If You Think Pennies, You Get Pennies. If You Think $100,000, You Just Might Get There.

It’s not easy to make $100,000-plus as a musician. But if you are willing to put in the work, go all-in on your career, and accept the idea of trading what you do well for money, the rest is pretty simple.

Did You Become a Musician to Make Big Money?

Be honest. You probably weren’t thinking of cashing in like that when you first discovered your talent. But as you refined your sound, how long did it take to figure out you didn’t want to play for tips the rest of your life?

True, many musicians go through the starving artist phase. It’s called paying dues. Now that you’ve paid yours—and more—earning six figures or more a year sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Did I just hear a yes? Great! Read on to find out how you can earn without compromising your principles.

Never Underestimate Yourself.
There’s a tendency in all competitive environments—music among them—for people who weren’t born with an instrument in their hands to shortchange themselves. 

Keep in mind, though, just because some people are higher up the pyramid than you, it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a spot at the top. 

Take your talent seriously. Believe in your goals because if you don’t, nobody will. Be your biggest advocate, supporter, and cheerleader—especially when times get tough. 

Push yourself and your career to the next level. Play through the doubts and anxiety because if anyone ever asks you how to get to $100,000, you know the answer: Practice, practice, practice.

Dress for Success.
Look sharp, be sharp. It sounds trite in an age when people wear pajamas on airplanes, but it’s true. Style never goes out of style.  Whether you’re a teacher or performer, no one will pay attention to you until you look like you’re worth it.

Ask yourself: does Beyonce dress down?

If you want to up your hourly rate or ticket prices, look the part. Not sure how to up your wardrobe game? Check out musicians you admire who are successful and model your style choices on theirs. Don’t be a complete copycat. Everyone wants the real “you” to shine through!

Get Outside Your Regular Environment.
If you haven’t noticed, the pandemic is over. Get up, get out, and get playing!

If you teach, offer your services to a nearby school or senior center. If you play music, play gigs at street fairs, schools, and other alternative venues. These are great ways to find new audiences and make new connections. It will help you make up for some of what you lost in the last two years.

Never Stop Learning.
Music is changing all the time. There’s always something new to learn. And how can you expect to earn more if your skill set is stuck in neutral?

• Why not learn how to play a new instrument?
• Consider studying instrument repair to be able to offer another service.
• Perhaps you could add a new style of music to your repertoire.

If you didn’t do it while you were locked down, do it now: Learn something new!

Act Like You Earn Six Figures.
Think about it: How do six-figure musicians act?

Some of the words that may come to mind include:

• Organized
• Focused
• Disciplined
• Curious
• Energetic

Come up with your own list. Then start practicing the attributes on it.

This is taking the idea of fake it until you make it to the next level: Practice it until you achieve it.

A word of caution: Don’t try to live like you’re earning $100K until you’re actually earning it. Living beyond your means can put you so deep in the hole so fast it could take years to dig out. 

Do Something Different.
You can’t change your income until you change up your life.

It’s great to have a plan for how to take your career to the next level. If you’re feeling stuck and can’t come up with a plan, just do something different.

• Take a fresh approach to teaching.
• Play with a new band.
• Write a different kind of music.

Doing something new doesn’t take a big commitment, but it could inspire a new path into your future.

Brand Yourself.
Consumers will pay a premium for a brand product that enriches their lifestyles. 

Do you give people a reason to choose your brand of music over that of other musicians?

If you want to get ahead, your sound and style has to resonate with people who will pay a premium to hear it. 

Explore a guide that explains how musicians can brand themselves, so they stand out with their own brand personality.

Sell More Than Music.
Why limit your income possibilities? 

• If you’re a music teacher, why not expand your offerings by selling instruments to your students or offering instrument repair services?
• If you’re a performer, stock the merch table—and don’t forget to call it out from the stage! 

Those little value-adds add up and can significantly increase your income. Get creative and think about what you could sell to generate extra cash.

Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Many musicians work themselves to death trying to earn more.

Why not carve out a little time to figure out how you could work less, yet still earn more?

• Increase ticket prices by playing higher quality venues.
• Book bigger places to sell more tickets. 
• Start teaching at a school with a higher per-hour lesson rate.

Make it a priority to take time to figure out how to upscale and upgrade your career so you do less but earn more.

Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative.
They made a song about that, so it must work. People who give off negative vibes will hold you back even if you do all the things on this list perfectly.  

It’s time to take all the bad stuff and get rid of it!

• Do you have people who say bad things about you and your music? Have a talk or show them the door.
• Is your instrument not as good as it could be? Make it a priority to save up to get a better one. You deserve it!
• Don’t have a place to practice? Check with your network to see if someone has a space you could use.

Eliminating what holds you back will propel you into the future.

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