Have a plan

Markell Holland • January 13, 2023

As I frequently assist artists with distributing and monetizing their music, one of the most critical points I emphasize to my customers is the need of having a strategy in place for licensing and distributing their music.


To begin with, having a strategy allows you to be proactive in discovering and pursuing licensing opportunities. Without a strategy, it's easy to overlook potential revenue streams like sync licensing for film and television, video games or other interactive media. You may boost the odds of your music being used and earning money by recognizing the types of projects and media outlets that are a suitable fit for your music. You must also remember to aggressively search out these opportunities.


But remember, use caution when licensing your music. One strategy is to license some of your music for a one-time charge while reserving other tracks for a higher-paying, recurring royalty structure. With a plan in place, you can make informed decisions about which songs to license and under what conditions. This will assist you by maximizing your earnings from your music.

Another benefit of having a plan is that it allows you to be strategic about with distributing your music. For example, you may choose to make some of your music available for free on streaming services while charging for downloads or physical copies of others. You can make informed judgments about how to share your music and reach a large audience while also selling your work, if you have a plan in place.


Keep track of deadlines and other crucial facts connected to licensing and distribution. Without a strategy, it's possible to miss crucial deadlines or ignore important details that will result in lost revenue or other issues.  By  having a plan, you can remain on top of all the key aspects and ensure that everything works well.

By having a plan in place, you can develop and sustain ties with other professionals in the industry. For example, having a strategy in place makes it easier to keep track of who you've pitched your music to and when. This can aid in the development of stronger connections with music supervisors, film and television producers and other key industry players.


Finally, when it comes to licensing and distributing your music, having a plan is essential. You can increase your chances of success and maximize the revenue you earn from your music by being proactive. Having a plan helps you with identifying and pursuing licensing opportunities, become strategic in how you license and distribute your music, organize and manage important details while also building and maintaining relationships with industry professionals.

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