Set up accounts under your artist alias on at least Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SoundCloud. Make your specific URLs the same for each platform… so if you’re www.facebook.com/thebestbandever, you want to try and have www.soundcloud.com/thebestbandever too.

Then, interlink everything. All your profiles should have links to your profiles on other platforms, your website, and contact email. If you have a manager you can replace your email with theirs, and if you also have agents you’ll want to include their information as well.

Branding

You also have to have an established brand that’s visually pleasing as well. You should have a logo, some decent photographs and possibly artwork for all your releases. Make sure these are all set up correctly on your social media sites and website. 

If you have mediocre designs or did a half-assed attempt at crafting something yourself, ditch it. You’re better off with no design than ugly design – it looks cheap. Ideally, you want to find a designer who can specifically cater to your needs and with whom you can develop a long-term working relationship.

Setting yourself apart

Here comes the hard part. This is the most time consuming step of this whole process and needs to be executed with a lot of persistence and attention to detail.

To gain the attention of record execs, you have to be bringing something people want. labels are increasingly looking for artists that would be able to make it ‘big’ by themselves; with big and dedicated fan bases, unique marketing styles and great ways of branding themselves. This is becoming a hugely important part of the equation. They want to pick up the acts that could go ‘viral’ without them. 

As an artist looking for a deal, you should be aware of these cornerstones. Great music is rarely all it takes when you’re looking to get signed. That’s just the reality.

Make friends with the right people. 

Don’t feel afraid to connect with people, regardless of their status, or if they are strangers to you. Good things come from those little risks. 

If you’ve managed to strike up dialogue, be sure to show genuine interest. Focus on the other person. Avoid talking about yourself. Ask relevant questions. Research what they’ve been up to – social media is great for that. Act on that. People tend to do more for people they like. 

Getting signed