Are You Ready to Get A Record Deal?
Getting a Record Deal can be a real challenge but it's not impossible . If you really want a Record Deal you must be able to answer these questions first.
Are You Talented?
You don't need any talent to get a Record Deal, but not having talent will guarantee that you won't sell many records. Talent comes in many forms and you don't need to be able to sing, rap, or play an instrument like a virtuoso, but you do need some form of talent.
Talent Defined (Key Term):
We define talent as "the ability to get people to pay you for what you do". Many people are critical of popular artists like Brittney Spears, Madonna and a lot of today’s rapper's. Some wonder how these so called talent-less individuals ever received a record deal. One thing all artists with record deals have is talent. The artists who have record deals have some form of talent. You must be talented to get a record deal.
Can You Entertain?
In today's music biz, the ability to entertain beats the ability to sing. If you want a record deal you have to be good at entertaining. Record Companies are looking for people who can compel fans to buy the artists music, attend shows, and conduct compelling interviews in the media.
Definition of Entertainment:
We define entertainment as "the ability to provide value to those who pay attention to you". There are a many comedians who can't sing, but they fill venues that seat thousands of people because they can entertain. As an artist, if you can entertain you can get a record deal.
Value is anything that produces positive a result. What is your value? What positive results does your music or brand provide?
To get a record deal, you’ll need to have proven results. The days of record companies signing talent on the hunch of an A&R rep are over. Today, getting signed is about the value (in dollars) that your music brings to the record label.
Talent isn’t a value unless it produces a positive result. I’ve seen many people talk about having talent and I almost believe them – until I see or hear them perform. More importantly, talent isn’t talent unless someone will pay for it.
Can you make your fans feel your emotion? Do your fans get excited when you are around? Do your fans get turned on when they see a photo of you? Can you look good on T.V.? Can you relate to a specific market? Do your fans ‘bob’ their heads when they hear your music? Do your fans find your lyrics cleaver or inspirational? These are all values, because they present a positive result for your fans.
What is Your Fan Conversion Rate?
Do you have a huge fan base? How many of your fans have purchased your music?
In [music] business, numbers and ‘conversions’ (the amount of consumers that actually pay for your product) are the new name of the game. In the music business your fans are your potential consumers. You have to convert your fans into paying consumers. More importantly, you have to have proof of your fan to consumer conversions. Once you have a high fan conversion – or sales rate, you’ll in be ready to get a record deal.
Keep records off all of your sales to fans.
Keeping a record of your sales will help to keep your music business career honest. You may be able to inflate your sales numbers, but it can also ruin your credibility. Know how many people are listening to your music and then buying your music. For a record label the ability to ‘forecast’ how well your music or band will sell in the marketplace is based on prior results. Business always looks backward to plan the way forward. In the music business, your past success is a prediction of your future success. Assure the record labels that their investment in music or brand will be successful and you will get a record deal.
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