How To Become A Professional Music Producer
In this article, I share with you a handful of principles and concepts that are essential to building your production business.
Produce music
That’s a given, right?
Whether you’re working on your own music, mixing client stems, or just being creative in the DAW, practicing your craft is essential.
Be professional
Make an impression.
Be professional in your communications.
Make an effort.
Turn up to your calls on time and be organised.
Communicate properly
Communication is everything.
How you communicate, down to how you write emails or speak on the phone, is a small difference that makes a big difference.
If you suck at this, work on improving in this area. It’s huge.
Manage expectations
Don’t promise your clients the world, just promise them that you are committed to the project.
On a practical level, if you think the job will take you one week, tell them it will take two. Then deliver early.
Happiness = Reality – Expectations.
Learn the ENTIRE business
Don’t limit your knowledge to production and audio concepts. Your job is to solve problems for artists. So if you can add value by advising them on distribution or publishing, then you’re only going to build more trust.
Define your market
Nearly every time I ask someone who their market is, they don’t have a clue and yet wonder why it isn’t happening for them.
If you don’t know who you are doing this for, then neither will they!
There are only 3 things you need to figure out to start a business:
- Market
- Problem
- Solution
The market is who your ideal client is.
Their problem is what is keeping them up at night.
The solution is how your services help solve that problem.
Build a brand
Your brand could be more a personal one based on your story.
Or it could be a separate entity that’s built on some core values.
Do marketing
Don’t wait for “the industry” to bring you fame and fortune, actually build a business for yourself.
Learn timeless marketing principles.
It’s not rocket science. Buy books, take courses, and/or hire consultants.
Create a funnel
The funnel is a widely used marketing concept that I advise all artists and producers to adopt.
+ Marketing Funnels for Music Artists and Producers
Look after your people
When you speak to someone and they express a problem they are having, go find the solution for them.
You don’t have to have all the answers, but if you spend a little time doing some research for them, not only are you learning yourself, but again, you’re looking after your people.
Define KPIs
KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator.
Output is relative to input. If you don’t do the input, you won’t get the output.
Define for yourself one key indicator that you can do on a daily or weekly basis
Remember, this is INPUT, so it has to be something you can take action on.
This could be 5 calls with artists per week or something similar.
Something you can hold yourself accountable for.
Have a clear call-to-action
In any content you put out, you must have a call-to-action.
Some examples:
Download my FREE sample pack
Get in touch for Free Mix Feedback
Slide into my DMs!
Literally tell your audience what to do, but only after you have captivated them first.
Build trust
This is how people get hired, by being the one who is trusted most at the time.
Building trust can be done in many ways.
It could be by answering questions in Facebook Groups, putting out content, a free offer, anything that makes you trustworthy to others.
Trust is the highest form of authority.
Build a mailing list
You’re building a business. And the contact information of your clients, leads, and prospects are one of its biggest assets.
+ Why you MUST build an email list
Set up a website
Your digital business card.
This is people will go if they’re considering you.
Make it look great and make it easy for people to contact you.
