Tag Archive for: Abbey Cone

Lombardi Feature MEME

Vince Lombardi achieved GREATNESS. He was an amazing, driven, highly successful, and highly influential individual who chose professional football coaching as a career back when the pressure was the same but professional football coach’s salaries were nowhere near what they are today.

So he didn’t do it for the money, he did it out of love.

Lombardi Trophy US Embassy Canada License

Photo Credit: US Embassy Canada
License: http://bit.ly/1ryPA8o

 

Just like you do with your music career.

 

Vince Lombardi was so influential in his chosen endeavor that the trophy for the highest level of success in pro football, the Super Bowl trophy (this is the trophy that every pro player, coach, and team owner want to be photographed holding), is called the Lombardi trophy.

It represents excellence, achievement, and culmination of a long struggle.

 

It embodies greatness.

 

Lombardi Green Bay HOF

 

I’m on a Green Bay Packer kick today because my sister, bless her buns, called me last Thursday and said she had 2 extra tickets to the Brett Favre Packer Hall Of Fame induction at Lambeau Field. Of course my girlfriend Cari and I IMMEDIATELY made plans to witness history and went up to Green Bay for the weekend.

Watching Brett Favre address the 67,000 fans (all tickets sold out in 90 minutes, btw) who showed up at Lambeau to share his accomplishment was special. Grown men, and I was one of them, Lombardi Lambeau Fieldsobbing in the stands because Brett and that team brought the air of excellence BACK to the Packers organization.

 

We used to be great, then we lost the habit of winning 20 years prior (when Lombardi left Green Bay), now we simply EXPECT to win every game again.

 

Not hope, EXPECT.

 

Cari, my sister, my brother-in-law, and I were witnessing greatness.

 

That got me thinking of what greatness means.

 

Lombardi Everyone at Lambeau

 

That got me thinking of how greatness is achieved.

 

That got me thinking of how most people so falsely believe that one is born with greatness, they easily and predictably overlook the fact that greatness is always a result of hard work and dedication.

 

This notion naturally circled me back to Vince Lombardi.

 

 

 

Then I imagined how the mind and thought process of Lombardi could be attributed to your music career.

Greatness is attainable for anyone.Lombardi Edison Opportunity Quote MEME

 

I’ll rephrase, greatness is attainable for anyone who is willing to work.

So greatness is attainable to you…if you’re willing to work.

 

 

 

Just like in the music business, the NFL has players who are born with amazing talent who amount to nothing because they won’t work, who buckle in the face of adversity and hang it up mentally.

 

They psychologically quit, and that becomes a habit.

Lombardi Little Guy image

 

Just like in the music business, the NFL has players who are measurably less talented and smaller than those that surround them but are willing to out-work everyone, they know they must out-work everyone to compete to win the job that will grant them the opportunity to achieve greatness.

 

 

 

Brett Favre (2nd round pick drafted to the Falcons as a 3rd string QB) and Tom Brady (6th round draft pick) immediately come to mind.

 

These two men weren’t the “darlings of the NFL draft” to say the least. They were afterthoughts.Lombardi Favre PIc

 

 

Do you ever feel like an afterthought?

Afterthoughts can achieve greatness.

 

 

 

 

I think as humans and certainly as artists we often get mentally hung up on the ultimate goal, which is far enough away that we forget to focus on what will make us great.

Lombardi Momentum Meme

Momentum.

 

We forget to focus on the little wins, the little battles that determine momentum.

 

 

 

Like in Football.

They say football is a game of inches.

Inches that are mission critical in a 4 down series.

Each 4 down series is a battle that needs to be understood, dissected, and ultimately won to create a new set of opportunities; another 4 down series.

Lombardi Football INCHES FREE Pixabay

That leads to another opportunity to add to or change the momentum, and then another opportunity and so on.

 

Many little battles are won and it’s exciting because it creates momentum.

Many little battles are lost and that’s frustrating because momentum is lost.

 

But you can lose a bunch of battles and still win the game.

 

You can lose a bunch of games and still win your division which creates the opportunity to achieve greatness in the playoffs.

 

See my point?

 

Don’t overthink the wins. They are little battles that when won, need to be celebrated but you have another battle coming right up and you need to prepare to win that one, so don’t get carried away on a head trip.

Lombardi Big Head Devil

Don’t get a big head, you DEVIL!

 

 

Get to work.

 

Don’t overthink the losses, they are little battles that if mentally treated correctly, become learning experiences that help you win the war. The same advice applies to these losses, don’t get carried away on a head trip.

Lombardi Head in the Sand

Scared?

 

Get to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some of my favorite Lombardi quotes and some notes/responses I have added to apply them to your music career.

Read them and introspect for a moment. Hit me back and let me know which of these quotes resonates with you the most.

 

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”  I think the pursuit of perfection keeps you in writing or practicing mode just long enough to raise the bar.

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – The task at hand is not becoming a successful artist, the task at hand is whatever you should be doing that day to get closer to success. Focus on the TASK AT HAND.

 

Lombardi Statue Jim Bowen License

Photo: Jim Bowen
License: http://bit.ly/1ryPA8o

 

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – This is the most common denominator with successful people in the music business; will to survive. After that there are varying degrees of talent, strength, and knowledge, but EVERYONE must possess the will.

“Leaders aren’t born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.” – I am blessed to be working with 2 young artists, Abbey Cone and Bailey James. Yes, both of these girls are very talented, but they are important artists and they will achieve greatness because they out-work everyone around them. That’s really the main reason.

Believe me each of their careers is not an unbroken boulevard of green lights, there is plenty of adversity, they consistently overcome it.Lombardi Abbey Bailey Collage

They are quite literally making themselves into leaders.

 

 

“Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” – Therefore you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to do the work.

 

I don’t know why so many artists don’t understand this, maybe it’s a need to be famous rather than a need to be an artist.

 

There is definitely a laziness factor in many people.

Lombardi Laziness Rubiks CubeArtistry in any endeavor is about work, period.

 

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” – I see this time and time again and it is ubiquitous across all the industries I have had careers in as well as my personal life. The harder I work at it, the better my quality of life gets.

How much are you really working on improving the quality of your life?

 

 

 “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” – Whoa.

 

“If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?” – Artists should keep score with momentum.

Don’t focus on the ultimate goal.Lombardi Leaders aren't born they are made MEME

Focus on executing the next step.

 

With Bailey James we are constantly attending to the creation of consistent content and growing not only her reach on social media but her engagement. As we increase her engagement we increase her fan base. 5 months later she has astounding numbers (averaging 500 likes and 50 comments per post on Instagram) and we still haven’t released the EP.

 

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”Nothing beats that feeling of success. Make sure you are managing expectations and setting attainable goals to succeed at. Momentum is key here, get 1% better than you did the day before. ENJOY and CELEBRATE the little victories…then get back to work.

 

“Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will be judged by only one thing-the result.” – The world doesn’t care about what you want to do, only about what you have done. You better make sure you get that, it’ll help you make crucial decisions as to what the world should see and when they should see it.

Lombardi RISK Free Pixabay“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all-time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”- If you feel like you are in the habit of losing, habits can be changed. Changing habits is a behavior modification. If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got. Don’t be afraid to take a risk….What have you got to lose?

 

“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” – This quote sums up the biggest, most common mistake I see artists making. It’s the old “If I only had this, I could get that” mentality.

This thought process is simply an excuse not to achieve.

Forget about what you don’t have and focus on what you do have.Lombardi Tony Iommi Fingers

Tony Iommi who is arguably one of the most influential rock guitar players in history lost 3 finger tips in a Blue Collar job related accident early in his career. He focused on what he had (the ability to play guitar) instead of what he didn’t have (fingertips) and invented leather tips so he could continue playing. Some have argued that it’s the leather fingertips that added to his unique sound, one that changed the sound and tone of Rock & Roll forever.

 

So focus on what you DO HAVE.

 

You will create opportunities

You will create momentum.

 

You will become more attractive.

 

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.” – This is probably one of the most common human pitfalls.

Lombardi Habits Make Us Celestine Chua License

Photo: Celestine Chua
License: http://bit.ly/1ryPA8o

 

Why are we so focused on avoiding the fall?

 

Is it because we are concerned more with perception over reality?

 

No matter how much thought EVERY human puts into this concept, regardless of intelligence, regardless of work ethic, falling is inevitable. The successful simply learn, get up, and find another way to win.

 

Every success is preceded by many challenges.

Every failure is preceded by an excuse.

 

“Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure, and the temporary failures.” – I think this quote speaks to being firmly grounded in reality. If you are realistic in what it takes to achieve greatness, you will be willing to endure the many challenges and falls that will surely come. Don’t be naïve as to the price.

 

“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” – I mean, right?!?!?!Lombardi Thomas Edison quote

 

“We didn’t lose the game; we just ran out of time.” – Edison didn’t fail 2,000 times at creating the light bulb, he discovered 2,000 not to do it. Then there was the 2,001st time.

 

Get it?

 

 

“It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you’re a winner, when you’re number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not a winner.” – NOW is the time to have faith and discipline.

Lombardi I Believe In Me image

 

Why do so many people think they will execute that kind of behavior once they “make it”?

 

 

 

 

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PS: If you haven’t already downloaded my free Music Marketing On Twitter book, please enjoy it on me. Go to GiftFromJohnny.com put  in your name and tell us where to send it. It’ll teach you how to get 1,000 new targeted followers every month for just 15 minutes per day.

 

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Periscope 16 Music Marketing Ideas MEME

Periscope’s slogan is “Explore the world through someone else’s eyes”Periscope_Slogan

For those of you who are unaware of this app, Periscope (and Meerkat) allow you to broadcast live video through your Twitter app.

 

MIND BLOWN

 

Thank you to my dear friend Gary Shapiro for turning me on to this app a few months ago. He said, “Johnny, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do with this”

 

Periscope Idea Collage

Can you imagine throngs of people broadcasting live footage (AKA the TRUTH) we can all see during major world events like the terrorist attacks? Tiananmen Square? Watts riots? Balloon Rides? Bosnian genocide? Political Rallies? Live Concerts?

 

This technology has the potential to change the world for the better, including your career.

 

I see Periscope definitely changing the music industry as it can be mission critically instrumental in truly connecting artists with their fan base. If you’re clever you can incorporate interactivity and seriously deepen relationships using this app.

 

 

Watching a broadcast isn’t a passive experience like watching television. On Periscope, the experience is interactive as your audience can influence your broadcast by sending messages and expressing their love by tapping the screen to send hearts.Periscope Child TV Experience

 

FYI, the only discernable difference I can see between Meerkat and Periscope seems to be the “hearts” feature on Periscope which is why I like it better.

 

Periscope Hearts

 

 

 

Consistency will be crucial for some of these ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are 16 ideas I have to help you utilize Periscope to deepen relationships with your fan base. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE hit me back with any ideas you come up with!!

 

  1. Rock Star’s Perspective – Walk on stage to a packed house and broadcast live to let the viewers experience the rush you get when you are showered with applause.Periscope Winner is
  2. Contest Winner Reveal – What if you dreamt up a giveaway of some sort (autographed guitar, gift cards, gas cards, merch, etc.) and the contestants had to tune in live to win?
  3. Interactive Queries – We did something really cool with Bailey James where we asked the “James Gang” via social media to help us choose between 2 songs to pick the last song we would record on her debut EP. We set up a page on her site where fans could stream work tapes of her singing 2 songs. We asked them to choose their favorite and report back on social media. We received TONS of responses making this initiative very interactive. Then, fans had to tune in to a live Periscope broadcast to see which song won. We had viewers from England, Peru, Brazil, and Canada. SO COOL! This provided a sense of satisfaction to viewers who wanted to know which song won, it made the viewers feel like they were truly a part of the experience and decision making process, AND it provided invaluable social proof of the artist in the recording studio with her producers, the band, etc.  It was really happening, not just hype.
  4. Special Consistent Private Performances – Weekly quick performances of cover songs picked by your social media community that Periscope Abbey Cone Memeyou artistically stylize can be super effective. If you’re a solo artist, do it somewhere intimate so the viewers feel special access like your bedroom or studio etc. You WILL deepen relationships if you make them feel extraordinary.
  5. Backstage Pass Live – EVERYBODY wants a backstage pass. I remember getting backstage at an AC/DC concert when I was 16 at Alpine Valley. 60,000 people, I was standing spitting distance from Malcolm’s guitar while they were on stage was an experience that changed my life forever. This access would be amazing for the rituals, banter, and exclusivity of any show but ESPECIALLY big shows where you get the opportunity to play to large audience or a packed house. Announce you are broadcasting live on Periscope and have the crowd scream at your viewers. AMAZING SOCIAL PROOF.
  6. Writing Session – What would your fans think if they could kibitz on your creative moments? With Periscope they can effortlessly come on and off the app at will checking in to monitor progress.
  7. Recording Session – There is nothing cooler for a fan than a front row seat to watch you create magic.Periscope Bailey James Interactivity
  8. Live Access to Pivotal Career Moments/Announcements – Your fans want access, they want to feel like they were a part of your success. Allow them to share your experience of contract signings, big shows, awards, interviews, press, any social proof that you’re on your way to something bigger. In-crowd watches live. Out-crowd watches what they missed. Out-crowd wants to be in-crowd, get it?
  9. Live Q&A – What if you query fans on social media for questions and then answer live on Periscope? HINT: print up SHOUT OUTS of Twitter/Instagram handles from fans who submitted questions and show them live to spurn interactivity (Bailey James does this on her YouTube Channel). I used to LOVE watching funny, crazy, and compelling interviews of my favorite bands on MTV this is your chance to connect!! The most compelling reason a fan will watch is to see you mention THEM. Vanity is as SURE as death and taxes.
  10. Multitask Content – You can download formerly live broadcasts and upload them to your YouTube Channel. This will provide amazing content on a weekly basisPeriscope MultiTasking Whiteboard FREE image
  11. Live Practical Jokes – On band members or other artists in your community. I just saw THIS video of Tyler Farr pranking Jerrod Niemann in Jamaica.
  12. Live Road Trip Videos – What could happen? Are you funny? Do y’all sing? What do you do to avoid boredom? Multitask your boredom avoidance with social media content that will be amusing to your fans. Did the van break down? Stuck at a border? Pulled over by police? Are you crusty, hung over, and at a Shoney’s slightly aggravated and making smart ass comments? SHARE IT LIVE
  13. Repurpose Content – Cut up cool 15 second video moments from your live broadcast downloads and post on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. This will provide content diversification across multi social media platforms. Remember some people preferred to consume Letterman, some people preferred to consume Leno so an artist appeared on both shows to reach everyone possible.
  14. Get Musically Creative – I love Jimmy Fallon’s musical moments where everyone is on the screen like the Muppets using cheap, weird instruments and creating cool music. You like to be creative, right? Rappers, do y’all jump off on any freestyle rap moments? Inter group contests? Playful trash-talking? This would be great live content.Periscope Jimmy Fallon Music
  15. Tour Rituals – Do you warm up? Take a shot? Say a prayer? Team meeting?Give your fans live access to what you do just before you walk onstage.
  16. Introductions All Around – Introduce your road crew, booking agent, club owner, promoter, parents, etc. let your community in. The more they feel a part of your success, the more they will contribute to keep it going.

 

 

 

I can’t wait to hear what y’all come up with on this app. It just came out in May. Again, please hit me back with any ideas you dream up.

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Stay

In

Tune

 

PS: If you haven’t already downloaded my free Music Marketing On Twitter book, please enjoy it on me. Go to GiftFromJohnny.com put  in your name and tell us where to send it. It’ll teach you how to get 1,000 new targeted followers every month for just 15 minutes per day.

 

 

If you like this post, please SHARE it and/or LEAVE A COMMENT thank you!

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