The
Keys to Power of Performance, Pt. I
by Jim Halsey
Adapted from his book, How To Make It In The Music Business, we explore Jim Halsey’s
keys to Power of Performance. Keys 1-5 are included here. Stay tuned
next month for Part II of this series.
Over the years, I have
developed a 10-key method for achieving success. It is simple and
effective and it will always work, no matter what your profession.
It is a formula for success in life.
The better you understand and employ each of these keys, the more
likely your Power of Performance will lead you to success. If your
interest lies in becoming a manager, agent, or even a star, these
10 keys are essential. But they work in every profession, in every
walk of life, and there is not a single one of them that you can’t
keep on developing every day of your life.
1. Talent
We all have talent. The lucky ones are born with it, but most of us
have to develop it. I’m not talking just about artistic talent.
I’m also talking about the talent that can help make you a successful
artist manager, booking agent, record producer, executive and business
person. Examine the talent you have, and see what you need to develop
in order to advance toward your goal.
2. Training and Education
How do you develop your talent? Training and education is one good
way. If you are a singer, songwriter, musician, or band member, for
instance, you will always benefit from lessons, instructions, on-the-job
training with other musicians and bands, working on the road, taking
advice from other players, listening to tapes and CDs, watching television,
reading, and attending concerts, conferences, and workshops. You didn’t
know this was training and education? It’s the best type of
education, and it’s available to everyone.
Always work toward refining your skills. If you’re interested
in the business aspects of the music industry, you can follow the
same rules, but make a continuous study about how things are being
done. Get as much education as possible, taking courses that will
benefit you in your chosen profession.
Many people start in the booking or management business by taking
jobs as apprentices or assistants with large agencies or management
companies. These entry-level positions – file clerk, driver,
etc. – may not seem important, but, believe me, they are. Everything
you do for the company is part of your education, and the more education
you have, the better your chances of getting off to a good start.
So pay attention!
The same thing holds for careers in the record business, music publishing,
and other music industry management positions. Watching how things
are done, identifying the players, listening while negotiations are
in progress, and finding out how to deal with artists, managers, booking
agents, and record companies all adds to your overall knowledge. This
is called apprenticeship, and it’s the way a lot of people get
started in the music and entertainment business.
You can increase your
overall understanding of the music and entertainment business by reading
the trade publications, called the “trades.” These are
magazines and newspapers dealing with various aspects of the business.
They publish stories about what’s happening in the music and
entertainment business, review new products and artists, chart the
popularity of records in current release, make forecasts, and give
information on touring groups, among other things.
Some trades – Guitar Player, Bass Player, and Keyboard, for
instance – are specialized, targeting a very specific music
industry audience. Then there are general-interest trades, like Billboard
magazine. The true bible of the industry, Billboard is a weekly that
covers different aspects of music, television, video, personal appearances,
and computers.
A good part of your education will have to be learned by experience,
often in the “school of hard knocks.” You can find books
and tapes that will help, and sometimes there are organizations in
your area that offer seminars on the music business. Take advantage
of these opportunities. Remember, it is a continual process of learning.
The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to access
your own personal Power of Performance.
3. Personality
Sometimes it seems as though personality is like talent; some people
are simply born with it. This isn’t so. There are people who
have the ability to present themselves better than others, but they
usually can do this only after training and lots of experience. And
in making a good presentation of yourself, you develop your personality.
How do you develop your presentation? Well, if you don’t have
confidence in yourself, and if you tend to be unfocused and rambling
when you speak before others, the best things you can do is write
down exactly what you want to say, stand before a mirror, and say
it over and over and over. Pretty soon you’ll be able to go
in and speak, and no distraction will bother you, because if you have
to, you can go to your memory and say it just as you memorized it.
When you’re comfortable, you can ad-lib. Becoming good at speaking
gives you self-confidence, and that bolsters your personality.
I don’t care if you are a singer, a band member, an agent, a
manager, or filling one of the hundreds of other positions in the
music business – you can develop a direct and positive approach
to others. You can develop a good personality. It’s an important
part of your Power of Performance, your method for success.
4. Attitude If your attitude is bad,
nothing is going to work for you. If it’s good, your attitude
will enhance your dealings with others and make your performance better.
If you’re a performer, your good attitude will radiate out from
the stage and engage the audience. If you’re a musician in a
band, a good attitude on the road will get you through many a trying
time of bad schedules, long journeys, inadequate sound, and lousy
hotel rooms. Keeping your attitude positive is only one of the important
keys to making my method work, but without a good attitude, none of
the others will be effective.
You have to understand
that maintaining a positive attitude is, simply, an important aspect
in the pursuit of a quality life. Life is a process of constant change,
and with these changes often come problems – but these problems
and changes bring growth. Sometimes, that’s a hard fact to realize
while working through one of life’s difficulties, but maintaining
a positive attitude always helps you get through.
5. Enthusiasm
Get enthused! Get excited about your life, your talent, your job,
your career, and the selling of yourself or your product.
Another important part
of my method, an essential key, is to deal always with every aspect
of the business with enthusiasm. After all, more sales are made because
of a salesperson’s enthusiasm than for any other reason.
Our life is comprised of selling. If you are a player, you sell from
the stage, but no matter what part of the music business you’re
in, genuine enthusiasm will produce results and sales beyond your
expectations. Sometimes things won’t go as planned. The breaks
may not come. But if you have prepared yourself, you’ll know
you have what it takes to persevere and to triumph.
Stay focused and stay enthused! Enthusiasm is one of your best sources
of energy. Always greet the day with it, realizing it is an important
key to your success.
By the way, I’m enthused about passing this knowledge on to
you, so you can put your Power of Performance to work!
Jim Halsey's career spans over 50 years as artist manager, agent,
and impresario, discovering and/or guiding the careers of countless
illustrious personalities, including Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys,
Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Reba McEntire, Minnie Pearl, Clint Black,
Tammy Wynette, Mel Tillis, Merle Haggard, and many others.
From 1995-1999 Halsey created and served as director of the award-winning
Music and Entertainment Business Program at Oklahoma City University
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Additionally, Halsey is a Visiting Professor
at HED Music College in Yehud, Israel. He is currently focused on
The Halsey Learning Center of Music & Entertainment Business,
a online internet school.
Jim Halsey is also the co-creator of the Billboard Magazine Song Contest
which is entering it’s 14th year.
Learn more at http://www.jimhalsey.com.
