Jerry Seinfeld is arguably one of the most successful comedians of our time. Wealthy beyond words, he ran his smash hit show ‘Seinfeld’ year after year which snapped up countless awards and all without ever running short of material.

So how did he do it? The answer is actually much simpler than you may think and it’s a proven method to helping you effectively smash any goal you set for 2015.

Jerry’s secret strategy?

He used a system whereby he would aim to write one joke every day. That’s it – just one joke. Not five, not ten just one.

Once he’d written his joke he would place a big red cross over that day on his calendar and after a few days of doing this a chain would form. The system then became about not breaking the chain, rather than the joke itself.

The genius behind the Seinfeld Strategy is that the smallest increment of work can add up to a project of mammoth sized proportions and you don’t get overwhelmed in the process. Let’s think about this in music terms; say you want to build a fan base on YouTube. Don’t think about the massive task ahead of how you are going to get to 1000 then 10,000+ subscribers and how many awesome videos everyone else has; instead just think about doing one music video each week, every week. Once you’ve done that, tick off your calendar.

Or say you want to improve your instrumentation skills; just go for 15 minutes of practice per day. That’s it! 15 minutes of concentrated practice and once you’ve done it get your red pen out. After a while you’ll have such a long chain of red crosses on your calendar you will do anything not to break the chain.

Trust me it works – I’ve been applying it to my own piano practice for the last six months and my skills have skyrocketed. Even on days when I can’t be bothered practicing I know that if I just do my 15 minutes I’ll get my red cross and the chain stays intact. Its serious motivation and it pays serious compound interest.

I personally think the psychology behind the Seinfeld Strategy runs much deeper. Quite often the biggest obstacle between you and success is inaction. How many times have you written a goal, poured all of your best intentions into it and stuck it up somewhere on your wall at home in a place where you’re bound to see it every day, hoping that it will subliminally make you achieve it; only to have it stare at you malevolently and still be unticked by the end of the year?

The Seinfeld Strategy puts an end to this vicious cycle. Now you get small wins every day in the form of another link in your chain and by the end of the month; a whole page full of red crosses!! You can see your progress growing each day and by the end of the year you’ll know that you did everything you could to achieve that goal.

So, whatever your grand plan is for 2015, break it down to the smallest increment possible and make that into your actionable system. Focus only on completing that one task and getting that red cross and before you know it, you’ll not only reach your goal, you’ll smash it.

Just remember, whatever you do… ‘don’t break the chain’.

Article reference: http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nicola Milan provides free tips for improving your singing, songwriting and performance craft on her website Singer’s Secret. Head to www.singerssecret.com for free singing lessons and tips.

The post Smash any goal for 2015 using the Seinfeld Strategy appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

Source: Musician Resources

Someone has landed on the CD Baby page for your album or single. You’re close to making a sale.

Your potential fan has either found your music by:

* browsing on cdbaby.com.

* searching for you online.

* linking from a website, email newsletter, or social.

Now it’s time to “close the deal.” (That really is an awful saying, isn’t it? But you get the point.)

How to optimize your CD Baby album or single page to make the best impression

1. You need a striking album cover

It’s the first thing someone sees. And that’s good. Your CD Baby page puts the attention where it should be, on YOUR album (or single). Hopefully your album cover makes people want to click the play button. If so, well done. If not, you still have time to capture their imagination when you…

2. Write an evocative “short description”

Describe your music in one or two sentences. This is not the place for music theory. Appeal to the SENSES. What does your music taste, feel, look, and sound like? Once you’ve got something you like, ask your fans and friends what they think. Did their eyes glaze over? Keep revising your description. Did they light up with curiosity? I think you’ve got your short description.

3. Sell downloads AND physical

Customers want options. Use your product page to offer both CDs (or vinyl) and downloads in the same place. If your fans want digital music, they can to choose between CD-quality download (FLAC), hi-quality MP3, or standard MP3.

4. Double-check your links

Every external link from your CD Baby page should be current and active. No dead links! No stale links! Are you sending people to MySpace from an older album page? Maybe it’s time to switch that to your website or YouTube channel.

5. List relevant genres and RIYL suggestions

With CD Baby, you can categorize your music in a few ways: two top level genres, two sub-genres, a mood, and several sounds-like artists (“Recommended If You Like…”). This information is super useful for any visitor to your page, as it helps them form a sonic picture and hopefully makes them want to dive deeper.

But another reason to make sure your genre and RIYL selections are accurate is because that data informs how customers will discover your music within our store while browsing.

Do you REALLY sound like Radiohead? Or do you just like their music? Are you REALLY psychedelic pop? Or did you just put a backwards guitar solo at the end of one of your folk songs? Make sure to ask your fans and friends for their input here as well.

6. Give away a FREE download and allow your fans to stream full tracks

Nothing will help someone make up their mind quicker than actually hearing the music! Letting people listen instills confidence in their purchase. And if someone hears a song and says, “Oh nevermind, this isn’t really my thing” — that’s fine — because the last thing you want is for someone to feel misled or ripped off.

7. Share the most interesting details about your music in the notes section

You have quite a bit of space to tell customers about your music career, the recording process, the story behind the songs, and whatever other highlights you think are worth mentioning. In my opinion, the notes are not as important as your short description, but they do give a more long form opportunity to hook listeners.

8. Encourage customers and fans to leave reviews

Even though this item is towards the end of the list (and the reviews are displayed towards the bottom of your CD Baby product page), it should be one of your top priorities. People not only want to feel safe when they purchase something, they also want to feel smart, stylish, hip, and discerning. A bunch of positive reviews on your page will confirm that they’ve got great taste in music. Which brings us to…

9. Make great music

Ultimately, this is what it’s all about. Until someone has actually heard your songs, the music is the LAST thing that matters. Once they’re listening, the music is the ONLY thing that matters. So make it count.

—-

As a buyer, what do you need to see or hear before purchasing music? As an artist, what has helped you sell music on CD Baby? Let us know in the comments below.

Check out Laura Doherty’s music on CD Baby!

The post What makes a great CD Baby music product page? appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

Source: Musician Resources