The countdown to 2013 has grown short, and if you haven’t sat down to figure out your New Year’s resolutions yet, now is the time. As a musician, you probably have several goals in mind, and setting resolutions for the new year is a great way to start.

Consider for a moment that many of your goals are probably oriented around selling music as an independent artist, especially if you have no desire to sign with a major record label. Doing it yourself may seem overwhelming at first, but if you break it down into small steps and use your New Year’s resolutions to set those goals, there are plenty of tasks, both short-term and long-term, that can result in success. Having your New Year’s resolutions revolve around your musical endeavors can greatly assist you in staying on track and keeping focused on the target throughout the year.

Making Contacts

When you think about how to sell music, you should realize that the more people you know, the more opportunities you have to gather followers and supporters. While this doesn’t mean you need to set a goal as to how many people you’ll network with over the next year, a good New Year’s resolution may be to attend an event at least once a month that will give you a chance to make new contacts that could help you get a foot into the music industry. If you happen to be shy, an additional goal may be to open up and socialize when you attend those events. This is about quality, not quantity.

Online Presence

If you’ve been putting off setting up a Facebook, Twitter, or website, it’s time to get on the bandwagon. This is one of the best ways to get your name and work out there. Again, don’t undertake too large of a goal. You don’t have to have a commercial website in the next three months. However, getting your social media accounts in gear – and maintaining them – is essential to creating an online presence and could be a perfect New Year’s resolution as you are looking at how to sell music.

Get a Gig

Make it a personal goal to put yourself out there. Rather than waiting for an invitation, make at least one offer for a performance every week. For example, walk down to the local coffee shop and ask if you can set up for a lunch or dinner hour performance. Ask friends who are having small gatherings or even larger parties if they’d like an hour or so of live entertainment. Don’t expect to get paid for these. It’s a marketing tool. If you have tracks laid down, you can sell these at the performances. Better than that, you’re getting yourself in front of people who will potentially look for more from you later, as well as garner new interest through word of mouth. Part of the trick of how to sell music is to earn recommendations, and setting this sort of New Year’s resolution means you’ll have more opportunities to do so.

As you’re working to figure out how to sell music on your own, over the internet or otherwise, you’ll find obstacles that may seem daunting. However, New Year’s is the perfect time to consider the goals you have to reach to overcome those obstacles and set resolutions that guide you down a path to succeed in achieving those goals.