Friday, January 30, 2009 

Interesting SocNet Observations...

rby Madalyn Sklar



As both an expert and avid fan of Social Networks I just have to throw in my two cents on these interesting tidbits. Oh and in case you forgot, SocNet stands for Social Networks. My Tech VP, Amy, at Social Networks for Musicians (my other company) coined that phrase and I'm sticking with it.

On 1-30-09 @waynesutton posted this on Twitter:

"A guy just said that a business would not hire someone if they did not have at least 7 recommendations on Linkedin."

Wow! Now that to me is amazing. Some companies are really harnessing the power of SocNets. I think it's great but at the same time is this going too far? What do you think? If you are not familiar with LinkedIn, check mine out here. Hmm, I guess I should ask my peers to send in more recommendations. I only have 5. Just like I always say... it doesn't work UNLESS you work it. And well, this is one I need to be working on more.

Okay next interesting tidbit...

Top Social Media Sites
(ranked by unique worldwide visitors November, 2008; comScore)
courtesy of TechCrunch.com

Blogger (222 million)
Facebook (200 million)
MySpace (126 million)
Wordpress (114 million)
Windows Live Spaces (87 million)
Yahoo Geocities (69 million)
Flickr (64 million)
hi5 (58 million)
Orkut (46 million)
Six Apart (46 million)
Baidu Space (40 million)
Friendster (31 million)
56.com (29 million)
Webs.com (24 million)
Bebo (24 million)
Scribd (23 million)
Lycos Tripod (23 million)
Tagged (22 million)
imeem (22 million)
Netlog (21 million)

Until I saw this article I had no idea that Blogger was ranked #1 in 2008. It really shows the power of blogging and how people are so actively engaged with reading and writing blogs. I've been using Blogger since 2000. Yeah that was before most people knew what a blog was! And next in line is Facebook with way more visitors than Myspace. We all know that Facebook has become quite the place to go and mingle with your friends. It's simple, clean design make it so much prettier to look at than personal Myspace pages with crazy wallpaper and funky color text. I do miss the days of plain Myspace pages. Although I do enjoy viewing super cool and professionally designed Myspace sites. When done right it is so appealing! And yes, it's imperative for bands to continue on and maintain a Myspace presence. See my post on Myspace vs Facebook? from several weeks ago.There is not one social network that is the end all, be all. You know? They each have their place. - Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.

That that is my observation for today. I would love to hear yours! Post a comment and tell me all about it.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
IndieMusicCoach
GoGirlsMusic.com
Social Networks for Musicians

Follow Madalyn @ Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009 

Audiolife: Sell Music & Merch With No Upfront Costs

Madalyn says... this new site is worth checking out. I'm digging it!



Audiolife Announces Public Beta Launch: Indie Artists and Music Industry Pros Hail New On-Demand Technology as the Future of Promoting and Selling Music and Merchandise Online

The Audiolife platform allows artists to:

* Create their own virtual store with an unlimited number of downloads,
ringtones, CDs and merchandise items.

* Sell directly to fans on any website, blog or social network on the
web.

* Have one central place to design custom products and manage all e-
commerce.

* Easily buy high quality, affordable CDs and merchandise with no
minimums for live shows and events.

* Focus on making music while Audiolife handles all on-demand
manufacturing, distribution, customer service and accounting.

Check out their video demo:



“Audiolife was built around the specific needs of artists,” remarked Brandon Hance, Founder and CEO of Audiolife. “We have spent over three years identifying the challenges artists have when trying to build their careers, and we have created a solution that integrates all of their needs into a single website that completely eliminates the need for start-up capital. Our goal is to create a middle class in the music industry by empowering artists and record labels with the necessary tools to make money in the new music business.”

Learn more at www.audiolife.com

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Monday, January 26, 2009 

Building Your Dream Team

by Madalyn Sklar



Having the perfect "dream team" for your music career is a must these days. Doing everything yourself is way too difficult. I mean seriously between booking, promoting, performing, and everything that comes along with writing and recording it gets to be too much. I find it's best to elicit help. Develop a team... a dream team.

Just last week I was watching one of my favorite movies, Oceans Eleven, and in it they spent a great deal of time building the perfect team where each person plays a vital role. Have you thought about this? Mapping out a plan for who does what is imperative. We can't do it all and we certainly shouldn't do what we are not good at.

Now if you have a band you can easily delegate responsibilities to your band mates. Figure out who is best suited for each area. Maybe you're even ready to add a manager to the mix. If you are a solo performer it's a bit more difficult. You need to expand further out to find people to help you.

Don't be afraid to ask for help!

That is truly the bottom line. Asking for help will amaze you.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Find someone to help you with your graphic design. That would be your web site, posters, business cards and any other promotional items. Be sure your Myspace and other social networks have the same look and feel of your primary web site too. Branding is essential! Maybe you have a friend who is an incredible artist and pro on Photoshop. Put a call out to your fans on your list. You never know unless you ask.

Get a manager and/or booking agent. If you are not attracting the attention of the high power ones yet, it's okay to go with someone who is learning the ropes as long as you are comfortable with them and have a good feeling about it. You can also assign someone in your band the role of manager or booking agent. If you have a super fan who wants to help, they could end up being your best bet. I've seen all these scenarios work.

Get some advisors. Yeah you heard me right, advisors. Find mentors, people you look up to who can offer up advice and information. Don't be afraid to ask!

This should be a good start to get you thinking in the right direction. Building your perfect team is achievable. It starts with you.

Send me your thoughts on dream teams. Do you have one? How did YOU do it?

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/
http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/
http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009 

Why Bands Need Social Networks

by Madalyn Sklar



It's in our face day in and day out... Social media. Social networks. Myspace. Facebook. Twitter. Blogger. ReverbNation. iLike. Ning. Stereofame. OurStage. And countless others. It's confusing to many. Yet we need these in today's music marketing.

Marketing your music over the Internet has now become the norm. At one time, simply having a website for your music was all you needed. Not anymore! To keep up with the Joneses you need a constant presence on Myspace, Facebook and Twtter. You should also set up LinkedIn, Flickr, ReverbNation and iLike. And it doesn't hurt to have an iPhone or Blackberry so you can do it all from the road.

So why do you really need all this?

Simple. It's free music promotion. You have the opportunity to get your music exposed to more people than ever before. You can realistically reach fans in every corner of the world now. There are countless opportunities to find more gig swaps than ever. You can so easily connect with booking agents and promoters through these networks. But the key to making this work for you is to work it. Spend time working your social networks. And if you can't make the time, get a team to help you.

How about some shortcuts? Absolutely!

  1. My friend and fellow blogger Greg Rollett has put out a great resource on social media sites for musicians. Click here to get your copy. I highly recommend this free PDF.
  2. Ping.fm is a GREAT web site where you can update your social network status in one quick shot. I've been having some fun with this.
  3. Sign up for my FREE Facebook Marketing Tips for Musicians.

There you have it. Send me your thoughts on this. I'd love to hear from you!

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com
http://www.gogirlsmusic.com
http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009 

Have you checked out FanBridge?

by Madalyn Sklar



How are you communicating with your fans? Hopefully you are using a program that allows you to easily manage and send out great looking emails to your mailing list. There are many services out there that can help but I'm here to tell you my personal favorite is FanBridge. It's designed specifically for bands. They offer free email and mobile fan list management. I've been using FanBridge for several years now and love how easy it is to use.

I encourage you to check it out and see if you like it. They have several plans including one that is free. Click here to try it!

Let me know what you think. If you are using one that you think is the best, leave a comment and tell us about it.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/
http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/
http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/

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Monday, January 19, 2009 

Myspace Strategies - Getting Results

by Madalyn Sklar

Last week I talked about Myspace vs. Facebook. Yes, I'm big a fan of Myspace because I get results with it. And I help my clients get results.

In last week's post I said...

"It's not difficult to dramatically increase your friends/fans. I just started a promotion campaign for a fellow GoGirl and increased her friend count by 212% in only 2 weeks."

My client is thrilled with the results she's getting. With all her new friends it's generating more comments and messages in her inbox. My job is to expose her to the masses. With the increase in friends, her music is gaining exposure to fans that might not otherwise find her.

Another new client just started his campaign and in less than one week he was contacted by a booking agent in his area. The booker is interested in hiring his band to play at several venues.

This is not the first time a client has relayed this information to me. It's all about exposure. It's getting your name out there to countless new fans. It's having a strategy and working it. It's having a team help you because you can't do it alone. Well you could go at it alone but then when would you make time for your music?

"...you want to cast a wide, targeted net and reach as many people as possible. Then it's up to you to develop one-on-one relationships with people who reach out to you or those you reach out to."

I've said it before and I'll say it again... social networks only work if you work it. So get a strategy. Get results.

If you need help, get in touch with me over at Social Networks for Musicians. I've been helping musicians and music businesses with their social networks since 2005.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/
http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/
http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009 

Myspace vs Facebook?

by Madalyn Sklar



We have a great discussion going on over at the GoGirls Yahoo Group talking about the pros and cons of both Myspace and Facebook. It's quite interesting. And being that I'm a social networks expert I just had to throw in my two cents so here is what I had to say...

Here's my take on Myspace vs Facebook:

First off Myspace is not dead. It's still a great way to promote you and your music. It's not difficult to dramatically increase your friends/fans. I just started a promotion campaign for a fellow GoGirl and increased her friend count by 212% in only 2 weeks. Some people say it's about the "quality" not the "quantity" when it comes to Myspace friends. I disagree. For your personal page, sure, make it about quality. But for your band or business, you want to cast a wide, targeted net and reach as many people as possible. Then it's up to you to develop one-on-one relationships with people who reach out to you or those you reach out to. I've seen amazing results when this happens. I know many people are fed up with Myspace and moving to Facebook. Yes, Myspace can be very frustrating but my team and I know how to effectively work it to our benefit and to the benefit of our clients. It's the best, free social network.

Facebook rocks! I love Facebook. It's awesome connecting with friends and family. And it's cool meeting new people, catching up with old high school friends and making new fans. However, there are limitations. Your personal page can only hold up to 5,000 friends. So of course you want to set up a "band" page. But, you cannot invite people to join it. You can only invite people to your personal page. You can set up a "group" page and invite people to that. It's cool because it's more of a community feel. But like any social network, it can get quite frustrating. I do recommend setting up a "band" page to promote yourself and reach people you might not find elsewhere. It's slow going to get people as "fans" but you can advertise on Facebook for a nominal "per click" fee. I find it's best to promote your Facebook page on your other social networks such as Myspace and Twitter as well as your regular web site.

One thing I always say when it comes to social networks... it only works if you work it!

That's my two cents. Check out my company Social Networks for Musicians for articles on this subject. And feel free to contact me there if you'd like to learn more. I'm not trying to be sales pitchy, just informational. I spent a great deal of time speaking on this subject at music conferences last year. I'll also be on the Social Networks panel at Folk Alliance next month.
So there you have it. My take on this subject. I know a lot of people are frustrated with Myspace but it's still a very valuable place to promote yourself. And on the flipside I know a lot of people don't understand Facebook. That is why I created my FREE Facebook Marketing Tips eCourse. You can sign up at http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/.

So give me your two cents on this subject. Myspace? Facebook? Both? I'd love to hear from you.

Copyright © 2009 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach.com

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 13 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

Madalyn's Sites:
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/
http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/
http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com/

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Monday, January 05, 2009 

Check out GoGirlsMusic.com at Facebook!


Check out the GoGirls Group I run over at Facebook. It rocks! Just head over to www.gogirlsmusic.com/facebook.

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Saturday, January 03, 2009 

GoGirls Interview with LiLi Roquelin

By Annette Warner



GoGirls: What drives your music. When did you first know you had to do this thing called music or bust?

I have been doing music without knowing it since I was 4. My dad's a musician so I was going to his gigs when I was little, singing along... Then when I had my first concert in high school, that was the revelation, how I felt on stage while performing my songs was indescribable!

GoGirls: Describe your style and name three musicians you have been inspired by admire and tell us why.

My recordings are chill-out with trip-hop beats behind my vocals and piano and other electronic sounds. When I perform live it is down-tempo voice/piano accompanied with strings. How to pick 3?... Madonna for her strength; I admire Imogen Heap for her creativity and independence, and producer William Orbit for his sounds.

GoGirls: What's your ideal venue atmosphere?

I like both big and small crowds. In a big room it is more challenging to reach out to people but once you got them the energy is overwhelming. A small venue is fun too, I like performing when people are almost sitting next to me! Very intimate!

GoGirls: Describe your music career's evolvement since you first started performing? And tell us about your music scene at home in France.

I started with an original electro-pop band as a teenager, singing, programming and composing, recording on 4-tracks. Then I played in several cover bands, I wanted to experience real instruments! I tried out blues-rock, rock, punk, etc... as lead singer and back-up as well. I wasn't happy with the music scene in France, it was more of a DJ scene, and music education is too conservative (no offense!). I knew I would go live in the US, it was all around me. So when it finally came to me, I took the big step and moved all alone! I had an original rock-pop band 3 weeks after I got here! I learned the guitar but didn't keep with it as an instrument. After one album release the band broke up -just like a lot of bands, so I joined another band, this time more established. With them I wrote and sang melodic hard-rock songs, and had the chance to record in a major studio with a top-notch engineer. I received so many technical compliments from him that I realized I was capable of doing much more. He introduced me to another producer, Sean Bilovecky, who showed me the trip-hop/alternative sound and I totally loved it and continued in that direction. We did the song "I Saw You" together. It was Sean that encouraged me to get Pro-Tools and build my own studio. I started to record and in the same time I had a vision of singing with a piano. I took piano lessons for that purpose, and here I am!

GoGirls: Tell us about the inspiration for your latest release; what inspired the name and how has your music evolved from the first release to the latest.

My last EP includes 3 audio tracks and the music video for "I Saw You" which received a Best Music Video Award recently. The audio was mixed by a 3-time Grammy winning engineer Marc Urselli. One of the songs on there, "Your Imagination" has a deep message that goes to everyone who just goes on and on everyday without keeping their inspiration safe. I believe that dreams and imagination keep you alive; whether you're an artist or not.... I think my songwriting has improved a lot since my first release, with more confidence I am more open and I am not afraid of being emotional with the words as well as with the voice.

GoGirls: What do you think is number one for a musician to think about before preparing for a CD project - and do you have any tips on saving time in the studio?

Get your own studio!... Well, I know some musicians don't want to have to deal with recording though. If you've booked a studio, just be really prepared, make sure your songs are finished, practice all your instruments lines beforehand, if you're a singer, prepare your harmonies before hand too! Find a way to record yourself at home to make sure everything you wrote is in tune. Get some sleep, eat well, and relax. If the engineer is pretty fast you'll have to keep up with him/her... and be prepared to change a song! That can happen too, sometimes it sounds good until you hear it through the speakers of the recording room.

GoGirls: What makes or breaks a musician just starting out in your opinion?

I think it's kinda hard to define this considering how the music industry has been revolutionized by the new media. I think now any musician has a lot of different ways to reach out to an audience. I would say it's wanting it, and surrounding yourself with the right people and positive energies, and networking.

GoGirls: Describe your toughest moment in your quest for a pro music career so far and tell us how you overcame them.

I probably haven't lived the toughest moment yet. If I were to mention something, it would be how many people are out there trying to take your money, they know music is your passion and they think you're dumb and that you'd pay anything for anything. Almost makes you think sometimes it's because you're a woman! It's important to keep a clear mind, take your time, investigate and be firm!

GoGirls: What kind of advice would you offer up and coming artists that get discouraged other than don't give up?

Try to have another activity on the side of doing music, make sure that you can find energy in something else and put that energy back into your music and business.

GoGirls: Tell us something you want the independent music world to know about you.

Last spring I launched a fundraiser online and it covered all the expenses for my EP.

GoGirls: What can your fans expect at a show and after a show?

I perform with my heart and make people feel involved. I sing in English and sometimes in French. I absolutely love meeting new people, talking with them about what they're doing, where they come from, etc...!

GoGirls: On gogirls music…

I have a learned a lot on music business through the teleseminars & meetings and I am very happy to be an Elite member! I grew up in the 90's with the "girl power" kind of movement and I always wanted to be a part of something that would encourage women, because, after all, chicks rock!!!

More about LiLi at:
http://www.liliroquelin.com/
http://www.myspace.com/liliroquelin
http://www.youtube.com/liliroquelin

In addition to being the Founder, and Editor of CoffeeHouseTour.com, Annette Warner is a freelance sales Copywriter and Web Resource Developer with her own business; Awesome Webs. She also enjoys duties as a part time event planner and booking and music entertainment manager for several local festivals. She holds the position of Editor with the oldest and largest online community for Women in Music, http://www.gogirlsmusic.com/ and is the SC and NC Chapter Coordinator for the organization. She organizes and promotes the Wilmington, NC based and successful AWEsome 'Live Performance' Songwriting Competition now in it's 11th year. She is the owner of A. Warner Entertainment, a Live Entertainment Publicity Planning Agency. In short..."Some serious A'netteworking since 1995." Annette resides in Wilmington, NC with her tiny Chihuahuas, Kirby and Sofe. You can reach Annette at Awarner at coffeehousetour dot com.

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WHO IS MADALYN SKLAR?


    Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 15 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

    Madalyn's Sites:
    * GoGirlsMusic.com
    * Social Networks for Musicians
    contact: madalynsklar(at)gmail.com

         

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