In a world where musical content of all kinds can be found anywhere and everywhere, developing a distinctive artistic brand is critical to any musician's professional success. Whether you're an emerging professional musician or a seasoned pro looking to up your game, you will gain knowledge of basic marketing principles as applied to the performing arts. These principles include using visual and design elements to define your artistic identity, strategies for effective marketing through a variety of media and channels, and developing a social media strategy for their professional brand.
This course is part of the Musician’s Professional Toolbox: Your Portfolio Career Specialization
Offered By
About this Course
At minimum, a bachelors degree in music and/or experience as a practicing musician.
What you will learn
Identify the character of visual and audio materials that best capture the professional image you wish to project.
Use a variety of demographic and psychographic parameters to define your customer market and/or audience.
Identify marketing channels and how they are used to promote your brand and build your business.
Employ strategies for effective social media content.
Skills you will gain
- Marketing
- Email Communication
- Social Media
- Branding
- Entrepreneurship
At minimum, a bachelors degree in music and/or experience as a practicing musician.
Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder
CU-Boulder is a dynamic community of scholars and learners on one of the most spectacular college campuses in the country. As one of 34 U.S. public institutions in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), we have a proud tradition of academic excellence, with five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Defining Your Brand
In this module, you will learn the key components of one’s artistic brand and determine how to use those to communicate your Mission Statement from Course 1.
Who is Your Market?
In this module, you will learn how to determine the characteristics of your market and how to best meet their needs.
Marketing Channels and Strategies
In this module you will learn how to determine the best ways to reach and engage your target market through a variety of virtual and physical channels.
Managing Your Online Presence
In this module, you will learn how to use email, e-newsletters, social media and other online channels in an integrated and holistic way to build and manage your online presence.
About the Musician’s Professional Toolbox: Your Portfolio Career Specialization
Learners completing this specialization will acquire the skills to launch and sustain a Portfolio Career consisting of a range of musical endeavors. Topics include building a professional network, identifying tools for developing a brand, promoting yourself through a variety of channels, developing strategies to find and book performances, and defining and tracking your goals. This course is the first of two specializations making up the Musician’s Professional Toolbox.

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