Every performer reaches a stage where they have to start booking their own gigs outside of their local area, which means identify venues, booking gigs, getting contracts signed, sending out press releases, developing and maintaining contacts, updating websites, etc. It's a step that probably is the undoing of many indie acts: the sheer volume of work that surrounds booking gigs steals precious time and energy from developing their art, without mentioning the time it steals from family, day jobs, recreation... you know, that thing called "a life." Sadly, many artists (indie booking agents, band managers, labels, etc.) never successfully manage the transition from local success to expanding their market, let alone touring. That can change.

Finding a distributor is hard. It can take months and months before you find and secure a distributor, which is not an easy process for independent labels or individuals.

Don't give up or get discouraged; keep plugging away, even if you can't find a distributor after months of searching. Distributors get a lot of packages on their desks every week, so it's imperative that you contact them first before you send them a package. When calling a distributor, you may get them on the first try, or it may take you weeks before you get a live person to talk to.

I know there are successful musicians out there, and I want to know how they got that way. No doubt we all want to know.

In being a musician, there is either some sort of pride with not seeking someone else's help, paying for it and doing it on your own, or just being too lazy. I never had that problem. I was not too proud to pay for someone else's consultation with how to help my career, because it is a business. I'm not saying I always hired someone. I would also ask all the musicians I knew who were successful at what they did. After trying out everything suggested to me, these are things that I found did and didn't work.

By John Foxwhorthy, Publicity and networking are the two most important parts of any successful music project. Unless you lack aspirations to venture beyond your local scene, your career risks stagnation without them. This is why it's important to get a handle on how to conduct yourself when interacting with radio, publications, labels or any other facet of the music business ... otherwise you chance snuffing your credibility before you even get out of the gate.

  Jay Flanzbaum of Onlinegigs got his start as a booking agent putting together national and regional tours for independent bands. Those years running a boutique agency inspired the creation of Onlinegigs, an incredibly powerful booking and promotional tool for independent bands and agents. Jay shared with the Connector the topics he thought were most important to putting an unproven act on the road in today's music industry.