I am a self managed artist

How do I build my profile as a self managed artist? 

You may be a solo artist or in a band, and reluctant to outsource your marketing as you’ve been burned, or got no budget. Even if you do hire a publicist, you need to understand how marketing works - it’s an essential part of career development and if you want to live your life making music, this is something you need to embrace. You need to build your profile, get more people to shows, and listening to your music. We’re here to help! In this Pathway, we've listed of all the articles, courses, 'Week In the Life Of' pieces and mentors most relevant to emerging artists keen to build their profiles. This list will be kept actively updated as new content goes up.

I am an artist manager

I need to raise my artist management profile as well as my band/clients’ profile - I need to be able to wrap my head around marketing. 

You are running your own business, which means that you need to remember to focus on growing that business as well as that of your clients. You need to learn how to market your management business to build better opportunities for yourself as you move forward, while also building your clients profile in the most innovative ways possible. 

This pathway includes links to all the relevant courses, articles, resources and more to help you understand the world of music marketing and improve your marketing schtik across the board!

I am a publicist/PR

What Does a Publicists/PR Do? Publicity and PR (Public Relations) are often used as interchangeable terms, but they’re actually two different things!

Publicity is about attracting media attention – you may have heard the terms ‘good publicity’ and ‘bad publicity’ before. It’s all about calling attention to something you’re doing. In the business of music, a band may engage a publicist to raise the profile of their release, or to publicise another event such as a video or tour.

PR (Public Relations) is something that would often apply more to higher profile artists and events. Public relations often also involves creating publicity, but is also about what it sounds like: a band or brand's relationship with the public. This may involve organising interviews, media appearances, press conferences and fan-centric events such as meet-and-greets and competitions. Public relations is also about maintaining a band or brand's reputation as well, and can involve damage control and knowing how to combat 'bad publicity'. 

How do I become a Publicist? A lot of people begin their Publicity and PR careers with a university degree. If you are planning on joining an already-established business, you may find that most companies these days do require a marketing or PR degree as part of their selection criteria. There are other stepping stones into this business, however - volunteering or interning at events, and at PR and music management companies, is an excellent start. Volunteering can give you invaluable experience in this field and many times can lead to paying jobs.