Studio Class

Episode 77: Micro Action Monday - Break the rules

May 9th, 2022  |  7 mins

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“You are inhabiting information that may or may not be useful to you anymore. I want you to interrogate what you think the rules of the game are. That you can only “make it’ if you follow these rules, if you do all of the things on this checklist, then you’ll get what you want. I would love for you to dig into that and ask yourself, ‘Is that true?’ As your micro action today, I want you to identify all of the rules that you have come into contact with over time. Then, I want you to take the fattest red marker you can find and cross them out. Ask yourself, ‘What would my life look like, what would my creativity look like, what would my music sound like, what would my field and industry look like if I stopped believing this rule existed and I pursued what I really wanted it to look like?’ Because that’s it, divas, your creativity, your life force, depends on you knowing when to stop believing in the ‘rules’.”

Episode 76: Micro Action Monday - Do the ideal client exercise

May 2nd, 2022  |  11 mins 5 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

"So ideal client exercise is this super charger of empathy. You’re putting yourself into the feelings, thoughts, desires, goals, and pain points of somebody else. This is somebody you care about because you really want to work with them. This can be anybody.” Divas, I really want you to ask yourself the questions in this episode so you can work with more people you absolutely love to work with! You’ll experience some really cool results if you do.

Episode 75: Micro Action Monday - Conduct a SWOT analysis

April 25th, 2022  |  10 mins 57 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“Divas, I want you to do your own SWOT analysis today: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.

• What are my most unique skills?
• Where am I less skilled? Can I become more skilled in this area with more/better information? Or, should I abstain from this area?
• Where is there space for me to be more visible? Where is there space for me to really distinguish myself?
• What are the internal/external threats to my ongoing existence in this field… to my sustainable, thriving existence in this field?"

All of that, and more, in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan.

Episode 74: Micro Action Monday - Communicate your offers

April 18th, 2022  |  14 mins 52 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“I really want you to think about how you are putting yourself out there for the work you want to do. How are you communicating your offers? Let’s go through the list one more time: attracting and connecting with your ideal clients, being clear about what your signature service is, sharing the outcomes and results that people can expect from working with you, having a clear portfolio of previous work, sharing testimonials and reviews, being clear about your process, FAQs, strategic redirects to your other services, and a call-to-action on every single material you have.” Get the scoop on this whole list in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan.

Episode 73: Micro Action Monday - Create a lead magnet

April 11th, 2022  |  12 mins 34 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“Having an email list can be a really important tool in your toolbox for communicating with potential commissioners, clients, collaborators, students, fans, or whoever you’re trying to reach to share your offers. Just get started. Let it grow over time. The next step I want to talk about is ‘have a lead magnet.’ A lead magnet is basically a freebie they get when they give you their contact information. We’re gonna think about this in a community-building way. It’s a ‘community magnet’…” More on all of that with tips and tricks in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan.

Episode 72: Micro Action Monday - Show up

April 4th, 2022  |  7 mins 25 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“So, your micro-action for today is just… pitch somebody. It’s your responsibility to show up in front of the colleagues, collaborators, and commissioners you want to attract. Make a plan to pitch somebody and then take responsibility for showing up in front of the people who can make it happen for you.” Hear about this and more in today's Micro Action Monday episode with Megan Ihnen.

Episode 71: Micro Action Monday - Ask deeper questions

March 21st, 2022  |  9 mins 9 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

"Use this as a template for asking better and deeper questions. Use this as a template for listening without defensiveness - because you really do want to actually hear the answers that people will give you. Recognize that you’re growing by taking an interest in their inner world. You’re saying, “I care. I want to keep working together so I’m going to invest in these deeper than surface level questions.” Be open. Be inquisitive. You got this!" Hear this and more in today's Micro Action Monday episode!

Episode 70: Micro Action Monday - Book more gigs

March 14th, 2022  |  10 mins 20 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

People want to be sure they're making a good choice in hiring you, buying from you, or commissioning you. Customer objections are the concerns that a potential client, commissioner, presenter, or director has which cause them to hesitate (at best) and abandon (at worst) a project or contract with you. This Micro Action Monday episode explores some of the ways that you can think through customer objections in your professionally creative life to book more gigs, get more students, or sell your offers to your ideal clients.

Episode 69: Micro Action Monday - Grow your Instagram

March 7th, 2022  |  7 mins 39 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“Divas, if you are on social media, I want you to recognize the powerful tool that it is and avoid the mindless scrolling and self comparison trap that can come with it. Social is an incredibly powerful tool, but it can also be a very negative experience. Here’s one way to use social, especially Instagram, to use it for your best self - for your best life.” Listen for a short burst of Instagram inspiration in today's Micro Action Monday episode.

Episode 68: Micro Action Monday - Do your Eisenhower Matrix

February 28th, 2022  |  9 mins 29 secs

arts coaching, classical singing, micro actions, music business

“Make a list: these are all of the things I’m actively engaged in that are not urgent and not important. Then, practice letting them go. You might be convincing yourself that they are urgent or that they are important. That is sabotaging what you really want to do with that time. I don’t want you to hear me saying that you should be a “creative business robot” - that’s not what the Eisenhower Matrix is about. We sometimes allow non-urgent and non-important things to take over because we think somehow it makes us more worthy of the gold stars but I promise you that it doesn’t…” That and more in this Micro Action Monday episode on Studio Class.