You see, supposedly there are specific emotions you can evoke that will make people more likely to buy products and services. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of books that dive deep into the psychology of why people buy things and how to persuade people to buy more stuff.
I have to admit, I've read a few of these books over the years and I've tried a few of the tactics they suggest. Do they work? Yeah, I suppose they do to a certain extent. There are certain ways you can "frame" offers that make them more appealing and enticing and make people more likely to buy what you're selling. If you know what to look for, these "tactics" are pretty easy to spot.
But today I want to try something different and just write from the heart. You see, I've done my best over the last couple years to shift to a more "conscious" way of doing business. I've made a deliberate effort to be as authentic and "non-salesy" as possible. I'm not sure if I've succeeded in doing this perfectly, 100 percent of the time, but it's what I strive for.
What does that mean? Well, basically, it means this... I have a service that I provide, which is I help people license their music and make money from their music. I've been doing this for over ten years now and my business has turned into a pretty respectable small business. I have two employees and several part time collaborators. I'm ecstatic that I've been able to turn my passion and love for music and music licensing into a
viable business, both making and licensing my own music, and providing tools and resources for others to do the same.
But, lately I've been really focused on running my business in an even more authentic and sincere way. It's fairly easy to "spin" things in a more positive light in order to get more people to buy your products. But, I'm not interested in doing that. I have no interest in "tricking" people into buying something that isn't right for them. I want to give people as realistic a perspective as possible about how the music business and the music
licensing business works and then let them decide whether or not it's something they want to pursue.
I'll give you an example....
I recently received an email from someone who said they would have bought one of my courses, but because I've been so brutally honest about how it can take several years to become successful in licensing, they've decided they're not interested. They decided, based on the truth I've presented about this industry, that it's not for them. And you know what? That's great! I'd much rather present the industry the way it actually is and have
someone decide it's not for them, than present a false picture, or a picture that is incomplete, and have them buy my courses and services only to regret it later.
After several email exchanges back and forth with this particular person, he said something to the effect of, "you have a really strange approach to business. It doesn't seem like you're really even trying to get me to buy your courses".
You see, this particular musician was discouraged that it would likely take a couple years to build up a substantial income from licensing. I think I said something along the lines of, "If the idea of working hard at something you love for a couple years to build up a significant revenue stream is something you find discouraging, this business probably isn't for you". Something along those lines.
Like I said, I just want to present the truth about this business. What it takes, how it works, the pros and cons, the good, bad and the ugly. Why? Because I know that the decisions you make, based on the information I present, will have a real impact on your life. If you choose to go into a profession like licensing based in part on reading my blogs, listening to my podcast, watching my videos and so on, I know that will change the
direction of your life. I don't take that lightly. I don't want you to make a big decision like that based on false pretenses.
All I can do, is present the stories and experiences of myself and others working in this industry in an honest and as "non-hyped" of a way as possible. Then, you can decide if you want to move forward in this industry. Like all industries, there are challenges, and there will be ups and downs. But, as they say, knowledge is power, and the more knowledge and information I can curate and bring to you, the better prepared you will be to succeed
in this industry.
Look, there are tons of people hawking courses about the music industry right now, both related to licensing and other aspects of the business, like Spotify, Youtube, etc. Some of these marketers are REALLY good.... at marketing! I get excited watching some of these videos about how much money I could be making with my music! There are some really good marketers out there that know how to reel people in and hit just the right buttons and say just the
right things to get you to buy their courses. Some of them are likely more charismatic and persuasive than I am.
And you know what, I'm sure there are elements of truth in what a lot of them are saying. But, for better or worse, I'm not interested in being a great marketer and "spinning" things a certain way to maximize my revenue. I'm sure I could probably make more money if I presented my courses and information in a different light. I'm sure there are ways I could "hype" the potential for making it big via licensing and make it all seem much easier and
more glamorous than it really is, in order to get more people to buy my courses and products.
But, I'm not interested in that. I'm really not. I don't think I would sleep as well at night if I approached marketing that way. My main concern is presenting as clear of a picture of how the music licensing industry really works, so you can decide if this is the business for you, or not.
Then, for those who are interested in this industry, after getting a really clear picture of how the industry works, my job is to provide the best tools and resources you'll find anywhere, to help you succeed and reach your goals. The rest is up to you.
I've been doing this for over ten years, and I feel like each year I've gotten better, both in terms of the way I present information and the quality of the content I'm creating. My goal is to continue to provide the best, most authentic, no-nonsense advice on music licensing and the music business around.
Be sure to check that out if you haven't already to get a feel for my content and my style of teaching and get a completely free break down of how the sync licensing business works.
How To License Your Music Premium
I don't want to get all cheesy and salesy, so instead I'm just going to tell you what you get when you become a member of How To License Your Music Premium and remind you that between now and Sunday, January 10, you can save 75% off the full price. After that, the price will return to the full price.
When you join How To License Your Music Premium, you'll get access to all the tools and resources you need to start making money licensing your music.
There is also an option to upgrade to get private monthly coaching sessions with me, where I'll work with you one on one to help you with your specific situation and give you personalized advice and training, tailor made to the style of music you make and where you are in your career.
HTLYM Premium has taken over two years to create and includes:
1) Regularly updated music licensing leads.
2) Dozens Of In Depth Music Business Courses
3) Hundreds Of Audio Interviews
4) Comprehensive, Up To Date Music Business Directories
5) Music Business Ebooks
6) Live Weekly Webinars
7) Monthly Coaching Calls (Deluxe Members Only)
8) Private Facebook Group
9) Music Licensing Reference Library
10) Music Licensing Resource Center
11) Spotify Resource Center
Go check out my site and watch the video where I give you a tour of the site here:
After that, if you decide you're a good fit for what I'm providing, join anytime between now and Janury 10 and you'll save 75% off the full price.
Look, I'm 100% confident that what we're providing at How To License Your Music Premium is unlike any other resource you'll find elsewhere and absolutely worth every penny. But... I want you to be convinced as well.
Then, when you're ready, sign up and start taking advantages of the wealth of information we're providing to members of How To License Your Music Premium. I guarantee you won't regret it.
Happy New Year!
Aaron Davison
