| Are you an aspiring beat maker or producer trying to | | | | send the customers leaving your site quicker than |
| get a break online in selling your beats? Have you | | | | you could get them to check it out. Would you go to |
| created beats and struggled to make a sale online | | | | Wal-Mart if they only had 10 different types of items |
| knowing you've sold outside the internet? Are you a | | | | at the store? Would you go to a pizzeria if all they |
| believer or disbeliever in creating quality instrumentals | | | | sold was a pie with cheese or pepperoni? The same |
| in FL Studio? | | | | holds true to your beats. You don't want to start |
| If any of the above sounds like you, I'm here to tell | | | | pushing sales or networking with only a beat or two. |
| you that you are indeed in luck, and that you CAN | | | | Build the catalog to at LEAST 25 beats and then |
| make it possible. While some beat makers or | | | | start selling. Make sure to add more as you progress |
| producers getting started think that if they have "the | | | | as well. You want to make sure to give the person a |
| hottest beats", they can quickly jump online and | | | | variety of hip hop or R&B beats or instrumentals |
| make a killing on selling their hip hop or R&B | | | | to sift through. Not everyone may like the three |
| instrumentals, the truth of the matter is, more of the | | | | dirty south beats you have sitting on your page. |
| online sales will rely on marketing yourself well. | | | | BUT, if you have at least three or four of each |
| I can testify to say that when I first started selling | | | | category, it gives your customers more to look |
| beats online years ago, I too was one of the beat | | | | through. |
| makers who felt that, if enough people on the | | | | 5) Create a "Customer Leads" page, or as the Sell |
| outside of the internet told me that my beats or | | | | More Beats course lists it as, a "Squeeze Page" if |
| instrumentals were hot or really good, I would just | | | | creating your own website (which as mentioned |
| be able to jump on the internet, open up a | | | | above, is recommended). You'll want to create a |
| Soundclick site, and just start hammering away at | | | | page that causes your customers to have to enter |
| adding beats to the page. I opened up my own beat | | | | their name and email address in order to access your |
| instrumental website then too, but just was not | | | | beats. The bigger you create your mail subscription |
| getting anywhere close to what I was hoping to | | | | list, the more people you'll have to contact to update |
| receive the same way I did outside of the internet. | | | | your customers with. The web server you decide to |
| However, it goes a bit deeper than just setting up a | | | | use may give the ability to create mailing lists within |
| website or page. | | | | them. However, for under 20 a month, you can also |
| I'll list a few tips that really helped me to get started | | | | subscribe to companies like GetResponse, or |
| again this year, and to start selling beats online in a | | | | Constant Contact. |
| much better way. With some time and devotion to | | | | 6) Offer something FREE. When starting your |
| your craft, you can continue to make hott hip hop or | | | | website networking, and you've created your catalog |
| R&B instrumentals, and even collect a sale or | | | | of beats, you'll want to start to generate a buzz. |
| two. Of course, the more time you put into it, the | | | | Usually, offering something FREE can generate the |
| more you'll eventually reap as well. I can say that this | | | | buzz pretty well, or even decently well to start. You |
| time around, years later, I have been able to do | | | | can offer either a free non-exclusive beat choice to |
| better with my own website, as well as selling beats | | | | your customers when starting by listing it on your |
| on other pages as well. I still have a ways to go | | | | page where you may be networking, or on |
| myself, but I can honestly say that I've more than | | | | messages you send to your MySpace people or |
| tripled my sales within the first few months, as | | | | other network groups. For instance, I started off |
| opposed to the entire year when I started years | | | | letting customers know that when I started, I was |
| ago. | | | | giving away FREE BEATS on my website for those |
| Okay, on to the tips, which I attribute full credit to a | | | | that joined the site. Of course, the key was that I |
| course I took about Sell More Beats website. It is | | | | would send these customers an email every other |
| indeed full of ideas and stimulates the mind. The | | | | day after and send one free beat through their email, |
| investment to me was worth it, as I've made almost | | | | to spark interest, and to build rapport with the |
| $1,000 within the first couple of months starting off. | | | | customer. Or, you can do a promotion such as "For |
| Some of the tips I think will help you out are listed | | | | the first 50 customers, I'll give FIVE non-exclusive |
| below: | | | | beats of your choice FREE with the purchase of a |
| 1) Network, Network, Network!! The more websites | | | | non-exclusive beat". Customers LOVE FREE!! Keep |
| you join and put your music on, the better your | | | | that in mind. |
| exposure will be, not just for the beats you have | | | | Of course, there are other tips that help along the |
| scattered, but for the fact that you'll continue to | | | | way, but I'll let you do further research on those. Or, |
| brand your name on other websites. This will | | | | you can go to the website and subscribe. You'll then |
| eventually have customers realize that you're all over | | | | be able to listen to the videos and the tips they give |
| the internet. Think about it... the more you see a | | | | to helping you sell your beats online in a more |
| commercial on TV or hear an ad on the radio, the | | | | marketable way. It is indeed worth the investment. |
| more the name of the company sticks with you, | | | | Now, for the comments you tend to hear across the |
| even if you're not interested in the product at the | | | | board on how "FL Studio" won't ever generate sales, |
| time. The same holds true with branding your name | | | | or "FL Studio is amateur", or other bashing comments |
| on other pages. Tip: Don't name yourself different | | | | of that nature, I'll say not to let that discourage you |
| names on each website. Try to stick to the same | | | | from using it if you've either started already, or have |
| name. If you have "HottBeatmaker" on Rocbattle, | | | | been curious with it. With the beats I've created, |
| then you'll want to make a "HottBeatmaker" on | | | | people sometimes ask me either which program I |
| Soundclick, and so forth. | | | | created my hip hop beat instrumentals with, or ask if |
| 2) Starting up your own website. While people tend | | | | I possess a keyboard or beat machine to create my |
| to believe that websites cost hundreds of dollars, | | | | beats. When I tell them I use "FL Studio" and sounds |
| most websites are far less, unless you want a | | | | I create from scratch from other plug in |
| customized website. You can go to sites like Host | | | | combinations, they're usually surprised. FL Studio is |
| Gator, pay under 10 - 20 dollars for a domain name | | | | believe it or not, a very powerful tool, and it |
| for the full year, and about 8 - 12 bucks a month to | | | | continues to get stronger. Do not let the comments |
| open up server space. Most servers provide their | | | | discourage you. You can take constructive criticism |
| own website tools. But, you can also invest a little | | | | such as comments that say to mix your track a bit |
| more into tools like EZGenerator that allows you to | | | | differently, or to add some FX to a channel, but not |
| build your website within the tool, and then upload it | | | | to flat out state "good beats can only be made in |
| into your server. I use the tool to create my website | | | | Reason, Cubase, or equipment", because that is not |
| and have received compliments on the set up of the | | | | the case at all. Besides, FL Studio surpasses Reason |
| page. It beats spending a couple hundred or thousand | | | | in that it allows the use of VSTi's (virtual instruments) |
| on someone to build one for you. Plus, you can build | | | | or VST FX plugins of other companies all around, |
| as many websites as you can purchase domain | | | | versus the limited Reason to which you must use |
| names to add to your server. So, with some time | | | | their set of plugins. |
| and effort, and with the right web hosting provider | | | | Don't get me wrong, Reason is indeed a great tool |
| like HostGator, you can pay annually for the server | | | | as well. However, my point is that Reason is NOT |
| space, and then create five completely different | | | | the only tool that can create hot hip hop beat |
| websites with EZGenerator, and only pay the cost of | | | | instrumentals. It's all in what you put into it, and the |
| the domain name per site. | | | | sounds or plugins you use. And if you're looking for |
| 3) MySpace is a helpful tool. MySpace has a lot of | | | | sounds, feel free to save aside, the words Sounds |
| people that you can network with and try to get | | | | For Beats, as I plan on launching a website soon as |
| your name out there more and more. There are also | | | | well that will cater to producers or beat makers |
| specialized friend adder tools like Friend Blaster Pro | | | | looking to expand their libraries of sounds for |
| that allows you to add friends little by little with | | | | different instruments, as well as drum kits. |
| added messages or comments to them to get your | | | | All in all, I hope that with this article, I have |
| name. Tip: Don't DIRECTLY solicit your music to | | | | encouraged, rather than discouraged you from |
| them. Instead, create a message when using a friend | | | | knowing that you can indeed make a name for |
| adder tool and greet them, compliment them or give | | | | yourself by selling beats online. It just takes a bit of |
| them respect while passing through, and drop a | | | | hard work, dedication, and effort. Hopefully, with |
| signature of some sort with your beat page linked | | | | some of the tips I've listed above, and other tips you |
| right in, as well as a catch phrase like "Beats this | | | | may find either on the Sell More Beats site, or on the |
| month for only $7.00" or something similar. While you | | | | internet, you'll be able to get your beats launched off |
| won't have everyone reply, you'll find that you'll get | | | | the ground, and onto the internet making you a bit |
| people to reply to your comment or message and | | | | of money off of your talents. Wish you much |
| show interest. | | | | success on your beat selling. If you need ideas to |
| 4) Have a decent catalog ready. Don't get caught | | | | help you along the way, you can view my website |
| trying to start up sales with only 4 beats on the | | | | and subscribe to my WordPress blog as well. I will be |
| page. That will work as a disadvantage, and you'll | | | | adding more information over time as well. |