JerryFlattum.com

Seeking an Investor 

Dancin' With The Universe

Why Do I Need An Investor?

JerryFlattum.com is about me, Jerry Flattum. I am a Performer/Songwriter. A.K.A: "Songster." Traditionally the label is known as Singer/Songwriter. I am also a freelance writer and screenwriter.  Freelance writing is a passion, but it is essentially a means of producing income. The financing I seek is in support of recording and website development.   JerryFlattum.com features other projects designed to generate income: 

 • Recording - a series of

songs arranged, recorded and produced at master-quality.

• SwitchTrak - A production music library.

• Entertainment Cyberscope - A comprehensive online guide to all things entertainment.

• JerryFlattum.com - Website Development and Marketing Strategy.

Summary

JerryFlattum.com is a package, vehicle and marketing strategy for my recordings.  The recordings are in support of myself as a performer.   Pursuing an artist contract is far more difficult than licensing recordings.  Most artists perform and write and do not license separate from performing. It may prove more advantage to have multiple sites instead of one.  This multiple vs. one issue applies to marketing strategies as well.  Freelance writing, SwitchTrack and the Entertainment Cyberscope are income generators.  These ventures are not to be confused with the primary focus of licensing/publishing original songs.  Some critics feel featuring songs and freelance writing on the same site causes confusion for visitors coming to the site.  Right now, it's strictly a matter of practicality.  The site is also my control center to manage and organize my life and career.   Who is my audience?  Am I trying to sell songs or am I selling blogs, articles, eBooks and screenplays?  Clearly this is 2 if not multiple careers rolled into 1.   Investment dollars will help design the site--or multiple sites--in a way that best markets what I have to sell:  myself as a performer, my songs, a production music library (SwitchTrak), an advertising portal (Entertainment Cyberscope) and my writing (articles, blogs, eBooks).

Recordings

Currently uploaded to the site are 40 "demo" recordings and the lyrics and leadsheets for numerous other songs.  My original intentions were to record new arrangements using a Pro Tools-based home studio and then license the songs for film, TV and advertising (commercials).   When recordings are mastered, that is, when they are made ready for commercial release, it means the songs can not only be licensed but also sold direct-to-consumer.  Mastered recordings, along with the Digital Revolution and the Internet, have changed the nature of the music industry.   I belong to several LinkedIn Groups and recently opened the discussion on "What is mastering and how does this change the way artists do business?"  This question addresses the larger issue of producing and marketing original music independently vs. being signed to major music companies.   In fact, one of the eBooks I'm writing is called, Indie vs. Major:  Battle of the Century. There is a significant "Indie" movement currently in both the music and film industries.  In music, the Indie strategy is based on the ability to create, record, produce, market and distribute both CDs and mp3s direct-to-consumer.   More research is needed to determine just how succesful the Indie movement is but one thing is for sure:  Indies may be able to make money but they do not have the power and resources to create "stars." This too...could change.   If Indies can acquire the financing to market and distribute globally across the entire media spectrum backed by live performance, then stardom is possible.

My Recording Strategy

I am not interested in competing with the Majors as an Indie.  However, I am forced to go Indie until I generate enough interest to be signed by a Major Label.  There is no way to predict at what point this will occur.   It could happen immediately with a single song either attracting the attention of a Major Label directly or through licensing (a song in a film, TV show or commercial). Another strategy is to generate enough sales of either a CD or mp3 single as a way to attract the attention of Major Labels. I've begun taking the steps to produce a CD.  The artwork in the beginning of this presentation was created for the cover of a CD entitled, Dancin' With The Universe.   One strategy in support of selling the CD is to allow the consumer to choose from several different songs and create their own CD.  The inspiration for this strategy is born from having an extensive catalog of original songs.  This means selling direct-to-consumer from JerryFlattum.com.

Marketing

The freelance writing content on JerryFlattum.com not only serves as an income generator but is also part of an SEO/Social Media marketing strategy. Several tactics are being used:  • Paid advertising (Blogsvertise)• Pay-Per-Post• Adsense• Wordpress plugins (All-In-One-SEO)• Tweet This plugin

 Many more plugins and cross-linking with other websites and social media platforms are being added continously.  The goal, of course, is to drive traffic to JerryFlattum.com. The next major marketing efforts include an affiliate program and using sources such as Clickbank. 

Freelance Writing

All my published work is featured on JerryFlattum.com.  This increases content and provides a showcase for clients. 

3 major blogs with many sub-categories:• Songster - Covers recording and the music industry• StoryTeller - Screenwriting and the film industry• Solutions - Multiple subject areas with the goal of providing

both personal and global solutions.   3-4 eBooks will launch ASAP 201l.  I'll be using such sources as Smashwords.com, Lulu.com, and Amazon's Kindle.   The drafts for all of these books are already finished.  With re-editing and formatting the books will be ready for digital launch with minimum effort. 

Titles include:• Convergence and the Entertainment Society

• Song Creation• Future Self• Evil Uncle 

  

SwitchTrak

SwitchTrack is a music production library.   Currently 63 pieces of instrumental music in "demo" form are uploaded to JerryFlattum.com.  Like the original songs, this music will not be ready for commercial release until newly arranged and mastered.  Dozens of new pieces will be created during the arranging and recording of the original songs.  This is how my production music is largely inspired and created.   There are 2 possible strategies for selling the music: 

• Direct-to-Consumer• Sell to other production music libraries

 I am a member of the Film Music Nework receiving numerous opportunities for selling production music (and songs) on a daily basis.  It is far easier to sell to other libraries. The creation and management of a production music library can be a career in itself.  This is not my intent.  Its purpose is to generate income.  

Entertainment Cyberscope

The Entertainment Cyberscope (EC) is a portal and advertising haven for all things entertainment.  It originated on Musesmuse.com is and is still visible in it's original form: 

Entertainment Cyberscope It is now being dramatically transformed on JerryFlattum.com.

Entertainment Cyberscope The Adsense plugin already indicates the advertising and affiliate possibilities.   A database solution is being sought.   With the right design and marketing strategy, The EC could prove to be a tremendous income generator. 

End Notes

Currently pursuing a 2nd Masters, "Music For New Media, Academy of Art, San Francisco (online).  Received A's for Fall courses 2010:  Film Music and StoryTelling.  I need a co-signer for the Graduate Plus Loans or I will not be able to continue past Spring Semester, 2011. Deciding on LLC vs. Incorporation business formation and writing a business plan.   I am an excellent performer, songwriter and arranger.  I am not an engineer.  I have many of the tools needed to produce a master-quality recording using my home studio.  The learning curve involved is time-consuming.  An outside studio is needed. Depending on financing, an outside studio will handle the chores of musicians, backup singers, mixing and mastering.  Priority is to finish a series of master-quality recordings.  Financing can serve this end alone.   Enough financing can cover all ventures:  recording, monetizing JerryFlattum.com, website development, marketing, SwitchTrak and the Entertainment Cyberscope.