Music Business Is Now Licensing Business

Music Publishing For Today's Market

By: Allen Johnston, The Music Specialist (Contributor)


Before the invention of the phonograph, songwriters earned income by relying on music publishers to sell sheet music and piano rolls of their songs. Even as radio and television replaced the piano in the parlor, music publishers continued to play an important role as popular singers continued to rely upon established songwriters to provide their material. (Tin Pan Alley) However, with the advent of R&B (and especially the Motown era) popular recording artists began to write more of their own songs. Since that time, the music publishing industry has taken on a less important role for singers and a much more important role for revenue growth.

Publishers traditionally acquired revenue through several different means.

Performance Rights: A copyright owner has the exclusive right to authorize the "public performance" of that work. This is why radio and television broadcasters must enter into licenses with performance rights organizations such as BMI, ASCAP and SESAC. These performance rights organizations collect income on behalf of songwriters and music publishers whenever a song is publicly broadcast.

Synchronization Rights: Whenever a song is used with a visual image, it is necessary to obtain a "synchronization" (or "synch") license permitting the use of that song. Music publishers issue synch licenses to television advertisers, motion picture companies, video manufacturers and CD-Rom companies. A portion of this money (usually 1/2 the net proceeds) is paid to the songwriter.

Mechanical Rights: Mechanical royalties" refers to royalties paid for the reproduction of songs on CD, DVD, jump drives, DAT, audiocassette, flexi-discs, musical greeting cards, and other devices sold on a "per unit" basis.

However in today’s new music business model publishers have begun to adjust their business practices to the new digital paradigm. The two main areas that are seeing significant growth are:

1. Wireless Broadband which is allowing the acceleration of device convergence. Now the iPhone has the capabilities of a computer, a PDA can be a music player and video game consoles can now access the Internet.

2. Mobile phones have become basic mini-PC’s and there are over 3 Billion mobile phone users in comparison to only 1 Billion internet users.

What is happening worldwide is that the idea of “selling copies” of music (mechanical license) has become secondary to having access to music. The Internet has become a huge machine that is allowing individuals to have access to and copy music, movies and other forms of entertainment instead of buying physical copies. Wireless Broadband access is opening up huge international markets in South East Asia and Latin America and this new access is creating shifts in how publishers must do business.

Publishers can no longer wait for companies to pay them for mechanical rights or even synchronization rights. This is a model based on consumer usage and this model is dying. Publishers must act quickly to license their catalogs to emerging technologies first; in fact recorded music and publishing licensing should now MARRY and be marketed together.

A good publisher must be able to license his catalog for internet and live music performances, background music, printed and digital sheet music, ringtones, lyric services, on-demand services, flat rate revenue sharing and ALL types of synchronization deals.

Physical sales of CD’s are declining quickly while more and more music users see music as a “free service” to be traded among other users. Couple this idea with an emerging international high economic growth, a young population and massive mobile phone usage and you have a perfect case for conceiving a new publishing model.

Gerd Leonhard has spent over twenty-five years in the technology and entertainment industries, both in the U.S. as well as in Europe, and recently, in Asia. In 2005, Gerd co-authored the critically acclaimed book "The Future of Music" which has become a must-read for music industry professionals around the globe, and which is now available in German, Italian, and Japanese. Recently he presented the following statistics.

a. In the past 12 months over 300 MILLION people joined online communities that use music
b. About 75,000 different devices can play MP3 files

c. In 12 – 18 months, digital broadcasting with “drag & drop” TV and radio stations will be widely available.

d. In the next 12 months high-capacity wireless devices such as the iPhone will be widely available.


The music business has changed into the licensing business; will you be a part of the new paradigm?

Your Music In Film or TV

What Is The Key To Getting Your Music In Film or TV ?
By Brent McCrossen

If you and your band write good songs, in any style, there is more opportunity than ever to get that music placed in some form of media. The fact is that media has expanded and now touches every part of our daily lives. Once upon a time the TV and Movie Theatres were the only avenues for visual entertainment. Those days are long gone and the dawn of a new era is providing unlimited opportunity for anyone with talent and good music.

People are watching as much "TV" on their cell phones and lap tops as they are on actual TV sets. They're hearing as music on commercial web sites and video games as they are on radio. The times are changing and a gigantic door is being pushed open.

The amount of movies, commercials, video games and TV shows being produced every day is staggering. Everyone of these productions require music and every one of these productions present opportunity for independent artist to gain exposure and profit from their work.

There are a number of keys to successful music placement. For an independent artist to secure placement of their music in media requires more than luck. It requires knowledge, skill and, above all, quality music.

We'll define the keys to successful music placement in this article but don't stop here. There is plenty to know about this industry and the more you know the more likely you are to succeed.

Know The Project

Many different films and TV shows have various musical themes running through them. A car driving down the street in a LA beach scene might have some hip-hop or a club scene may have some electronica and big beats blasting in the background. Still, common sense tells you that a movie taking place during the turn of the century isn't going to be using alternative industrial music and you proberbly won't be hearing any punk music either. There are certain times where there maybe an exception, but for the most part this rule is pretty reliable.

Have The Goods

Increase your odds of placement by having good songs that are WELL recorded. Creating a great song is no easy task. It's takes taste, musicians ship and senseablity. However, once you've done that, you need to assure that it's recorded well. Levels, the use of digital sounds, and mastering are all important parts of creating a well rounded product. You could have the best song in the world, but if it isn't well recorded it's not getting placed.

It's All in The Packaging

Music supervisors are busy people but they DO listen to music that is sent to them. However, you need to make their job easier. Put a post it note on the outside of the CD and list the feel and subject matter of the tracks.

For example....
Track 1. Style- Upbeat pop rock / Keywords- surfing beach life
Track 2. Style- Heavy driving rock / Keyword- loosing a loved one

Additionally, make sure the spine of your CD has your band (artist) name and defines your style. If you're a composer with a large catalog send a couple of CD's that showcase the different styles you've crafted, each CD in a certain genre.

Last but not least, remember to put your contact info on the post it note, and on the CD itself, or at least the liner notes. One sheets get lost. By assuring music supervisor can access all the information they need in one location you increase your odds of placement.

Grant it, this is just a snap shot of the process but the above listed are easy "keys" to successful music placement. By providing great songs that are well recorded, and packaging the material in away that is easy to reference you're well on your way to success.

Sync up, Be Heard!

Brent

Make Fans Return To Your Website Daily

Eleven Ways Bands Can Utilize Their Website To Promote Their Music

By: Lance Trebesch, TicketPrinting.com (Open Post)


There once was a day when the only way to promote your music was by going downtown, printing off 500 postcards, licking 500 stamps and peeling 500 labels. Now in less than 5 minutes, artists can compose an email list of the 500 people and send it off with one click. Websites give people all over the world a central place to find band information. This was not possible a short while ago. With all the technology advances, artists must make the most of their resources and create a webpage that makes fans want to return to their site.

1. Show personality. A band’s or group’s website is their resource to show the world what they are all about. This is often the first place a potential fan will experience your band. Ask yourself, “What do I want them to know?” Insert an “about me” (or an “about us”) section where you tell the band’s story – how and why you formed, where you have been and your future plans. Also, add videos and photos of everything. Wherever the band goes, take pictures. Capture the scenery, the venue and the people. Digital video and still cameras are inexpensive and anything you share with fans allows them to feel more connected with you.

2. Keep it simple. Site visitors should generally only have to click one or two times to find what they want from your home page. The fewer clicks they need to perform, the longer they will stay at your webpage. Site maps help visitors find what they are looking for by showing all your pages and how they connect, as well as help search engine spiders effectively understand and index your site. Also, do not overdo the flash animation. Flash can add to your site nicely, but you can easily go overboard with flash, so be aware. Search Engine Spider – computer programs that crawl websites to check for updates, complexity and format (Search Engine News)

3. Make it easy. If you have blogs or articles on your site (which you should – hey, if you have someone who writes lyrics, permit them to write content for the site as well) allow the viewer to sign-up for an RSS feed that automatically informs them of updates to the content. Or, let them submit their email address to you to receive the updated content directly to their email. The simpler the email update or RSS feed is to sign-up for, the more likely the viewer will follow through with the process. Also, think about adding a search feature on your site so the viewer can simply type in what they are looking for within your site. The easier you make it for the user, the happier they will be.

4. Allow for discussion. Have a chat room or forum on your site so fans will return to the site to discuss various topics. Your fans return to your site to interact with you, so promptly answer all questions they might post, and periodically join in on chat room discussions. Chat rooms are also a great way to get feedback about your music and site, so log all discussions and put a link on your homepage to a feedback form that fans can fill out.

5. Display contact information. Not only should your fans have an email address they can easy contact you at, but also people seeking to book you should have the ability to contact you with ease. Nothing would turn off a booking agent more than difficulties trying to book you for a performance! Make sure these email addresses are for band-related topics only; displaying a personal email would be a BIG mistake. Also, write the address in context that fans / bookers can read but spam programs cannot, like band(at)bandsite(dot)com. Placing the contact information on your homepage in a key position will draw their eye to the information and make their life easier. (People tend to first notice content in the middle of the webpage, then the top and left sides of the page.)

6. Present your page at every occasion. When performing live, promptly display your webpage and blog website. Make sure fans know where to reach you online. In addition, allow them to sign-up for fan newsletters – collect as many email address as possible at these shows. Just one more fan is worth the effort. Word-of-mouth is the best form of marketing, so if you treat the one additional fan well, they will in turn promote your band to their friends.

7. Make band merchandise. Selling merchandise is one of the best and only ways to generate a profit within a band. One good online tactic is to create band shirts at Café Press and link to them to allow fans to buy the shirt you created from their site. Fans also love limited edition merchandise, so have a t-shirt available for a month only and sell them strictly at your live performances for that month.

8. Create a review page. When others say nice things about you, display it. If an online newspaper wrote a good review about the band, put a link to the article prompting others visiting your site to read the review. These reviews and testimonials create good PR for you. Because others are commenting about you, it shows first time visitors to your site that you are a known artist or band and they should listen to you. Remember to save a copy of the review as well, in case the online newspaper only runs the article for a limited time so you can directly post the review onto your site.

9. Put music on the site. Encourage file sharing of select songs and add music to the band’s site.

a. Find a computer with audio input capability and an easy to use audio encoding application. This is easy if your music is on CD, just rip it with iTunes or a similar application. If it is in some other analog or digital (mini-disc) format, it gets a little harder, but applications are freely available.
b. Then with MP3 file in hand, you can upload the file to your web site and link like you would link a web page or other media/image file.

c. From there, there are more complicated ways of doing it so it is more "presentable" with a nice embedded player, etc.

10. Post an event calendar. The webpage should display a neat calendar of upcoming show’s location (city and state), time and venue. Fans use your site for a resource and need to be able to find this information quickly. Yahoo Groups allow fans to subscribe to your calendar and receive updates when you post a new event, which makes it extremely easy for your fans.

11. Sign-up for on-the-road content updates. There are many software programs which allow you to update blogs via cell phone. This is a great technique because fans can get updates even when you do not have time to update your whole website. You can also take quick photos or video from your phone and send it to your account online.

By utilizing all these techniques on your site, the reach of your band online will greatly expand. Fans will return to your site for the latest updates on your band, booking agents will easily be able to contact you and labels will be able to see that you are serious about your music and the business. Online marketing is not just one easy-to-accomplish task. Rather, it is a series of equally important tasks that you must carry out on your road to success.

Is 'Americal Idol' Reality?

What's Wrong with 'American Idol'?

Bob Baker's updated manifesto on how the popular show is creating widespread misconceptions about what it takes to succeed as a musical artist today.

It's one of the most popular TV shows of recent years, drawing tens of millions of viewers every week. Even I admit, American Idol is fun to watch. The show provides all the elements of good pop culture entertainment: passion, emotion, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, dreams attained and lost ...

So, what's wrong with American Idol?

Considering it's lumped into the "reality" TV category, the show is doing a great disservice to aspiring musicians (and the public at large) by distorting perceptions of how the music business really works. It sends an outdated message of "dependence" on the industry vs. the more realistic "independence" that artists have today to control their own careers.

The Talent Discovery Myth

For instance, the program leads you to believe that there are hundreds of people like Simon, Paula and Randy out there searching for raw talent they can mold into the next big pop star. Not true. Sure, record companies employ A&R people whose job it is to sign and nurture new artists -- but as major labels consolidate, cut staffs, and get nervous about the bottom line, they no longer have the time or money to develop new acts.

Instead, labels look for artists who are already developing themselves, attracting fans, and selling CDs on their own. There's less risk with an act that has a track record.

Also, the American Idol auditions, in particular, create the illusion that most aspiring musicians lack talent and are delusional, struggling and starving. In reality, there are thousands of talented performers across the country who make good money, have hundreds of devoted fans, and are steadily building careers.

Here's just one example of this modern reality: Over the past seven years, the web site CD Baby has sold more than $12 million worth of CDs (1.3 million units) by independent, unsigned acts. A tremendous amount of quality music is being produced and sold outside the mainstream.

The Danger of Waiting for Your 'Big Break'

One of the biggest myths American Idol propels is that you need the approval of industry gatekeepers to "make it" in music. Sorry, you don't need Simon's or anyone else's permission to be worthy of a career in music. If you wait for someone to give you the green light to create and perform music, you'll be waiting a long time.

Too many musicians claim they need to be "discovered" or given a "big break" to succeed. That kind of thinking puts control of your career in someone or something outside of yourself. The truth is, artists have a lot more power, tools and opportunities at their disposal than they give themselves credit for.

When aspiring artists see the stellar success of Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, they're led to believe that landing a major recording contract must be the ultimate sign of success. Unfortunately, those singers are the exceptions, not the rule. Only about one in 30 signed acts reach significant enough sales levels to warrant a second CD release -- which means nearly 97% of artists with recording contracts fail. Yet, most musicians are still obsessed with getting "industry" approval and think they need a major label deal.

The Ultimate 'Reality'

The smartest musicians understand that building a career independently is the best approach. They promote themselves, book their own shows, produce and sell their own CDs, and establish relationships directly with fans. Doing so, they learn the ropes and slowly develop the skills and business savvy needed to reach higher levels of success.

It's misguided for artists to think they need massive exposure and the approval of music industry honchos a la American Idol to succeed. That knee-jerk reasoning is based on a decades-old business model that is gasping its last desperate breaths. It's a new day. Now it's all about self-empowerment. Musicians need to claim their personal power, take their careers into their own hands, promote themselves relentlessly, and create their own lucky breaks.

So enjoy American Idol for the "unreality" entertainment that it is. But pursue your dreams with the understanding that you are in complete control of your musical aspirations and development.

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Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.



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Local Web Traffic For Your Band Website

Who Needs Flyers? How to Generate a Flood of Local Web Site Traffic for your Unsigned Band

Seems every time I read an article about music promotion, they seem generally the same thing. "Play in your local market with a fifty mile radius of your hometown."

That's actually pretty smart advice. If you can build a buzz in your region, that local buzz will eventually spread outside of your market into others.

But there's a problem. It is no easy task for any unsigned band to build that buzz. Take my hometown, Austin. Whew! I can't tell you how many bands there are here. The market is flooded. Getting through the clutter is pain in the arse.

Guess what? I learned an untapped secret
to break through the band clutter, earn you web traffic all from your local region. And you will generate good-will in your community.

Here's the secret.
Write reviews of local businesses.

I wrote a short review of a small Irish pub just outside of Austin called the Irish Dragoon Pub. They had no website. So I gave them one and added a few kind words.

This past St. Patrick's Day the owner of the Dragoon embarrassed me. He took the microphone before we started playing. Not only did he talk us up to the audience, but he thanked us for the kind review that "put the Irish Dragoon on the map".

You can do the same for ANY business wherever you're playing. And it's easy. Here's what you do.

1. Pick a local business you want to support.

2. Write a short review about that business. Don't just say it's cool. Tell your readers what you've bought there before to make it more personal.

3. Put that business name in the title of the webpage. For instance, "Irish Dragoon Pub in Killeen, TX".

4. Add a small banner with your next gig listed.

5. Submit that webpage to the search engines.

That's it. More than likely, you'll come up easily as one of the top 10 sites listed.

To improve your search ranking, add additional links to that webpage on your website and others. And don't forget to let the business know that you appreciate them. Send them a link to that review as well.

SPECIAL NOTE: While this is a great way to bring in a bunch of random traffic. It's not targeted. Meaning those who DO come to your site, more than likely will have little interest in your music, UNLESS the business you write about attracts your type of fans. So do a little bit o'research and good luck!

Becoming Successful In Music Is Easier When You Find Your Niche

5 Essentials of Music Career Success

By: Peter Spellman, Music Business Solutions (Associate Writer)


Music is too big a world for a one-size-fits-all model of music career success. Musicians’ career paths are as unique as their individual fingerprints. Nevertheless, there are a few guidelines that I believe apply to anyone trying to make a living career out of their love of music. Here are five:

1. Hone your talent and realize there is a place for you. Not everyone is a Quincy Jones, a Beatles, or a Bruce Springsteen, but if an artist like Tom Waits is a vocalist, then there is definitely room for you too. Do the work necessary to excel in your niche, whether it’s writing a chart, engineering a session, providing backup vocals, or teaching kids the basics of music.

Your goal, to use marketing lingo, is to “position” yourself in your “market” as the go-to person for that particular skill or talent. Don’t worry too much about industry rejection. Every record label in Britain initially passed on the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The key is believing in yourself and persevering beyond others’ opinions (even those of “the industry”).

2. Connect with as many people as you can because relationships drive music careers more that anything else, even talent. Music is a “who-you-know/who-knows-you” kind of business. The quality and quantity of your relationships will be the primary engines of your progress. Try developing creative projects with fellow-musicians. Perhaps you can combine your live show with two other acts and present the package to a local promoter. There is strength in numbers. Finding the right combinations takes experimentation.

If you’re interested in working in the business side of music, then interning at a music company is the best way to both learn how the biz works and connect with those who can help move your career along.

3. Accept the new powers in your corner and take responsibility for creating your own success. The last twenty years has given you the means to both produce and distribute your own music on a global scale. New models of business are emerging in the world of music. A “record deal” is not necessarily the goal any longer. The Internet has clearly become your “open mic” to the world, and desktop technologies provide you with ways to have the look, reach and efficiency of larger companies. Dare to be different.

Remember, new power also means new responsibilities. Global reach means a potentially far-flung audience. You need to be ready for the incoming messages and questions from this new market. Have you created the best business structures to hold and express your work? Are you setting up effective systems to communicate with your audience? It’s up to you to create your own success and not merely rely on a record company or agent to do the work of making you visible in the marketplace.

4. Understand that every business is becoming a “music business” and so musical opportunities are multiplying. It took a coffee company and a computer manufacturer to teach the music industry how to sell music in the digital age! Non-music businesses everywhere are seeking creative ways to add music-related services to their mix. This means that you needn’t be dependent on the traditional “music industrial complex” for music career success.

Think of companies you already resonate with and try brainstorming ways you can link up. Start on a local scale. It might be a gift shop, bookstore or arts organization. It may even evolve into a full-fledged sponsorship for a tour or recording project. Finds ways to add value to what these businesses are doing with what you have to offer. Forging creative alliances is key to building a multi-dimensional music career.

5. Prepare to be versatile and to wear several hats initially, until your “brand” is established. Most musicians I know have had to cobble together several revenue streams in the early stages of their careers in order to make enough money to support themselves. Many have also had to take on a non-music “lifeline careers” just to make ends meet, pay down debt, or supplement what they earn from music.

I tell musicians to not so much look for “a job,” but to seek out the work that needs to be done. It might be arranging a song, playing a wedding gig, helping organize a concert series, doing a jingle session, offering private music instruction, or writing a review of your favorite band’s new CD. Eventually, all the different experiences merge together into the roaring river that will be your music career. At that point you’ll be visible, in demand and able to name your price. And that’s career success.

Go From Penniless to Rich and Famous

Be Committed!
You’ll Never Be Famous If You Don’t Show Up!
By: Sheena Metal, Music Highway (Associate Writer)


Everyone wants to be famous: live in a mansion, drive a sports car, tour the world in your private plane, date a model, float around in the pool while collecting royalties for CD sales, and drink beer right out of your private tap. But not everyone is aware that, with any career that has the potential to end in a bounty of riches and beautiful babes, climbing your way to rock stardom is very hard work.
So, how does your average musical genius go from penniless Pop Tart-eater to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? How do you move on up from Mom’s garage to a deluxe apartment in the sky? What’s your first baby step on the Yellow Brick Road to fame and fortune? That’s simple…be committed!
It sounds silly, but many a musical boat has sailed with a crestfallen, unsigned artist standing confused on the dock, for lack of nothing else but follow-through. Commitment to your deeds and plans is the single most essential skill towards achieving your goal of Ultimate Superstardom. Entertainment is a fickle business and chances don’t come along every day. One missed opportunity now could have spiraled into dozens even hundreds of opportunities down the line.
It may be true that talent is a gift you carry with you from birth, but commitment is a learned skill that you need to hone every day. So, how can you make sure that you’ve got what it takes to gather up your supreme musicality and conquer the universe with it continuously?
The following are a few tips that may help you to make sure that you’re truly committing yourself to your musical career on a daily basis:
1.) Follow Up On All Leads: No matter how insignificant they may seem at the time, it’s important to follow up on every musical lead that’s thrown your way. Letters, calls and emails should be answered politely and in a timely fashion. New contacts should be logged in your address book for future correspondence. Opportunities should be taken, invites accepted, and chances to network relished.
By starting out with just these simple rules you’ll watch your resources and mailing list grow. Suddenly you’ll have music community friends with which to share your leads and ideas, ask advice, trade experiences, and combine talent and energies. Through these friends, you’ll meet new friends and fans and from them even more new connections. Soon, you’ll have so many opportunities that your concern will change from lack of opportunity to lack of time in the day to pursue each new chance.
2.) Just Show Up: Sounds so simple it’s stupid, but you’d be surprised how many talented people have fallen by the wayside because they were unable to simply show up. Cancelled gigs, forgotten meetings, and missed auditions say to the Musical Powers That Be, “I’m a huge flake who doesn’t think your opportunity is worth a half-hour of my precious time.” This is a really bad thing. Entertainment is a small town with a huge memory. Don’t give people any reason to think that you’re not the person they want to work with, give the job to, book for the gig, sign to their label, write about, talk about, and help any way they can. Remember there are tens of thousands of musicians waiting to take your place, so step up to the plate and seize each chance with optimism and enthusiasm.
3.) Take Initiative: Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. The world is a virtual cornucopia of information, so reach out and nab yourself some chances at stardom. Comb the internet, join music communities, visit open mic nights, take classes and workshops … put yourself out there where there are cool musical happenings, and let others know that you can be relied upon and want to be involved. By going out and seizing your own opportunities, you may double, triple, etc. your resources and chances, and expedite your journey to success.
4.) Do The Best Job You Can: As important as it is to show up, it is also essential that you come off efficient, talented, and professional when faced with a new opportunity. Being there is half the battle but the other half is being the best that you can be and impressing industry, press, clubs and your fellow musicians enough to make them want you to be involved in anything and everything they do.
Make a commitment to put on the best live show possible, to have a terrific CD, to make a professional presskit, and to spread the word about your music. Be punctual, be courteous, be positive and be fun. Don’t give anyone any reason not to work with you again and you’ll see that it becomes easier and easier to get what you want for your artistic career.
It really is as easy as simply showing up, following up and giving it your all. Making it in music is not impossible; it’s just a lot of elbow grease, a little organization, a bit of strategy, and the simple sculpting of your talent into a marketable commodity. There are thousands of chances offered every day to musicians...reach out and grab them by the handful, make every opportunity your own, get everything you want from this business and when you’re richer than Oprah and more famous than Madonna, remember that it was you who made it happen. You were a pro. You showed up. You committed.

How To Become 'The Next Big Thing'

Bulldozer Marketing – The Top Five Ways to Beat the Competition Part I

By: Jaci Rae (Associate Writer)


The competition is fierce and your company is just one of a billion others trying to grab the attention of consumers and the business world. How can you get your company to the top of the pile and start gaining the clout and money you need to succeed? In Part I and II of this article, I will reveal some of the top five marketing and promotion tools that are used by some of the biggest names in any industry. I call it Bulldozer Marketing. First, let me start with the basics.

It's all about marketing and promotion. While there are never any guarantees that your product or service will become the next big thing, one thing is certain: Unless you know the rules of engagement to this game, no matter how unique and urgently needed your product or service is, most people will never hear about it.

The people who have made it to the top got there with great determination, an unwavering belief and commitment to their goal, a big bullhorn and a marketing bulldozer. They didn't get there by luck or even by their talent or a great product. Their talent or product is secondary. An overnight success is only an overnight success because it's the first time you've heard of them. There are only two things that got them where they are: Marketing and promotion.

Another thing is certain: While they may have talent, which may help sustain them, unless they continue with a marketing bulldozer and mega promotion bullhorn, they have a real chance of becoming obscure in the sea of other companies and talent trying to take their spot.

You can be the next Christina Aguilera, Bill Gates, or Tiger Woods; but if you don't shout it out loud and clear, shoving your product in the consumers face, you won't sell much, if anything at all. Have you ever noticed a song on the radio you disliked, but when you saw the video and heard the song repeatedly, it grew on you?

That's what I call bulldozer marketing. They're selling it to you simply by shoving it in your face constantly! You need to use the same strategies. Get your product in the face of the public every chance you make. That's right, every chance you make. Bulldoze the public with the sheer volume of times they've heard about you.

The next step to the top is to know your competition and study them. Find out what they did to make it to the top. Many times if you call up your competition, they will talk to you about how they made it to the top. They won't discuss proprietary information, however; and they can't spend hours of time talking to you, so don't expect that. If they won't speak with you, go online and read every article you can about how they made it to the top and how they started out. Start calling the names in the articles (marketing consultants, business managers, etc.) to find out if they can offer you any tips and tricks to help you succeed.

Once you've researched your competition, make sure you have a stunning package designed. Have you ever seen the shows on television about redesigning homes so they can sell them? Once they repackage the rooms, the market becomes interested and the house sells.

No one will open the package if it's not bundled correctly. A simple example is a word picture. Home vs. House. A home is where your heart is right? A house is down the street with someone you don't know in it. Get the picture? Here's another: A flawless diamond thrown into a garbage bag filled with other garbage and put up for auction will only gain so much attention. Very few people will want to sift through the garbage in the bag to see if there really is a flawless diamond inside. Because the display is poor, the possibility of a bidding war will be very low. However, a flawless diamond displayed on a beautiful black velvet tray with a Diamond Certificate and a recommendation or two can be sold for quite a bit of money.

To help ensure a great package, talk to packaging experts and look up packaging specialties online. If you have a music or book product, go to your local college and ask the art and graphics department head whom their most talented designer is. Ask if the college has an internship program.

In Part II of this article, I will reveal the Top Five Marketing and Promotion Tools as well as give you some resources to help you. These tools and resources are ones the most successful companies, musicians, authors and service providers use to propel their companies to the top. In the meantime, start on the projects I gave you here to get you ready for the next step.