Artist Marketing

Artist Marketing Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: September 26th, 2024

Unlock the potential of emerging talent with artist marketing. This business idea centers on helping artists gain exposure and build their brands through strategic promotion.

In simple terms, artist marketing involves using a variety of promotional techniques—from social media management to press releases and event planning—to ensure an artist's work reaches the right audience. You’ll work closely with artists to understand their vision and translate it into compelling campaigns that elevate their presence both online and offline.

The appeal lies in the genuine impact you can have. By bridging the gap between creative expression and market visibility, you not only support the arts but also carve out a niche in an exciting field.

Starting this venture requires a mix of marketing know-how, a network of media contacts, and a knack for storytelling. If you’re passionate about creativity and communication, artist marketing offers a fulfilling and dynamic business opportunity.

In this list, you'll find real-world artist marketing success stories and very profitable examples of starting a artist marketing that makes money.

1. SquarePlanet ($3.49M/year)

Brian Burkhart, founder of SquarePlanet Presentations & Strategy, came up with the idea for his business after witnessing a top doctor give a painfully boring presentation at a healthcare conference. The wasted time, money, and missed opportunities motivated him to help people improve their presentation skills. With his experience in business communications and a deep understanding of what makes presentations go wrong, he created SquarePlanet to provide consulting, training, and execution services for impactful presentations. The company has since seen consistent and upward revenue growth, working with big brands like Coca-Cola and Google.

How much money it makes: $3.49M/year
How many people on the team: 7

How I Started A 7 Figure Business Helping People Give Presentations

SquarePlanet Presentations & Strategy is a Phoenix-based business communications firm that helps its clients tell their stories in the most impactful ways possible through meeting creative, brand voice, presentations that matter, engineered delight, speaker training/workshops, and keynote addresses, resulting in consistent and upward trajectory since inception.

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2. Crucial Music ($900K/year)

Tanvi Patel, the founder of Crucial Music Corporation, came up with the idea for her music licensing business after realizing the growing demand for indie music in film, television, and advertising. With her background in the music industry and the success of shows like The O.C., Patel saw an opportunity to offer quality indie music to clients and launched CrucialMusic.com in 2006. Through word of mouth and strong relationships with clients, the business has grown organically and now serves major studios, streamers, and ad agencies with a catalog of over 16,000 songs.

How much money it makes: $900K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 4

We've Bootstrapped Two Successful Music Licensing Businesses [With $0 In Marketing]

Crucial Music Corporation, a music licensing company, has been profitable for years with a net profit margin between 30-35%, all without an annual marketing budget, due to their reputation for fair agreements and transparency, which has resulted in word-of-mouth growth.

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Read by 4,481 founders

Charles Driebe, an attorney with a lifelong passion for music, decided to combine his legal training with his love for the industry. He transitioned from being an artist's attorney to managing artists themselves in 1996, finding the work more satisfying and fulfilling. Through relationships, recommendations, and word of mouth, Blind Ambition Management has grown steadily, focusing on "super-serving" their clients and helping them advance their careers. The company faces challenges due to the impact of the pandemic on the music industry, but they're adapting by exploring alternative avenues like virtual shows and seeking placements for their clients' music in films and TV shows.

How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 5

How I Transitioned From A Career In Law To Starting A $40K/Month Business Managing Music Artists

A former attorney has successfully transitioned into managing musical artists, producing live events and recordings, grossing approximately $40,000 per month - all based on his lifelong passion for music, clients and employee's passion-led performance.

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Read by 6,573 founders