I watched this video for research before I launch anything to do with the record label. It had heaps upon heaps of information that is going to help me.

NOTES ON THE VIDEO:

First thing: Picking a name (Mellow Moon Music)

- Keep it short and simple

- Use NAMECHECKR to check the availability across all platforms

- Have the same username across all platforms

- Test the name in a Google search. See how much comes up and what you'll be competing with. You may need to add another word to put you apart from other people.

- Don't overthink it, just pick what feels right.

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Make a Logo and a Brand

- Have a black and white version of the logo as well as a colour one. Therefore the focus is on the artists not the branding, you're not a label without the artists.

- Hire an artist if you can't do it yourself. (I can or my brother can as he is doing graphic design)

- If it's sketched and scanned onto a computer make sure it's a PNG file so it has a transparent background.

- Come up with brand colours, black and white is the most common for labels, this guy recommends no more than 2 colours. Make sure these colours remain consistent, try not to change logos from the beginning so when people picture it they think of your one logo.

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Building an Online Presence

- Once you've decided on a name register your name on as many domains as possible. Try to have the same handle on every social media.

- When you make a website it would be good to buy a domain but you don't have to rush into this

- What does your website need?

• Bio (short): Tell the audience what type of music, your geographical location and why you began the label.

• Artists: Have links to their social medias, music and merchandise.

• Quick link to a label playlist (music from your artists) Make it accessible on the website so they don't have to quit to find it (embed it)

• Store for merchandise and music this may be a link to bandcamp.

• Contact info in the bio (perhaps to accept other artist demos)

• Social media links

• Use WIX to build a website (there are other options but I know WIX)

• Use Bandcamp for artists music because artists get profits.

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Define Your Label

- First you have to define audience:

• What genres or subgenres do they like 

• What formats do they like (Streaming or CDs, Vinyl. Make sure you know this before you print loads of vinyls)

• How do they listen to music?

• Did they discover your music through playlists, on the radio or social media

• Where do they go to find new music?

THIS IS IMPORTANT! WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THEM BETTER!

- Next define your goals:

• Explicit goals: like profit or total audience growth yearly.

• Implicit goals: Relationships with artists, ethics, personal

• Audacious goals (something that would make you happy): A review from a top music mag? Selling 1000 records for example

- Create a mission statement: A 2-3 sentence statement that says who you are, why you exist and what you aim to do. This is important for the bands you sign so they can see what you want to do, what your ethics are and who you are as a label. It's good for fans and press also to see who you are and why the label exists.

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Signing New Bands

- Where to find them? 

• You could use friends or friends of friends: Sign yourself first (in my case Henry), then your friends. They may know people in bands, or people in their band may be in another band so it opens doors to who you could sign. It's good if you know the first people signed so you can learn the ropes and they shouldn't mind too much.

• Deep dives on Bandcamp, Spotify, Soundcloud: People with a small number of streams.

• Demo Submissions: People may submit demos but this guy thinks it's better if you're the one to approach them.

- How to manage artist relationships and expectations

• Be honest, transparent: it is going to take time for them to get where they want to be.

• Be generous where you can be. Try to give them more than what they expect, then they will stay happy.

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Royalties

REVENUE - EXPENSES = PROFIT

- Revenue will be: Streams/downloads or physical sales (albums, merch)

- Expenses will be: Production costs (photography, music vids, cover art), Promotional costs (ads) or merchandise costs

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Marketing

- Social media

• Be consistent: Post often without being annoying, keep your audience interested.

• Use a sustainable strategy: Begin something you can withhold

• Use hashtags that are relevant to you: People will find it if they look through hashtags they're interested in.

IT SUPPOSEDLY TAKES 7 INTERACTIONS BEFORE SOMEONE MAKES A PURCHASE!

- Email Marketing

• Build a mailing list: you can find people at shows or from your sales

• Build a separate one for your artists

- Local Marketing

• Physical posters/postcards: if you have a cool graphic print it and hand out postcards with your graphic and contact info on, people will look into you further.

• Local media/radio: This can be a great way to build a name for yourself.

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Label Compilation

​- Spotify playlist with you labels artists: send this to friends and family.