As an artist, having great music is only half the battle. In order to make music a sustainable career, musicians must learn how to market themselves.
Open Mic Fridays provides artists opportunities to network, get exposure and feedback, and score new gear. Gear awards are contingent not solely on performance, but also on the ability to activate an audience. Below are resources to help develop your brand and market your music, including your Open Mic Fridays performance.
Social Highlight: We would love to showcase artists on the Music Forward social accounts. Submit to phebe@musicforwardfoundation.org a <1min vertical video of you introducing yourself, talking about your sound, and encouraging everyone to watch Open Mic Fridays and vote for you!
Example: “Hi my name is Alex Smith, and I am performing in this week’s Open Mic Fridays. My music is very indie rock so if you love Phoebe Bridgers make sure you tune in to see me perform live on Music Forward’s Twitch this Friday on Open Mic Fridays, and don’t forget to vote for me during the show!”
Tip: Put your personality into it! You have 1 min to introduce yourself as an artist to a brand-new audience – make every second count!
Graphics: Along with this sheet, you should have received your personalized Open Mic Fridays graphic. You can use these graphics, and the general show flyer that you will receive closer to show day, to promote on your socials.
Reuse content as much as you can. Lots of ideas can work across platforms or be used in multiple ways.