How To Stand Out In An Over Saturated Market

Over the years the audio industry has become a much more accessible field. It doesn't take much money or time to start making your way in the music industry. Whether you want to be an engineer, producer, songwriter, or performer, you can enter into the industry in ways that were never possible a couple decades ago. You have major advantages like low cost gear, world wide distribution through the internet, and even free tutorials and courses to get you started. In short, this is an amazing time to be a musician! The walls between you and your clients/fans are very thin.



However, this ease of access does come at a cost. 

Because it's so easy to enter into to the industry, the market is completely over saturated. In other words, there are so many musicians and engineers that it can be difficult to stand out and make a name for yourself. I think this is probably the number one difficulty and one of the biggest things that turn people away from trying to make it in music.

That's the bad news. The good news is, there are still ways to stand out, and today I want to share a couple of those with you.

Be Unique

I'm listing this one first because I feel that it is the most important one. If you don't get this, you probably aren't going to have much success. So what do I mean by "be unique?" I simply mean to figure out what it is the makes you different. This doesn't mean that you have to be 100% totally different than every other person. That probably isn't possible. What it does mean however, is that you can find a niche and an area that you excel at and can bring to the table on an individual level. 

What does this look like in the music industry? 

Let's assume for example that you are a singer/songwriter. If that's the case, you need to figure out how to create your own unique sound that is different from the most common music. Maybe you are a dubstep/techno artist but can also think like a rock musician. How can you mesh those two? How can you create a unique sound out of your individual skills? Or say for example you are an audio engineer. Look for ways that you can incorporate your own musical tastes and skills into the recordings and mixes you do. 

The best way to market yourself successfully is not to try and appeal to the masses but rather a niche market. One of the easiest ways to do this is to figure out what makes you unique, and start implementing that into your work. 

Learn How to Run a Business

Another huge aspect that is often missed by those just starting out in the audio industry, is how to run a business. I think musicians often fail to look at their craft as a business and therefore never learn how to market effectively or grow their fan base. The same applies for engineers. Especially for engineers. If you don't know how to run a business, then you really don't know how to market and sell yourself. 

Good news for you is there are ton of free and paid courses out there that can help you along the way. If you are an audio engineer and want to get started in the industry making some money on the side, I highly recommend Graham Cochrane's Audio Income Project. It's a super helpful course that will set you on the right path to making money. There are also great resources from places like Internet Business Mastery that will teach out how to run an online business. This can be helpful if you want to be a remote mixing or mastering engineer. I also recommend getting some books and just reading up on a business.  

Being successful in the music industry can be a difficult task. However, it's very possible. Remember that the people you see in the field making a living are just like you. They didn't just lucky. Rather they were to learn any and everything they needed to get started, they got a plan of action, and they worked hard. The business is slow and steady. It takes time, but if you continuously work hard and are willing learn, you will be successful.