CMG Live! 6:30p-7p EST - Episode 01: 2012 Marketing


Live Video streaming by Ustream

Wake Up Call - CMG Live! TODAY 6:30p-7p EST

Daily Sneak Preview

Latest tracks by bryanbellmusic

Need Music Production?

Buying Options

Down to Business: Expert Views on Business Plans

10:22 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Business Plan Expert #1: David Lee of SV Angel

Bio/Background

David Lee is considered an expert in business plan fundr
aising. In addition, he is a General Partner in SV Angel (venture capitalist firm) out of CA. SV Angel focuses on start up ventures that fuse technology development with entertainment. Mr. Lee’s background before joining SV Angel involves Google and StumbleUpon where he was involved with business development for both companies.

Image representing David Lee as depicted in Cr...Image via CrunchBase
What is important in a BP to investors?

David Lee believes in substance over show. The information must make an impactful statement followed by hard evidence to prove and justify that statement to investors. Substance over show is imperative because the investor must know there is a solid plan in place and not just a great idea without a path to get to the destination. Moreover, it is my opinion that the sentiment discussed above is why Mr. Lee is quoted as saying, "[t] here are a bunch of rich people and firms subsidizing tech entrepreneurs, but this time the entrepreneurs are better”, within an article by Mark Lacter for LA Observed. (Lacter, 2011)

Also, Mr. Lee feels it is important for the backstory to be told for an investor to see the heart and passion necessary for a successful venture to move forward. If, the investor doesn’t see the business owner as excited for themselves as they are for others to jump onboard, then David Lee feels you are fighting a losing battle. Furthermore in a recent article by Sarah Lacy for Tech Crunch, Lee states an opinion for younger founders doing better than older company founders based off of desire to put in the work necessary to build the business from the ground up. (Lacy, 2011)


Business Plan Expert #2: Guy Kawasaki of Apple

Bio/Background
Guy Kawasaki, American venture capitalist and ...Image via Wikipedia
Guy Kawasaki is known from Apple computers where he began work in the early 1980’s. From Apple, Mr. Kawasaki started a few businesses that developed software later to return to A
pple in 1995. Later still, he left Apple to start his own company called Garage (matchmaker for angel investors and entrepreneurs). Guy Kawasaki has a B.A. from Stanford University, M.B.A. from UCLA, and is an Honorary Doctorate from Babson College.

What is important in a BP to investors?

Mr. Kawasaki believes there are certain parts to the business plan that stand out: Executive Summary, Management Team, Business Model, and Product being his top four. Furthermore, he believes a business plan developer should spend 80% of their time on the executive summary because this piece is typically first viewed by an investor and if not impressed the investor will not read further.

Subsequently, the size of the business plan should not be more than 20-30 pages in Guy Kawasaki’s opinion. He feels the plan loses its bite and effectiveness if too much information is provided. Furthermore, each section should begin with just one page per section and only augmented if absolutely necessary. In a recent article found on Artist House Music by George Howard, Mr. Kawasaki describes the power slide pitch to investors as being “…no more than 20 minutes” with 10 or so slides to succinctly get the business model concepts across to investors. (Howard, 2007)

Sources:

Howard, G. (2007). How to create a business plan. Artisthousemusic.com.
Retrieved on Septemeber 6, 2011 from
http://www.artistshousemusic.org/articles/how+to+create+a+business+
plan                               

Lacter, M. (2011). Gold rush is back in silicon valley. LAObserved.com. Retrieved
on September 5, 2011 from

http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2011/04/gold_rush_is_back_in.php
Lacy, S. (2011). David lee and ron Conway bust entrepreneur myths on stage at
disrupt. TechCrunch.com. Retrieved on Septemeber 6, 2011 from
http://techcrunch.com/tag/david-lee/



Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Music Blogs vs. Album Release Websites

10:48 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments


Recently, Chris Leavins for blogs.com wrote an article discussing the top ten music blogs you haven’t heard or read yet. The article seemed to focus on bands and new releases that had their own blog made completely to generate public opinion on a specific project or release. Also, Mr. Leavins describes a trend in the music industry that stays away from creating complete project websites and has gone for a more grassroots approach via blogging to garner public interest in a new music offering.

I applaud the move to blogs because it engages the people and connects them in a way that is much better than a static website. The website has become less of a necessity and the subsequent expenses can be added to the bottom line profitability of a given music release. Furthermore, the content loss with a blog versus artist release website is minimal given the variety of content that can be offered through the blog’s simple HTML coding parameters.

Furthermore, this blog will be moving towards an approach that lends itself to better public appeal. The team here has included a brief survey for catering a series of blog postings on music production tutorials. These postings are not your typical tutorials because we take for granted you as a music producer don’t need to know the same answers to things readily available online via generic You Tube posts. This series focuses more on industry secrets and the scientific principles that undergird them in a relevant studio environment.

Be sure to fill out the survey to help us zone in on what the first few postings should be geared toward in the series. Thank you all for the support and be sure to leave your own comments.

References

Leavins, C. (n.d.). Top ten music blogs you haven't heard (or read). Blogs.com. Retrieved on August 20, 2011 from http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-music-blogs-you-havent-heard-or-read/


Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Milton Bradley: The Answer to Unemployment?

10:49 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments


Full Sail University's very own Ron Cook posted a recent blog entry that peaked my interest regarding entrepreneurship. Mr. Cook addressed the notion that in these tough economic times when unemployment is at record highs, you should employ yourself! Business program college graduates amass all this knowledge of how to run business the right way so that someone else can reap from their understanding.

It should be noted that part of Mr. Cook's job description is to consult with students regarding the plausibility of their business plans. Narrow focus that addresses a need that is not being met in the marketplace is key according to Professor Cook. Also, he says that seed investors should include family because if an angel investor has to ask you if any family gave to your idea and you say none have then why should a person that doesn't know you at all give one red cent? Moreover, Prof. Cook explains differentiation as something necessary and not cliché.

I agree with all points brought forth in this insightful article. I would even add a few things of my own. Today more than ever diverse revenue streams are needed to compete with the growing cost of basic necessities. Normal jobs by themselves will not fund retirement because social security may not even be there. Plus, to qualify for this government assistance you have to be worse off than any of us want to envision ourselves. Consequently, investing, learning the stock market, creating residual income, and understanding the world economy (not just domestically anymore) is a growing need.

Milton Bradley CompanyImage via Wikipedia
Schools do not teach things even as simplistic as Monopoly, why? Perhaps the AG student in the 1st grade would be better served playing a game from Milton Bradley than Activision or some other video game. These are the thoughts of an aspiring business owner. People around the globe 
love what the United States stands for with democracy and interestingly at its fundamental concept business wise the picture of what we as Americans represents can be seen in the simple form of a Flea Market. That is free enterprise at its finest.

References:

Cook, R. (2011). Cooking up an opportunity. FSO blogs EBMS. Retreived on
August 6, 2011 from
http://www.fsoblogs.com/ebms/2011/8/3/cooking-up-an-
opportunity.html
  

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Audiosocket: Spend Money, Make Money

7:02 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Image representing Audiosocket as depicted in ...Image via CrunchBase

Have you ever wanted to license music quickly for a marketing project or promotional effort? Have you ever stolen the song elsewhere because of the time and process? Audiosocket makes it easy to license music the right way to use in almost any marketing avenue. Plus, did you kno
w you would share in the revenue created from the plays of the songs you decided to license? I thought that might get your attention.
Listen up! Audiosocket is not easy to get into if you are an artist that makes music. They screen everything and only have about 19,000 songs so far. However, if you are lucky enough to get content in the system, then with the right promotion your music can easily be licensed by businesses, film producers, record labels, or any other business looking to make a commercial of some sort. What is in it for them you ask? They make a small revenue off the song as you do each time it is played! An investment is measured by how long and how much you get back. Imagine spending money on licensing a song, then over time making back your money through your marketing of the song and actually making more money off licensing it than you spent on it originally!
The logo for the Billboard magazine.Image via Wikipedia
This is an amazing idea that could only be done legally if all the publishing houses were on board. Oh wait; Audiosocket took care of that according to an article by Anthony Bruno for Billboard where the company got BMI and ASCAP on board earlier in 2011. This idea is genius! Imagine all of those You Tube vids that use bootlegged content from your favorite artists, now using licensed material and promoting new artist’s music because it helps them make money instead of taking money from the artists. Could it be that music may have found a way to combat illegal downloads by helping people make money? My dreams have been answered…or have they? Only time will tell.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Spotify: A Brand New World?

6:32 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Image representing Spotify as depicted in Crun...Image via CrunchBase
Spotify comes to the U.S. It is like iTunes, meets Pandora, meets the Copyright Office, meets Harry Fox’s sample clearing agency. The revenue streams are vast with premium accounts that allow you to save playlists offline, bring up tunes on your mobile devices and home computer, as well as share via Facebook, Twitter, and instant messaging services. In addition, there is a copyright registration service for recording artists that charges $85 per submission that is user friendly, simple, and provides customer service for any concerns dealing with the copyright process. Subsequently, Harry Fox Agency has inked a deal with Spotify that will allow mechanical rights to be cleared as a new submission is distributed over the net.

Spotify serves quite a few purposes that can streamline promotional efforts on the web for artists. For instance, if I decided to release a new album, then I could upload the release on Spotify, get it copyrighted, any samples cleared, and start promoting the album via sharing it to Facebook, Twitter, vids via You Tube, and use the forums as an interactive review board for the tracks. Keep in mind Spotify pays only $0.0043 per play, so, other types of marketing will be necessary. The interesting thing on Spotify is the ability to market “leaked tracks” or “firestarter tracks” that lend themselves to build a following. Thus, Spotify can be used to get gigs, build tours, land interviews, and possible publishing/distribution deals to solidify more lucrative revenue streams via downloads, album sales, merchandise sold at venues, licensing opportunities, and more.

Some hail Spotify as the second coming, but I see it as just another tool or arrow in your online marketing quiver. It is very powerful as a sharing tool, but remember the times are circling back to the times of touring acts and bands. If you can find a way to be a touring act that never has to leave your home, then fine. But if you could do that then your garage would be large enough to sell enough tickets to make serious money. Until then, get on the road, get gigs, be willing to travel, and make money.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Legal Corner: Interview with Entertainment Lawyer, Charles Blackmon

4:04 PM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments


Interview with Charles Blackmon, Entertainment Legal Attorney

QUESTION:

Hi Mr. Blackmon, I’ve already shared with you my plans to create an Entertainment Industry focused Business Plan/ Funds Raising company called B.E. nBusiness, and I have lined up a client looking to create a music production company in NC. My first question comes from them in reference to proper sample clearance. It doesn’t seem to matter if it is a drum break or royalty free cd with pre-recorded music; it all seems to need clearing if used to create something new. Radio play is the goal for many producers and clearing samples ahead of time seems to raise the asking price for a track when others are looking to purchase it.

What steps should a producer go through if they sample? Is there anything that doe not need clearance? Can a producer copyright material if they have a sample in the track, if it isn't cleared?

I know I just asked several questions, but please take me through the process because it is definitely a topic I will run into time and time again working with different clients based in intellectual property laws.

CHARLES BLACKMON’s RESPONSE:

Clarify the position on producers, which use 'samples' in their tracks; whether that's a pre-recorded loop or a drum break.

You are right; many producers use samples, which sometimes include drum breaks. Samples are portions of another song within a new song. A sample can either be taken from an actual sound recording or derivative of a sound recording.   A drum break, is a pattern of drum beats played as an instrumental during the break in a song and is often used as a "fill" in a song. Since the evolution of hip hop, producers to create a drum loop have used drum breaks.

The producer's first step to clear a sample is to identify who the owner/publisher is of the sampled work; one way of finding out such information is to check the jacket covers of the CDs. Second, a producer can contact the performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC) to obtain contact information on the writer/publisher. Thirdly, a producer can visit http://www.copyright.gov/ to conduct an online search of the Library of Congress' records; and fourthly, a producer can hire a sample clearance house to handle things.

If the musical work you seek to register with the copyright office embodies a "sample", copyright protection will not extend to the incorporated "sample" [the preexisting material]. The creative expression of the original work contributed by the author is independent of any copyright protection in the preexisting "sampled" material.  Therefore, you can seek copyright protection in a work that embodies a "sample", but the "sample" embodied in your work will not be copy written.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is only an opinion. Do not use the ideas outlined in this article as a substitute for legal counsel. 

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Music Industry Secrets Legal Corner Wrapup

7:53 AM Secrets of the Music Industry , Posted in , , , , , , , , 0 Comments


Warner Music GroupImage via Wikipedia

Recently, in an article by Glenn Peoples for Billboard.biz he discussed the Warner Music Group buyout. The interesting key to his article was the understanding that it will be seemingly more difficult to figure out the financial solvency and track record for WMG moving forward. Similarly, crime bosses are notorious for laundering money through convoluted levels of money management. Subsequently, given the new ownership’s diversified money holdings, shareholders should be asking a lot of questions now or forever hold your peace. The wedding vows of steadfast shareholders (for better or for worse) will ring resoundingly in their minds for many years to come if something legally is not done in quick reaction to the outcry for more financial transparency. The problem is based on the fact that Access Industries is a privately held company. Many others and I believe that in a buyout of a company as financially tumultuous as WMG has been, the “private” part of any buyout partner should be stripped clean.

Article Link #1:  http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/sale-of-warner-music-group-means-less-financial-1005173872.story

Image representing Viacom as depicted in Crunc...Image via CrunchBase

George Szalai wrote for Billboard.biz May 9, 2011 on the raise in average salaries for CEO’s of major companies and one in particular, CEO Philippe Dauman of Viacom. Philippe Dauman will be paid $84.3M as number one on the top 10 highest paid CEO’s. The interest I have in this number is the fact that a memom was handed out a few years ago stating the entertainment industry was on its knees. Although, I can state that Viacom in a bad economic downturn is doing relatively well in terms of financial strength through diversified holdings. Therefore, Viacom justifies its payout as a reward for holding the company afloat by Mr. Dauman at a time when they needed it most.

Article Link #2:  http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/legal-and-management/viacom-s-philippe-dauman-tops-wall-street-1005175032.story

Sean Combs and his 2 of his children Justin an...Image via Wikipedia

Rounding off our legal article’s today has one from Erika Ramirez for Billboard.biz on May 17, 2011. Sadly, Nikki Minaj has left P. Diddy’s management group for that of “Hip Hop Since 1978” under the watchful eye of Kyambo Joshua. It should be noted that Young Money running mates Drake and Lil Wayne are already manage by Hip Hop Since 1978, so, this isn’t some shocking move by any means. This is a legally solidifying move for Young Money because now contractual obligation and negotiation can be done and managed to in a better unified fashion.

Article Link #3:  http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/genre/randb-hip-hop/nicki-minaj-parts-ways-with-diddy-now-under-1005187642.story



Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Google Analytics Code

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More
powered by Blogger | WordPress by Newwpthemes