‘She was getting directions or making connections’ – Chicago rock-band American Taxi
There is an underlying message to the above lyric that I feel can relate to being a blogger. They say that knowledge is the key to success in any business. In the music industry, the biggest thing a person can do (well, besides awesome music of course) is the build up that Rolodex with as many contacts as possible. This way once the music is up to par, and the fan-base has been grown, you can attract the attention you are looking for from record labels. Your blog will make more you more income if you stop reinventing the wheel and just pay attention.
Getting Directions:
When you are trying to secure a record deal, or trying to build up your bands credibility, you need look no further than your fellow bands! While there is no set formula for music success usually you can look at the successful bands and use their overall blueprint. There is nothing in music that hasn’t been done before and there are proven formulas to success. Find a band or artist that is successful and emulate. Maybe not on an artistic level, that should still be your personal vision. But there is no shame in emulation when it comes to a business model.
On the web the same overall rules apply. There are obviously different formulas to success but generally they all follow the same model. Traffic equals revenue. The information you need to succeed is already out there. In fact, it is all over the internet. Tips from professionals who have succeeded in making money can be found with nothing more than a simple Google search. The problem lies in the emulation. Most people who are jumping head first in to blogging have no real idea the time commitment that successful bloggers put in. They read the stories about the people who make substantial income for working only a few hours a week. These people are exceptions, not rules. I personally spend well over 40 hours a week editing, posting, and promoting my blogs and websites and I’m working with a ‘newsmaker’ on a blog who basically has built in traffic. Maybe in the long run it will make me substantial income without any work, but I am not holding my breath. But who is afraid of a little hard work?
Making Connections:
Oh I can picture the days like they were just yesterday. My band mate calls me up and says ‘Scott, guess what! We are opening up for Michelle Branch!’ – These are exciting times to be a rocker. One of the biggest boons for a local band is when you can open up for an emerging national act. When I asked my band mate how we secured the deal, he uttered two simple words; ‘my connections’.
How did he build those connections? By the old fashioned art of networking! You know, going out to other shows, meeting other people in bands, their managers, and their friends. Maintaining those contacts of time and using them when the opportunity presents itself.
In the blogging sense, you can do the exact same thing. In fact, you need to do the exact same thing. Build your contacts but don’t try to be too overbearing. Take advantage of things that you can without being unethical.
One of the biggest mistakes most people make when creating a monetized website is they initially place a ton of ads on the page, start working with a million affiliates, and spend 10 hours a day for a couple weeks thinking they will see huge returns. Had they followed the lead of fellow bloggers, they would know this is virtually impossible. No connections are made because they feel they can do it alone. And poof. There goes the blog.
Look at building traffic as a fun exercise and not a chore. Enjoy the time you spend on forum and commenting other blogs. Read and listen to your fellow bloggers.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? Neither were any of the ‘famous’ blogs
‘She was getting directions or making connections’ – 
