This week, we have a guest writer, Daniel, from The Songwriting Team to tell us more about how to start producing and recording clients remotely. Take it away Dan…
What a time to be alive! We live in a world jam packed with awesome technology that allows us to connect and make music for people from all around the world. Over the past 3 years I’ve embraced this technology and made it work for my audio business. I went from making chump change recording bands in my house to making 6-figures a year collaborating with artists and companies (making music) via the internet. Below I’ve offered some tips on how to grow your production and recording business by expanding online. At the end of the article I’ve also included a special Splice deal for those of you interested in exploring this business model further…
Tip #1 – Use collaboration software like Splice to make the work process easy for your clients.
One of the benefits of collaborating online is that there are thousands of clients who need your services. On average we do around 50 songs per month! But, one of the downsides to collaborating online is that unless you have software to help you organize your sessions you will be miserable. I suggest using Splice! It’s free and it allows your clients to give instant feedback and make tweaks to the session (if needed). This will save you a huge amount of time during the revision stages. On top of that, Splice will also back-up your sessions! Back up is key to any recording or production business. Don’t be the guy (or gal) who loses projects.
Tip #2 – Here are a few places where you can start finding clients online.
Here at The Songwriting Team we rely on 3rd party websites to get some of our work. If you are wondering where to start getting clients then here are a few places that you must check out! The first is SoundBetter. SoundBetter connects clients with audio pros like yourself. SoundBetter alone brings us on average $2000/month of new work. Another platform that is similar is AirGigs. AirGigs also connects clients to producers/engineers and is based on flat rate services. I find that AirGigs works best for lower ticket item services. Last but not least, Craigslist. Now I know what you’re thinking… There is a stigma about Craigslist, but I got my first 100 clients there! I also landed a $30K Mobile App project on Craigslist in 2013 for a company in New York. Don’t write it off! It’s a great place to connect with new clients.
Tip #3 – You must have a website that gets you found and converts visitors to clients.
90% of our clients find us through our website. The good thing about that? It means that our cost to acquire a new client is VERY low. I like to make the joke that Google is our agent. That’s how the majority of our clients find us. Now, it does take time to get your website to this point and there is a specific strategy that must be used. You can’t simply throw up a website and hope for the best. That doesn’t work. Here are a few quick tips for getting the most out of your recording studio or production service website.
- Use WordPress. Why? Because it’s the easiest to get ranking on search engines. Although Squarespace and Wix are nice… They have a harder time getting found on Google. WordPress is absolutely the way to go!
- Your homepage should include the following elements: A statement/punch-line that immediately tells visitors what you do and why, a music player, a great photo or video for personal connection, a list (or bullet points) of all of the services you offer, a simple paragraph that sums up your business (for SEO), and a call to action which could be a form or button that allows the visitor to contact you.
- Use Wufoo to make a nice “Project Planner Form”. If you rely on a basic contact form then you won’t get all of the info that you need. It’s important to ask your potential client all of the necessary questions to get their project started. Use ours as an example.
Bonus Tip! The most important thing that you can do to grow your business is follow up. What does that mean? It means that you should always be staying in contact and “following up” with potential clients who have expressed interest in working with you. Every month I touch base with all of our past clients and leads. I use a CRM software called Insightly to remind me and help me organize all of my contacts. I highly recommend that you do the same!
Want the blueprint for building an online production/recording business?
Last year I created a 6 hour HD video course that outlines how I transformed my modest home studio into a $350,000 company with a full time staff in just under 4 years. The course covers everything from building your site, defining your brand, getting clients, managing projects, growing your business, and more. Literally everything you need to get started!
Click here to enroll in “How To Make Money Producing Music: Virtual Recording Studio”
All Splice readers get 25% off using the code: SPLICE
Thank you for reading!
About The Author
Daniel Grimmett is a Nashville based music producer and CEO of The Songwriting Team, a web-based songwriting and music production team that works with over 200 clients in 21 different countries. Daniel also has a blog called “Break The Factory” where he helps other music creators learn how to make better music, get clients, and build their businesses.
February 16, 2016