My proposition to you is to spend less time worrying about the number of friends or followers you have on social networks. Instead, focus on fewer but more valuable people.

Online social networking tools can be powerful, but numbers are just numbers and don’t necessarily represent your real “reach.” Does having 500 friends on Facebook mean that 500 people are paying attention to what I do and value what I say? Maybe. Maybe not.

At worst, putting your faith in the stats can mislead you into taking steps you (and your bandmates) might not yet be ready for (e.g. We have 5,000 MySpace friends in Chicago, so we should divert our tour there!). Do those numbers really represent the group of people that will actually show up to a show when you make it into town? Or if you are leveraging your friend stats to try to get a label deal, do those numbers actually represent how many people will fork over the money to buy your album when it finally gets released? If not, do you know about how many will?

You know what I’m getting at. Even though it’s extremely tempting to use your friend statistics to measure success and reach, in reality I think those numbers are typically misrepresentative because the systems are so highly diluted.

Consider another scenario: I could fill my Rolodex with thousands of music industry contacts that I’ve managed to scour from websites, e-mails, chance meetings, etc. These people represent the movers in the industry, but unless I have developed relationships with those people on some kind of meaningful level, their information represents absolutely no value to me whatsoever.

So instead of trying to befriend the masses, just befriend the individuals you can build genuine relationships with.

Pay attention to these people first and foremost, because they are the people that will go out and spread the word about what you do - especially if you have convinced them that you are a real, authentic, and valuable person. They are the ones that will actually show up to your shows and purchase your albums.

Plus, if you spend your time developing good relationships with smaller numbers of people, you’ve effectively reached thousands. Each one of those unique people that you now have a personal rapport with has the ability to reach and influence possibly hundreds of others. If you give them the tools to do so, they probably will. Now that you’ve developed a really core group of committed people around what you do, you can rely on them to represent you to more people than you could have ever reached by mass marketing in the beginning.

Don’t waste your time trying to reach the masses - that’s what your friends are for!

I had an opportunity to interview Moe Arora writer of MakingtheMogul.com. MakingTheMogul.com is a personal blog about his journey in the music business. Which also feature interviews with key decision makers, tastemakers and other professionals.   Moe also handles the Marketing & Operations for Entertainment & LIfestlye Firm. Rockstar Branded. Rockstar Branded works with entertainment and corporate clients looking to compete in this oversaturated and highly competitive marketplace. Moe was able to give some great tips for artists building a social networking strategy for artists.

http://MakingTheMogul.com | http://twitter.com/moearora

WIth the music industry shift into the digital world, what would be the best advice to give an artist looking to start a social networking strategy?

I’d suggest for artists to first figure out what their goals are. A lot of people (artists, DJs, producers, managers, labels, etc) jump into things without first understanding the medium, the purpose or even themselves.

What I mean by that is; what do you wish to achieve by starting an online strategy? Do you want to sell music, concert tickets, merchandise, or are you just focused on raising your brand awareness at the moment?

Most people will say they want to do it all, and that’s fine, but you need to have a strategy.

One of the most useful pieces of advice I can offer anyone is to draw it out. Go get a big whiteboard and write down each of your goals on the board in a circle. Then figure out if there’s a way of connecting each of those goals to one another. You’re basically playing “connect the dots”. If there is something on the board that cannot be connected to anything else, then you either have to find a way to make it connect, or push it to the side for the time being. What this does is it allows you to understand your overall strategy and how each of your goals interacts with one another.

Too many people try to do too much at the same time but never figure out how to take full advantage or make the most use of all their avenues. How many times do we see startup record labels that also claim to have a fashion line, a sports agency, an energy drink and 18 other products or services? These people don’t have a strategy. They have a bunch of dots on the whiteboard that don’t connect. Connect your dots - that’s the first step in creating a real strategy; for your brand and for your career.

Once you have this in place, then coordinate how you will execute each phase of your promotional plan. If you have a team of multiple people helping to update all of your sites and networks, then make sure you’re all in sync with one another. There’s nothing worse than an artist whose MySpace page conflicts with information on their website and their Facebook group.

First coordinate then execute. If you don’t handle yourself like a professional, nobody will take you seriously and you’ll be left complaining about how hard it is to break into the industry with the rest of the procrastinators and unorganized artists.

What would be your top 5 social networking sites recommendations you would give to an artist to get on to promote themselves online?

It depends on what your goals are and what markets you’re focused on, but for the most part:

• Twitter
• Kyte/Qik.com
• Facebook
• MySpace
• YouTube

What was your goal in starting MakingtheMogul.com?

It actually started with the name oddly enough. I came up with the name Making The Mogul a few years back. I had started my first internship at a major label and Donald Trump had just launched the show, The Apprentice. Everybody used to joke around calling me “the real apprentice” due to my work ethic and the fact that I’d never go home until the last bus ran.

At the same time, Diddy had taken over the Making The Band franchise and it was a major hit. I barely watched any television, but those were 2 shows I’d always make sure I caught. I loved the drive and hustle that was needed to survive and succeed.

With those 2 being amongst my favorite things to watch at the time, I always thought there should be a show that mixed The Apprentice with Making The Band. A show where people compete to make it in the business side of the music business.

We ended up getting one TV series that was almost amongst those lines, BET’s “Ultimate Hustler”. I say “almost” because the show didn’t seem to have a defined goal; if you win The Apprentice, you work for Donald Trump, if you win Making The Band, you get signed to Bad Boy, but if you won Ultimate Hustler, you won a car, a new wardrobe and I think some cash. Didn’t make much sense to me.

We also had AOL’s web series, “Tha Biz”, which was more along the lines of what I wanted to see, but it was only aired online and didn’t really receive much of an audience.

I figured if nobody else is giving me the content I want to see, then why not create it myself. Years later, I decided that a blog was the best format for me to deliver my story. I might incorporate video and other elements into the blog later on, but for now, the blog is my main platform.

So my blog is my version of the show/story that I always wanted to see - the journey of a young professional in the music business. That’s MakingTheMogul.com.

Bloggers are the new A&R. Read More…

Next Up On Producer’s Corner Nina Martinez

 

 UR The Only 1: Play Now | Play in Popup

http://www.myspace.com/ninamartinez

Nina talks about her early days on tour with Radio Disney, songwriting, and whats it’s like collaborating with Grammy Award winning producers.

Don’t miss this exciting show and your chance to learn from a  national and international songwriting winner.

Listen Live and Call In on Saturday evening November 22 9:00PM Eastern
Click on button to get the show time in your area.

360 Music deals give labels their standard cut of CD and digital download sales, but also give them a percentage of event ticket profits, merchandise sales, endorsement deals and anything else that uses the artist’s brand or music.

A year ago they were still seen as controversial and experimental. Labels defended them as justification for investing in an artist in a time of decreasing CD sales.

Today, though, those deals are becoming mandatory. Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman told the Web 2.0 Summit audience that his label now requires all new artists to sign 360 Deals, and that about a third of their signed artists are under those contracts.

Bronfman argued to a hostile crowd that it doesn’t make sense for labels to pour money into artist development when CD sales, their primary source of revenue, continue to decline (although he did say that digital sales now make up 20% of their revenue). Without other ways to make money from an artist, he said, they wouldn’t continue to promote artists.

Bronfman also said that 360 deals give labels the ability to give away music for promotional purposes to spur event and merchandise sales.

And that, for me, is the key. Bronfman, an outsider to the music world until recently, sees the writing on the wall - music downloads will eventually be free, and will serve as little more than marketing collateral to other revenue streams.

360 deals give labels a place in the new music economy, and there’s nothing wrong with their attempt to keep their businesses alive over the long run. Artists can choose to go with them or not, depending on their own opinion of the benefits. If labels really can bring enough marketing and promotional benefits to the table, artists will take those deals. They may be slaves to the labels, but they have a chance (albeit a very small one) of becoming rich slaves, at least.

Our Most Popular Show!

Flo talks with Mobile Producer Jimmy Brown owner of EJ Music and Video Productions.  Jimmy shares how he makes a living traveling state to state with his mobile studio.

EJ Music and Video Productions
MOBILE PRODUCTION SERVICES: we come to you!
-compose and produce original music for artists
-music videos
-digital recording, editing, mixing and mastering
-video editing
-instruction on music and video production
-consultation
-film scoring and soundtracks for movies

The unique feature about E J Music and Video and it’s services
is that you don’t have to go to the studio…the studio comes to
you! Everything is completely mobile delivering radio and
television broadcast quality right to your door!

http://musiconthego.net/

artist: Yung J Dot and Gabrielle

music and video production: E J Music and Video Productions

Brandon Kane

Song “Enough of You”

Brandon Kane’s voice is pure and full of emotion. His pitch and tone are extraordinary! His song “Enough of You” is current, romantic, and addicting. Brandon just released his debut album, and it can be purchased from his myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/brandonkanemusicworld

http://www.bk1.biz/

Alissa Mae

Song “LA Girl”

Alissa Mae is stylish, hip, and her voice is as smooth as butter! Her song “LA Girl” is catchy, and makes me want to dance. I can’t get it out of my head! Alissa is currently working on her debut album which is scheduled to be released early 2009.

Alissa Mae also spends her time helping raise funds at many charitable events such as Jog-A-Thon, Celebrating Black Youth, Stomp Da Violence, and Philippine cultural events (raise funds for buildings and youth scholarship

http://www.myspace.com/alissamaesing

Chloe J (Chloe Jordache)

Song “Nobody”

Chloe Jordache has the voice of an angel and the soul of someone 3 times her age! Her song “Nobody” tugs at my heart strings and takes me back to when I was in high school. Chloe J is currently on the PACE School Tour in Southern California.

Chloe’s mission as a recording artist is to share her music & become a positive role model to all her fans. Apart from her drive to be a successful recording artist & actress, Chloe also grows in her spirituality. She’s thankful to God & she finds strength in her favorite bible verse: “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me - Philippians 4:13.”

http://www.myspace.com/chloejordache1

http://www.chloejordache.com/

From Hypebot

• CBS is closing its music site Juke and has laid off its staff. (Idolator).  More staff cuts may be ahead at cNet and other CBS owned web properties.
• INgrooves partners with Myxer for mobile music. (press release)
• The Orchard ranked as 33rd fastest growing company in North America in Deloitte’s Fast 500. (press release)
• The judge that presided over the original Napster case is calling for major copyirght reform. (Listening Post)
• XM and Sirius continue the aggressive merger of stations and offers new packages. (FMQB)
• TorrentValley.com taken down by Bulgarian authorities. (IFPI)
• A look inside the economics of ad supported music. (MediaPost)
• India’s IMI Mobile Buying UK Digital Music Distributor DX3 (PaidContent UK)
• Flip Video, the favorite easy to use camera that is a favorite of bands creating video postcards for their fans, has added an HD camera. (CBS)
• R.I.P. Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell. Listen to a mashup of his best Hendrix drum intros after the jump if you doubt how much he contributed to the power trio.

AAKOSYA

Producer’s Corner’s first Female Artist interview

Aakosya (formerly known as the artist Tasha T) has been working to become an accomplished entertainer (not just a “singer”) since her early teenage years.

Aakosya was born in Ft. Worth Texas and from age three (3) her musical gifts began to surface. She always loved to sing and at an early age her love for music and the urge to perform grew stronger. At age seven (7), she began to perform at church and in school activities as a soloist or with friends. She remained a member of groups throughout her teenage years but after an extended visit to New York (after graduating from high school) she was faced with the prospect of becoming a solo artist.

Find out more about Aakosya at  http://www.myspace.com/aakosyamusic

Aakosya’s New Single : Out Tha Blu

Get “Out Tha Blu” now on iTunes