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It's called the music BUSINESS, which means that if you are a singer, songwriter, recording artist, musician, entertainer of any kind, there IS an element of sales involved in what you're doing. On this episode, sales trainers Rick and Nancy Monsipapa give tips for selling your music, getting bookings, finding sponsors or endorsement deals, branding yourself -- essentially, better positioning yourself to get more opportunities. The two of them have a combined 40-plus years of sales experience, and put an emphasis on working with entrepreneurs. They co-wrote a book called "Nail The Sale" and host a weekly podcast by the same name. As sales trainers, they work with individuals one-on-one or in group settings with companies to improve sales efforts.

Notable Guest Quotes

(Rick) "Here's the foundational truth to sales - You are a problem solver.  And if you can solve problems for people, you're going to have abundance in sales."

(Nancy) "What are you bringing to them that completes you and your brand?  And that's what you're offering to them.  And it is selling.  And sometimes we don't like to think of it as selling 'cause we think that's kind of slimy for whatever reason... But, how are you getting to know them before you even knock on their door?"

(Rick) "(the sales process) does start with No, because once it's a No that's your objection.  When you get your first objection, now you're really trying to overcome the objection... This is when you get your sales shoes on."

(Nancy) "Everybody wants to buy.  No one wants to be sold."

(Rick) "Every step of the sales process is closing.  The close starts at, 'Hi, I'm Rick.'  That is exactly where the sale starts.  And that's when the close starts.  Because, it's not like this really, palms-sweating, tense time, that you're like, 'Ssss so, is it Yes?!'"

(Nancy) "If you really want to set yourself apart, you need to go face-to-face.  Because in today's technology, in this day and age, more and more people are just doing email or just doing social media.  They're not doing the face-to-face.  Set yourself apart."

(Rick) "Make a list of... companies... and then... really kind of think about how you would be able to help them with their brand and expanding their brand... Whatever it is that kind of syncs well with your business."

(Nancy) "Find somebody that's been in the industry ten, 15, 20 years longer than yourself that you kind of look up to, and ask.  Find out what their going rate is, and then pattern something close.  Don't just pull it out of the air."

(Rick) "One of the rules of negotiating is, it's harder to go up than it is to go down.  So, with that, what's a number that moves the needle for you and your business - and then times that by five."

(Nancy) "Get out of the box a little bit and... think about what your audience would use.  What are they going to relate to?  What do they need?"