You’re always wanting to replenish that email list.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:19:10]

“So when you’re planning a sale or a campaign, your challenge is to come up with the reason why they should do anything.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:25:14]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Book a Call With Us: http://www.CallSMA.com

Rich Howe, Epoch of Chirality (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/EpochOfChirality/

An Interview with Lindsay Schoolcraft (Elite Student) - SMS077 Dec 23, 2019

Keyboardist and vocalist for the internationally popular heavy metal band, Cradle of Filth, Lindsay Schoolcraft joins C. J. to discuss how she’s using the principles taught in the Savvy Musician Academy to launch her own album without a record label.

Lindsay is an experienced recording and touring artist and speaks directly to the pain points that are reeking havoc on the music industry. This is an inspiring episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

The problems with rapid change in the record industry.
The financial reality that’s hitting touring musicians.
The confusion surrounding artists.
Working with a Grammy-winning artist.
How Lindsay to decided to do it on her own.
How SMA was life-changing for Lindsay.
The toll that’s taken by touring.
Great awakenings to music marketing.
Lindsay’s spending and profits.

Tweetables:

“You go on tour and you find out how much your crew and your bus driver makes and some people just come home breaking even and that’s not right.” — @lindzriot [0:06:09]

“There’s always been an injustice to the music industry.” — @metalmotivation [0:07:12]

“We know we have to be online but once we’re online, a lot of us just don’t know what to do.” — @lindzriot [0:07:22]

“I’m doing it all on line. I’m going to do it digital, screw the record labels, they can’t tell me what to do. You’re not my real dad.” — @lindzriot [0:12:59]

“I refuse to allow some other thing that thinks it’s greater than me to take control of my music career.” — @lindzriot [0:15:10]

“I’m an artist and I just want to put out art and hope people enjoy it.” — @lindzriot [0:16:35]

“When it comes to building your own music empire, you want to minimize the mental and emotional challenges as much as you can.” — @metalmotivation [0:20:20]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Belzebubs (Lindsay’s cartoon character) — https://www.facebook.com/belzebubsofficial/

Lindsay Schoolcraft — https://www.facebook.com/schoolcraftofficial/

An Interview with Karen Barrow (Elite Student) - SMS076 Dec 16, 2019

Her online music career began early in the days of MySpace—gaining 30,000 followers—and at one point, one of her music videos gained 12 million views, and yet Karen Barrow still had no money to show for it. Like most artists, she was confused, frustrated, and unsure about her music career because of all the changes in the industry. Then, she found the Savvy Musician Academy, went through The Online Musician course, then joined the Elite program, and that’s when things started to change. If you want an honest look at what goes on behind the scenes of our Elite coaching group, then this episode reveals it. Listen in as Karen shares her own story of struggle, awakening, and the progress!

Key Points From This Episode:

The reality of today’s average musician.
How Karen refined her personal brand.
The impact of music marketing coaches.
Overcoming doubt and taking action.
Karen’s major victory.
The power of a pruned email list.
How major artists are realizing the power of the internet.
Why views and a large audience don’t produce results.
How Karen took control of her music career.
The power of a professional mindset.
How ecommerce changed Karen’s results.

Tweetables:

“You need two things for success in any area. You need principles. Whatever principles govern success. Then number two, you need coaching.” — @metalmotivation [0:08:43]

“I’ve started to lose the idea of it’s not for me, I can’t do it, it’s not meant to be.” — Karen Barrow [0:13:37]

“Listen, you guys could tear it up with 50% of what Leah teaches you, if you just understand that one element that Leah really emphasizes traditional marketing principles.” — @metalmotivation [0:21:16]

“You’ll really understand the revolutionary aspect of social media when social media itself disappears and you realize you’re just talking to a person.” — @metalmotivation [0:22:45]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Episode #073: Record Label or Independent Artist? An Interview With Jens Hilzensauer Pt. 1

Episode #074: Record Label or Independent Artist? An Interview With Jens Hilzensauer Pt. 2

Episode #067: Leah’s Recent Crowdfunding Results, Part 1: 80k in 30 Days

Episode #068: Leah’s Recent Crowdfunding Results, Part 2: Mistakes & Lessons Learned

Episode #069: Crowdfunding Q&A

Karen Barrow’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ScarletteFeverOfficial/

How to Handle Yourself on Social Media - SMS075 Dec 08, 2019

In the new era of the music industry, artists are taking control of their music careers through the power of the internet and social media, which means there’s more pressure on the artist to deal with their fans more personally. When you have to open yourself up to the world, how do you handle yourself and the interaction with your audience? How much of your personal life should you share? How accessible should you be? How do you deal with problematic fans? That’s why we’re covering in this episode of the Savvy Musician Show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Creating perceived value
The importance of intangible qualities
How to use culture in your posting
Sharing your personal life
The 3 P’s of what to share on social media
Having personal and business social media accounts
Why you shouldn’t use your personal profiles for business
Avoiding controversial topics on social media
When it makes to be political on your pages
Dealing with trolls
Toughening yourself up for social media

Tweetables:

“You need to help your fans understand that, that you are a farmer’s market and you’re not Walmart.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:07:40]

“People pay for water, people pay for Starbucks coffee. They could easily make the coffee at home, but people are obviously paying these prices because of a perceived value.” — @metalmotivation [0:08:56]

“I'm going to pay a lawyer more than I pay my landscaper because they just solve different problems, so it’s all in terms of value.” — @metalmotivation [0:11:09]

“I’m one of those introverted extroverts where I want to be out there, I love people, but I also sometimes shy away from the spotlight and I don’t want to be in the spotlight all the time.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:14:50]

“You don’t want to be airing your dirty laundry online, that’s not attractive, nobody wants that and it’s not professional.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:15:32]

“There’s many reasons why you do not want to collect fans on a personal profile.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:19:46]

“You cannot advertise from a personal profile, so you shouldn’t be collecting fans there.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:19:58]

“You have a tremendous opportunity even as an artist to demonstrate leadership.” — @metalmotivation [0:24:32]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Nazneen Rahman (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/NazneenRahmanMusic/

Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer

Record Label or Independent Artist? An Interview With Jens Hilzensauer, Pt. 2 - SMS074 Dec 02, 2019

In Part 2 of our interview with Jens Hilzensauer, we dive even deeper into the state of the music industry—specifically record labels and record deals. We also discuss the huge learning curve that labels have in order to get up to speed to what we’re doing at the Savvy Musician Academy. As a musician, it’s important that you understand where things are so that you can make the best decision possible for your career. This interview will help what decision!

Key Points From This Episode:

You as a person is just as important as your music
Thinking of your culture as a lifestyle brand
How the music industry resists change
What the record labels should do
Confusing marketing with advertising
Creating brand awareness
The current approach to social media by record labels
Why record labels will struggle with social media
The importance of creating a relationship with your fans
What Leah’s doing to secure her career and still without touring
When you should consider talking to a record label
The questions you should be asking yourself
Current rates by Spotify
What a typical record contract looks like

Tweetables:

“I think the record business side of the music business was always reluctant to change.” — @jenshilzensauer [0:04:10]

“Basically the music industry made Apple rich because they let Apple, invent iTunes.” — @jenshilzensauer [0:04:57]

“There is no call to action. That’s advertising. Marketing is based on a call to action.” — @metalmotivation [0:09:00]

“You’ve never seen a Starbucks commercial. That’s pretty powerful brand awareness without any reliance upon traditional advertising.” — @metalmotivation [0:09:22]

“The algorithm is completely indifferent. It’s going to follow basic principles that are based on psychographics.” — @metalmotivation [0:13:02]

“You must treat your career as though no one will do anything for you. Just treat it as though it’s depending and relying on you alone.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:17:24]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jens’ Band “Planet Trompeta” — https://www.facebook.com/planetatrompeta/

Schedule a Call with SMA — http://callsma.com

Record Label or Independent Artist? An Interview with Jens Hilzensauer, Pt. 1 - SMS073 Nov 24, 2019

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of Leah’s push for publishing and sync licensing her music by interviewing someone who is working intimately for Leah in this process. The results have been eye-opening as our special guest, Jens Hilzensauer, pulls the veil back on what’s going on now with record labels. And because Jens is an experienced digital marketer himself, the conversation gets deep into the cutting edge of what innovative artists like Leah are doing now to achieve levels of success that are challenging the beliefs of record label executives. And because the interview went so long, we’ve decided to break it up into two parts. Believe us, you won’t want to miss this interview!

Key Points From This Episode:

The new era of the music industry
What European records labels thought of Leah’s success
The reality of what A&R people see and sign to a label
Why musicians need to take extreme ownership
Applying marketing principles to music
How effective are labels in their marketing?
The power of culture in making sales

Tweetables:

“What good marketing actually is, relationship building. And I think that’s where a lot of labels, and publishing companies still fail.” — @jenshilzensauer [0:19:46]

“But this is what makes social media such a revolutionary element, and a huge key to Leah’s success because you can now go direct to market.” — @metalmotivation [0:28:57]

“You’ll really understand social media when social media disappears, and you realize you’re just talking to people.” — @metalmotivation [0:29:56]

“It’s just simple offline relationship building in an online world. And you can scale it.” — @jenshilzensauer [0:32:26]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jens’ Band “Planet Trompeta” — https://www.facebook.com/planetatrompeta/

Schedule a Call with SMA — http://callsma.com

Rich How (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/rich.how

Are You Planning or Hoping for Success? - SMS072 Nov 17, 2019

If you’re not planning and working for a specific, desired outcome, then you’re hoping or wishing for success—and it’s doubtful that you’ll ever achieve it. Just like artists would “hope” that they’d be discovered by a record label, so artists today are hoping they’ll be discovered on Spotify, or they’re hoping their video will go viral on YouTube. What they lack is a plan for success, and the consistent action that creates it. They fall prey to fatalism and wishful thinking. And to pacify their conscience, they engage in “busy work” that doesn’t move the needle in their music business, and this just leads to more self-defeat. In this episode, you’ll experience a challenge to that way of thinking and discover some powerful ways to move into an action-oriented outlook. Enjoy!

Key Points From This Episode:

Relationship marketing
Planning vs hoping
Are you dreaming or planning?
Taking massive action
Deceiving yourself with “busy work”
The remedy to hoping is direct marketing
The truth behind standard record contracts
The power of conviction

Tweetables:

“The challenge is for you to create more engaging content with your audience, get them involved.” — @metalmotivation [0:04:34]

“People are more hoping that life works out instead of making life work out.” — @metalmotivation [0:06:18]

“A dream without a plan is just a wish.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:07:18]

“You go from imagining and dreaming to planning.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:08:47]

“Don’t think that massive action means it's always 100% you doing everything yourself.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:10:27]

“The less you work, the more you hope things turn out.” — @metalmotivation [0:21:46]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

“Map Your Music Year Planning Guide” (Freebie) — http://mapyourmusicyear.com.

John Thomas (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/JohnAlbertThomasPiano/

How to Get Ready Now for Holiday Sales - SMS071 Nov 11, 2019

Believe it or not, now is the time to start thinking about preparing for your holiday sales whether you’re working only to build your list, preparing your special offers, or hitting your holiday marketing full on. The only time it’s not conducive is during the holidays, but this powerful episode was created to equip you to maximize your profits during the next holiday season. In this episode, Leah goes into the radical preparation and marketing she did for her recent holiday sales campaign, and it’s NOT for the faint of heart! For an independent, non-touring artist like her, you have to maximize your efforts in order to maximize your profits. You’re going to get a lot out of this episode, so get something write on to take notes!

Key Points from This Episode:

What you should be thinking about when it comes to holiday sales.
When you should start planning your holiday sales.
Do you market to a cold or warm audience?
What you should be doing throughout the year.
Why you shouldn’t worry about sending too many emails.
Segmenting your email list.
How to handle shipping times during the holidays.
Why more emails is better.

Tweetables:

“Last year, I made an extra $33,000 just from Black Friday sales and holiday, little holiday promos and the majority of that came from email.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:04:40]

“Ideally, you would start planning your end of year sales in August and September.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:13]

“I’m spending the rest of the year building my email list, building my following, building my organic following, building my email list, just building my audience all year long.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:06:50]

“What we’re really going to focus on is honing in on the existing audience we already have and offering them really attractive deals.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:09:09]

“If I conducted myself worrying about offending people, too many emails, I wouldn’t send any emails.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:15]

“Don’t let your insecurity make the decisions…you got to do what’s best for your business.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:39]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

“How to Plan Music Promotions for the Holidays” (Freebie) — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/holiday-guide

Lorena Dale (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/LorenaDaleMusic/

How Leah is Preparing For Her Album Launch - SMS070 Nov 04, 2019

After completing her highly successful crowdfunding campaign where she raised $83,000+ in in 30 days, the work was actually just beginning. Leah still had to release her album, and there were still two more phases to doing this successfully. After crowdfunding—which is Phase 1—she still to do a pre-order launch and then the actual launch or album release. In this episode of the Savvy Musician Show, Leah and C.J. discuss the details of how Leah is going about the next two phases of her Ancient Winter album launch. A lot of great tips in this episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

The 3 phases of an album launch
How long is the pre-order period?
Making money before the album release
Incentives for pre-orders
Leah’s pre-order bundles
The power of scarcity and urgency
The advantage of using print-on-demand
Giveaways and discounts

Tweetables:

“Any kind of promotion I run with built-in scarcity, built in urgency.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:09:10]

“It takes this level of creativity and planning and forethought to do this kind of revenue.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:32]

“Let's say I do a video or a photo and it just gets really good engagement that I wasn't expecting, I can then use that and turn it into an ad.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:15:04]

“Organic social paid ads, especially Facebook and Instagram ads are what I'm focusing on. And email, email, email.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:17:03]

“technical things to the unlearned can appear as magical or witchcraft but I can assure you it isn’t.” — @MetalMotivation [0:19:54]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah’s Crowdfunding Page (Limited time) — http://ancientwinter.com FREE Planning Tool — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/planningtool Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com Colin Caetano (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/colincayvz/

Crowdfunding Q&A - SMS069 Oct 27, 2019

As we reach the third and final episode of this powerful 3-part, in-depth series on the success of Leah’s recent crowdfunding campaign, Leah answer’s some of her student’s questions on crowdfunding. Having done a few crowdfunding campaigns during her career, Leah is always pushing the envelope and learning more, and even these three episodes on crowdfunding were not enough to cover everything. This is why being a part of her Elite program is so important for anyone desiring to have a full-time career in music by maximizing their music business through online marketing. Still, Leah goes even deeper in this episode by answering the most important questions she received about crowdfunding. If you haven’t heard the first two episodes, you should listen to those first, and the content of this episode will be far more fruitful for you. Enjoy the discussion!

Key Points From This Episode:

The difference between Leah’s crowdfunding campaigns.
How social media has changed online marketing.
The simple things you must focus on.
Leah’s method of email marketing.
Leah’s method of using surveys.
How Leah keeps fans interested throughout her campaign.
How Leah writes her email subject lines.
How Leah managed her time.
The importance of cleaning out your email list.
Is there a certain time of year that’s best for crowdfunding?
Leah’s “trifecta” for marketing success.
Releasing singles.
Can you manage a campaign by yourself?
How Leah organizes her work.
The ins and outs of product bundles.
The breakdown of costs vs profits.

Tweetables:

“This isn’t the time to go after a whole new crowd, it’s the time to advertise to the people who are already following you, and so that’s really important.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:07:47]

“My advice is do the simple things. Build your audience, build your email list, learn how to run ads.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:08:18]

“I don’t treat surveys as exact data… It is to get a general feeling and sense for what you could potentially do.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:10:53]

“You try it and you figure it out, what worked, what didn’t work, and then analyze it after and make it better next time.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:14:04]

“You learn a hundred things to do, and a hundred things not to do.” — @MetalMotivation [0:14:10]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah’s Crowdfunding Page (Limited time) — http://ancientwinter.com FREE Crowdfunding Guide — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/crowdfunding Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com Annelise LeCheminant (Student Spotlight) — https://www.facebook.com/AnneliseSongwriter/

Leah’s Recent Crowdfunding Results, Pt. 2: Mistakes & Lessons Learned - SMS068 Oct 21, 2019

In this episode, Leah delves deeper into her successful crowdfunding campaign for her latest album, Ancient Winter, and now she reveals the mistakes she made and the lessons she learned. Leah has tried various ways to crowdfund her albums, and she’s always experimenting to find a better, more profitable way to market her music. In this recent campaign, she exceeded her financial goal by $30,000!

Key Points From This Episode:

The pros and cons of hosting a crowdfunding campaign on your own site.
The astonishing amount of people who demanded vinyl.
What makes crowdfunding easier.
The difference between those who succeed and fail.
Why you must expose yourself to marketing training over and over again.
The importance of your email list and why email is still king.
Leah’s amazing results in revenue in 7 days with email.
The unexpected things Leah underestimated.
How to create a successful landing page.
Understanding the psychology of your fans.

Tweetables:

“Is it time for you to stop wondering about whether you're supposed to do music or not?” — @MetalMotivation [0:02:39]

“This is literally just a skill. It’s about incorporating who you are, your personality, your authentic self, your authentic music, and just having these skills in place and then, then you can do anything.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:40]

“You can’t just be exposed to it and expect something good to happen out of it. You must become a practitioner.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:08:38]

“If Facebook died and disintegrated, turned into Myspace, I could still make a living just off of my email.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:10:17]

“You don’t have to be a world-class marketer and learn how to market market everything else in the world, just your own stuff, your own music to your own audience.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:12:49]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah’s Crowdfunding Page (Limited time) — http://ancientwinter.com

FREE Crowdfunding Guide — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/crowdfunding

Call Savvy Music Academy — www.callsma.com

Daniel Coates (Student Spotlight) — https://suntaramusic.com/

Leah’s Recent Crowdfunding Results, Pt. 1: 80k in 30 Days - SMS067 Oct 12, 2019

In this episode, Leah and C. J. launch in an in-depth 3-part series on crowdfunding taken directly from Leah’s recent successful crowdfunding campaign for her fifth album, Ancient Winter, in which she exceed ALL her revenue goals! And to make this even more challenging, she decided to host the fundraising on her own website instead of using popular fundraising software such as Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, and GoFundMe. Her goal was to raise $50,000 in 30 days—ambitious in and of itself—but she exceeded that amount by over 30% for a whopping $80,000+ in just one month! Even though she’s done crowdfunding campaigns before, she still learned a great deal during this successful campaign. Her first thought was, “I should create a course on this,” but then decided, “No, I’ll share everything on the podcast for free, but it may take a few episodes!” Well, you’re in for a treat, because Leah holds nothing back in this episode. Sit back and enjoy!

Key Points From This Episode:

Success in crowdfunding is not determined by software or tools.
Why Leah chooses to crowdfund her albums.
The different approaches to all her crowdfunding campaigns.
Why you should try crowdfunding.
Being crystal clear on your WHY.
Why crowdfunding is better than a record label deal.
Leah’s crowdfunding is not begging. It’s pre-orders.
Leah’s “three launches” for her albums.
How Leah chooses the amount for her crowdfunding goal.
Leah’s secret to surveying her fans ahead of the campaign.
Warm vs cold audience.
The power of creating scarcity and urgency.
The key to crowdfunding is knowing how to sell.
How Leah inspires her fans to support her.
What Leah included in her crowdfunding offers.

Tweetables:

“It’s very, very important that you are crystal clear on why you are crowdfunding, what the purpose is, where the money is going and what you’re going to do with it.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:07:19]

“My goal with crowdfunding like this several months before the album launch, is to launch my album with zero debt and zero anything owing anybody anything.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:08:08]

“Typically an album or a record deal with a label is essentially a loan.” — @MetalMotivation [0:08:53]

“The majority, like 97% of this campaign, the funds are raised from my warm audience, meaning people who already know me.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:18:02]

“I’ve got the skill of copywriting. These are the reasons why it’s successful. It’s not because of the platform.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:18:58]

“You don’t need a course on crowdfunding, you need training on how to sell your music.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:26:13]

“If you’re going to have a career in music and you can have that career in music, you’re going to have to be the artist and you’re going to have to be the marketer.” — @MetalMotivation [0:46:46]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah’s Crowdfunding Page (Limited time) — http://ancientwinter.com

FREE Crowdfunding Guide — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/crowdfunding

Call Savvy Music Academy — www.callsma.com

Inessa Hk (Student Spotlight) — https://www.innessamusic.com/

How To Grow Your Music Career When You Can't Tour - SMS066 Oct 07, 2019

In today’s episode, we are talking about what you can do to grow your music career when you are not able to tour. Many musicians are unable to tour for various reasons, such as work, family or other commitments. This inability to tour is a far more common problem among musicians than many of us realize. This does not mean that your music career will not take off because there are many ways to get around the obstacle of not being able to tour. Leah is a prime example of someone, who due to family commitments has never toured, and yet she has still achieved tremendous success. For her, because she has never been able to hit the road, she had to make success happen within her means. Having the internet at your disposal opens as many, arguably more doors than going on tour ever could. There are so many different platforms and ways of reaching out to people than ever before, you simply have to find what works for you. This may sound simple, but it is not an overnight process. It is a long, hard slog that will eventually yield the results you want. You have to define your brand, as well as hone in on your super fan and learn how to speak directly to them. Once you are able to do this, the sky is the limit and you will never need to see the inside of a tour bus, ever! For all this and more, join us today.

Key Points From This Episode:

This week’s student spotlight and some lessons to take from it.
The Internet is the greatest tool you have if you are unable to tour.
What lead Leah to create her first course, The Online Musician.
Differentiating your music is the key starting point in launching your music career.
Defining your niche gives you the clarity you need to build your brand.
Why direct marketing is so important in growing your brand.
Proactively engaging on social media extends far beyond posting your next gig.
Show fans your vulnerabilities and the real parts of your life, rather than hiding it.
Build a community around the culture that surrounds your music.
An example of how Leah has tapped into what her fans like.
To create passionate super fans, you have to celebrate the same things that they celebrate.
Keep what you share within the same theme to maintain brand cohesion.
Some things to steer clear of sharing online.
Ways to generate money from your music career, if you are not touring.
Take advantage of all the platforms and their strengths that are available to you.
We are all salespeople in some way or another.
Learning how to sell organically should come before working on paid traffic.
Effective marketing is about answering providing an answer to a customer’s need.
Entertainment and art have always and will always continue to be a fundamental part of life.
Create as many opportunities as possible for fans to buy from you.

Tweetables:

“The beauty of online marketing, is you're not trying to be commercial. You are trying to find your tribe of fans.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:17:07]

“People buy from those they know, like and trust.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:20:41]

“Nobody cares about me. They only care about themselves, and what my product can do for them.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:37:55]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Academy Elite Progam — www.sma.com

The Online Musician 2.0 — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/tribe/tom/

Savvy Musician Show Episode 065 — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/65

Call Savvy Music Academy — www.callsma.com

Jennifer Kessler (Student Spotlight) — https://www.jenniferlynmusic.com/

Biggest Fears Musicians Have and How to Overcome Them - SMS065 Sep 30, 2019

All of us struggle with fear: fear of rejection, failure and even fear of success. The only difference between those who are successful and those who are not is that successful people choose to pursue their goals despite the fear. It’s not that they don’t experience those same emotions, it’s only that their desire for the dream is bigger and they stop at nothing to get there.

Today we continue with our psychological perspective on making it in the music industry, talking about those mindsets that cripple you and that you essentially give far too much power to. The first step to overcoming fear is to tackle them head-on instead of avoiding them, and by allowing yourself to go through those unpleasant emotions of trepidation. Not only are you giving yourself an opportunity to succeed, but you are investing in your personal development and building out your experience and skillset. The recipe of success is quite simple: to believe that the principles of success are out there in the world – that they exist and that you are able to apply them consistently. If you truly believe that, you will be unstoppable!

Key Points From This Episode:

How fear is paralyzing you and stopping you from reaching your potential.
Realizing that there are people out there who need to hear your music.
Why fear is both a massively powerful yet powerless thing.
The only thing that sets successful people apart from everyone else.
The importance of taking little steps forward, even if you cannot see the full picture yet.
Why you can sell anything once you understand the fundamentals of online marketing.
The powerful effect of visualizing and mentally preparing before a big event.
Making the decision beforehand not to be controlled by fear.
The physiological reactions to something that happens in our imaginations.
The difference between the fear of failure and fear of success.
Believing that all the principles for success are out there and that you can apply them.
Accepting that you will mess up sometimes and that hard times will come.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“This fear, in general, is completely paralyzing you and it’s stopping you from reaching your potential, from doing the thing that you are supposed to do.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:12]

“Fear is a powerless force but it’s still the most powerful powerless force you're ever going to face, and it’s robbing you of the only life you’ve got.” — @metalmotivation [0:08:02]

“Do not let fear make the decision. Your brain needs to make the decision and then you can train your body to do what you want it to after the fact.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:20:40]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Welter — https://www.weltermusic.com/

Tony Robbins — https://www.tonyrobbins.com/

David Williams (Student Spotlight) — https://www.weltermusic.com/

How To Get Rid Of A Poverty Mentality - SMS064 Sep 23, 2019

Once believed to have been the archetypal starving artist, it was later revealed that Michelangelo was a millionaire and, in fact, the wealthiest Renaissance artist of all time. Many of us have the perception that being an artist – whether you are a painter, writer or musician – means that you will live a life of barely coming by and of always struggling financially. This is a complete lie, and in this episode, we dig into this topic, busting the myth of the struggling artist and helping you to re-evaluate your perspectives on money.

We talk about scarcity versus an abundance mentality, and how your belief system can impact the relationships and opportunities that come your way. Now, we are not talking about the passivity that sometimes comes along with positive thinking and the law of attraction. While it is important to develop an optimistic attitude, it is equally important to act, to take intentional steps toward creating the future you dream of. Join us for another enlightening conversation and, if you were waiting for it, a permission slip to succeed!

Key Points From This Episode:

Realizing that there are certain mindsets that could prevent you from being successful.
The widespread belief in the “starving artist” story and why it needs to change.
Looking critically at your beliefs and how you speak about the financial aspects of your art.
Unpacking the term “poverty mentality” and the influences that shape your view of money.
The false perception that money is a limited resource.
Scarcity versus abundance; understanding that you must take action.
How you might repel people and opportunities through your lack of belief.
The fear of success and responsibility as another form of procrastination.
Busting the myth that money is the root of evil that will invariably corrupt you.
The importance of understanding that money is a necessary resource.
Guilt, self-condemnation and your perceptions about what you ‘deserve’.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“Whatever you focus on is going to get magnified whether positive or negative. It all depends on what you are giving your attention to.” — @metalmotivation [0:09:51]

“There is no lack. It’s just a lack of belief, right? And a lack of true belief is what we call doubt and that’s what limits us.” — @metalmotivation [0:15:43]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins — https://amzn.to/34WVRUn

Savvy Musician Show Episode 7 — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/blog/2018/03/7-real-artists-dont-starve-jeff-goins/

Singing Success Vocal Retreat — https://singingsuccess.com/retreat/

Quick Cash Generation Guide — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/cashgeneration

The Secret — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846789/

Family Wealth by James E. Hughes Jr. — https://amzn.to/2LGXbmJ

Lindsay Matheson (Student Spotlight) — https://www.lindsayschoolcraft.com/

How To Fund An Album When You're Broke - SMS063 Sep 16, 2019

On today’s episode, Leah and CJ talk about creative ways to fund an album when you do not have the money. Often, people make excuses for why something is not possible, so before even tackling the issue of money, you need to tackle your mindset. Whether you have or don’t have money, following your passion requires sacrifice, be it money, time or energy. Once you have managed to sort your attitude out, the rest will unfold more easily.

With smartphones and social media platforms, you can build an audience with very little financial capital. You can then leverage your fanbase and raise money for an album through something such as crowdfunding. There is a myriad of possibilities once you shift from a mindset of poverty to one of abundance. It is not necessary to take the traditional route of getting signed to a record label. You can and should do things on your own terms and if Leah managed to do it, then so can you. For all this and more, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Working towards your goal requires some kind of sacrifice.
Mindset is more of an issue than money ever is.
Why you should be cautious of using investors to fund your work.
Leah’s preference for initially getting your music out there.
Why you should release an EP rather than singles.
The reasons other than raising capital that crowdfunding is important.
Why fans and not a record label are the real capital.
Some creative ways you can raise money other than through crowdfunding.
Your biggest obstacle in this project!
And much more!

Tweetables:

“If you’re that determined, it’s not if, it’s how.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:19]

“Even when you are broke or not broke, you should be thinking about how to involve your fans this way.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:14:34]

“You have a business when you own traffic - in other words, when you have an audience.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:20:20]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Show Episode 50— https://savvymusicianacademy.com/blog/2019/06/50-when-you-dont-have-fans-to-release-your-first-album/

Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Inner Circle Newsletter — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

How Leah Became a Successful Music Marketer - SMS062 Sep 09, 2019

On today’s episode, CJ and Leah add another dimension to last week’s podcast, where they pulled back the veil on digital marketing, to talk more specifically about Leah’s own digital marketing journey. Having been a songwriter her whole life, music was present, but not always considered as a career. When her family was pushed into dire financial straits, she realized that it was now or never for her music career. This led her to try many different platforms and marketing tools, but nothing got her the results she wanted. The music industry in 2010 was what she called the Wild West, where Napster and peer to peer sharing had turned everything on its head, so she saw that she needed to take a different approach.

It was not until she heard the idea of 1000 true fans that it clicked that she did not have to be world-famous to make a living as a musician. Instead, she needed simply to cater to these fans, so that they would spend money on her. Once she began to put these principles in action, she really started to see results, even paying off her family’s debt within two weeks of starting her fan club. Many of the marketing strategies came to Leah intuitively, but that did not stop her investing in her education. She always strived to keep learning more about the world of digital marketing, which lead to even greater long-term success. This does not mean that she was not afraid, she was terrified! But she believes that fear is necessary because it shows you how much you truly want something. She shares her story because she has made all of the mistakes that others do not need to. Your road to the top can be quicker and smoother than hers. To find out more, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

What Leah’s family situation in 2011 was like.
Why she called the music industry in 2010 the Wild West.
How she found the motivation to continually write music despite constant rejection.
What her initial marketing strategy looked like before she had any education.
What the 1000 true fans premise is and why it was her ‘aha moment.’
The first two things she did to gain more traction after releasing her first album.
Anger can be channeled in creativity and productivity when directed into work.
What happened once she started her fan club?
The moment she realized she had to start investing in marketing education.
Why it is so difficult for newbies to filter out and discern what the correct advice is.
The reason that she is choosing to share her story.
What she spent her first royalty payments on and why.
Although it is scary, spending money on yourself is the most important thing.
Marketing and sales skills are necessary for everyone.
What you can do today to kickstart you career today.

Tweetables:

“Stop trying to be really world famous and just try to make your goal 1,000 true fans.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:16:30]

“All of the success I’ve had since I validated my music is due to investing into myself and it was uncomfortable. It hurt to put that money there.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:33:26]

“If you don’t have that skin in the game you are not really committed.” @LEAHthemusic [0:34:41]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

Savvy Musician Inner Circle Newsletter — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Online Musician 2.0— https://savvymusicianacademy.com/tribe/tom/

Call Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Elite Program — https://elite.savvymusicianacademy.com/

How to Market Your Music Better Than Everyone Else - SMS061 Sep 02, 2019

Whether you like it or not, you are always marketing. And you’re either doing a good job or a bad job at it! If you are going to have long term success, you need to learn how to market smart and when you do, your career as a musician will change forever. The Savvy Music Academy (SMA) is the best resource for musicians in the new industry with programs designed to level-up your music into a business and skyrocket your confidence. In this episode, Leah McHenry guides you through the thinking behind the SMA programs, what they cover, and how they differ from other resources out there today. Here, Leah uncovers the pain points of selling music and the common marketing mistakes she sees artists making, time and time again. If you want to learn how the SMA programs will help you discover your music brand identity, learn the secrets to online marketing for music, and create freedom on your own terms – then this is the episode for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

Is SMA the most extensive version of music marketing today?
The importance of diversifying your platforms to reach audiences.
How to keep up with the changes in technology, marketing, and social media.
Discover why click funnels don’t play nice with Shopify or Facebook.
Why it’s not software that makes things work, it’s sales.
Find out what an e-commerce society really expects from you.
How SMA programs teach you to sell both physical and digital products.
How the SMA programs benefit not only musicians but all creators and entrepreneurs.
The basic business principles you can use to boost your income in just a few months.
Why YouTube is a beast and best to be avoided when marketing your music.
Discover why your email list is the best marketing asset you own.
How to propel your sales strategy from Black Friday to the end of the year.

Tweetables:

“Musicians are waking up and there’s a demand for knowledge, there’s a demand for leveling up.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:01:25]

“When people think that it’s the tool or the software that’s the magic pill for success, it drives me nuts!” — @LEAHthemusic [0:10:33]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Academy Website — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Book A Call — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Shopify — https://www.shopify.com/?ref=savvy-musician-academy

How To Sell More Merchandise Online - SMS060 Aug 26, 2019

Today's show is focussed on the world of merchandising and selling this merch through an online store! For Leah, her merch and online sales have made up such a big part of her business and ultimate success and so her and CJ really want to impress upon all the listeners how important the way you approach this stuff can be. To start, Leah unpacks the impact it made when she started giving e-commerce its rightful dues and learning about it in a focussed and engaged way. From there she talks about the principles of increasing revenue in the online world and why she cannot recommend Shopify highly enough. The discussion also covers serving your fans and looking for their feedback as your number one directive in further products and offers. We also talk about photography and copywriting and these two seemingly small aspects are so pivotal in the sales process. To finish off, Leah shares her passion for adopting a 'print on demand' model for her shop and a few ways to improve conversion rates to completed sales. For all of this great information and more, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Today's #win student spotlight message!
The hugely significant role that e-commerce and merchandise have played in Leah's work.
The three basic ways of increasing your revenue as an e-commerce business.
Why Leah recommends Shopify above all other platforms.
Leah's focus on serving her fans and why this is so important.
Product photography and the impact that quality pictures can make.
Taking care to properly represent your product through appropriate and thoughtful descriptions.
Abandoned carts and increasing conversion rates to completed sales.
Familiarity and trustworthiness as the two most important factors for an online store.
The joys and wonder of the print on demand model!
And much more!

Tweetables:

“This was an accidental coaching business in many respects. I was out there to make money with my music. That was the whole point of what I was doing.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:04:07]

“Anything that applies online is going to apply offline. Not everything offline applies online.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:09:46]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Savvy Musician Spotify course — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/Spotify

WordPress — https://wordpress.com/

Shopify — https://www.shopify.com/?ref=savvy-musician-academy

Bethan Nia (Student Spotlight) — https://welshharpist.co.uk/

Why Physical Music Isn't Dead & How to Sell More Of It - SMS059 Aug 19, 2019

On the Savvy Musician Show today, Leah and CJ are exploring the world of physical sales and how it is still alive in 2019! Not so long ago it seemed like the formats of CDs, tapes, and vinyl was a thing of the past. But thanks to a resurgence of younger audiophiles and music fans, sales of physical music have actually risen in the last decade. From the almost completely vinyl music stand in Barnes & Noble to new independent record stores and beyond, physical music is not dead and can make up a huge part of your earnings as an independent music business. Leah and CJ unpack just how this could work for you, focusing on touring versus online, how to find and target the right audience for physical products, merch versus music and more! We talk about the vital importance of the visual side of this work, artwork, and coherence can play a huge role in your success. Leah also stresses the value of product photography and testing out markets, so make sure to tune in for this great conversation!

Key Points From This Episode:

Today's student spotlight; a special message from Jason!
Barnes & Noble's music section and the current focus they put on vinyl.
Leah's attitude towards physical merch from the standpoint of a non-touring artist.
Reasons that Leah's fans buy her merch; unique, exclusive and part of something bigger.
The shift back to deep appreciation for the quality of audio and music.
Determining and targeting people who love vinyl or other physical formats.
The importance of artwork and the visual language and style you use.
Product photography and making the most of displaying your physical products.
Validation and product testing with the minimum risk necessary.
Some information on the new Inner Circle monthly membership.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“To do a limited edition of something that would be so fun, because I grew up with cassettes and I always wanted to have my own tape.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:02:46]

“Nothing is as inspiring, or reinforcing as results. It doesn't matter what they are, long as you see some light, little glimmer of hope that you're on the right path.” — @metalmotivation [0:03:32]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Savvy Musician Spotify course — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/Spotify

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CJ Ortiz — http://metalmotivation.com/

Inner Circle — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/innercircle

Barnes & Noble — https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

D&D — https://dnd.wizards.com/

Bandcamp — https://bandcamp.com/

Kings and Queens — https://www.discogs.com/Leah-Kings-Queens/release/6573527

Audible — https://www.audible.com

The Rolling Stones — https://www.rollingstones.com/

The Beatles — https://abbeyroad.thebeatles.com/

Game of Thrones — https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones

Stripe — https://stripe.com/

Things People Do To Ensure Failure - SMS058 Aug 12, 2019

What are some of the sure ways to fail? Now, this is not a question we hear very often, yet one that is very important to ask. We are so busy asking the feel-good questions about getting that big break or being successful, but we don’t confront ourselves often enough with the reverse – looking carefully at the real reasons why we are failing, reasons that are seldom related to the program, the coach or the economy! We love to make excuses, there’s something in us that wants to avoid responsibility, but if we ever want to be successful in the music industry, it’s going to cost a lot of straightforward sacrifices.

Today on the podcast Leah and CJ talk about some of the mentalities that lurk behind unrealistic expectations and the mindsets that are guaranteed to make you fail. Sometimes we need to analyze our everyday habits to measure whether we are spending our time productively: Do you prefer staying in the comfortable safe zones and are you really willing to give up Netflix or whatever it is that is sucking up all your time? Are you truly willing to do what it takes? Join us for this episode for some more challenging, yet empowering thoughts!

Key Points from This Episode:

Leah’s upcoming album and how her music business is the source for new curriculum ideas.
The different mentalities that lurk behind people’s unrealistic expectations.
Avoiding the hard work by depending on everyone else to provide answers to simple things.
The power that comes along with having to figure out something yourself.
The importance of taking advantage of the student community and the FAQs.
Bad daily habits and people not wanting to make the necessary sacrifices.
Taking a log of your activities for three days to measure productive and unproductive time.
Having a low tolerance for discomfort and pain as a reason for failure.
The problem of not being fully committed and not willing to put in real hard work.
Multitasking and skipping through course content that you think you know.
Why you should not stray from the curriculum by consulting other sources of information.
Remaining an optimist even in failure and why skepticism and perfectionism are the enemies.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“That’s what Savvy Musician Academy is all about because we want to be a trustworthy resource for you, whenever you’re trying to build your music career.” —@LEAHthemusic [0:06:28]

“There’s something magical that happens when you do have to figure it out for yourself. At that moment, you also create a sense of confidence in yourself.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:15:39]

“Would you rather watch TV and play video games and drink with your friends or would you rather build a successful music business? You can’t do both, that’s not going to happen, you will not get off the ground. You need to examine your daily habits.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:22:47]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Indiegogo — https://www.indiegogo.com/

Kickstarter — https://www.kickstarter.com/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Take Your Teamwork to the Next Level - SMS057 Aug 05, 2019

As part of our few special episodes, we are talking about something that indirectly – yet profoundly – affects our businesses and music careers, and that is different personalities and leadership styles. Sometimes you just click with people and other times you bump heads with members of your team and you find yourself wondering what’s going on. The truth is, you need those people in your team. You need people to not only agree with you but to challenge you and stand in for you in those areas where you struggle, and vice versa. We are all wired differently and therefore we bring different things to the table and we need to recognize how our strengths and weaknesses function together to make a well-rounded team. Today Leah shares more about the different types of leaders and also about the relationally inclined synergist who we all need to become more like. We strongly encourage you and your team to do The Synergist quiz to see which kind of leader you are and how you can best work together. This is also a great tool if you’re thinking about getting a team together, so be sure to listen in for some really helpful information!

Key Points from This Episode:

More about The Synergist quiz and the four different leadership styles.
Why everybody needs to be a synergist or work at becoming more like one.
Why you eventually need each one of the four leaders on your team.
Examples of how the different leaders complement one another.
A few humorous pointers for visionaries in the workplace.
A brief description of each of the natural occurring leadership styles.
How the synergist is fundamentally different to the other types of leaders.
Playing all the different roles when starting off your business.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“Everybody needs to be a synergist in their business, in their workplace, in their home.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:04:33]

“I say, have all your band mates take this quiz too because then you know what you're dealing with as far as like just personalities and the way people are wired.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:53]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Superfan System Elite — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Predictable Success Quiz — https://getpredictablesuccess.com/styles-quiz/

The Synergist Book — https://amzn.to/2lLIV1t

Airtable — https://airtable.com/

The Secret to Understanding Social Media - SMS056 Jul 29, 2019

Today our episode is going to take on a bit of a different format. We thought it so important to give you a backstage look at how we approach the in-depth aspects of the application of what Leah teaches in the phenomenal Elite Coaching Program. On this episode CJ Ortiz talks about the secret to understanding social media, something all of you can benefit from! Marketing in the music industry has drastically changed over the last two decades and, even if you get signed by a label, you would still have to pull your weight in terms of marketing your music. But, how do you sell your music when people have become so resistant to being sold to? The answer is in making sure that your social media posts are curated for the culture of your audience and that they are organic and personal, blending in with people’s social media feeds. And when you get the hang of it, it will happen without much thought at all, freeing you up to use your creative energy for other purposes. Still unsure about social media or just looking for a quick brush-up course? Be sure to tune in for this one!

Key Points from This Episode:

How the changing music industry in demanding a lot more from musicians.
Why you don’t have to have everything together, as long as you’re on the way.
Intentional pain and what something like a 250-mile-run can teach you about yourself.
Why you have to get to know the culture of your audience to get marketing right.
How social media has largely replaced the need for the work of a label.
The importance of social media posts being organic and personal.
You really only understand social media when you don’t have to think about it anymore.
Why conventional sales techniques no longer work.
Facebook Marketplace and why it appeals to people.
How funnels work and build the know, like and trust aspects that you need to sell your music.
The stages of onboarding your audience: awareness, interest and commitment.
The different ways in which you can raise awareness on social media.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“You can’t have music that’s great but a website that’s crappy, you can’t have a packaging that looks great and music that sounds terrible.” — CJ Ortiz [0:04:29]

“You’ll really understand this whole social media aspect of marketing when it completely disappears and you are not so preoccupied with it. You are just talking to people, that’s all you’re doing and they don’t want to be sold to.” — CJ Ortiz [0:12:50]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Superfan System Elite — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Savvy Musician Spotify course — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/Spotify

Keys to Implementing Your Plans - SMS055 Jul 22, 2019

Today on the show Leah and CJ are giving you the tools and motivation to start implementing your plans, no matter how big or small they are. The conversation starts off with an exploration and definition of the word 'implement' and how it is being used in the context. From there, our hosts go into getting down to action and putting a halt to the delays that keep us from achieving. Leah explains the process that led up to her becoming the action and result-driven person she is, making conscious decisions and focussing on the pleasure of attaining goals. The discussion covers the fear and pain around doing the work, how little is actually standing in your way, intentionality and consistency and the fundamental nature of follow-through. CJ makes a strong argument for rewiring your brain for achievement, something that may be eluding you if you are experiencing small defeats on a consistent basis, he believes that by getting in an achievement-oriented mindset you can grow from success to success. For all this and more super helpful strategies, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

A result-oriented mindset and how central that is to our work at Savvy Musician Academy.
This week's student spotlight message!
Defining today's all-important word: implement.
Avoiding delay and getting into action on strategies
How Leah became an action-oriented type of person.
Weighing different pains and choosing the path that has results.
Intentionality, envisioning your actions and consistent in your strategies.
An imaginary exercise that can jumpstart your action process.
Wasting time and money on programs while not showing up and following through.
Rewiring your brain, your habits and the things you do day in and day out.
Higher levels, bigger devils; the climb continues.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“The word implement means to put a plan into effect. What good is a plan if you don’t implement and follow through.” — @metalmotivation [0:06:32]

“If you study successful people in history and current successful people, billionaires and all that, you’ll find that they’re all action takers.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:07:56]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Superman System Elite — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Savvy Musician Spotify course — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/Spotify

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CJ Ortiz — http://metalmotivation.com/

Jaqueline Caruso — https://www.thegalaxyelectric.com/

Grow Your Music Business with Less Stress - SMS054 Jul 15, 2019

Today on the Savvy Musician Show we’re talking about growing your music business with less stress by not doing everything yourself. At the start of your music career, you might have to fulfill multiple roles, which will give you the insight you need to delegate and oversee the tasks later on. But getting help will give you the freedom and breathing space to build out your business much faster, which in turn will provide the finances you need to further outsource and in this way, grow. We dive into the topic of delegation, advising you on the types of tasks that you should contract out and the ones that are important to do yourself, because there are certain things that only you, the artist, can do successfully. Fortunately, there is loads of stuff that you should not be filling up your time with, things that you are no good at and that won’t do your reputation any favors. Household duties are also an easy one to delegate, getting someone to give you a hand with cleaning and cooking so that you can spend your time more productively on the things that you are passionate about. Be sure to tune in!

Key Points from This Episode:

A testimony from a student about his success with the help of SMA.
Some of the problems Leah encountered when she tried to do it all herself.
The importance of initially doing things yourself so that you understand the various dynamics.
Two extremes: those who don’t delegate anything and those who delegate it all.
Mixing and graphics – the first two things you should probably farm out.
Considering unnecessary expenses and why you can afford to contract out some work.
The importance of artists themselves doing the course and not their managers.
Why you should not be delegating the marketing early on in your business.
Decision fatigue and lightening your load by delegating home tasks and chores.
Giving others more decision-making power so that they can take things off your hands.
Identifying the most important aspect that you need help with.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“In a lot of cases, it’s more expensive to do it yourself, all the time that you’re putting into it to not get it right and for it to not leave a good impression on somebody.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:10:02]

“That’s how delegation should happen, you need to know enough about it that you know if somebody is doing a good job or not for you.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:16:53]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Fiverr — https://www.fiverr.com/

Upwork — https://www.upwork.com/

99designs — https://99designs.com/

Rob Hulford (Student Spotlight) — https://www.robhulford.com/

Why We Charge for Information - SMS053 Jul 08, 2019

On today’s podcast, we get into the serious topic of why we charge for the information we provide. In a world that is becoming increasingly entitled, some people do not always get why they have to pay for something like content. Today we give you a full explanation on why we give some information for free and others come at a cost. People wonder why they need to invest in their education when they can get it all on YouTube and off the Internet, but what they are forgetting is the immense trouble it is to sift through, organize and make sense of all the random bits of information they piece together. Paying for information, for somebody else’s hard-earned experience makes total sense when you consider the cost of collecting, curating and packaging all the information in a way that is easy for students to grasp – not to mention what those teachers have paid to gain the expertise they now use to teach others. In the broader sense, we talk about the importance of having the right attitude and a worldview that challenges you to do your part in order to be successful. This conversation is so empowering, so be sure to hear us out!

Key Points from This Episode:

Measuring the value of information according to the size of the problem it solves.
Considering the potentially devastating repercussions of wrong information.
The particular problem that Leah solves for people – helping them realize their dreams.
The issue with free information: having to sift through everything to find something of worth.
The problem with people who know very little but then attempt to teach others.
The customer journey and how that relates to the free information Leah provides.
A culture of free information and the sense of entitlement it produces.
The importance of having a teacher who communicates well and maintains the right pace.
How the evolution of education might cause expensive colleges to become obsolete.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“The way I see it people have zero excuse today to fail because of all the amazing information they have.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:33]

“I hope if I can get people results with the free information, they might consider working with me later on. That’s absolutely the truth.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:12:36]

“In the world of the information age it’s easy to assume or believe, because of the sense of entitlement being created by this information age, that all information should be free.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:26:07]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Join Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Berklee College of Music — https://www.berklee.edu/

Why Your Music Isn’t Making Any Money: Website — https://www.savvymusicianacademy.com/43

Overcoming Overwhelm Productivity Hacks with Suzanne Paulinski - SMS052 Jul 01, 2019

Joining us today on the Savvy Musician Show is Suzanne Paulinski who is going to talk to us about something we’ve all experienced in trying to catch up to our fast-paced schedules – the feeling of being totally overwhelmed. Suzanne is a mindset coach for music professionals, particularly those who battle with anxiety around making their busy lives run smoothly while also trying to raise a family and advance their music careers.

It is not easy, but everything is figure-outable! In trying to get down your work-life balance, Suzanne talks about time management, goal setting, time blocking and sometimes just breathing and giving yourself permission to take time out. We also discuss why we as people inherently fear success, how to avoid the shiny object syndrome and the paradoxical role that structure and routine can play in giving you artistic freedom. There is a lot of really helpful insight coming out of this episode, so be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

Suzanne's niche in the music industry outside of being a performer or manager.
Using time management and goal setting as gateway terms to deal with mental health issues.
The widespread sense of overwhelm and the pressure to be an expert in multiple fields.
How Suzanne enables clients to organize and declutter their mental space.
Reducing the overwhelm by differentiating between micro and macro tasks.
Why we fear success more than failure and learning to celebrate the small wins.
Batching tasks of similar mental focus together rather than switching from one to the other.
Staying focused and avoiding the shiny object syndrome.
Navigating feelings of resentment and guilt regarding family and making time for them.
The role of a schedule, being adaptable and learning to live in the mess.
Why time blocks and boundaries can be adjusted, but shouldn’t be deleted.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“I have them just mind dump onto a piece of paper because writing, taking pen or pencil or paper is very effective and it just unlocks certain pieces of your brain.” — @RockStarAdvo [0:10:51]

“As humans, we don’t respond to vagueness. When we see something that’s big, we just avoid it. Getting as specific as possible with your to do list can be really helpful.” — @RockStarAdvo [0:14:09]

“No matter what team you have or what label signs you, the buck still ends with you.” — @RockStarAdvo [0:19:10]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Suzanne Paulinski — https://therockstaradvocate.com/

Marie Forleo — https://www.marieforleo.com/

The War of Art on Amazon — https://amzn.to/2KjKoqS

Micro-niche VS. Branding - SMS051 Jun 24, 2019

On today's show, we are breaking down the difference between a micro-niche and a brand! Leah and CJ systematically look at each and how it relates to your own music career and especially how to use them to your advantage. They talk about how to differentiate and categorize yourself with these concepts and how they should not be confused with each other.

Leah makes the point that using her audience's own interests and ideas around genre has made a world of difference in her success. Owning a niche and taking charge of the conversation around topics can make impact how an audience responds to your content very meaningfully and really pursuing this path to the best of your abilities will have amazing rewards for you. The episode ends off with some reminders about the importance of support through these processes and why that is such a focus at the Savvy Musician Academy. For all this and more, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

A special message of thanks from Chad!
Defining micro-niches and sub-genres in the music world.
Differentiating brand from micro-niche and genre.
Tying your brand to an audience's interests and deeper desires.
Owning your niche and the conversation and perceptions around it.
The support that is offered inside of Savvy Musician Academy.
Why Leah stays in the trenches of the music industry.
Today's simple action step to do with your branding.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“I am not concerned about being world famous. It always makes me laugh.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:24]

“I am blessed with a little bit of intuition before I understood the theory of any of this. I’m still learning so much.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:17:59]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CJ on Twitter — https://twitter.com/metalmotivation

Tony Robbins — https://www.tonyrobbins.com/

Chad Anderson (student spotlight) — https://www.fromtheseruins.com/

When You Don't Have Fans to Release Your First Album - SMS050 Jun 17, 2019

On today’s episode, Leah and CJ talk about the commonly faced dilemma of how to release an album when you don’t have fans yet and take you through some of the steps to build this fanbase. You have to have some music, even if it’s not professionally recorded, in order to engage and grab people’s attention in some way. There are so many free tools at your disposal that allow you to be creative when starting out, that a small budget should not stop you. Instead, you have to start by putting yourself out there, without waiting for what you have done to be perfect.

People will be drawn in by real life, vulnerability, and authenticity, rather than an overly polished person that is not easy to relate to. By being real, potential fans will feel involved in your life and much more likely to stick with you and show great loyalty throughout your career. Letting people into your life is not easy, but it is necessary to create a relationship and build rapport with your fan base. Once you have started putting yourself out there and begun to engage with people, it is important to use that momentum to actually record something professionally that fans can get their hands on and that you can use as a starting point for building your email list, your brand, and your culture. To learn how to get started on all of this and more, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

You have to start with some music in order to build a fan base.
Some things you can do for free to generate a fan base.
You don’t have to be perfect to release your music.
Realness, rawness, and authenticity are very relatable.
What Leah does to let her fans into her life.
Where to go after you’ve started building your fan base
Why email lists are so important.
How to start building your brand and creating culture after gaining fans.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“You're giving people a taste of something and they're going to follow.” — CJ Ortiz [0:10:20]

“Let people fall in love with you.” — CJ Ortiz [0:33:48]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musicians Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Join Savvy Musician Academy — www.callsma.com

Jessi Frey (student spotlight) — https://jessifrey.com/

Becoming An Online Musician - Your Key To Future Success - SMS049 Jun 10, 2019

On the show today, CJ and Leah look at what it really means to become an online musician in today's music industry, talking about what it takes, the buy-in and commitment to achieve the results you have always wanted. Leah starts off giving a brief definition of what she thinks being an online musician is and from there they look at ways in which you can add this branch of activities and income to your current setup. Leah runs through just how much this can help you and the multitude of benefits you can get from relatively low overheads once you commit to the goal of becoming an online musician. They talk scaling, social media formats, time constraints, and adaptability. All the things you should be clear and aware of going into this. Leah shares a bit of her personal story and how she overcame great odds and a difficult situation to get to where she is today, helping others do the same. For this, be sure to join us on the Savvy Musician Show!

Key Points From This Episode:

A student spotlight message from Steven!
Simply defining what an online musician is.
How to add the online component to what you are doing right now.
The amazing benefits of adding this dimension to your repertoire.
Understanding the important concepts of scaling and adaptability.
Reports about the changing format of Facebook's newsfeed.
Getting ahead of the game and becoming an online musician now!
Common misconceptions and misunderstanding about this field.
The time you put in contributes to the results you get.
If Leah can do it, so can you!
Some action steps that you can take today!
And much more!

Tweetables:

“Without touring then, you are doing better than some of the more successful touring bands in terms of each member, what they earn.” — @metalmotivation [0:09:05]

“If you’re an indie artist, you don’t have a label with a huge amount of capital to do it for you. This is an easy, economical, affordable, doable way to do it.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:13:13]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Savvy Musician Mastermind — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Crossing the Chasm — https://amzn.to/2WdFcpT

Blue Ocean Strategy — https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/what-is-blue-ocean-strategy/

Steven Vrancken (student spotlight) — https://stevenvrancken.com/

Bonus: Leah Answers Your Facebook Ad Questions - SMS048 Jun 03, 2019

Today on the show Leah and CJ are tackling your questions on Facebook ads! That's right they are fielding exactly what you asked and giving you the best answers they can muster so you can get rolling with better ad strategies and getting your music and merchandise moving! Facebook and other social media advertising done right can take you from floundering uncertainty to a blossoming career under your own personal control. Leah stresses the importance of copywriting, metrics and getting into the nitty gritty of what works and what does not, you need to learn your way around it all if you want to master it. We discuss the evolving algorithms and how best to stay up to date with them, how to balance your advertising strategy between what is happening now and long term goals and which shop platforms are best. Leah also answers questions on location targeting for events, marketing merchandise compared with music, calling it quits on an ad cycle and more! So be sure to join us today on the Savvy Musician Show!

Key Points From This Episode:

A special student spotlight message from Mia!
A little bit about Instagram ads and how to use them to increase purchases.
Staying up to date with the ever-changing Facebook algorithms.
Balancing general, long term ads with specific new content promotion.
The importance of copywriting in promoting and selling your products.
Why use Shopify instead of Bandcamp.
Targeting specific areas and Facebook's location targeting.
Should you market your merchandise differently to your music?
The different types of ads you can run and which are most effective.
The basics of great Instagram ads!
How to know when to end your running of a particular ad.
Making the most of what you have and getting some skin in the game.
And much more!

Tweetables:

“hat’s most important is that you know and understand your audience and your brand and everything ahead of time.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:38]

“That’s the kind of stuff that you do in marketing and advertising is you just test this stuff.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:03]

“Some people look at the Image and they don’t even read the text. You want to use all those different assets they’re giving you to the full potential.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:14:58]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

The Office — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386676/

Pink Floyd — http://www.pinkfloyd.com

DotComSecrets — https://www.dotcomsecrets.com

Exactly What to Say — https://amzn.to/2HhCDyO

Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/?ref=savvy-musician-academy

Why Your Music Isn't Making Any Money: Paid Traffic - SMS047 May 27, 2019

On today's show Leah and CJ are talking all about paid traffic. This is the last official episode in the five part series we’ve been doing called why your music isn’t making any money. We’ve been focusing on all the different ways you might not be marketing your music or implementing and hopefully, it’s going to help you.This last episode is all about paid traffic. Advertising. We’re discussing the dos and don’ts as well as some of the best performing ads that are killing it year round, why Leah is able to do all of this as a stay at home mom, five kids who are home schooled and an artist that never tours. This is the secret sauce. So for all this and more, keep listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

Defining organic reach versus paid traffic.
When paid traffic is appropriate to use.
What is meant by pixeling your audience.
Targeting your bullseye audience.
Using paid traffic for anything and everything related to the fan journey.
The fan journey - awareness, engagement and then a sale.
Reaching thousands of people through Facebook.
The do’s and don’ts of paid traffic.
Stop boosting your post - it not achieving anything productive.
Why you shouldn’t be running ads from your phone - use a desktop.
Keeping your ads separate - don’t run it from your personal profile.
Marketing 101 - The importance of understanding Facebook Pixel.
Don’t run ads unless Pixel is installed everywhere.
Having a clear objective before posting ads.
Why not run Instagram ads from Instagram.
Using Chrome browser and Chrome pixel helper when creating ads.
Getting proper training on exactly how to use ads for Facebook and Instagram.
Understanding effective targeting and knowing your target audience.
Using customized dimensions for different placements.
Leah’s 3 main ads: a like campaign, an opt-in ad, and a video view ad.
Building a page to create awareness, having social proof and a bullseye audience.
The multi-touch point process.
And so much more!

Tweetables:

“Paid traffic is going to be your shortcut to the desired result.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:05:03]

“It’s appropriate to use paid traffic anytime, any way related to the fan journey.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:19]

“Get clarity on your niche and your brand and the culture of your music. You need this for effective targeting.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:25:20]

“Don’t underestimate the power of social proof.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:31:49]

“No matter what I’m doing I am constantly building my music business no matter what.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:37:01]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

Spotify — https://www.spotify.com/

Deezer — https://www.deezer.com/en/

Facebook Ad Manager — https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/ads-manager

Facebook Pixel — https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-ads-pixel

Instagram — https://business.instagram.com/advertising/

Fivver — https://www.fiverr.com/

Why Your Music Isn't Making Any Money: Email Marketing - SMS046 May 20, 2019

On today's show, we are talking all about email marketing, email in general and why it’s a huge missing ingredient for most musicians. This forms part of the series we have undertaken on the Savvy Musician Show, on how to make more money through your music! We all know how important marketing is, and marketing yourself and your own music even more so. People often have different ideas about whether something is relevant and how it actually gets done. But Leah and CJ are here today to help you realize why building an email list is so important and how to go about it in the correct way. They also go into extensive detail on all of the features inside of their programs. So for all this and more, keep listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

The longevity of email, especially on a transactional level.
How e-commerce is growing - as long as there is e-commerce there is email.
Why you should be building your email list.
Being able to control, customize and personalize the experience for your fans.
Email being considered a powerful asset for you as a musician entrepreneur.
Immersing people in what you’re all about and adding value to their life.
Email as the number one source of revenue in e-commerce.
Direct response marketing approaches in email.
Uploading your email list to the Facebook platforms and showing ads.
Methods that increase revenue - pre-purchase and post purchase campaigns.
Using your email for cart abandonment - getting the buyer back.
Best tools for email marketing.
Using a professional email service provider and landing page provider.
Why it’s all about optimization.
And so much more!

Tweetables:

“There should be a huge importance and urgency for every musician to be building their list.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:06:43]

“The longer someone stays with you on your list and is a customer with you, the greater the lifetime value.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:11:42]

“It’s really important that you engage with people on the platform the way people like to engage on it.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:18:26]

“If it doesn’t have pixel integration, run away. You need this to make money. It is online marketing 101. You always use a Facebook pixel, you always track the traffic on any of your pages or websites.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:34:18]

“Stop cheapening out on tools and trying to get free this and free that everything.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:34:49]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CB Baby — https://cdbaby.com/

Shopify — https://www.shopify.com/?ref=savvy-musician-academy

Bandzoogle — https://bandzoogle.com/

Get Response — https://www.getresponse.com/

AWeber — https://www.aweber.com/

Drip — https://drip.com/savvymusician

Lead Pages — https://leadpages.net/savvymusician

Why Your Music Isn't Making Any Money: How to Ask for the Sale - SMS045 May 13, 2019

On today's show, we are tackling the question of how to ask for a sale. This forms part of the series we have undertaken on the Savvy Musician Show, on how to make more money through your music and selling is as important a part as any! Leah and CJ are giving you the inside scoop on the simple ways to convert fans and admirers into paying customers, in ways that don't feel slimy or coercive. This is a big problem for a lot of musicians, feeling like they are not and do not want to be, salespeople. But with this easy to follow introductory episode you can see how easy it is to start turning a profit and take positive action towards it. The discussion covers direct and passive promotion, approaching a warm audience, email and copywriting and why so many of your audience will be excited to pay you something for the value you offer. For all this and a great conversation on the nature of selling, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

A special student message from Wendy Nicole Hall.
Leah's own journey to learning to be a better seller.
The central role that selling plays in our lives.
Direct promotion and response marketing.
Pitching to a warm audience and leaning into your advertising.
Why to treat your music career more like e-commerce.
Taking control of your own musical destiny!
Passive promotion and where to find your fans.
The psychological desire to support someone who offers you value.
What to look forward to in the next episode!
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CD Baby — https://cdbaby.com

Bandcamp — https://bandcamp.com

Nightwish — http://nightwish.com/en

Epica — http://www.epica.nl

Game of Thrones — https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones

Elder Scrolls — https://elderscrolls.bethesda.net

Why Your Music Isn't Making Any Money: Your Shop - SMS044 May 06, 2019

On today's episode, Leah and CJ break down the next part of the question of why you may not be making more money from your music! They are focusing on the all-important aspect of your shop and how to make sure you are making the most of the platform. They are talking about which platforms are best and why, user experience, the checkout process, retargeting and more! Leah has her favored systems and she explains exactly why she recommends them over other services. We talk about the important things to keep in mind when linking to and setting up your shop and how to make sure you don't lose customers through abandoned carts and not following up. Leah also stresses the importance of clearly directing customers to your shop, a point a lot of independent musicians seem to gloss over. For all this and a bunch more, be sure to listen in!

Key Points From This Episode:

Why you cannot neglect to talk about money
A great message from Lauren from our Superfan System Elite program
Considering the common questions that give rise to today's topic
Putting yourself in the shoes of your customer during the buying process
Remembering the mantra that people care about themselves
What platform are you using and how responsive is it?
Facebook pixels, marketing 101 and why Bandcamp is behind the curve
Retargeting and making sure you do not lose sales
The checking out experience on your online shop
Walking through your own payment and checkout
Creating a familiar and trustworthy feeling
Clearly communicating where and how to buy your music
Your shop page is for one thing!
And much more!

Tweetables:

“There’s some things that really, at the end of the day, are not really going to affect your bottom line and so forget about that stuff and start focusing.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:03:10]

“You’ve got to put yourself in the shoes of your fan and potential customer and actually walk through the process of buying something.” — @LEAHthemusic [0:06:58]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

Shopify —https://www.shopify.com/?ref=savvy-musician-academy

WooCommerce — https://woocommerce.com

WordPress — https://wordpress.com

Jeff Bezos — https://www.biography.com/business-figure/jeff-bezos

LeadPages — https://leadpages.net/savvymusician

Stripe — https://stripe.com

Flag nor Fail — https://flagnorfail.com

Quest Nutrition — https://www.questnutrition.com

Drip — https://drip.com/savvymusician

AWeber — https://www.aweber.com

BigCommerce — https://www.bigcommerce.com

Why Your Music Isn't Making Any Money: Website - SMS043 Apr 29, 2019

On today’s episode, Leah and CJ launch a five-part series to delve deeper into why your music isn’t making any money, starting with the website. They reflect on what they’ve discussed in previous episodes, talking about targeting the “superfan" as well as what success in the new music industry looks like and how crucial a website is in all of this. It is easy to think that because of the multitude of platforms available today that a website is not necessary, but as they show, it is clear that a good website is necessary. They talk about some of the misconceptions people have when they are not making money off of their music and how to overcome these mental blocks. Fixing your website and putting in effort and consideration in at the start, means you can fill gaps perhaps you weren’t aware of. CJ and Leah give some simple, yet vital points to help you kickstart a website that excites people and keeps them coming back for more. For all this and much more, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

The five parts that will help you understand why your music is not making money.
A success story from the student spotlight series.
Why even today, with all social media websites, are necessary.
What happens when you have a bad website.
Websites are more predictable than other social media
The importance of a great URL.
The myths people believe when they don’t make money from their music online.
Simple tips to improve the quality of your track.
Being well connected is not the basis for success.
Which things musicians do wrong on their website.
Good reasons for using more sophisticated page building sites.
The importance of thinking about the end user experience.
Why having good graphic design makes a greater impression.
Why being consistent across many platforms will help you succeed.
The difference between mobile friendly and mobile responsive.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Fivver — http://www.fivver.com/

Superfan — http://www.superfansystem.com

Callsma — http://www.callsma.com

Why Every Musician Should Care About Their Metadata - SMS042 Apr 22, 2019

Today we have such a cool guest joining us! His name is Sebastian Wolff, and he has been involved in the video game music industry for over a decade, modernizing practices of rights management, royalty collection and assessing music publishing opportunities for game developers, publishers, and composers. Sebastian also co-founded the US mechanical rights company called Loudr, which was acquired by Spotify in 2018. In addition, he founded Materia Collective which is a leading video game music group that manages soundtrack distribution and publishing and produces CDs, vinyl and sheet music. On this episode we get deeper into the business side of the industry, talking about licensing and rights and how artists should go about making sure that they remain on the legal side of things. Sebastian explains to us what metadata entails and why it should be a top priority for any artists, particularly because of its revenue implications. He has so much more knowledge to share with us, so don’t miss out on today’s episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

A quick introduction to how Sebastian got started in the exciting world of video game music.
Finding Loudr and recognizing a need for licensing and rights assistance in the industry.
Sebastian’s view on streaming and how it is placing a higher demand on the quality of music.
How song covers contribute to the industry and what their legal implications are.
The strict regulations around uploading cover songs on social media platforms.
How to get rights for publishing and selling and the best companies to consult.
What metadata entails and why it is so relevant to all industry role-players.
Embedding your metadata and advice and how to approach and manage it.
Why artists still need to register copyright, even before releasing their music.
What Sebastian is learning at the moment and the book he recommends to everyone.
How artists can increase their revenue and why doing the not-so-fun bits is necessary.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sebastian Wolff — https://sebastianwolff.info/

Sebastian Wolff on Twitter — https://twitter.com/SebastianWolff

Loudr — https://loudr.fm/

Spotify — https://www.spotify.com/

Materia Collective — https://www.materiacollective.com/

Savvy Music Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Kingdom Hearts — https://www.kingdomhearts.com/home/gb/

Final Fantasy — https://www.finalfantasy.com/

Justin Bieber — https://www.justinbiebermusic.com/

Pentatonix — http://ptxofficial.com/

Easy Song Licensing — https://www.easysonglicensing.com/

Harry Fox — https://www.harryfox.com/#/

Songfile — http://www.songfile.com/

DistroKid — https://distrokid.com/

Soundrop — https://soundrop.com/

SoundExchange — https://www.soundexchange.com/

Gracenote — http://www.gracenote.com/

Media Net — https://www.media.net/

Ramit Sethi — https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/

I Will Teach You To Be Rich — https://www.amazon.com/Will-Teach-You-Be-Rich/dp/0761147489

How to Plan Your Music Year & Set Goals That You Can Achieve - SMS041 Apr 15, 2019

On the show today we are breaking down how you can set out your year and goals to make better progress in your music career! This means having a broad outlook for the year ahead and then sectioning it off into quarterly chunks, ready to be accomplished! The conversation covers a few of the questions we have been receiving from the Facebook Group and the common themes from these and balancing achievable goals with ambitions that stretch your abilities and reach. From there we go on to discuss just how to go about the process of goal setting from the early stages to some of the specific and nifty tricks to give you the upper hand on your tasks. We talk brainstorming, resources, tools, deadlines, categories and a whole lot more. If you are struggling to get around to setting goals or whether you need help with measuring and completing your to do list, this is the episode for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

Some of the questions we received over at the Facebook Group.
The importance of putting yourself out despite the discomfort.
Small and important lessons to take away from everything.
Why should you plan for the year in advance?
The starting point for planning.
Brainstorming, whiteboards and getting the ball rolling.
Giving yourself enough time and runway to accomplish your goals.
Leah’s list of goal categories.
The brain dump for each of your goals!
Implementing gradual habits and how this can help you.
Some tools to help you plan out your year and stay on track.
Inspiring resources and the benefits you can accrue from reading.
Quarterly deadlines and sticking to them!
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Annual Planning Guide Download: http://www.mapyourmusicyear.com

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

SMA Spotify Course — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/spotifyearlybird/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Bulletproof Coffee — https://blog.bulletproof.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/

Crowd Funding Podcast Episode — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/blog/2018/05/15-crowdfunding-planning-guide/

Album Launch Podcast Episode — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/blog/2018/10/24-spotify-ads-for-6-figure-album-launch/

Rocket Fuel — https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Fuel-Essential-Combination-Business/dp/1942952317

Airtable — https://airtable.com — https://www.amazon.com/Synergist-Lead-Your-Predictable-Success/dp/0230120555

The Synergist and Predictable Success — https://www.amazon.com/Synergist-Lead-Your-Predictable-Success/dp/0230120555

The Synergist Quiz — https://getpredictablesuccess.com/styles-quiz/

Voxer — https://www.voxer.com

Slack — https://slack.com

Myers-Briggs — https://www.myersbriggs.org/

Excel — https://products.office.com/excel

Evernote — https://evernote.com

The Current State of The Music Industry Why You Dont Need a Label - SMS040 Apr 08, 2019

On today’s spontaneous episode, Leah McHenry is joined once again by new co-host CJ Ortiz, an experienced branding and marketing expert, who works as a coach in the Elite Program. They delve into various topics related to the new music industry, such as the power of online marketing and how rather than being hopeless, aspiring musicians should see this new space as one full of opportunities. Leah shares some of the reactions she got when she put herself out there and how through perseverance, she is now able to support herself and her family with her music. She shares how, through learning about marketing, rather than music, she has been able to empower herself and create an authentic and sustained connection with her fans. If you’d like to find out how to start to do the same, join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Groups on Facebook that you can join.
How CJ and Leah’s friendship started.
How much Leah’s career has grown.
How to adapt when changes happen in marketing.
Success in the new music industry is defined differently than before.
Shifting your mindset in defining success is key.
The music industry is shifting in an unprecedented way.
Some success stories of people who have used these principles.
If you learn the basics of online marketing, it can translate across various spheres.
When Leah realized that she could take control of her career.
Some pros and cons of record labels.
What a Facebook pixel is and why it’s important.
How Leah was able to find and target her ‘superfans.’
And much more

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Savvy Musician Mastermind on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/groups/savvymusician/

Savvy Musician Spotify course — www.savvymusicianacademy.com/Spotify

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/leahthemusic

CJ Ortiz — http://metalmotivation.com/

What is Artist Development? - SMS039 Apr 01, 2019

Today’s show takes on a new format where CJ Ortiz joins Leah McHenry as co-host. CJ has over 20 years of experience in marketing and helping both individuals and organizations to achieve their visions. Currently, CJ works as the mindset and branding coach at the Superfan System Elite Program run at The Savvy Music Academy. In this episode, Leah and CJ talk about what artist development really is, delving deep into the complicated topic. They discuss what some crucial aspects of the artist development process are and how they think most traditional artist development companies are falling short and failing their clients. Leah also gives some insight into the process she has used to develop herself as an artist and how she thinks The Savvy Music Academy is breathing fresh air into artist development. Join us today for this and a whole lot more!

Key Points From This Episode:

The primary problem in the music industry since Napster.
What is artist development?
Leah’s five-year plan for Savvy Musician Academy and where she realized this.
The problems with traditional artist development agencies.
Leah’s insight into artist development in the new music industry.
Two things which are key to artist development.
Musicians should see themselves as entrepreneurs.
How Savvy Musician Academy is doing artist development differently.
The role of the coach and how they should work.
Leah’s own coaching style.
How DIY management is different from traditional management
An understanding of branding that goes beyond logos and fonts.
The real meaning of online marketing.
Making time to write or practice every day.
Building a fan base is a perpetual activity.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Savvy Musician Academy on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

SMA: Superfan System Elite Program — www.callsma.com

SMA online — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/the-superfan-system/

How to Write Commercial Hit Songs with Friedemann Findeisen - SMS038 Mar 25, 2019

Today we are joined by Friedemann Findeisen, a songwriter and songwriting coach. He has written over 1,000 songs in more than 100 styles and also has his own successful YouTube channel, Holistic Songwriting, where he explores various topics related to songwriting. In addition to this, he has also written a book, The Addiction Formula, where he shares his insights into how to ‘crack’ the songwriting code. In today’s episode, Friedemann talks about the book as well as holistic songwriting, which looks at the at various aspects that affect the process of songwriting and the quality of the song that is produced. He also shares some of his success stories, his own songwriting process, and some tips and tricks of the songwriting trade. Join us today to learn some of the ins and outs of how to write a successful song.

Key Points From This Episode:

Foundations of songwriting and why they are important.
What holistic songwriting is; more than music.
The pillars of creating a great song.
How to know when a song is good and will be a success.
Why the formula is not only for pop songs.
Understanding that “commercial” does not have to mean pop.
Most important tips to make your song addictive.
Learning how to understand the energy distribution of songs.
Importance of establishing an image.
Success stories from Friedemann’s experiences.
How Friedemann helps other people.
The problem of incongruency.
Examples of successful intuitive lyric writing.
Finding out who your fan avatar is.
His approach to songwriting.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Friedemann Findeisen — www.holisticsongwriting.com

Friedemann’s Patreon page — www.patreon.com/holisticsongwriting

Holistic Songwriting on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLtD67ljlaeXQMV4sb-YzNA

The Addiction Formula on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/Addiction-Formula-Captivating-Commercial-Songwriting/dp/9082391309

Sync Licensing Sucks: Change My Mind with Michael Elsner, Pt. 2 - SMS037 Mar 18, 2019

Welcome back to part two of our amazing conversation with Michael Elsner about licensing, how to get your music into TV, films and different mediums, the huge income potential there is around this and why it gets such a bad rap with so much skepticism around it. Michael is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, as well as the creator of The 4 Step Plan to Licensing Success.

During part one of the show, Michael shared a little bit about his background and some of the success that he has had in this industry. We’ve also talked about potential income streams and the importance of choosing the right libraries. On today’s episode, we hear from Michael all about his 4-step process and how we can make licensing work for us. So, for all this and more, keep listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear about Michael’s 4-step process in detail.
Step 1 - Building your catalog: writing music you’re passionate about.
Step 2 - Creating valuable content: Delivering a lot of alternative mixes.
The difference between tracks and stems.
Michaels recommendations for anyone wanting to get into licensing their songs.
Metadata: the descriptive terms that describe what that audio file is.
Step 3 - Mastering metadata: using very descriptive keywords to describe your songs.
Step 4 - Getting your music heard: finding the proper end users for your music.
Four paths to getting your music heard.
Having consistency over the long term.
Some good book recommendations from Michael.
And so much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michael Elsner — http://www.michaelelsner.com/Home.html

Michael on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelelsner/

Michael on Twitter — https://twitter.com/michaelelsner

Michael on Youtube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Hhg45THp8l6zkih-Wo19g

Master Music Licensing — https://www.mastermusiclicensing.com/

The 4 Step Plan to Licensing Success E-book — https://www.mastermusiclicensing.com/ebook-offer

Everything you Need to know About the Music Business by Donald Passman — https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1501104896/

The Plain and Simple Guide to Music Publishing — https://www.amazon.com/Plain-Simple-Guide-Music-Publishing/dp/1480354627

This Business of Music — https://www.amazon.com/This-Business-Music-10th-Definitive/dp/0823077233/

Sync Licensing Sucks: Change My Mind with Michael Elsner, Pt. 1 - SMS036 Mar 18, 2019

Today we get a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes functions involved in licensing; TV, film, ads, and anything alike. We’re joined by, Michael Elsner, a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, as well as the creator of The 4 Step Plan to Licensing Success. Today Michael shares a little bit about his background and some of the success that he has had in this industry. Many people in the industry are huge skeptics of licensing and never want to even get into licensing. They always avoid it. Often you can feel like you have no control over it and you feel like you don’t even know the way in.

There are tons of services out there where you pay fees and supposedly some executive is going to hear it. However, as many of us have found, you pay those fees and never hear anything, never get anything back and never hear any good stories about it. Today, Michael is here to completely change our perspective on licensing as a whole. So, if this is sounding all too familiar and you are also one of those skeptics, keep listening. This show has been divided into two parts so be sure to come back next time for part two with Michael Elsner where we hear more about his 4-step process.

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear more about Michael’s background and how he got into licensing.
Why licensing should be considered as a valid avenue for people with a music business.
Being diverse with your styles of music when licensing.
Money potential in licensing.
The five kinds of placements.
What the most favored nations clause means.
The two contracts: a sync license and a master license.
What a one-stop shop refers to.
Giving away rights to administer your songs, not giving ownership of your music.
Potential income streams that this could provide for musicians thinking about it.
Michael’s approach to licensing; all about consistent placements.
Understanding the different types of libraries.
Quality libraries and how it works.
Hear more about Michael’s 4 step process he takes each song through.
And so much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michael Elsner — http://www.michaelelsner.com/Home.html

Michael on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelelsner/

Michael on Twitter — https://twitter.com/michaelelsner

Michael on Youtube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Hhg45THp8l6zkih-Wo19g

The 4 Step Plan to Licensing Success E-book — https://www.mastermusiclicensing.com/ebook-offer

The Nuts & Bolts of Tour Production, Finances & Live Show Business, Pt. 2 - SMS035 Mar 11, 2019

Welcome back to the Savvy Musician Show. Today on the podcast we continue with part two of our interview with John B. Webster, an accomplished tour set designer and builder. In this episode, we continue our conversation about the layering effect that you can achieve by systematically introducing light, color, and haze onto the stage. John explains how to increase the theatricality of your productions to ensure an impactful ending to your show. He sheds light on the safety implications of using pyro on stage and cautions us against those elements that are best avoided and those that should be used sparingly.

For those who favor a romantic atmosphere, John B gives pointers about the types of objects that effectively create that vibe on stage. We discuss the practicality of using LED technology and then jump to the all-important topic of finances. As any successful entrepreneur would do, he reminds us how crucial it is to stay within the budget and to keep tabs on what you are spending on each effect. We learn how lucrative merchandise sales can be on tour and that it’s never too late to adjust a stage element that isn’t working for you. We talk about the visibility of artists during a show and John B. dishes out some helpful tips in this regard. Tune in to hear it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

How to create a layering effect in your productions
Ensuring that your show builds up to a grand finale.
How and when to use pyro.
Why it is important to always consider safety first!
Using candelabras and candles to create a mood.
Making the most of LED technology.
Respecting your budget.
Profiting from merchandise sales.
Optimizing your visibility on stage.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

John B. Webster — https://johnbwebsterdesign.com/

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Pulp Fiction — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/

Shopify — https://www.shopify.com/

Gene Simmons — https://twitter.com/genesimmons

The Nuts & Bolts of Tour Production, Finances & Live Show Business Pt. 1 - SMS034 Mar 04, 2019

Today we get a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes functions involved in set and tour production. Having worked with artists such as Joni Mitchell and k.d. Lang, we are fortunate to have John B. Webster, better known simply as John B, with us today. He is going to share a bit about how he managed to land such impressive gigs and his philosophy that keeps all doors open.

He touches on the nitty-gritty of set design, including the creative process and the importance of keeping the type of venue in mind. Those on a tighter budget would be delighted by his brilliant tips for introducing striking design elements, all available from your local Home Depot. We further talk about the effects of lighting and color on stage and hash out the difference between a fogger and a hazer. Tune in to find out what else you can do to put up a spectacular show.

Key Points From This Episode:

Friends can be valuable contacts.
Never burn bridges in relationships.
Set design starts with a meeting with the artist.
3D CAD programs can be used to sketch set designs.
Design elements must fit different venues.
Banners are user-friendly, convertible and inexpensive.
Digital printing has made logo printing much cheaper.
Use mylar foil and lights to create atmosphere.
Colored lights work well on screen door mesh.
Make friends with the light guy at the venue.
Uses hazers rather than foggers.
Lighting and music must correspond.
Identify your primary color lights and communicate it.
Create a story with your music.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Displays2Go — https://www.displays2go.com/

John B. Webster — https://johnbwebsterdesign.com/

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

The Tragically Hip — http://www.thehip.com/

k.d. Lang — https://www.kdlang.com/

Diana Krall — http://www.dianakrall.com/

Joni Mitchell — http://jonimitchell.com/

The Barenaked Ladies — https://www.barenakedladies.com

The Tenors — https://www.tenorsmusic.com/

Jane Siberry — https://www.janesiberry.com/

Vectorworks — https://www.vectorworks.net/

Stereophonics — https://stereophonics.com/

Nightwish — http://nightwish.com/en

Secrets of Spotify: Case Study On How to Increase Monthly Listeners & Revenue - SMS033 Feb 18, 2019

Today on the show we are joined by Dave Powers from the band MountainCity. Dave and his wife, Tara, formed the band as a folk and country duo a few years ago and have managed to grow their following and revenue impressively since then. In our conversation, Dave shares the ways in which he has approached these tasks on the different online platforms and the strategies that have helped him take the band to where they are today.

We discuss a lot about Spotify and how to get onto the important playlists on the streaming platform. Dave even shares some extra special tactics that have helped them get millions of listens and a steady source of passive income. We talk systems and spreadsheets, generosity, guerrilla marketing, and building mutually beneficial relationships in the business. For this and a whole lot more, be sure to join us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

A little bit about Dave and his band Mountain City.
How Dave has approached growing on Spotify.
Reaching out to people with playlists on the platform.
Understanding Spotify’s algorithms and how to use them.
Intentionality and the tracking of your systems.
Guerrilla marketing and reaching out to strangers.
Generosity and helping others through your network.
Doubling down on relationships and solidifying your listens.
How payment works on streaming platforms.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

MountainCity — https://mountaincitymusic.com/

Jeff Walker — https://jeffwalker.com/

Spotify — https://www.spotify.com

Airtable — https://airtable.com/

The Art & Science of Stage Design, Pt. 2 - SMS032 Feb 04, 2019

Hey everyone and welcome back to the Savvy Musician Show! In this episode, we dive into Part Two of our conversation with Matty Chirichillo, as he tells us about touring, the music industry, and putting together a great show. Matty is a DJ, Songwriter, Music Producer and Production Manager/Systems Engineer at Pure Joy Productions.

After covering some important topics in Part One of our interview with Matty, today we are jumping in and discussing hiring the right people according to your budget, funding your tour, organizing transport, and much more. Matty’s enthusiasm and young expertise is so inspiring and we are sure you will find a few of gems in our conversation that you can apply to your own career. For all this and more be sure to join us!

Key Points From This Episode:

Putting together a skeleton crew for a great, low cost tour.
Considering different ways of funding a tour and its expenses.
Figuring out salaries and the going rates for different roles.
The vehicle, the driver and the laws around these.
Hiring a visual artist and the video and projection aspects of a show.
Matty’s last little piece of advice to our audience.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Matty Chirichilo — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattchirichillo

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Facebook For Musicians Mini Course — http://facebook4muscians.com/

BVRLY — https://bvrlymusic.com/

Excel — https://products.office.com/excel

Eagles — https://eagles.com/

Airtable — https://try.airtable.com/

The Art & Science of Stage Design, Pt. 1 - SMS031 Jan 21, 2019

Welcome back to the show everyone. Today we are joined by Matty Chirichillo who is here tell us all about how to put together a successful tour and all the different aspects that go into this. Matty has worn a lot of hats at his young age, having toured with the Eagles amongst other big names, traveled the world as a DJ, and worked in studio as a producer and musician. In this first part of the conversation, we cover Matty’s early years and how he got into the music industry. Matty then breaks down the logistical aspects of touring and offers tons of great advice for accounting, merchandise, and who to hire. The conversation continues in part two, so stay tuned for that too!

Key Points From This Episode:

Some background on Matty, his work and area of expertise.
Where to start when planning a first tour.
Tour accounting and Matty’s own tips for this endeavor.
Tickets, merchandise and logging all these numbers before paying anybody.
The different roles and people you need to take along.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Matty Chirichilo — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattchirichillo

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Facebook For Musicians Mini Course — http://facebook4muscians.com/

BVRLY — https://bvrlymusic.com/

Excel — https://products.office.com/excel

The Eagles — https://eagles.com/

Airtable — https://try.airtable.com/

From 0 to 20k Per Month in Music Sales Without Touring - SMS030 Jan 07, 2019

Welcome back to the Savvy Musician Show. Today on the podcast we are going to be talking about using Facebook as a platform and the strategies Leah has used that have led to some amazing results lately. Since implementing these strategies, Leah has gone from zero dollars, zero fan base, no knowledge about business or the music industry whatsoever, all the way to making $20,000 a month in music sales.

Inside this episode, we will go over exactly how Leah did this, especially as a recording artist who doesn’t tour, which is absolutely unheard of! Stay tuned as we go over how to build your culture, why you cannot ignore Facebook as a platform, and how to micro-niche down to let your brand stand out. So to jump into the savvy side of Facebook, stay tuned to today’s episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

The reason behind why Leah chose not to go on tour.
What motivated Leah to become a savvy musician.
Understanding that there is no cheap trick or tactic to success.
Why it is important to build a culture around your music.
Micro-niching down in order to stand out in a saturated industry.
Importance of having a congruent brand across all platforms.
Why knowing your audience is a precursor to your marketing strategies.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah McHenry — https://leahmusic.net/

Leah on Twitter — https://twitter.com/LEAHthemusic

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Facebook For Musicians Mini Course — http://facebook4muscians.com/

Behind the Scenes of a Profitable Tour with Martijn Westerholt - SMS029 Dec 17, 2018

Welcome back, everybody! On the show today we have Martijn Westerholt from the symphonic metal band, Delain. Martijn is here to tell us all about his experiences as a successful full time touring musician over the last two decades. We chat about his early career and former bands before discussing the set up with Delain. From there Martijn unpacks what goes into a tour for him and the band and what the process looks like from start to finish.

Through the interview, our guest is kind enough to offer advice to those only starting out on this type of venture and then compare it with the more seasoned set up that he has with his work currently. Martijn offers great advice on staging a spectacle, conquering new markets and the value of having a strong team to work with. He also gets into some financial advice and the best use of earnings when trying to build a future as a touring band. For a great conversation with an experienced professional, be sure to listen in!

Key Points From This Episode:

A little about Martijn and his current band Delain.
The song writing process for Delain.
Some of the accomplishments of which Martijn is most proud.
Planning for the future and focussing on building support.
Thinking about the idea of conquering countries and picking the right markets.
The importance of spectacle and putting on a great show.
Presenting yourself appropriately on stage in accordance with the music.
The order in which Martijn goes about planning a tour.
Why you should find good people to sell merch and work the sound desk.
Where to invest your earnings when you are starting out.
Maximizing profit from live shows and cutting costs.
Doubling down and selling more merchandise.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah — https://leahmusic.net/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Martijn Westerholt — https://www.discogs.com/artist/254736-Martijn-Westerholt

Within Temptation — https://www.withintemptationrecordings.com

Delain — http://www.delain.nl

Orphanage — https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Orphanage/778

Nightwish — https://www.discogs.com/artist/215663-Nightwish

Rammstein — https://www.discogs.com/artist/11771-Rammstein

How to Quit Your Day Job and Play Music Full-Time, Pt. 2 - SMS028 Dec 03, 2018

Welcome back to the Savvy Musician Show and the second part of our conversation with Daniel Coates about going full time with your music career. Daniel travels and performs around the world as Suntara and in this segment we will continue our foray into how he made this a viable and profitable venture. We chat about capturing live shows on video and how Daniel uses this footage, and we get into taking a leap of faith to find your audience. Daniel also expresses his gratitude for his family who are always on the road with him before we think about the exponential growth of musicians following their dreams and finding their own magical way in the world. For all of this and much more, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

The volunteer who films all of Daniel’s shows for his promotional use.
Taking the risk before you can see the whole path.
Daniel’s target audience and hitting it out of the gate.
Building an audience out of a look alike profile.
Daniel’s family’s involvement and the inspiration and motivation they give him.
The ripple effect of following your dreams.
Reconciling the calling for spiritual music and the business and marketing side of things.
Using your own micro-niche and building events and experiences out of that.
The power of retargeting and following up on interest.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah — https://leahmusic.net/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Daniel Coates — http://www.suntaramusic.com/about/

Suntara Music — http://www.suntaramusic.com/

Suntara on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/suntaramusic/

Eventbrite — https://www.eventbrite.com/

How to Quit Your Day Job and Play Music Full-Time, Pt. 1 - SMS027 Nov 19, 2018

In this episode of the Savvy Musician Show, we are joined by Daniel Coates from our very own Savvy Community. Daniel is a great example of someone who has taken some of the lessons we teach at the academy and applied them to making a living from what he loves, his music.

Daniel is here to tell us all about how he did this and the unique way in which he applied these lessons to his own model and ambitions. We chat about the time leading up to his full-time career switch and how he then managed to make the change to an international touring musician. Daniel explains his live shows and the marketing strategy that goes into planning these. He also gets into life on the road with his family and how he has built this into his career. For an inspiring conversation with someone who has successfully created a viable music career, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

A little bit of Daniel’s backstory and how he made the switch to full-time musician.
The defining moment that forced Daniel to make his own way.
Daniel’s advice to someone trying make a living from their art.
Some information on Daniel’s live show and what it involves.
Daniel’s basic marketing strategy for getting people to attend his events.
The things Daniel tweaked to start making a profit from his music.
Touring with family and making that work on the road.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah — https://leahmusic.net/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Daniel Coates — http://www.suntaramusic.com/about/

Suntara Music — http://www.suntaramusic.com/

Suntara on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/suntaramusic/

Eventbrite — https://www.eventbrite.com/

Savvy Musician Show - What is Windowing Should You Try It - SMS026 Nov 05, 2018

In this episode of the Savvy Musicians Show, Leah will be talking about windowing and its usefulness as a launch strategy. First off, Leah unpacks exactly what windowing is and how it has traditionally been used in the film industry to try and maximize revenue for films across platforms.

She then looks at who in the music industry the strategy might be applicable to and why you would actually consider employing it in the first place. From there she unpacks some of the fundamental pros and cons of windowing and how to navigate these for best results. The last part of the episode is spent examining Leah’s own experiences with this strategy, in her current album launch cycle. For a great and informative exploration of the idea and its utility, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

What is windowing? And looking at how it has been used in the film industry.
Who can successfully use windowing as a strategy?
Basic pros and cons of windowing your album launch.
The importance of communication and framing your choices to your fans.
Considering piracy and losing revenue across platforms.
Setting expectations and preparing for the unexpected.
Leah’s own experiences with windowing in her current launch cycle.
Why Leah has now chosen the accelerated windowing strategy for herself.
Hitting six figures for the launch and revenue goals for the rest of the year.
Exposure over windowing in building a following.
Leah’s challenge to those looking to build a bigger audience.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah — https://leahmusic.net/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

How to Run a Successful Facebook Group for Your Music Brand - SMS025 Oct 22, 2018

Welcome to the Savvy Musicians Show! This is the podcast that will help you get your music and career to where you have always dreamed it could be. In this episode, we are dealing with a fundamental part of running your brand in the current climate and that is how to utilize a particular area of social media, namely Facebook Groups. Things have changed over the years across social media platforms and the current system and algorithm on Facebook have resulted in a downturn for the use of Pages due to lack of reach and natural growth.

This has led many businesses to turn to groups as a way to build community, connection and ultimately revenue. We chat about naming your Group, the ins and outs of running it, content selection, moderation and much more. The episode rounds out on the topic of turning group members or groupies into customers and ultimately making money. So join us for the first episode of this series and get your music brand growing and blossoming today!

Key Points From This Episode:

The move away from Pages towards Groups on Facebook.
Why should you have a Facebook Group for your music brand?
The algorithmic changes that Facebook has implemented recently.
The real purpose of starting a group on Facebook.
Naming your Facebook Group around the culture of your music brand.
How to run, limit and contribute to your Facebook Group.
Laying out rules and making sure members see them.
What to post and how to select content.
The exciting new ‘watch party’ feature for Groups.
Allowing others to post and moderately these.
Turning groupies into customers, email lists and funnels.
And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Leah — https://leahmusic.net/

Savvy Musician Academy — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/

Savvy Musician Academy Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/onlinemusician/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — http://www.callsma.com/

The Super Fan System Elite Program — https://savvymusicianacademy.com/elite/call/

Mark Zuckerberg — https://www.facebook.com/zuck

George Bryant — https://www.linkedin.com/in/gebryant

The Lord of the Rings — https://www.tolkien.co.uk/product-category/the-lord-of-the-rings/

Enya — https://enya.com/

Buffer — https://buffer.com/

Meet Edgar — https://meetedgar.com/

How I’m Using Spotify Ads for a 6-Figure Album Launch - SMS024 Oct 08, 2018

If you’re a musician who has been looking for clarity on how to approach Spotify, this episode is for you. Listen as Leah creates a Spotify Ad and highlights the features the platform offers artists to market their music.

Important Things To Remember

- If you want to target multiple countries, you’ll need to purchase multiple ads.

- Different audiences are on different platforms.

- Always try to focus your ad to a granular audience.

- Record your own audio for you ad. Put some energy into it!

- Utilize Facebook Pixels by directing people to your website.

Revisit the Highlights

01:00 - Submitting a Song To A Playlist

02:30 - The Goal of Streaming Sites

04:00 - Spotify Targeting

05:40 - Spending Minimum

06:25 - Building the Ad

08:15 - Targeting Your Audience

14:15 - Making an Audio File for Your Ad

17:15 - Directing People to your Website

87K in One Month, Pt. 2 - SMS023 Sep 24, 2018

Leah just completed a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign. The campaign exceeded it's $50K goal by $37K. In this episode Leah continues to break down how she raised 87K in a month, why this campaign was different than previous campaigns and how she organized the campaign to make it as effective as possible.Important Things to Remember- When someone wants a product, they feel like they need it.

- Remember the 5 Calendar phases.

- You don’t have a launch day, you have a launch month.

- Use Google Sheets and Airtable to keep you organized.

- Make sure someone takes ownership of each task.

- Pick a platform with a clean mobile experience.

Revisit the Highlights

03:12 - Creating a Need

09:34 - The 5 Calendars

17:20 - Observations

25:00 - Delegation

87K In One Month, Pt. 1 - SMS022 Sep 10, 2018

87K in 1 months - Part 1 SMS022

Leah just completed a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign. The campaign exceeded it's $50K goal by $37K. In this episode Leah breaks down how she raised 87K in a month, why this campaign was different than previous campaigns and how she organized the campaign to make it as effective as possible.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

When choosing a platform, make sure they accept Paypal.
Create scarcity by providing limited edition items.
Make it all about the fan
Make sure your platform supports Facebook Pixels

REVISIT THE HIGHLIGHTS

09:09 - Why This Campaign Was Different11:24 - The Purpose of Funding. 12:25 - Giving Less Options22:23 - Informing your Fanbase.32:20 - Facebook Pixels

How Health and Fitness Affect Your Music Goals - SMS021 Jul 23, 2018

How Health and Fitness Affect Your Music Goals - SMS021

When you study the habits of successful people, you’ll notice there are a few habits they all seem to share. One of those habits is a lifestyle that focuses on mental and physical health. In this episode Leah talks about how pursuing health can teach us lessons that will extend into the way that we approach our business and our music careers.

Important things to remember

Statistically, successful people are health conscious people.

Your instincts run counter to achieving fatigue.

Progress doesn’t happen until you feel like you are ready to give up.
Even olympic athletes have coaches.

Revisit the highlights

02:10 - Health Habits of Millionaires

04:36 - Mental Challenges in Health and Business.

07:19 - Meaningful Resistance

15:12 - Reactions to Fatigue

17:39 - Pushing through Pain18:30 - Coaching Call SMA

Finding Your Voice with Brett Manning, Pt. 2 - SMS020 Jul 09, 2018

Brett is one of the worlds most sought after vocal coaches, largely because of his uncanny ability to “see with his ears,” and instantly invent exercises that get astounding results. His client list contains winners of the world’s most prestigious vocal awards, including the Doves, the CMA Awards, and yes, the Grammys. In Part 2 of this interview, Brett and Leah talk about the difference between amateurs and professionals. Important Things to Remember

Amateurs take tips. Pros train with a plan.
If you want to be paid more, you need to increase your skill.
You find the notes through flow, not force.
Expose. Involve. Upgrade.
Amateurs practice just until they get it right. Pros practice until they never get it wrong.
First is mechanics, then muscle memory, then music.

Revisit the Highlights

01:00 - Why Coaching Matters05:00 - Having A Business Mindset07:13 - Focus on What Matters. 12:21 - The Importance of Singing like Yourself. 15:20 - Three Overlapping Circles that Guide Your Training. 20:40 - Getting Permission from your Audience.23:00 - When You Don’t Have A Coach.24:14 - Quick Vocal Tip30:44 - Building Trust with Your Audience.34:04 - Singing is Mental37:17 - Finding Results.

Finding Your Voice with Brett Manning, Pt. 1 - SMS019 Jun 25, 2018

Pt 1: Finding Your Voice with Brett Manning

In Part 1 of this interview, Leah and Brett talk about what it really take to be consistently great singer.

Important Things to Remember

Motivation is crap. Drive is unstoppable.
The resistance that tries to stop you is the things that strengthens you.
If you have to strain to hit a note, you won’t get it right.
Positive thinking is not effective without a plan.
If you never lose you are never getting better.
The more technique you have, the more loose and reckless you can be.
A competitive singer is trying to find a song to show off their voice. An artist is trying to find their voice to show off a song.

Revisit the Highlights

03:32 - Developing Your Brand as a Singer. 05:45 - Humility is the Key to Learning. 13:22 - The Drive to Conquer Your Mountain. 20:20 - Common Lies about Vocalists. 28:23 - Finding Meaningful Victories. 28:45 - Leveling up Your Skill Set. 37:56 - Being Dangerously Interesting, not Technically Interesting.41:37 - What it Means To Sing with Soul

When Your Music Ads Become Profitable with Brian Judy - SMS018 Jun 11, 2018

When Your Music Ads Become Profitable with Brian Judy

Brian Judy is the man behind behind Delta-S. He makes dark electronic music that focuses on storytelling and character building. He has found that the best way to find your audience and create moving music is to embrace what makes you unique.

Things to remember

You only know what to do if you know who you are.
Be confident in what you make, what it represents and why people should listen.
Music is meant for other people and to impact the world.
Identify what you music is about, make it excellent, then identify your audience.

Revisit the highlights:

03:50 - How to Stand Out07:00 - Break though with Facebook ads08:53 - Finding your Niche10:11 - Collaborating with Fans12:00 - How Superfans Change You13:35 - Music is not for ourselves15:35 - Tools that help stay organized

Selling Your Music Confidently with Ben McGarvey - SMS017 May 29, 2018

Ben McGarvey makes Folktronic music under the name Minute Taker. His music career started out the traditional way - playing shows and flirting with record labels. After joining the Savvy Musician Academy, he learned how to build his career online. Now he’s selling records and seeing his online engagement grow. In this interview Leah and Ben talk about focusing ads, data mining, the necessity of marketing and how marketing can build your confidence.

Important things to remember:

Ask your fans who they think your music is inspired by and use that information to target your ads.
Data mining helps you read your audience's mind so that you can build the perfect ad.
Perseverance and research is the key to success.

Revisit the highlights:

00:20 - Minute Taker

04:20 - The Goal is to Share It

07:21 - Social Media Growth

11:00 - Superfan System

12:38 - Data Mining

18:22 - Focusing your marketing.

What is Branding & How to Stay Motivated with CJ Ortiz - SMS016 May 14, 2018

Metal Motivation with CJ Ortiz

For nearly 20 years, CJ Ortiz has been consulting individuals and organizations on achieving, improving, communicating, and packaging their visions. Metal Motivation is about maximizing all that you are, and all that you can do, for a purpose greater than yourself and doing it with a metal mindset.

Important Things To Remember:

- Branding is idea driven. It’s when ideas take form.

- To stay motivated, stay focused on your motive.

- It’s not enough to be talented. You need to be relentless if you want to reach and sustain your success.

- Differentiate or Die

- Most people fail because they don’t stick to the fundamentals.

Revisit the Highlights:

05:29 - Branding

07:50 - How To Get Motivated.

13:39 - Developing Self Control.

19:05 - The Old Music industry Is Dead.

36:24 - Understanding Social Media