NCI Artist Resource Blog

Step 5: Creating an Action Plan

You’ve now defined your brand, defined your goals, identified promotional materials, and identified outlets. It’s now time to pull all of your planning together and create an action plan!

Underneath each of the goals you’ve created, break the goal into the individual steps needed to achieve the goal and list a due date next to each step. Also list the promtional materials and outlets you’ll need for each step.

For instance, this is the action plan for the following goal: “Release a third album with at least 10 original songs by the end of 2011.”

1. Complete writing of at least 10 original songs (7/1/2011)
2. Lay down piano tracks for songs (8/1/2011)
3. Record lead vocal tracks for songs (9/1/2011)
4. Record harmonies and other keyboard patches (10/1/2011)
5. Complete mixing and mastering (11/1/2011)
6. Press CD’s for release through DiscMasters (11/15/2011)
7. Secure venue and date for CD release party/concert (11/15/2011)
8. Write and issue press release through batch e-mailing to 50 online contacts, 25 national print contacts, 15 local print contacts, and 10 local radio/TV contacts – contacts would be listed on a spreadsheet I maintained (11/20/2011)
9. Submit CD release party information to 20 online events calendars and 10 local events calendars – outlets listed in spreadsheet I maintained (11/25/2011)
10. Update ReverbNation, Facebook artist page, and Twitter with news about CD release and upcoming concert (12/1/2011)
11. Post flyers in 50 local stores/restaurants (12/1/2011)
12. Have concert/CD release party! (12/15/2011)

Notice how I’ve treated this goal as it’s own project, accompanied by a mini-project plan. This method will help me track the status as I move towards the goal.

For each of your remaining goals, do the same thing. Some goals may stand by themselves and not need any additional breakdown. However, for large goals, this technique can be very helpful.

Once you complete this process for the remaining goals, you should now have a complete action plan that will help you work towards and track your goals, as well as provide you with a list of resources needed to make each goal happen.

This process has worked well for me, and hopefully there are elements that will help you along the way. Please keep us posted on any of your own ideas or methods that have been beneficial to you. Thanks for listening! – Jessi

Step 4: Identifying Outlets

There are many opportunities for artists to share their art with their communities and the world, especially with the availability of the Internet. The following are some outlets available to artists. Each area should be considered when looking into promotional opportunities.

• Venues – For visual artists, this may be an art gallery, a coffeeshop, or a spot outside in the city that needs a sculpture. For musicians, this may be an auditorium, a college, a restaurant, a corporate party, a cruise ship, or a festival.
• Collaboration - This can be an excellent outlet for sharing your art with a new audience already developed by another artist. Compilation CD’s featuring multiple artists are another example of collaboration.
• Internet - Your own website and social networking sites are a good start to this. Also try and take advantage of the multitude of arts and music sites out there by participating in online communities where you can share images and audio, adding your site to art directories, and contacting art/music/cultural site editors about interviews or features. Internet radio, such as Pandora, and utilities like iTunes also provide good exposure. CDBaby.com and ReverbNation.com both provide artists with iTunes distribution.
• Local Media – This includes newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and television stations. Many newspapers often have free calendar sections where you can announce your shows. The local media is also a great place to find interview and featured artist opportunities.

Start researching some outlets in each of the categories above, and write down any that fit well with your art.

Now that you’ve identified outlets, let’s move to the final step – Creating an Action Plan!

Step 3: Creating Promotional Materials

Promotional materials are the vehicle for showcasing your art to the world. Your audience, the media, radio stations, and venues will draw their first impressions from the materials you put out there. When creating your promotional materials, keep your brand in mind (see Step 1: Defining Your Brand for details) in order to maintain consistency in your presentation.

Following are some promotional materials you may need (will vary depending upon your art form):

• Website - Your website is your online home for showcasing your art. If you go through a hosting service, your design options are endless. Content Management Systems, such as WordPress and Joomla, are great options for those with limited web programming knowledge.
• Social Media Sites – Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn are just a few of the sites out there where you can get exposure to large groups of people through creating pages and groups, joining groups, and communicating with followers. Several years ago I signed up for as many of these sites as I could find, but quickly realized that maintaining all of them was self-defeating. From my experience, I’d suggest picking two or three sites that you really want to focus on, and then make regular updates on these to maintain interest from followers.
• Press Kit - Includes a one-page bio or fact sheet, several promotional photos of the artist, a business card with your contact info and website address, a demo CD (for musicians), and a quote sheet with praise from the media and industry insiders (these sometimes include press clippings, but a single quote sheet can be less cumbersome for the recipient).
• Professional Headshots/Pictures – These can be used throughout other promotional materials. Try to pick your top three favorites to use for promotion in order to maintain consistency. Musicians will want to get new pictures for each new album release.
• Demo CD – Include three to five of your strongest songs that best represent your identity, but also show variety. Put your best track first. Make sure your contact info is somewhere on the CD packaging.
• Business Cards – Include your contact info (name, e-mail address, phone number), website address, short descriptive phrase of your art, and an image (could be your artwork, logo, a picture of you, etc.). Vistaprint.com has some good deals on business cards and helps walk you through the design options.
• Posters/Stickers/Buttons – These can be used to promote shows and other events you’re involved in.

During this step, write down what promotional materials you’ll need, how you’ll use them, and what your best options are for obtaining them.

Now it’s time to move on to Step 4: Identifying Outlets.

Step 2: Defining Your Goals

Writing down goals can be a great start to creating the future that you want. As you define your goals, keep in mind that goals are a guideline, but never set in stone. Your goals should evolve as your career and dreams evolve. Never lose sight of the big picture.

SMART Goals

Now that you have defined your brand and know what you and your art are about, it’s time to start writing down your goals! When defining goals, try using the SMART method. Goals should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Action-oriented
• Realistic
• Timely

General Goal Example: I will write some songs.

SMART Goal Example: Between today and May 31, I will write five songs for my next album.

Above are examples of two goals – one SMART and one generic. The SMART goal holds you to higher standards and is more likely to be achieved, as it provides a deadline and a way to measure whether or not the goal was achieved (five songs).

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, we can get on to the good stuff!

Planning Your Goals

When planning your goals, create short-term (one year or less) and long-term goals (over one year). Goals for your art can be centered around several areas:

• Creation
• Performance/Showcase
• Building Tools – Developing websites and social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), pressing CD’s, making prints, obtaining business cards, creating merchandise, compiling press kit, etc.
• Marketing/PR – Writing press releases, contacting media with news (e.g., CD releases, upcoming shows, etc.), meeting for interviews, writing articles, etc.
• Networking – Building and maintaining relationships with other artists, collaborators, support team members (e.g., street team, producers, photographers, etc.), media, venues, and industry personnel (e.g., TV/Film music directors, A&R reps, etc.)

Here are some examples of goals I have right now for my music:

• Complete a third album with at least 10 original songs by the end of 2011.
• Complete writing of full-length musical by January 2012. Determine production team and venue for first performance by May 2012. Complete casting by August 2012. Hold first performance by February 2013. (NOTE: Some goals can be grouped together to form one large goal – breaking them up into smaller parts makes goals more attainable.)
• Set up WordPress website for music by August 2012.
• Set up next performance by end of February (NOTE: short-term goal)
• Create targeted list of media contacts (to include 50 online, 25 national print, 15 local print, and 10 local radio/TV) by August 2011 in preparation for next CD release

Now the ball’s in your court. Think about what you want to achieve short-term and long-term. Write down anything that comes to mind. This stage is a good time to think about your dreams and brainstorm step-by-step how you will reach them.

The list of goals that you create will be a work in progress. This is a starting place, but try to stay open to letting it grow and change as we move forward and as you move along through your journey. Once you have started a list of short-term and long-term goals, it’s time to move onto Step 3: Identifying the Outlets.