Your Music and People

Summary

Every creator has the same problems with marketing.

• How do you call attention to your work?


• How do you get your creations into people’s minds and hearts?


• How do you get fans to tell their friends?


• How do you charge money for your labor of love?


• How do you get the media to help?

Derek Sivers was a professional musician before he started a music distribution company that helped 150,000 musicians sell their music to over four million people. So after years of living the problems, he was able to learn the solutions.

“Your Music and People” shares a successful philosophy of getting your work to the world by being creative, considerate, resourceful, and connected.

Though it uses music as the example, it is meant for any creator trying to reach people. Early readers called it one of the best books ever written on business marketing.

Example points include:

• Business is just as creative as music.


• Marketing is an extension of your art.
  


• Marketing means being considerate. Focus on others.


• Being weird is considerate.


• People skills are counterintuitive. To be helped, be helpful.


• Persistence is polite.


• Call the destination and ask for directions.


• Get specific about what you want.


• Be extreme and sharply defined. Proudly exclude most people.
  


• 
  Money is just a neutral representation of value. Be valuable to others — not just yourself. People like to pay.


• Nobody knows the future, so focus on what doesn’t change.