MegaArtists.pdf

MEGA TOPICS
Issue no: 03
1. Agents.
Agents act on behalf of artist. They handle
the business side of an artist's life. These
are the people responsible for bookings
and marketing. Investing in one is very
important because in most cases these
people are trained and knowledgeable
about the art and entertainment industry.
Always bear in mind too that they come
with a price attached.
2. Direct approach.
What better way to market your craft than
through pulling the bull by its horn?
Approaching businesses about what you
have to offer shows how a person is
adamant and determined to deliver to the
audience. One cannot always wait for
businesses to approach them, because
sometimes with lack of marketing some
businesses don't even know one has
something to offer.
3. Press releases.
We all got to hear and read about Ntsiki
Mazwai's open letter to Mr Mbalula on the
media. So why not market your craft
through it? Most artists take advantage of
the social media, and it would be
comparative that any emerging artists
should also adopt this platform and get
themselves and their work out there. Letting
people know who you are, what you have to
offer, where and when they can see your
work can reach the masses through just a
tweet or status update, coming from that
smart phone of yours.
4. Networking
Go out there. Be seen. Exchange numbers.
Enlist your name for the open mic session if
you're into poetry. Attend events that are
related to what you do, and see what other
people are doing. It will benefit you. Sitting at
home and hoping to wake up with an
invitation to an event that could benefit your
career is just useless.
5. Brand packaging.
As a brand, one should also consider how
they present themselves to potential fans,
what they say in public that could damage
their reputation and work as artists, what
worthy causes they associate themselves
with and how they behave in public places.
Brand packaging means being true to
yourself, that is, not stealing and copying
other peoples work, because diversity is a
great thing and bad publicity isn't always
good publicity.
6. Consistency
In order for one to excel in anything, a rule of
consistency should be applied. An artist
doesn't sit and fold their hands after having
one project that doesn't sell or attract more
customers than he had hoped it would. One
is bound to be forgotten if their work is
released five years apart, learning from
Beyoncé is actually beneficial. Her
consistency commands you not to even
dare forget her because even if you wanted
to, you wouldn't.
The above mentioned marketing tools are
but some of the tools that one can use to
nurture their career as an artist. Put them to
test. One can argue that by having a great
marketing plan, open letters that suggest
ministers overlook local artists and in Miss
Mazwai's words, “…put Americans before
their own” will not plague our social media
and ignite twars, in the long run. The
minister might even consider his obsession
with Beyoncé and obsess on a local artist.
Marketing will always be, after an artist's
actual craft, an artist's sharpest weapon in
the war that is the art and entertainment
industry.
Tshegofatso Rasekgothoma is a
seasonal Poet, Writer, Educator, MBA
student at University of Limpopo
www.megaartists.co.za FEB - MAR 2015
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