8 mistakes to avoid building your career as a musician

Fail #8. Not keeping an image that works well with your music

Many musicians and bands have a tendency to seriously underestimate the importance of a solid, clear and consistent image. The music is what they burn for, neglecting that good music alone doesn't necessarily market and manage it self. For you to be successful you will need to build a coherent image that helps market your music and attract an audience.

Fail #7. Misreprecenting yourself in digital media

Social media and the digial media are tools to use, not the solution it self. You need to think more about what you say and show of your image and work and less about where you do it. You need to represent yourself clearly where your audience are. So first, you need to know who your fans are, in what social media or channel you are most likely to speak to most of them. Then, you need to be smart about how you communicate to them.

So that's What, where and how. 

Fail #6. Neglecting to invest time and effort in career-building

Making music is of course at the heart of any career in music, but it alone will not carry you effortlessly into success and fame. Bombshell: It takes quite a lot of actual hard work. If you have the passion for music, that largely takes care of that part. But you also need to spend a lot of time and effort on the other aspects of building. As long as you already are a talented musician, be sure to invest at least 50% of your time into starting or developing your career like a true entrepreneur.

Fail #5. Keeping the wrong company

If you find yourself in the company of people who are predominantly negative towards you or your work, are too lazy or lack the ambitions or passions you feel in yourself, take action! It is important to surround yourself with like-minded musicians with ambitions and passion matching your own. Such people keeps you working and pull you in the right direction towards og successful professional career in music.

Fail #4. Not good enough at live performance

Your music may be good, but it takes more than making good music to do a compelling live performance. This is where many artists fail to get into the bands they audition for or seldom get hired several times by the same venue. If the pure music was all they wanted, people would listen to it at home. When they come to listen to you perform or when you audition for a position in a band, they want to get more. They want a show, and you must give it to them in addition to your great music.

Fail #3. Counting fans instead of how much fan they are

Building a fan base is a numbers game, sure - but there is vast difference between 1000 random fans and 10 super dedicated, real, solid fans of your work. Each one of those 10 can potentially get you 1000 new fans, each! You need to spend time and effort in deepening your relationship with your fans. And remember that fans may "fall out of love" with you if you don't stay in there with them. It is a constant, ongoing job.

Fail #2. Failing to create enough income to sustain your career

"Money talks, bullshit walks" - Like it or not, money really do make the world go around. Many artists and musicians often miss important opportunities that actually present them selves because they simply can't afford to follow them up. You need to be smart about how to make your money. Be an entrepreneur! - if your music doesn't create enough cash flow, you need to create it in other ways. In addition to a nice income, you need to build a buffer so you can make the most of opportunities that may involve an initial cost. Teaching your skills to others may be a low-impact way to generate some extra income on the back of your talent.

Fail #1. Not having a deep an wide enough network

When it comes to networking, the number of connections really is less important than quality of the connections.