A Questionnaire To Help You With Your Artist Development Issues

Please take time to answer the following important questions. Thoughtful, honest, and detailed answers to these questions will help you when you write your bios, fact sheets, and the press releases that are necessary for marketing and promoting your music. This questionnaire will help you evaluate your current career status, and help you define and refine what you HAVE done and what you HAVE NOT done.

• Name of artist or band? (Include all band members names and instruments
played.)
• Is your stage name trademarked?
• Have you registered your songs for copyright protection?
• Have any of your songs been published? (If so, by whom?)
• Have you affiliated with a performance rights organization?
(Which one—ASCAP, BMI?)
• What is your background? (Who are you and your band members? Tell your
story.)
• Do any band members belong to the Musician’s Union?
• Do you have a written band/partnership agreement?
• Why do you want to record and release your own music? (Be very honest.)
• Who is your fan or customer? (Analyze this question thoroughly.)
• Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
• Who are your musical influences? (Cite specific examples.)
• How do you describe your music to people? (This isn’t a short answer.
Discuss it.)
• What image do you think your music conveys? (Do not avoid the image issue!)
• What are your immediate music career goals? (Next one to three years.)
• What are your long-term career goals?
• How would you define the word “success”? (This isn’t a short answer.
Discuss it.)
• Do you have any personal contacts in the music business?
• Do you have an entertainment law attorney to consult with?
• Are you looking for an independent label deal or a major label deal? (Why?)
• Do you have a demo or press kit, or any promotional materials?
• What live performance experience have you had? (Any industry showcases?)
• How do you rate your live performance ability? (Be very critical.
No clichés.)
• Have you recorded any previous CDs or demos? (Which studios?
Who was the producer?)
• How did you sell your CDs? (Consignment? Over the Internet? Live sales?
Distributor?)
• Have you had any previous print or broadcast media exposure or reviews?
• Are you financially able to fund the costs of establishing your career?
In debt?)
• Do you have a business license? (City, state, federal?)
• What is your current business form? (Sole proprietor? Corporation? Partners?)
• Have you set up a system for tracking your financial activities?
(software system?)
• Are you aware of the tax deductions available for musicians?
• Do you have insurance on your band equipment and vehicles?
• Have you created an exciting, well-designed website?
(aware of new design software?)
• Do you have a presence on the Internet that is active and aggressive
(Looking for new opportunities?)
• Who handles your daily business activities? (bookings, promotions, etc.)
• Have you created an actual career, marketing, and business plan?
(Is it in writing?)
• Are you actively involved with updating daily your social networking sites?
i.e. Twitter,My Space and Facebook, or any other such networking tools?