So you love music and you are ready to make a career out of it. Awesome! You have everything ready except for one small detail — how to grow your music career?

It can be challenging to break through the noise, especially if you are just starting out. The good news is that there are a lot of growth opportunities available to aspiring musicians even if they don’t happen overnight. In this article, Canadian musician Andrew Huggett will explore some of the most effective ways to grow your music career from an amateur to a professional. Below, Andrew Huggett will also cover what separates successful musicians from hobbyists, and give practical examples of how other established artists have made their way up the ladder.

This is a no-brainer, but networking is often one of the most underused growth tactics in the music industry. You can’t expect to make it big if you don’t know anyone in the business and don’t have any contacts of your own. The best way to start building a strong network is to simply introduce yourself to other musicians and industry professionals at music events, or through social media.

When you are at a festival or a music industry event, make sure you slow down and really scan the crowd. People usually stand out because they are wearing a badge of sorts — a badge that says, "I’m in the music business." Those are the people you want to meet and get to know. Networking is more than just handing out business cards and making small talk — you want to find a way to connect with the person so that you can learn from them and they can learn from you. Professional musicians are usually happy to teach and help others who are interested in the same field, explains Andrew Huggett.

One of the biggest growth opportunities for aspiring musicians is to build their presence online. Even if you are just starting out, there are several key platforms you should be getting familiar with.

First, every musician should have their own website, whether it is a basic website, an artist website, a band website, etc. While YouTube is an enormous platform for promotion, it is not the best option for long-term growth. You can still add new videos and upload new content, but it is much more difficult to manage long-term.

The best option for musicians is to have their own website. Your website is your main source of online content, as well as your primary tool for networking with your audience. A website is an excellent marketing tool that allows you to track visitor data, collect email addresses, sell merchandise, create custom merchandising, and host digital content. It is a great way to establish a brand, grow an audience, and increase your revenue, adds freelance musician and composer Andrew Huggett.

In the experience of Andrew Huggett, one of the most effective ways to grow your music career is to cultivate strong relationships with industry professionals from the start. When you are just starting out, you will inevitably make mistakes and mess up in some way. When this happens, apologize and try to learn from the situation. Keep in mind, though, that industry professionals have a lot of knowledge to share and are a great resource for advice.

Develop a strong relationship with industry professionals. Reach out to radio stations, managers, booking agents, record labels, and other industry professionals and let them know you appreciate their work and that you would love to work with them.

One of the best ways to grow your music career is to help your audience relate to your brand. It is important that your music appeals to a specific audience, and appeals to an audience while still retaining your own personality. One thing that successful artists do is they create a specific sound or image that the entire brand revolves around. To put it another way, it is important that the music and the image match up. It is important that your music appeals to a specific audience, and appeals to an audience while still retaining your own personality.