Unlike affordable gas, there’s no shortage of options and strategies for success in today’s music economy. Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of hanging out with a well-respected folk singer. Without name dropping, I can tell you that I found his perspective on the “What can I do to make it?” question more than a little intriguing.

His suggested approach echoes the emotional connection mantra espoused by Tom Jackson, the guru of live performance training. (If you’re unfamiliar with Tom’s work and services, I encourage you to check it out.)

The big theme here: Fans are more important than gigs.

1. Make fans.
Avoid gigs where you’re just the art on the wall that nobody notices. Playing for 5 people who care enough to listen is more powerful and a better strategy for your career than playing for 100 people who aren’t listening at all. Think about the gigs you take and ask yourself, will I make new fans?

2. Make that emotional connection with the audience.
You spend months writing, recording, mixing, mastering, distributing and selling your work. How much effort are you putting into your live show? If it’s not as much, perhaps you should rethink your plan. Be smart about making an emotional connection with the audience. Looking down at your peddles while you’re “tweaking” the sound won’t help your cause.

3. Be strategic about your live show
Treat your show like a performance, not a demonstration. Survey the audience before you play your first note. Ask yourself, what song will get their attention? Don’t always assume they want your BEST song first. Give them something that will make them stop what they’re doing turn, and look at you. Even if it’s a yell, a note, some feedback, a crash or a crazy dance, make them stop and take notice. Plan everything you say and how you say it. Be vulnerable, funny, angry, or prophetic, but craft a show that will capture the audience’s attention.

4. Don’t set out to be a star—set out to make fans.
A career in music doesn’t have to be a longshot to stardom. Rock star, rap star is all good if it happens for you, but there’s nothing wrong with planning for a more modest living. Focus on your craft and your performance so that you can make the most fans possible. If you’re always thinking about the fans, you can’t help but sell more shirts, bumper stickers, CDs, and DVDs.

This philosophy is just as relevant on OurStage. OurStage can be so much more than a monthly contest. Use it as a place to test your songs with the fans. If they don’t rank very high, think of ways you can improve them to better connect with your audience. Use OurStage to network and to introduce people to your music. Check out other bands and their fans: Maybe the fans of the bands you like could be your fans too.

Okay, enough musical philosophy for today. Let me know what you think of this strategy. I didn’t come up with it, but it sure made a lot of sense to me.