Invest in Yourself (Not Others)

Hello again,

If I’ve learned anything in my journey so far, it’s that building a direct connection with your audience should be your number one priority.

You can be the most fantastic musician, write the most moving songs, and have the most beautiful voice, but if you’re at the mercy of traditional media like radio or newspapers in getting the word out and finding listeners, then you’re up against an insurmountable obstacle.

Think about it – how many newspapers do you read a day, print or online? Maybe two to three at most? How many times do you make it to the music section? How many review slots do they have? Maybe six? You can forget about four of them. Springsteen’s got a new record out, so does Dua Lipa, so does – well, take your pick. How do you get one of those remaining slots, when there are thousands, hundreds of thousands even, in your same position, trying to get noticed?

Traditionally, you’d painstakingly craft a press release, tailor individual emails to music journalists (if you can find their details at all), press send, and then hope for the best. You’ll probably be one of a thousand emails they get that day, or a thousand instagram messages. And maybe they’re distracted that day and don’t see it. Maybe they’ve moved on and their email doesn’t work anymore. Maybe they’re just about to listen when their colleagues suggest it’s beer o’clock, and bam, their coat’s on and they’re out the door, your email forgotten forever as it sinks out of view.

You could hire a publicist of course. If you have a spare couple of thousand. They’ll tell you all about their plans, say they have all these amazing contacts, great working relationships with journalists – but no promises. And at the end of the day, they might say, hey, we tried, but Springsteen’s got a record out, Dua Lipa – you get the idea. Onto the next client.

It’s the same with radio – you can drop a few thousand securing a few plays on radio using a radio plugger – they’ll happily take your money – but again, they guarantee nothing. And if they do succeed, how do you know who’s listening?

What’s the best investment for you and your career? With every penny or cent you spend, you should be thinking about how it finds you a true fan.

Invest in yourself, not others.

There’s never been a better time to use new technologies like social media or newsletters to build an audience.

Because the content you create lasts. You build up a catalogue over time. The barriers to entry are low, and the rewards can be high – but only if you put in the work.

Making YouTube videos gave me an opportunity to showcase my personality, put my music out there, and find my tribe.

Because I was ignored by the media. I still am. No hard feelings. It’s tough out there. But because I don’t rely on them to get word out, it doesn’t affect me.

And it’s still not too late to get involved. Far from it. Because it’s estimated that YouTube’s global user count will reach 2.85 billion by 2025.

2.85 billion. I’ll let that sink in for a second.

Homework time – think about your strengths as a musician – maybe you’re a killer bassist who slaps harder than Will Smith. Maybe you’re a saxophonist who’s nailed circular breathing. Or you’ve got a really inventive acoustic cover of a popular song in your back pocket.

What can you offer audiences? How can you entertain? What can you teach? How can you brighten their day for a few minutes?

Because soon it’s going to be time to put yourself out there.

Mary x

(To respond to this newsletter, just reply or email [email protected].

Thanks to everyone who responded to last week’s letter – I’m working on some replies and will feature them shortly.

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