Music indeed makes our world a vibrant one, a form of art that involves talents and creating magic. Even though this sounds straightforward, independent artists find themselves dealing with twists and turns involving unplanned expenses.
That’s why it’s pertinent to have an independent music budget to stay atop money management. Being an indie artist, you may not always be sure of where your next dollar is coming from, but you still have to have a budget in place.
When it comes to budgeting, it’s an area many people are not keen about. It even gets trickier if you are not making enough as an artist. You begin to wonder why there is an independent music budget. You’ve got to stay in control of your spending; you cannot afford to have your pocket inside out at the end of every month.
To this end, we’ve come up with a list of what you should direct your independent music budget to as an indie artist;
1. Create a Reasonable Budget
As an indie artist, you cannot do without a budget. When backed by a budget, you’ll get the most out of your resources. That’s how we come about an independent music budget for indie artists.
There are tools that you can employ in creating trackable budgets as an indie artist. It’s not just about having an independent music budget but having one that is reasonably within your reach as an artist.
2. Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt
You may look down on this advice, but you’ll realize how important this is as an indie artist. Make it a financial goal to pay off your credit card debts as an indie artist. Building a realistic credit outlook should form a significant part of your independent music budget.
Times will come when you will need to make a significant purchase, and you do not have the wherewithal. That’s when the health of your credit will bail you out. Don’t accumulate credit card debts.
3. Facebook Advertising
It would be best if you put yourself out there as an indie artist, and running paid adverts is one of the potent ways to achieve your marketing goals. When it comes to marketing, you’ll need to ignore the naysayers and focus on putting yourself with the reach of your target audience.
One of the secrets of music promotion that we all ignore is the importance of running adverts. Even established acts run paid advertisements on social media. Remember, you are an upcoming indie artist; the more advert you can run, the better.
4. Optimize Your Website and Social Media Profile
You’ll see most people doing this only when they are about to release an album, don’t wait till that time. Yes, cleaning up your social media profile and website is often part of the album release plan; nothing stops you from having it in place.
Look into your website and channel a part of your budget to optimize your website for search engines. Make it easy for your fans to be able to locate you. It may require you to hiring a copywriter the reword your website contents. These tasks should not be what you’ll be taking on; you need the services of experts.
5. Invest Into a Professional Portrait
As part of what you will be spending your independent music budget on, invest in taking professional pictures. We are referring to ones that are befitting of you as an indie artist. You are creative, and this should reflect in how people see you.
Please don’t make it an annual thing to take good pictures; factor it into your budget to hire a professional quarterly. This will serve as contents you’ll be dishing out on your social media pages as an indie artist.
6. Hire a Songwriting Consultant
Do you think you don’t need one as an indie artist? Yes, you do, and the early you make it part of your independent music budget, the better. Songwriting is a skill that takes years to perfect, and you cannot afford to wait that long before churning out memorable songs.
That’s where a songwriting consultant enters the mix. While you still write your songs, the consultant looks at it from an objective point and offers advice on improving every piece. Your songs are an essential aspect of your indie music career, and you need to invest in getting it right.
7. Hire a Soundman
Of what essence will it be for you to spend fortunes recording, mixing, and mastering your music, if the quality cannot be replicated in stage performances. When you are billed to perform at events, you will be doing yourself a great disservice by using their soundman.
You are better off with your soundman, who has a clear picture of your music, vibes, and sound. Give yourself every competitive advantage you can afford, and a soundman is one of those essentialities.
Final Thoughts
While drawing up your independent music budget, ensure you give a thought to all of these pointers. In no time, you’ll see that you will be treated like a real professional. Not forgetting that your music delivery will receive a boost.
There’s a lot you need to understand about music promotion and being a successful indie artist. Look through our blog at Disctopia.
