When you think about starting a music career versus starting a business, the two are actually quite similar. Both have an element of risk. Both can be difficult to launch and maintain successfully. And both rely on attracting loyal customers for longevity of that success.

So it makes sense to approach a fledgling music career the same way you would approach a business start-up. There are many parallels between the two. Check it out.

Big Picture Thinking

Pie-in-the-sky reaching is fine in its place. But don’t forget you will need to construct short-term plans on how to get yourself a piece of that pie.

By putting your plan in writing, and chronicling specific goals you want to achieve, you’re more likely to follow up on your aspirations.

Musicians are artists. This often means they tend to have the artists’ sensibility of creative, right-brained free association. So it can be easy to forget that the first step should involve a left-brained logical, thought-out plan of action.

A good idea is to make a plan for the long term––and––make a plan for the short term. While it’s important to stick to plans, it’s also necessary to be adaptable. If something unexpected comes up that’s appears to be a good opportunity, don’t be afraid to take it. Even if it isn’t on your plan. Learn to roll with the punches and be flexible when it’s in your best interest to do so.

Reach Out & Touch Someone

Technology is everything now. By tapping into social media you’re going to see far greater success for your efforts. Start an account on every social media channel and link them all together. Keep people up to date with what’s happening. Share videos of your writing sessions. Get to know your fans. Find people that are interested in your genre of music and follow them. When people follow you first, follow back. People love artists that get involved and make themselves somewhat available. It makes fans feel that they are part of the creative process.

Network & Collaboration

Another great thing about technology is that you can find other people in your local area that have the same musical interests. The potential is there to hook up with them for writing collaborations, gigging or even touring. There’s no end to the possibilities when you’re willing to get involved with others in the same scene as you.

Release Fast & Release Regularly

A great way to get a feel of what your audience wants from you is by releasing music quickly and regularly. This is especially important when you’re starting out.

Get into a pattern of releasing one song every two weeks, or even one song a week. People are keen to observe the process of making and releasing music. And they will often make comments on it. You can use that feedback to tap in to what your audience feels is your best direction.

Imagine if some of your favorite artists had come out now, as opposed to many years ago. There’s a chance that things could have turned out quite differently. The bands that arrived with a bang, yet left with a whimper, might have a chance for greater success if there had been a way of getting regular feedback on their work.

It’s 2016

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. But remember that, at some point, you will probably fail at something. And that’s just fine. Failure is one of the most powerful motivating forces on the road to success. The important thing is how you deal with failure. Can you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and have another go at it?

The traditional view of the music scene has now changed forever. You won’t get “discovered” unless you share and display yourself for the audience to see, hear…and hopefully…appreciate.