Summary of "Your Music and People"

Core Idea

Marketing is creative work—treat promotion with the same care as songwriting; it's an extension of your art, not separate from it
90% of your success is in your control—stop waiting for gatekeepers; focus relentlessly on what you can actually do

Create a contact database with notes and tags for everyone you know; use tools like Cloze or Monica
Meet 3 new people weekly (150/year); have genuine conversations focused on how you can help them
Maintain on a schedule: A-list contacts every 3 weeks, B-list every 2 months, C-list every 6 months
Follow up within 48 hours of meeting someone—most people don't, so you'll stand out
Every breakthrough comes from someone you know—network building isn't optional, it's foundational
Treat industry pros as normal humans—drop the reverence; real connections happen when you're not performing

Write one curious sentence that sparks wonder, not a full explanation ("funky and sexy" beats "intricate harmonies and tight rhythm section")
Be brutally specific—avoid "all styles" or "totally unique"; mystery attracts more than completeness
Own your niche ruthlessly—declare it in your bio, email, album titles, and merch until you're synonymous with it
Target edges, not the mainstream—with infinite options, stand out by being remarkably unusual
Be an extreme character—weird, quirky, larger than life; entertain, don't bore

Assume nobody's coming—never wait for help; focus entirely on what you control
Ask for specific help, not vague favors; people love feeling useful
Write down concrete next steps—vague goals paralyze; get specific about what's next
Contact someone already where you want to be and ask how they got there
Make your own opportunities—no venue? Start one. No distributor? Build one.
Spend less, not more—resourcefulness beats expensive production; 100 albums cheap beats 1 album expensive

Never promote until people can actually buy—timing kills momentum; ensure distribution is live first
Charge confidently—higher price signals higher value; shed money taboos
Build income that doesn't depend on your time: recorded music, licensing, teaching, merchandise
Emphasize meaning over price when selling; focus on why it matters, not how much it costs

Releasing is just the start—success requires relentless work after launch; are you at the starting line or finish line?
Move to a major media hub (NYC, LA, London, Mumbai, Hong Kong)—this is where deals happen and competition sharpens you
Let excitement be your compass—do what energizes you; stop what drains you
Focus on timeless fundamentals: melodies, emotional connection, writing lots of songs—not predicting trends
Test locally first—prove success in small markets before asking big companies to invest

This week: Build a contact database with everyone you know; tag and schedule 3-week/2-month/6-month touchpoints
This week: Write your one curious sentence; test it on 5 people; refine based on reactions
This month: Meet 12+ new people (3/week); follow up within 48 hours with a personalized note
This month: Audit your marketing; kill what drains you; double down on what excites you
Before any promotion: Verify people can buy/listen; if fans aren't telling friends, improve the music first