Undiscovered artists make up more than 90% of the industry. Getting a taste of commercial success can be a life-changing experience for an artist. Even if the resulting income isn’t huge, the journey to a proper music career starts with getting your foot in the door.

Easier said than done, though, of course. Selling your songs to the right people and the right companies rely on creativity, persistence, and a little luck. Because the playing field is so crowded, you need every opportunity you can get.

This guide is going to show you eight ways you can get noticed for commercials.

1. Proper Music

Obviously, if you don’t have quality music, then you haven’t got a shot. What isn’t obvious to some is that although you might love your music, is it quality? That means, is your recording and mixing up to par?

Commercial businesses are going to scrutinize everything about your music. Go the extra mile and invest in professional mixing and mastering to increase your chances of being noticed.

2. Right Sound

Do your songs fit appropriately for the brands you’re hoping to collaborate with? You should have songs that fit specific moods or have lyrics that match stories. Sometimes entire commercial themes are built off of a song’s message.

This is important to keep in mind when pitching your songs for commercial ideas. If your songs can do the work of the advertiser for them, you’re in a good position.

3. Networking

Start out slowly, making connections in the music and marketing industries. As eager as you might be to get your first payday, don’t rush it. As you talk and meet more industry employees, managers, and shot-callers, you get more opportunities.

Soon, you’ll reach the point where you’re pitching your music directly to decision-makers who have the power to make it happen. Going through assistants and agents can be a frustrating process.

4. Build on Streaming Platforms

It’s important to have a strong digital presence to sell your songs. Even if the songs you are pitching to commercials aren’t included. Marketers, scouts, and industry leaders are constantly scanning SoundCloud, Spotify, and Bandcamp for new music.

Build your audience on these platforms to demonstrate your value.

5. Making Press Kits

Selling your songs is difficult to do just by linking to your SoundCloud page alone. You’ll need to know how to package up your music and sell it to a marketer. To do that you, need to create a press kit that has info about you, your music history, any published media, as well as your songs.

Press kits make selling yourself much easier, with less time spent repeating information manually.

6. Master Social Media

Treat your social media accounts as a business. Interact with your fans, be honest, but also deliver regular content. Do interviews, talk about industry news, collaborate with authority voices.

As far as which platforms you should target, the big three (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) are a priority. Targeting influencers on Instagram and Snapchat is also worth investing in. Those so-called internet celebs may give you access to literal celebs or industry figures.

These things matter when it comes to commercial success. Increase your chances of being discovered by reaching outside your network. Don’t just try to go viral off a random video post, increase your reach and expand your influence.

7. Build a Great Website

Social media accounts are second only to a great website. Your site should contain your biographical info, a blog, concert info, and business info. Use this website as an opportunity to refine your brand.

Build a blog, do guest posts, and improve your authority within your community. A great website will funnel connections and establish more trust.

An artist that looks like they have their act together is going to have a consistent image across the internet. Things like a professional logo, professional headshots, and easy access to music are key. Having a store that allows individual song purchases/licensing may help you along.

8. Be a Part of Music Licensing

This last method of getting your songs in front of the right people requires some capital. Instead of navigating the industry and obtaining contacts on your own, you could join a music licensing company. This is done through a subscription that can vary based on the company’s reach.

For example, you have Music Dealers, which is a company that works with Coke. Their list of contacts isn’t as extensive as some companies, which makes them a more affordable option.

Music Bed is another established licensing company, working with Nike, Google, and Netflix. It has been gaining a lot more traction with YouTube for channels looking for quality royalty-free music.

Directional Music is our recommended experienced licensing platform. They’ve worked with big names like Adidas, GMC, and Microsoft. They’re not the cheapest option, but they do get the job done.

Selling Your Songs Fast

If you’re nervous at the thought of spending all this time and money going after commercial leads, don’t be. Part of selling your songs is about branding, the other part is just following trends. You’re going to spend a lot of time doing normal boring stuff, working in email templates, and increasing your footprint.

If you need help getting started, then you’re in the right place. Promo.ly offers a package for creating a coherent campaign for promoting your songs. This will allow you to automate a lot of mundane stuff, as well as refine your approach to commercials based on statistics.

Never get left behind commercial music trends or miss out on opportunities with your preferred brands.

Start your free seven day trial with Promo.ly and take control of your destiny. May the Pick of Destiny put you on the path to rockin success and commercial fame.