At the strategic level, maneuvering is a way of thinking about how you are going to act in a manner that puts your opponent at a disadvantage. At the tactical level, maneuvering most frequently involves concentration or dispersing as you seek the most advantageous route. Without thinking about how to maneuver in today's independent music scene, the idea of becoming successful when outnumbered is ludicrous.
Below are 5 ways of maneuvering through the independent scene for any D.I.Y artist to implement. These have been trusted, tried, and proven to be effective all throughout history.
- Maneuver to Gain the Advantage: The longest way around can be the shortest route to success- Since the easiest routes are often the most heavily defended, the longest way around can indeed be the shortest way home. The courses of action which appear most advantageous usually contain the seeds of disadvantage. The key to success is turning a circuitous route into a straight route for you alone. Granted, strategic initiatives can be either sequential or cumulative: A sequential initiative requires planned, consecutive steps to achieve success. A cumulative initiative is the result of a series of random actions piling on top of one another until at some undetermined point the critical mass is reached.
- Achieve the Critical Mass: Apply overwhelming force at the decisive place and time- Strategic initiatives must focus on the critical factors that give you a competitive advantage. When you have a unique enough advantage, you should be able to get 100 percent of the market. The critical mass is simply the concentration of energy required to achieve success. What counts is not only the strength of your resources, but the speed with which they are delivered. That energy concentration can be in any facet of the organization.
- Deceive Your Competitor: Deception is always targeted at the competitor; NEVER the fan or customer- Practice secrecy. This forces your competitor to second guess your next move. The bigger you are, the more psychologically threatened the unknown becomes to your opponent. The only thing better than having your opponent not know what you are doing is to have him or her think you are planning to do something entirely different from what you really intend to do. This is deception.
- Develop Effective Internal Communications: Implement ways to get messages received and understood- Effective internal communication happens as a result of a well-designed plan. This plan is organized around the understanding that all messages are not delivered in the same manner. A single method of communication is not enough; every message needs to be reinforced by using different methodologies.
- Gain the Mental Advantage: Understand the five psychological factors affecting human resources- 1.Attitude: A positive outlook and a cool head are the foundation of a good attitude. 2.Morale: The moral issues required in the independent music business are both the moral courage to make the right decisions and act on them, and the leadership style that helps make everyone feel good about him or herself. 3.Physical: Keep yourself physically fit and nurture a healthy business environment. 4.Adapt to Circumstances: No plan can see beyond the first engagement. Although it is important to follow the plan, it is equally important to know when and how to modify the plan. 5.Rewards: Internal motivators include profit sharing, gain sharing, glory sharing, and fame sharing. The simple pat on the back can accomplish much.
In case you missed them in the recent past post, here are the links to hear some of the latest underground sounds that I've been working on. I hope that this post has been helpful and I certainly hope you enjoy the sounds.
