This morning, Sam Bennett and I had a chat about creativity, organization, and getting geared up for your next project or job search. We had such a great time, I’m posting the whole 30-minute conversation here, unedited.

In our chat:

• The magic of the “Genius Envelope”
• How to rock your goals in as little as 15 minutes a day
• Why the people you vibe with are the key to your next big opportunity

Listen to our conversation here:

Right-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) here to download the mp3

Links from the interview:

• You can visit Sam Bennett’s website, The Organized Artist Company, at: theorganizedartistcompany.com
• While you’re there, be sure to check out her Creativity Jump Start Home Study program
• Also mentioned: Creative Freelancer Conference

I’ve been in awe of Leah Jones—online and off—for a few years now, so I’m thrilled to finally snag some of her time for an interview for Rock Unemployment. She’s a kick-butt social media coach who teaches creatives (and rabbis!) how to find fans online and build communities of wildly enthusiastic fans. You can find her on the web at Natiiv.com.

In our interview, Leah talked about doing research to build a fan base, seeking out “windows and side doors” into conversations with them, and how she helped I Fight Dragons move off of MySpace and into a record deal.

Melanie: You run a company called Natiiv. Can you tell us a little bit about who you work with and how?

Leah: I work with writers, artists and musicians – as well as Jewish communal professionals and small business owners – to teach them the basics of using social media tools for building relationships and promoting their business or art. I also do some freelance with at a small agency working on major consumer brands on digital marketing programs.

Melanie: I’ve heard you say that you teach social media to “rabbis and rock stars,” which is totally cool to me! What do they have in common?

Leah: More than either would like to admit, I bet. Both are looking to connect with new and existing audiences online, both place importance on writing and conveying messages and both are called.

Face it – you don’t become a rabbi or a working musician unless you are incredibly passionate about the work. Both consume your life, leave little room for other interests, and rarely bring monetary rewards. So you’ve got two passionate groups of people – one for Torah and one for music – connecting with people through sharing that knowledge.

Melanie: You’ve mentioned to me that you help teach people to do social media research, to learn more about (and get connected with) their true fans. What are your top 3 recommendations for an artist or musician looking to expand beyond their usual social circle and find “their people”?

Leah: 1. Think about the last party you were at with a bunch of strangers – what were the conversations you interrupted because you were so fascinated by the topic of conversation and it wasn’t about music? Go find those people online and make friends with them. Eventually tell ‘em you’re in a band.

2. Be honest about what other bands your band sounds like and go find their fans. Don’t pick the biggest bands that influenced you, but smaller bands that are within reach. Would their fans really be interested in your music? If so, then start talking with them and introduce your music to a new audience.

3. What book do you love that your ideal fans would love? Go find the people talking about that book and make an introduction. Don’t be afraid to tell the book lovers why you suspect they might like your music.

Melanie: Recently, one of the bands you work with, I Fight Dragons, was signed to Atlantic Records. How did you help them start their transition from a MySpace-focused strategy to more of a conversation with their fans?

Leah: The challenge when I Fight Dragons dropped their EP, Cool Is Just a Number, is nobody was talking about their genre or looking for a new band that played Nintendo Power Pop. The first thing we did was define their fan. Then the guys went looking for them online and talking to them about all sorts of things – Star Trek, Nintendo, Legos – and eventually bringing it back to the band.

I Fight Dragons also spent a lot of energy and focus on their email list. Email marketing isn’t sexy or new, but it is SO important. Email addresses are worth a CDs weight in gold, possibly more! The band focused on regular contact, exclusive content and a great live show once people came through the door.

Melanie: You don’t just work with musicians and rabbis, though. Right around the time we met, you were working with Amy Guth on her social marketing work to promote a book she’d just launched. What are a couple of strategies she used that might apply to authors or other creative folks?

Leah: With Amy, we did a combination of online only events (blog tours) and online/offline events – a Scaventour. Our goals was to keep redefining her possible audience, finding people and introducing the Three Fallen Women to them. There was a feminist blog tour, a Hanukah blog tour, and the random  “Uh Oh Ask Me Uh Oh” meme we started. The Scaventour was about meeting her fans in person as she drove from Chicago to New Orleans.

I think creative people need to think about how you can define and redefine your audience. If your product is the front door, what are the side doors? What are the windows into a relationship with you? Related topics that tell you someone might be interested in what you have to offer.

Melanie: I love your analogy of finding “windows” or “side doors” into a conversation with your fans, instead of just saying, “Check out my stuff!” At the same time, at some point you’ve got to spread the word about what you’re doing. As a creative person, once I’ve started that dialogue with someone, how can I move into a little self-promotion without being sleazy?

Leah: Just like when you’re at a party, it becomes obvious when you can start talking about yourself and your gigs. When you do start talking about shows, make sure you don’t stop talking about the other stuff. I fall victim to this myself – right now I’m working on a fundraiser at my synagogue with big name comedians. It is all I think about and it is starting to be all that I twitter about.

I have to say, “Leah, talk about something else, you’re boring yourself!” and then I try my best… even though the truth is when you have an important gig, it is all you can think to talk about.

Melanie: Anything else you wish I’d ask about?

Leah: I have a great challah recipe if anyone wants to learn how to bake bread.

When I first heard about Scott Quist’s Los Angeles-based moving company, Real Rock ‘n’ Roll Movers, I knew I had to get in touch with him to learn more. They’re a moving company that keeps hard-working musicians employed between gigs. Pretty cool, huh?

A couple of weeks ago, we had a Skype/phone chat, and Scott told me all about how he grew the business, why Yelp and Craigslist are such terrific tools for marketing, and what he learned from his days shoveling s**t (yes, really!). If you’re in the LA area and looking for work, you don’t want to miss the part about some new jobs he’s creating.

Note: Since this is a Skype/phone chat, the audio has a few glitches. Sorry ’bout that!

Listen to our conversation here:

Right-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) here to download the mp3

Links from the interview:

• You can check out Real Rock ‘n’ Roll Movers at: http://www.realrocknrollmovers.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/perpetualplum/ / CC BY 2.0

On TV shows like “CSI” and “NCIS,” the post-mortem autopsy usually involves all sorts of investigative techniques not recommended for the squeamish. I can’t stand to watch when the medical examiner lifts out the brain or heart and plops it onto a scale.

I guess I’m not suited to forensic work.

There’s a different type of post-mortem YOU can use to increase your profits, shorten your work-week, and keep your side gig clients happy… the Project Post-Mortem.

After every project you do – whether it’s a job for a client, an album you’ve finished recording, or a snazzy new logo you’ve designed – you can take stock of your wins and losses, and really examine the guts of what makes your projects tick.

Here are a few questions you can review, both on your own and with your clients and team members:

1. What went right on this project? What one thing would we absolutely do again in a hearbeat?
2. What roadblocks did we have in our project? What one thing do we want to avoid doing again?
3. Was the client happy? (If not, what could we have done to make the client happier?)
4. What was a waste of time or money?
5. Did we charge enough?
6. What can we do differently next time, to make our projects faster (or cheaper, better, etc.)?

Start with one or two questions that apply to your project. As you do more post-mortems, you’ll find that some problems come up often, and you can work to reduce those. You’ll also start to see ways you can work faster, cheaper, and smarter. This is where the post-mortem can be most valuable.

If you’d like more info on project post-mortems, working with creative teams, and staying happily employed, check out this terrific In-HOWse interview with Dyana Valentine. I listened to it last weekend on a road trip, and had quite a few “aha moments.”

Got your own post-mortem pointers? I’d love to hear them! Post your suggestions in the comments.

I recently spoke with photographer and educator, Michael E. Stern, about his creative workflow, building a professional practice, and how he collaborates with clients (even “the suits”!). We even got into one of my recent favorite topics: building a schedule around your energy levels.

Listen to our conversation here:

Right-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) here to download the mp3

Also, if you’re in the Los Angeles area, you can check out some of Michael’s work now through Sunday, March 7th, at McGinty’s “Gallery at the End of the World.” For more information, check out galleryattheendoftheworld.com.

Links from the interview:

• Michael’s blog is at digitalbeast.wordpress.com
• He’s also on Slideshare as “Mr. Pixel”
• Michael’s book, “Build a Better Photograph: A Disciplined Approach to Creativity,” is available at Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble

Side Gig Tip #1: Notice your energy levels from Melanie Orndorff on Vimeo.

Check out this quick tip on working with your energy levels as you schedule your week. I’d love your feedback, too… How do you plan your work day to match your energy?

Last week, I sat down with Hunter Scott from LaFamos Marketing, Publicity and Design, to talk about how musicians can build an audience and promote themselves. (Hint: It’s all about the personal connections you make). Check out the interview for some new ideas for music marketing, including a good argument for ignoring your friends.

Listen to our conversation here:

Right-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) here to download the mp3

Links from the interview:
Stop by the LaFamos website at LaFamos.com to learn more about their marketing and publicity services for independent artists. They’ve recently added a terrific video to their site that explains the whole process.

I’ve been focusing on my web development clients this month, so I haven’t had the chance to stay current with Rock Unemployment. For example, I’m still editing last week’s interviews for the website.

Sooo… In the meantime, I leave you with this fascinating video of “This American Life’s” Ira Glass talking about creativity and tenacity. It made my day, and I hope you enjoy it, too!

(Video found via Dustin Curtis, through a link on Good Experience)

A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with Dyana Valentine to talk about how freelancers – especially those with multiple job titles – can pitch themselves. We chatted about selling your multiple skills to employers and clients, bringing passion to your pitch, and mobilizing your network to talk about you (in a good way!).

Listen to our conversation here:

Right-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) here to download the mp3

Links from the interview:

• Dyana’s website: DyanaValentine.com (Remember to mention Rock Unemployment for a discount on a Pitch Perfect session, through June 2010!)
• Dyana’s video and more info on how to create your own pitch
• An interview with Dyana on BlogTalkRadio, where she gives more examples for creating your pitch.
• Also mentioned during our conversation, Colleen Wainwright’s Communicatrix.com

When I was hiring designers for an interactive agency, my first step after reading a good résumé was to head online and check out the designer’s portfolio. About half the time, I couldn’t find one. You can guess where that résumé would end up.

I’m also going to raise my hand right now and say that I didn’t have my own portfolio online until very recently. Ooooops!

That doesn’t have to be the case for you. If you’re struggling to get your work online – whether it’s photography, design, art, music, or video – don’t put it off any longer. Check out this tutorial I put together that explains how to use Tumblr, a free service, to build a clean, professional creative portfolio in minutes.

So, seriously… Why don’t you have an online portfolio?