The electronic revolution has changed the way we access music and it has changed the way musicians can be heard. No longer do artists need to become indentured servants to the majors, they can strike out on their own and have huge success!

Thanks to the electronic revolution, the music industry is changing. No longer do musicians and singers only need to rely on radio stations and big record companies to start building a fan base or having a successful music career. Forget about American Idol and Nashville Star, an artist can make a name for himself / herself first! Then you'll have the chips stacked in your favor when you are offered a recording contract and you'll be in a position to make a great deal.

American Idol and Nashville Star winners and runners-up are held to strict contracts and tightly controlled careers. We hear about very few of the winners with the exception of Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. There's been no better time to be an indie musician – making the music and money you want and deserve.

So how can an artist move product when it seems that even the famous artists can't sell a blockbuster? How do you make a splash turn into a tidal wave when you’re in such a big swimming pool?

The answer: it's all about marketing. We have heard it time and time again and that's what it is. A rock packaged and sold as a rock is just a rock. But a rock packaged and marketed as a friend becomes a cultural phenomenon.

Here are just a few ideas to help

Use podcasts to broadcast your music.
Make use of places like Myspace and other music sites.
Do as many free concerts as you can and have plenty of merchandise to sell and a sign up list.
Start calling your local radio stations offering to help them out in exchange for an interview and a plug of your CD. Many places aren’t able to play your CD because they are programmed, but that won’t stop them from a plug.

Take advantage of every opportunity to share your music or goods with the world.
These are just a few ideas; you can come up with many more. The idea is to plug your music and then your CDs will start to fly out of your hands (providing it’s a good representation of your work).

The most important thing an artist can do is to network and market. It’s all about perceived value.

Jaci Rae’s grit and determination brought her from a poor childhood to a successful singer and author who tours around the world. She is the recipient of the "Female Vocalist of the Year" award at the Golden Music Awards in Nashville, TN as well as a #1 Best selling author.

Jaci is on the dating team of Savvymiss.com, the relationship expert for lovingyou.com and is a relationship advisor for loveisgreat.com and singlescafe.net. For more information, go to http://www.winningromance.com Jaci Rae is also a co-host for the show Concert's in the Sky with media mogul Jesse Dylan.

She is the author of The Indie Guide to Music, Marketing and Money, as well as Winning Points With The Woman In Your Life One Touchdown At A Time (Simon and Schuster), Shop for a Day with Jaci Rae and Collista's Search for the True Meaning of Christmas. Jaci spends her spare time working on her music, writing and hanging out with family and friends. For more information, go to www.christmaswithlove.com www.shopforaday.com www.winningromance.com or www.jacirae.com

About.com Dating Guide lists Jaci's book, Winning Points With The Woman In Your Life One Touchdown At A Time in the top six of all time dating / relationship books.
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