When I was in college I earned straight As in music appreciation class. I was even a student tutor of music history, all the while I wondered why some artistes made it and some did not.
It’s simple. Artistes are celebrated through out history because there is a market for their music. That means that at some point each significant artiste delivered a unique value proposition that served a target market or audience.
How do you define a target audience for your music?
We’ve cracked the code. You just need to follow a four-part formula by answering these questions. Is it easy to answer these questions?
No. It demands emotional intelligence and deep honesty, your soul’s truth. Is it worth it? Yes. It’s transforming.
Why? What is your creative purpose? Why are you here? Hint. It’s not about your music.
What? What problem do you believe is really worth solving? What are you doing about your why? Hint. It’s not about your music.
How? How are you solving that problem? What is your unique value proposition? Unique value proposition is a clear statement that describes the benefit of your music, how you solve your customer's needs and more importantly what seperates you from the competition.
Who? Who does your unique value proposition serve, who is your target audience? Who is not?
Successful artists know their creative purpose.
They know why they are here and what they are here to do.
Successful artists dedicate their lives to a mission, to a problem that is really worth solving. They are aiming so much higher than just making music.
How are these artists fulfilling their mission, solving that problem? By creating value above and beyond their music.
Here’s what they are not doing. They are not just making “music for music’s sake.”
Whatever that means. I’ve never really understood what making “music for music’s sake” meant or had much respect for the notion.
It sounds like a personal hobby. Not that there is anything wrong with a hobby. It’s just that no one’s going to pay you just to entertain yourself. Your music will only sell if it adds value to the marketplace.
Successful artists are also abundantly clear about who has the problem that they are solving, and who doesn’t.
They know their tribe, they share the same culture, ceremonies, and values. Artists celebrate their tribe and their tribe celebrates them by buying their music, merchandise and attending their events.
You might be thinking. Great. That’s nice. I haven’t a clue what my creative purpose is. You can and you must learn. Bob Marley and Vybz Kartel provide us with excellent examples of artists with distinct target audiences.
Final Thoughts. How can an artist discover their target market? They must first discover themselves. What is your Why? What? How? And Who?