By Ian Ortega
One of my favourite authors, T. Harv Eker says; “Never Put a Limit to Your Income.”
And this is what he means. Consider two examples, that of Mukwano Industries and that of a local masseuse. Assuming they all experience a growth in demand.
Mukwano Industries will simply get more machines, increase working hours and it will be able to out as many products as it can in order to meet the demand.
However for a masseuse, if she got 10000 people all yearning for her services, she won’t be able to satisfy even 100 of them because there’s a limit to her time and how much she can do with that time.
I have realized that the same problem exists among many Ugandan music artistes. For most of them, their earnings come majorly from performances. If they don’t perform, they don’t earn. But there’s a limit to this model. It comes to a point when a music artiste can’t be in all the places that he/she is needed all at once. That means that regardless of how popular a Ugandan music artiste gets, they simply have a limit to how far their income can be raised out of a hit song.
This limits many a musician’s income. Buying into the belief that the only way for a music artiste to earn out of music in Uganda is through concerts and performances is a very unsustainable model. What would happen in the eventuality that an artiste wakes up when they’ve lost their voice or what it they get ill and can’t move anymore? Should they then starve?
Ugandan musicians must begin to think hard as far as earning passive income from their music in that money from their music can come in even when they sleep.
So here are the tips I will share on how to achieve that in the Ugandan music industry.
1. Artistes Should Write Songs for Others To Perform
Ugandan music artistes who are good at the writing and composition parts should venture into this field of writing songs for others. This way, it helps them have a side-income even without performing.
2. Sell Music Collabos
No Music artiste should feel ashamed or apologetic about selling a collabo to a desperate music star. When an upcoming artiste who has a lot of money in their bags wants to do a song with you, then charge them and be very open about that. It took you years to make your own name and you are selling them a chance to use your name.
3. Create Commercial Use Music
Many businesses love to get music to use in their advertisements. Ugandan artistes should be creative enough and think of coming up with songs to use in commercials.
4. Getting Their Music Into Film/TV/Radio
We have many Ugandan movies, and movies all over the world. We also have documentaries that are shot from time to time. This is something that our artistes could also capitalize on.
5. Monetize Their Websites
Our artistes should not simply create websites that do the basics of talk about them and nothing more. They should create membership websites where their fans can pay to get access to the VIP section of such a website. Artistes can also put a DONATE button on their websites where fans can donate money. Get them to pay to access all your music archives, including songs you didn’t release.
6. Create Music Education Programs
I don’t know why musicians don’t think of creating music education programs to be used in schools or selling music to be used in health campaigns and having clear plans for this, not waiting for organizations to contact them.
7. Use Their Brand to Invest In Other Businesses
Maurice Kirya has successfully done it with “The Sound-Cup” and so had Zuena with “Zuena Cakes.” However, this is just for a few music artistes. Many are not yet thinking business-wise. Instead of wasting money buying a very expensive car, why not invest that money in building rentals and have a sure monthly income that can support your music even further.
8. Sign Up For the BigEye.ug Music Store
We told you that we are bringing Uganda’s first online music store where we shall require artistes to entrust all their music with us and then we shall share revenues from the online sale of this music on a percentage basis, similar to the itunes model.
9. Make Ringtones
10. Sell Other People’s products for a percentage
11. Sponsorships and Endorsements
12. Write Books
13. Teach Music Lessons, create a music-lessons program. Partner with Universities and colleges.
14. Instead of simply creating T.Shirts, come up with a real clothing line. Create a record label to scout new and great talent.
With that in mind, I think the minds of our music artistes can be liberated.
About Author: Ian Ortega is currently a personal development blogger at www.ortegaian.com.