Marketing Vs Business Plan

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gullyjewelz

gullyjewelz

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1. ANY ONE HAVE A GOOD WAY TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHQT THE DIFFERENCE IS? RATHER, WHAT IS THE COMPETITIVE EDGE OF DOING ONE AND NOT THE OTHER? -- I FOUND TWO DISTINCT TEMPLATES ON MY COMPUTER AND AM WONDERING WHICH ONE TO USE--FIRST.


2. Any one on here written up their own business (or marketing) plan for their music "company" that they are working with? If so, did you freestyle it or did you seek professional assistance or some type of software? I have seen software and obviously you get tons of "customer reviews" but they all pretty much say the same thing, that " THIS SOFTWARE WAS INCREDIBLE!!!" for my business needs. Since I have not purchased an assortment of programs (and I shutter to think I might have to do such) I am bewildered at how to go about trusting one program over another. Any one with thoughts, comments, feedback? Please!!!!!
 
In essence, a business plan identifies what the business is, how you plan to grow/develop the business, what your targeted client base is, what your planned revenue/expenses are, how many employees you need, a projected balance sheet and income statement, etc, etc.

Often, the business plan is a blueprint to get from point A to point Z - if you are looking to get financial assistance (say a bank loan) the lendor wants to see what the business is and how you plan to run it.

A marketing plan is a specific plan on how you plan to market your business to various or specific client bases, marketing areas or business modules. Normally, the business plan is the start-up plan whereas the marketing plan is more of a plan to grow an existing business (although it is not a bad idea to occasionally re-invent the business plan..

This is an overly simplistic summary, but I suspect you get the general idea. I've never used a computer model (although I've seen some that appeared well laid out. I simply went to the library and checked out books on running a small business.

I've never prepare a business plan for music endeavers (although I have prepared 1 and 3 years business plans for my day gig). I did develop a marketing plan for a band I ran (identified clubs/corporate clients, etc). We were a very commercial group were almost more like a business than a "band" (and our revenue reflected that). I also developed a limited marketing plan for my project studio (identified potential groups of clients (bands, songwriters, ad agencies, etc) and how to access them (running ads, offering "free studio time" for "battle of the bands", etc. etc)

In my humble opinion, a marketing plan is easier to develop than a good business plan - but both can be very useful to achieve success.
 
I think a Marketing Plan has a higher BS content than a Business Plan. :D
 
I don't... it's just different content... a solid marketing plan will promote a product sometimes better than a business plan will get it sold
 
cool - thanks for the feedback - im workin on the bus. plan and want to work on the mark. plan as well . . . hmmmm . . . any one know how to do the "paperwork" for creating a LLC ? im willin to pay someone if know how to do it
 
A good business plan contains a marketing plan within it, or a summary of it.
 
please dont

buddy gully man look dont pay someone to that for you
i created a llc in about 15 minutes at the state dept in your home state you should be able to do it online in less time

after the llc call the feds and get a tax id

then go to a bank and open an account

what state are you in

its that simple i did all of this in a day
 
gullyjewelz said:
cool - thanks for the feedback - im workin on the bus. plan and want to work on the mark. plan as well . . . hmmmm . . . any one know how to do the "paperwork" for creating a LLC ? im willin to pay someone if know how to do it
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Do you have partners, or is this a single-member LLC? If it's single member, you might reconsider if you really want to organize as an LLC. You're gonna need liability insurance either way.

One more bit of advice: it's illegal for anybody to take money from you to draft an LLC agreement, other than an attorney.

I'm not an attorney :)

However, somebody could share theirs for free, use at your own risk!
 
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thanks for the advice

im lookin online at "incorporatefast.com" to see what they say

any one willing to throw theirs my way -- it would be appreciated!!! and of course i would "use at my own risk"
--all i know for sure is that I have to have this done, in order to move forward with some of the potential partners I have been talking to -- i mean some of the partners are schools that are willing to let me perform and utilize students in unpaid internships . . . if my paperwork is right!!!

im tryin to really git it crackin -- ULTIMATE HUSTLER/donald trump apprentice style!!!
 
news flash

ok-- online company registered with the BBB says it costs $335 for them to do the filing for you.

now im tryin to find how to do it myself -- ????

state: Virginia


okokok -- i have the form -- damm it does look easy -- i see why u can do this in 15 minutes


so what the F am i missing. it cant be this easy . . . i just fill out the form, take it to the office with $100 and call the FEDS for my tax id . . . thats it?

i swear it seemed like doin the sole proprietorship was harder . . . i must be missing something
 
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Is there any reason you need to be set up as an LLC right now? I've read that there is no real benifit to being anything other than a sole proprieter (this is of course assuming it's just going to be you) unless you are pulling in about 100K a year.

I live in Cali, and for me to get a sole proprietor, it cost about 60 bucks. I think the fees associated with being an LLC would run about $1000 annually.

Either way, keep us updated on how things go :)
 
A Marketing Plan, small, large or inclusive would be part of a Business Plan.
 
mikeh said:
I did develop a marketing plan for a band I ran (identified clubs/corporate clients, etc). We were a very commercial group were almost more like a business than a "band" (and our revenue reflected that).
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if i get what you are saying, running the band more like a business made you more money.... i know this is off the thread topic, but i am curious - i have been in few such "business" bands and have observed that they generally decay fairly quickly from the pervasive mercenary attitude. Sure the money is there, for awhile anyway, but usually with a lot of stress and strife etc. and the band seems to never live too long...

ever factored that into a business plan? can it be done? was i just unlucky?
 
gullyjewelz said:
ok-- online company registered with the BBB says it costs $335 for them to do the filing for you.

now im tryin to find how to do it myself -- ????

state: Virginia


okokok -- i have the form -- damm it does look easy -- i see why u can do this in 15 minutes
Click to expand...

I used to have a VA LLC, and yes it is that easy, just fill out the Articles of Incorporation, pay the fee, and you're an LLC. Be aware there is an annual registration fee of $50 (last I checked). Also that "registered agent" bit--that means your location during business hours; it's for service of process meaning that people have to be able to find you to sue your LLC :eek: Just make sure it is a valid address for you during the day.

You are supposed to have drafted an LLC agreement too, if you have partners it is very very important. That's what the web sites want to charge you $300 for, they have a stock agreement they will sell you. If you Google carefully, you can find a sample agreement for VA.

Apart from having partners, it is generally important to run an LLC like an independent entity, and having an agreement is part of that, even with only one member. Otherwise your limited liability may be disregarded in court.


so what the F am i missing. it cant be this easy . . . i just fill out the form, take it to the office with $100 and call the FEDS for my tax id . . . thats it?

i swear it seemed like doin the sole proprietorship was harder . . . i must be missing something
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Two things: the other state and local taxes and licenses are the same no matter if you are sole proprietorship or LLC: local business license you get from the county or city, which will probably also register you for personal property tax, and register for state sales tax if that applies to your business.

Second thing is a single-member LLC is disregarded for federal income tax purposes, meaning that it is taxed the same as a sole proprietorship. Therefore you don't need a Fed ID # unless you have employees. You will just file your income under your SSN on a Schedule C attached to your 1040.
 
thanks for the info -- im mad slow on the uptake - but this just might be why i would let this music consultant "do" some of this for me -- in all honesty - i wanna make music!!!! i really want a "business partner" to do the other things - or i feel like i will never get anywhere -- tryin to do too much . . .. eventually when ur spread too thin - the main ingredient gets watered down --

but thanks for the info -- i didnt mean to compalin like that

lol
 
gullyjewelz said:
thanks for the info -- im mad slow on the uptake - but this just might be why i would let this music consultant "do" some of this for me -- in all honesty - i wanna make music!!!! i really want a "business partner" to do the other things - or i feel like i will never get anywhere -- tryin to do too much . . .. eventually when ur spread too thin - the main ingredient gets watered down --

but thanks for the info -- i didnt mean to compalin like that

lol
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Hey, have you tried www.musicbizacademy.com
There are some good articles on there, and there are a few links to some books that may come in handy!
 
ok ok
i checked out the musicacademy link - n i must say im impressed (though with my limited knowledge of some of these more complicated issues of music success . . . . me being impressed could very well be of the most miniscule milestones ever)

however, it seems like the services i am most interested in are to no avail -- college radio promotion is only open to non rap/hip hop artists and all solicitations must be "refered" now -- what a bummer!!!

any other sites like this one that do work with hip hop?
 
gullyjewelz said:
ok ok
i checked out the musicacademy link - n i must say im impressed (though with my limited knowledge of some of these more complicated issues of music success . . . . me being impressed could very well be of the most miniscule milestones ever)

however, it seems like the services i am most interested in are to no avail -- college radio promotion is only open to non rap/hip hop artists and all solicitations must be "refered" now -- what a bummer!!!

any other sites like this one that do work with hip hop?
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Well, I don't know much about hip-hop, but I'll help where I can. Since I'm working on my debut CD, I'm also putting together ideas as to what I could do to market. In my area, though, there's a much bigger market for the music I do (country influenced by a little rock).

One thing I'd suggest (for sure!) is getting your own domain and setting yourself up a website, if you don't have one already. Once you get it up, submit it to the main search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN).

Then, I'd find some hip-hop message boards and subscribe to them. Create a signature that has your name, your web address, and the name of your CD in it. Actually, that would be a good idea with any message board you're subscribed to.

Find a good description of "your" sound. If I ask you "What/Who do you sound like?" and you give me a vague answer, or "Nobody/nothing, really", have you sold me anything? But if you say "I sound like a cross between Eminem and Metallica" you may get some takers, just out of curiosity.

Of course, you could also visit www.vistaprint.com and get yourself some free business cards. Hand them out to anybody and everybody who will take one.

That's about all I've got for now. Again, keep in mind I don't know much about hip-hop. If I come up with anything else, I'll let you know.
 
more free advice

the last guy was actually on target 100%
you got the right idea now all you have to do is work it like its a real job you know the one that most artists hate

the time you spend at what you want to do is gonna make it work...if its good

hey i wanna check you out what type of music do you make
tibbitmusic@yahoo.com
 
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