**Guest post written by Ari Herstand, the author of How To Make It in the New Music Business.

"I’ve made a ton of mistakes and got screwed over by talent buyers, promoters and club owners more times than I’d like to admit. I learned everything the hard way and it took me years to figure out how to actually book a successful, money making tour. The biggest thing you want to remember when thinking about setting up a tour is: do not book a tour just to go on tour..."

**Guest post written by Rachel M., originally featured on Push Power Promo's Blog.

"Everyone has a Soundcloud profile, but not everyone is using theirs to its fullest potential to make their music brand look good! Having a solid music profile page includes providing your page visitors with the right information, a great online personality and a music catalog they will be excited about! Here are the top mistakes to avoid with your Soundcloud profile."

**Guest post written by Michael Corcoran of musicSUBMIT.

"Let’s say you’ve reached out to a few college and internet radio stations with your music...and - gasp - the Radio Station actually replied to say they listened and really dug your stuff...You’re still a few steps away from actually getting the airplay you’ve been promised. If you neglect these final steps, don’t be surprised if your song never gets played on that station."

**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.

"For ages, there’s been a cliché dream for any would-be musician...You’re immediately bombarded by these different suits throwing you offers from every record label you could think of, and finally, you’ve made it. You’re “signed...It’s all bullshit.”

**Guest post written by Allison Stafford, lead singer and acoustic rhythm guitarist for the Southern Country band No Deceit.

"We all know as musicians that the Merch Sales and Tips can be the saving grace of a show! You may not make a lot of money from the venue that you’re playing, or anything for that matter, but sometimes, you can make more in a tip jar or in merch sales than you would from the venue anyway! How do you get people directed toward your mech and tip bucket?"

**Guest post written by Zac Green of Zing Instruments.

"Not many people are willing to admit this, but the hardest challenge of being in a successful band is not killing each other when you’re stuck in close proximity for a long period of time. If you’ve got your first tour coming up, or you’re looking for a way to make the next one better than the PTSD-inducing nightmare from last time, read on for the 5 golden rules of touring with your band..."

**Guest post written by Jonathan Sexton, CEO of Bandposters.

"It’s hard to stay on top of all the things you have to do to break your band and make a living...To keep ahead of the game, time management is key. So we’ve put together a weekly calendar for you, with some helpful things you can do early in the week to help sell out your shows on the weekends..."

**Guest post written by Paula Tolly, one half of the Boca Raton based Americana duo 33 Years.

"Did your bass player just move out of town? Are you broke and can’t afford the next photo shoot? Looking for a way to make a bigger online splash?? Don’t fret! Here are a few DIY Band Fixes that you can try RIGHT NOW before your next gig."

**Guest post written by Canadian entertainment lawyer Byron Pascoe, originally featured on Bandzoogle.com.

"Before signing a contract with a label, it’s important to understand what you’re signing. When I’m reviewing a record label agreement for an artist, it’s not uncommon for there to be a number of “red flags” – warnings to watch out for in the agreement and/or the relationship with the label. The following list (in no particular order) provides some common red flags to keep in mind..."

**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.

"It’s almost understood that if you’re a musician, you’re likely unemployed, homeless, broke or all three. I deal with it constantly when people ask what I do for a living. Though I love writing and booking, I will always and forever identify as a “musician.” It’s my passion and my purpose and here’s the kicker: I’m not broke. The reason for that, is that I have approached my music like a business from the get-go."

**Guest post written by Matt Lindley.

"Every musician takes inspiration from their heroes – modern pop music owes a debt of gratitude to the Beatles and Elvis Presley, while the lineage of hip-hop runs from 1970s New York acts like Afrika Bambaataa and Kool Herc to modern stars like Drake and Kendrick Lamar. But how much do you know about the careers of the legendary artists that have paved the way? And what can the musicians of today learn from them?"

**Guest post written by Clay Mills, hit songwriter, producer, performer, and founder of SongTown.com.

"For years I have heard the phrase “Poor Man’s Copyright” thrown around in songwriting circles. The term is often brought up as a cheap alternative to an official $35 copyright from the US Copyright Office...BUT..."

**Guest post written by Ben Jacklin.

"For any touring outfit, life on the road can be fun, but can also mean a lot of fast food, cramming in the back of vans and plenty of spare time. For musicians, this can present an opportunity to write, practice and even record songs whilst making your way from one show to another. We’ve put together some top tips for putting together your next demo whilst you’re touring, the perfect way to fill the hours from one city to another and at a time when many bands and artists can be at their most creative."

**Guest post written by Donna Kay of Donna Kay & The Carousers.

"After the time and expense of recording, mixing, designing the cover artwork, and launching the CD, I had two tasks: Copyright the CD, and obtain the licenses to release (for sale) and perform our version of “Minor Swing”...I had to obtain two permissions to use the song: One from the owner of the publishing rights, and after submitting their permission in writing, the Easy Song standard licensing fee to record and perform our version of the song. This took a full month of digging, e-mailing, getting responses and finally finding two brothers in NYC who run a publishing company and own the rights the song."

**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey of Bandzoogle.

"...when someone gets to your band’s page, you want to be sure to grab their attention right away...You want to make sure they find the most important information. Their eyes will gravitate towards text and a button. With this in mind, make it count by adding a call-to-action."

**Guest post by Paul Doffing, (Indie musician, and marketer at BlitzMetrics).

"Making a living as a performer, band, or songwriter relies on one major factor: finding your audience. Today a great bulk of “audience finding” happens online, amidst the rapidly evolving mechanics of social media. Whether you regard the pervasiveness of social media as a positive or a negative thing, social media is a tool that you can utilize to get heard. In this post I’ll explain how to get the most out of Facebook, but first, a little history."

**Guest post by Vinnie Hines of Artist Collective.

"Working remotely isn’t for everyone...So know yourself and realize that these methods don’t work for everyone. However, I thrive on the chaos. I accept the challenge daily of having my cake and literally eating it, too...To optimize your experience, experiment with the following tips and tricks..."

**Guest post written by Matt Bacon, originally featured on IndependentMusicPromotions.com.

"There is an art to finding a place to sleep with your band for the night...The struggle is real, every day you need to make a new friend and charm someone enough to let you into their lives even just for a night...The point being: Finding places to stay is a key skill to learn on tour. Here’s what my time on the road has taught me about it..."

**Guest post written by Corey Koehler, an indie singer-songwriter from Minnesota, as featured in his blog MusicGoat.com.

"You heard right: Music sponsorships and endorsements are real and there are a ton of companies that sponsor musicians. But there’s one small problem. Small indie musicians, like you and I, do not have audiences big enough for them to sponsor us..."

**Guest post written by Debbie Stanley, a professional organizer, South By Southwest 2017 speaker, and owner of the consulting practice Thoughts In Order. This post is an excerpt from her book The Organized Musician.

"Being organized isn’t just about having a tidy closet, being on time, or keeping up with email. The consequences of disorganization can be severe for indie musicians, including damage to or even destruction of your relationships, and, by extension, your career...Of all the habits that either build or erode relationship equity, a surprising number are related to organization. Let’s look at some habits that are likely to undermine your relationships..."

**Guest post written by Corina Corina, NYC based Singer, Songwriter, Blogger.

"I have a love/hate relationship with touring. For all the incredible memories I have from years on the road, it was also stressful, exhausting and emotionally taxing. I've read hundreds of DIY music blogs about touring that emphasize the importance of self care but only begin to scratch the surface...Here are a few things I’ve learned in between downward facing dog and gas station coffee..."

**Guest post written by Carlos Castillo of Schwilly Family Musicians - music marketing strategist, web designer, live performance recordist, international road-tripper, lap steel player, and Captain of the Schwilly Family.

"A lot of music biz teachers will tell you that you should commit time to releasing cover songs on YouTube because you’ll get all kinds of organic growth and attention. This is a proven strategy that has been working for several years. But, especially now that so many musicians are applying it, I’m not sure it’s all that it’s cracked up to be anymore. And it’s not as simple as picking songs you like and recording your own versions..."

**Guest post written by Bobby Borg, originally from Music Marketing for the DIY Musician.

"Great interviews don’t happen by accident. Both parties, the interviewer and the interviewee, need to do a great deal of preliminary research. In fact, preparing your complete interview in writing before the interview can serve as helpful research for the busy interviewer and provide additional content that can be posted on your artist websites..."

**Guest post written by Wes of Bandzoogle.com.

"SEO is one of those mysterious and challenging topics for musicians who want to use search engines to promote their music, and who understand how powerful it can be. If SEO matters to you, but you're not sure where to start or how to do it: we have something great to give you..."

**Guest post written by Josh Klemons, digital storyteller and strategist of Reverbal Communications.

"If you spend time on social media, you’re probably familiar with Facebook Live, a relatively new Facebook tool that allows you to broadcast live—in real time—directly to your audience...Facebook, at least for the time being, is extremely committed to this tool and is offering all implementers a powerful free gift for using it: guaranteed exposure and engagement! Here are 5 ways to use Facebook Live to greatly expand your band’s reach..."