Ross Barber is the owner of Electric Kiwi, a web design and marketing firm for musicians located in Glasgow, Scotland. Ross helps bands and musicians by building websites, creating online presence and branding, designing posters and album art, and providing social media design support. Ross holds a BA in popular music performance with honors from the UHI Millennium Institute, and supports clients throughout Europe, the Americas, and Australia.
Table of Contents
2:31 – If you had to describe yourself as a band, song, or genre, what would it be?
5:01 – How did you get started in the music business?
10:45 – What’s been your proudest moment in the music business?
13:16 – What would you consider your biggest failure and what did you learn from that?
20:46 – What are the common mistakes with a band’s website?
27:02 – Top 3 takeaways to support your success in the music business
If you had to describe yourself as a band, song, or genre, what would it be?
As an acoustic re-interpretation of “Eye of the Tiger.” I’m laid back, but motivated–and that’s how I think of myself. Everyone has those days where they question what they are doing in the music industry and they are not really sure how to go forward. On those days, I just keep going and that’s what “Eye of the Tiger” represents to me.
How did you get started in the music business?
In my last year at University, I took a promotion and marketing class. I had never done anything like that before, so it was completely new to me. We had to design our own project, which meant coming up with goals and metrics. My idea was to create a website that would promote myself as a winger/songwriter, and my specific aim was to get 100 people to sign-up for my mailing list before a set date.
That project helped me figure out that I was actually quite good at this. I thought, why don’t I do this instead of the performing? And the rest is history.
What’s been your proudest moment in the music business?
My proudest moments come when I’m working with an artist that I really enjoy and believe in, and when I can watch them grow. A band from Doncaster in the UK comes to mind called Rita Payne.
They first approached me two or three years ago, and I’ve been a part of their journey from the very beginning until now. They just released their second album, and they did a crowdfunding campaign that did really well. They went on to appear on The Voice. That was definitely one of my proudest moments.
What would you consider your biggest failure and what did you learn from that?
Trying to do everything myself and not asking for help. This is probably true of a lot of artists as well. Just because it’s your career, your business, or your music–you get scared of asking for help. I was trying to do everything by myself for a really long time, and the more work I was getting, it started to really add up. Delegation is always hard.
What are the common mistakes with a band’s website?
One of the big mistakes that I’ve seen recently is a lack of contact information. Every band or artist needs to put their contact info out there. If not contact info for the artists themselves, then contact info for their management, booking, or press teams.
A second mistake is an over-loaded site. Too much content without a clear goal for the site. Third, and this is perhaps the most common mistake that I see–no mailing list. Bands must have a way of capturing emails. The reason for this is that we don’t own our contacts on Facebook or Twitter, but we can own our contacts through our website. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter will come and go, but our website can be constant.
Top 3 takeaways to support your success in the music business:
- If you already have a website, then you’re one step ahead of the game. If you don’t have a website, get one!
- Make certain that you have a way of capturing emails on your website. This also translates offline. At your shows, make sure you have a printed list or an iPad going around so people can sign-up on the spot.
- Build relationships with your fans. A genuine connection with your fans is irreplaceable. An email list will help with that, as well as your social media presence. It’d been said that all you need is 1,000 true fans, and that 1,000 true fans can sustain your career.
The best way to reach Ross at Electric Kiwi:
On the web: http://www.electrickiwi.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/electrickiwidesign
Twitter: https://twitter.com/electrickiwi
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