Bandhive

Humans are naturally wired to fear being a social outcast - living in groups kept us safe for thousands of years.

That fear of rejection is still present for most of us, no matter how well liked we are.

If we don’t “make the ask” by reaching out to someone new in the music world, whether it’s to book a show or ask a potential new fan to listen to our music, we miss out on countless opportunities.

Overcoming the fear of rejection takes time, practice, and patience. Don’t get me wrong, it can be nerve-wracking. It’s something that every successful artist has to do.

In this episode I explain how you can defeat your fear of rejection and why it's important. Listen now to learn more!

What you’ll learn:

• One of the most useful skills in the music industry
• Overcoming your fear of making the ask
• Why artists who go for the long shot are more successful
• Approaching industry insiders
• How to make a good first impression
• Why you should make the ask even if it seems like a definite “no”
• Growing your network to gain new friends and opportunities
• Being fearless and getting amazing results
• Practice makes perfect - ask and ask again!

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/145

“There aren’t any shortcuts in the music business”.

Tons of people say that, and in my opinion they are wrong.

See, there is a shortcut in the music business. Instead of wasting years grinding away on the road, doing a few key things first will make your career easier.

I’m not saying that your career will be handed to you on a silver platter… But it will be just a bit easier for you.

Listen now to learn about the biggest shortcut you can take in your music career!

What you’ll learn:

• How to grow your fanbase quickly
• What it takes to grow organically in your fanbase
• The advantage of a tight-knit fanbase and community
• Making your fans lives better makes your life better
• How to create lifelong fans
• Writing and releasing impactful music
• Using this shortcut in the music industry - and why it’s still a challenge

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/144

Every band faces the debate at some point: what can we sell at our merch table?

Aside from black t-shirts, the options are practically endless. There’s a “standard fare” of sorts that many artists choose, but you can also get creative with the items you offer your fans.

Listen now to learn some of the common items you could sell at your merch table, and how you can sell things you’d normally throw in a dumpster!

What you’ll learn:

• Which merch items you could sell
• Why you need merch at every show you play
• Novelty items that work well for some artists
• Bundles and fan club packages
• Merch quality and comfort
• Premium items vs. freebies and cheaper stock
• Upcycling your used gear for profit
• Quality over quantity at the merch table
• Freebies in exchange for email addresses

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/143

What’s your morning routine?

It’s probably something like this:

1. Open your eyes
2. Roll over and pick up your phone
3. Scroll for a while (too long) until you need to get up or you’ll be late

Does that sound right?

Cutting out your early morning scroll will set you up for a much better day - and help you more effectively manage your time.

That’s just one thing you can do - there are many other ways to manage your time, reclaim “wasted” time, and use your time wisely. Listen now to learn how!

What you’ll learn:

• How to use your time effectively
• Making time for your band
• Methods to reduce wasted time
• Why your phone and social media are the enemy of productivity
• Focusing on your music instead of distractions
• How to have enough time for your music
• Why “relaxing” while scrolling through social media is just wasting time
• Using a calendar to manage your time

It can be tough deciding which areas to play - you only have so much time to go play shows (whether a one off, a weekend tour, or a week+ tour). How do you choose the best possible markets to play?

Aside from good old trial and error, which you’ll definitely use, there are two main methods: analyzing your data and asking the right people.

Listen now to learn how you can get the best possible info to make an informed decision when you’re putting together your band’s routing!

What you’ll learn:

• Where to play shows
• Why you might want to skip the nearest market and travel further
• Researching the best markets to play
• How far to travel for a single show
• Using analytics to determine the best markets to play
• Why you need to get out there and book shows!

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/141

SubmitHub is one of the most divisive topics among musicians… Some love it, some are ambivalent, and others hate it.

I happen to fall on the “love it” side - not only because I recognize its value as a promotional tool in any artist's toolbelt, but also because I understand how to use the platform and can often get above-average results when running a SubmitHub campaign.

Most artists who dislike SubmitHub are unhappy because their music was rejected. Fortunately, that’s typically not SubmitHub’s fault. It’s a classic case of shooting the messenger.

You see, if these artists took the time to learn how to use the tool that is SubmitHub, they would experience better results on their campaigns.

If you want to improve your SubmitHub results, this episode is for you. Listen now to learn how to get higher approval rates on your next submission!

What you’ll learn:

• How the new changes to SubmitHub affect your submissions
• Why you aren’t getting approved on SubmitHub
• The most common mistakes artists make on SubmitHub
• Choosing the right blogs and playlists to submit to
• The right way to handle feedback on SubmitHub
• How to submit on SubmitHub
• How to get more SubmitHub approvals
• Standard vs. premium credits on SubmitHub

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/140

Every band fears something going wrong on tour… From promoters screwing you over to a van crash, there are lots of things that can throw a wrench in the works.

Thankfully, most tours only have one major hiccup, if any.

That wasn’t the case for fellow Vermonters, Saving Vice. Not only did their headliner (a rapper) bail on the tour after Saving Vice and their tour-mates Dropout Kings had driven halfway across the country, Saving Vice also had to replace the transmission in their van twice.

Nonetheless, the band stayed positive with their public explanations of what was going on, ran a successful GoFundMe campaign, and salvaged roughly half the tour so they could keep playing the shows as planned once they were back on the road.

Listen now to hear the incredible story from Robbie Litchfield, founding member and guitarist of Saving Vice. This is one you don’t want to miss!

What you’ll learn:

• The value of staying (publicly) calm when disaster strikes
• How to handle difficult situations on tour
• Working hard to live by “the show must go on”
• Why planning for an emergency fund is vital to your survival
• Restoring faith in a band’s brand after a streak of canceled shows
• Why renting a van isn’t always a smart move if your main vehicle is down for the count
• How to recover from a tour that doesn’t go as planned
• The importance of planning and being ready for those plans to go off the wall
• What to look for in the future from Saving Vice

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/139

Almost every independent artist struggles to fill even the smallest of venues… Yes, some artists seem to have it all figured out, and sell out their local and hometown shows.

You’re probably wondering how they do this? They must be industry plants of some sort. Right?

Wrong! They likely have a combination of factors including great music, an approachable personality, and solid work ethic. Thankfully this is all something you can learn, too.

Listen now to learn how you can increase your band’s draw to fill venues, sell more merch, and start playing better shows outside your hometown!

What you’ll learn:

• How to bring fans to your shows
• What excuses really mean
• Why you shouldn’t play your hometown too often
• What to practice at your band’s rehearsals
• How to reach out to your friends and fans via DMs
• It’s 2022 - flyers still matter
• Picking the right bands to play with
• How to grow your fanbase outside your hometown
• Making your dedicated fans feel special
• Presenting the right energy at your shows

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/138

Are you fed up with tiny, hole in the wall venues asking you to bring your own PA system?

If you aren’t, you should be. It’s an exploitative practice that small venues use to avoid buying their own PA system.

This happens at the largest venues too, but for an entirely different reason - and artists are reimbursed for bringing their equipment.

So how can you get paid for providing a PA system at these hole in the wall venues? Listen now to find out!

What you’ll learn:

• How you can earn extra money at your shows
• The basic elements of a PA system
• Why massive venues and tiny venues are the ones who don’t provide a PA
• Avoiding the unpleasant surprises of small, crappy venues
• How to save on cables (without going cheap)
• Structuring payment for sound/production rentals
• Why your audio gear is not included in the band’s fee
• The advantages of bringing your own engineer
• Why you should never bring a PA system for free

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/137

You have the perfect song idea, you’re just missing that one final bit before it’s finished…

It’s been days or weeks and as much as you try, it’s just not quite coming together the way you want it to.

You’re in a writers’ block rut. So what now?

Listen to this episode of the Bandhive Podcast to learn how you should take your mind off of music to come back refreshed and finish the projects you’re working on!

What you’ll learn:

• How to avoid getting in a “rut” with your music
• Why we shouldn’t let “musician” be our whole life
• The solution to writers’ block
• The positive effect hobbies have on your music career
• Why you might consider multiple hobbies
• The key to avoiding burnout

For full show notes, visit https://bandhive.rocks/136