business plan for music production company pdf

Music Production Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Entertainment Sector » Music Sector

Are you about starting a music production business ? If YES, here’s a complete sample music production business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

If you are conversant with the trend on how people become celebrities overnight, you will realize that releasing a music album that is widely accepted, is one of the ways youths and young adults carve a niche in the world today. Of course, good music recording and production companies always play a part in making celebrities and super stars out of ordinary folks who are gifted with singing.

If you have ears for good music and you have what it takes to mix sounds to produce music that can be widely accepted, then you should consider starting your own music recording and production company.

Although starting a music and production company requires moderate start – up capital, but it is indeed a very profitable venture to go into especially if you live in an urban area, where the demographic composition has enough young adults within the age range of 16 – 35 years.

These set of people are ready to do anything to hit the limelight; and music is one of the avenues for them to make their millions and by extension become famous.

Much more than being skilled in mixing sounds, and also having the required capital to set up a music recording studio, you would also need to be socially inclined if you must truly do well in this kind of industry. You should be able to go all the way to promote artiste that signs under your recording label.

The truth is that, once you are able to raise one celebrated music superstar under your label, you will struggle less to have artiste to work with. As a matter of fact, you will be screening artiste so that you can work with only the best.

Now that you have made up your mind to start a music recording and production company, you are expected to sit down and map out strategies on how to a raise startup capital, how to run the business, as well as how to make profits. That is basically what your business plan document should contain.

A Sample Music Production Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Music production business is without a doubt a thriving business that has loads of players making huge profits from the industry.

One thing is certain, if a music production company can successfully produce a major hit song / album, it wouldn’t be too long before musicians and corporate organizations (for commercials and jingles) come calling from all over the united states and beyond.

Statistics has it that the global revenue of the music industry is estimated at 15 billion U.S. dollars in 2013, and that is about the lowest revenue recorded since 2002; of course it is an indication that the record label industry need to become more creative and leverage on the changing tides in the world of technology.

Even the strong growth in streaming revenues was not enough to stop the music industry globally from experiencing income dropping below US $15bn for the first time in recent years in 2014.

Statistics also has it that in 2013 the three largest markets in the music industry, measured by the revenue they generated were the United States of America, Japan and Germany. Hence it is no surprise that the most of the leading music production company who dominate the music industry in the globe are all headquartered in The United States of America.

Recent statistics from the IFPI revealed that overall global music production industry revenues dipped by just 0.4% last year – but that was enough to pull the annual tally down from $15.03bn to $14.97bn.

The biggest offenders for the fall were an 8.1% decline in revenues from physical format sales (to around $6.89bn, according to MBW calculations) and an 8.0% decline in download sales (to around $3.56bn).Single track downloads declined by 10.9% in the year, while digital albums sales saw revenues drop by 4.2%.

The Music production industry is indeed witnessing a steady growth over the years especially in developed countries such as the United States. Though for some underdeveloped countries where piracy is still on rampage, the growth is a bit redundant.

One good thing about starting a music production business is that even if you decided to start it in the United States of America, your market will not be restricted to artists in the U.S.; the world will be your target market. Many thanks to the internet that has made the world a global village.

All you need to do is to strategically position your music production brand on the internet and you will be amazed at the rate people interested in producing their music will be calling you from all parts of the world.

2. Executive Summary

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is a new player in the music industry that will be based in Los Angeles – California, U.S.

Our aim of starting this business is to work in tandem with both established and upcoming music artist and record labels in the United States of America and other countries of the world to help them produce good music that can compete with the best in the industry.

Although we intend starting out in Los Angeles – California, but we plans to have active presence in major cities both in the East Coast and the West Coast; we will position our agents to in strategic cities in the United States to help us source for music production deals.

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is not just going engage in music production, but we will ensure that we play our part in marketing and promoting any musical album that we produced.

Part of our plans is to work towards becoming one of the leading music production companies in the whole of Los Angeles and in the nearest future compete with the leaders in the music production line of business not only in the United States but also in the global stage.

We are quite aware that starting a standard music production business from the scratch requires huge capital base especially for the purchase of world – class studio equipment (music production gadgets), which is why we have perfect plans for steady flow of cash from private investors who are interested in working with us.

We can confidently say that we have a robust financial standing and we are ready to take on any challenge that we encounter in the industry. Our workforce is going to be selected from a pool of talented and highly creative people with ears for good music in and around Los Angeles – California and also from any part of the United States.

We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete with other players in the United States and throughout the globe.

At Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company our client’s best interest come first and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.

We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company will be owned majorly by Clarkson Dempsey and Bradley Jacksons. Clarkson Dempsey has an MBA from University of California while Bradley Jackson is a certified SOUND engineer.

This duo has been able to cut their teeth in the musical industry both at national level and international level. They have appreciable year of experience working with some of the leading international music production companies in the United States of America prior to start their own music production company.

3. Our Products and Services

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the music industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our music production company is to make profits from the music industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and ambition. Our business offering are listed below:

• Music Recording
• Music Video Shoots
• Sound Production
• Studio Session
• Production of Jingles and Soundtracks for Organizations
• Marketing and Sales Music
• Setting up of Recording Studios for Clients
• Production of Audio Books
• Sell of Musical Equipment
• Music / Sound Consultancy and Advisory Services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become one of the top 10 music production company in the United States of America.
• Our mission is to build a music production company that will become the number one choice for both music artists and publicity and advertising agencies especially those that are involved in the production of jingles and soundtracks

Our Business Structure

The fact that we are set to compete with other leading music production companies in the United States of America means that we must build a business structure that can support our business goal. We will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. Below is the business structure that we will build Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company;

• Chief Executive Officer

Entertainment Lawyer / Legal Secretary

Studio Manager

Music / Record Producer

Sound / Recording Engineer

Admin and HR Manager

Marketing and Sales Executive

Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Office:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for drawing up contracts and other legal documents for the company
• Advise artists and the organization accordingly before producing their music album or singles
• Welcomes guests and clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Produces information by transcribing, formatting, inputting, editing, retrieving, copying, and transmitting text, data, and graphics; coordinating case preparation.
• Provides historical reference by developing and utilizing filing and retrieval systems; recording meeting discussions; maintaining transcripts; documenting and maintaining evidence.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Responsible for tracking hours during studio session and billing clients.
• Responsible for managing the company’s recording studio
• Part of the team responsible for selecting the songs that will be promoted and the songs that will be sold as singles.
• Handles any other responsibility as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer
• Responsible for recording and producing music and jingles for music artists and clients
• Help decides the order the songs will play in throughout the album (i.e. the songs’ track numbers).
• Responsible for choosing top notch album cover for music artists
• Responsible for handle any sound related job for the company; helps achieve certain specific sounds or feelings to portray through that matches with the lyrics.
• Responsible for mixing and producing beats and sounds for our clients; mix the songs into the final version for the music album.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of studio equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Designs job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for clients
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Facilitates and coordinate strategic sessions.
• Works directly with clients in a non-advising capacity, such as answering questions, scheduling appointments and making sure all training concerns are properly taken care off
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.
• Once the album is ready, then the marketing team will go out to market and promote the album
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies business opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of music projects.
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients and music artists
• Develops, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps increase sales and growth for the company
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Client Service Executive

• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
• Receives Visitors / clients on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels / documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via email and phone calls for the organization
• Distributes mails in the organization
• Handles any other duties as assigned my the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company engaged the services of a core professional in the area of music consulting and business structuring to assist the organization in building a standard music production company that can favorably compete with other leading music production companies in the United States of America.

Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of the company in conducting a SWOT analysis for Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team and the state of the art music studio equipment that we have. We have a team that can go all the way to give our clients value for their money; a team that can make produce world class musical sounds.

We are well positioned and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our music production studio for business.

As a new music production company, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and attract some well – established music artists to sign under our label; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to promote our business the way we would want to.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities in the music industry are massive and we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Technology and the internet which of course is a major tool for the advancement and gains achieved in the music industry can also poses a threat to the industry. The truth is that with the advancement of technology, it is now easier for individuals to mix up their sounds and even form soundtrack with the help of music production software applications.

So also, just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing / spending power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new music production company in same location where our target market exist and who may want to adopt same Business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

Entrepreneurs that are venturing into the music industry are coming in with creativity and good business skills. The fact that revenue is nose – diving in the industry does not in a way stop some music production companies from declaring profits year in year out.

The trend in the music production industry is that most music production companies are trying as much as possible to recreate themselves on a regular basis and also to be on top of their game. This is so because it is easier to find music mixer or music production software applications that a rookie can make use of to produce good sound.

8. Our Target Market

When it comes to music production, there are no exemptions to who you can market your services to. There are loads of people out there we are interested in releasing a single or a full musical album. There are corporate organizations that would need to services of a standard music production companies to help them produce jingles or soundtrack for advertisement and promotion purpose.

There are authors who would need the services of music Production Company to help the produce audio books and the list goes on. Over and above, our target market as a music production company cuts across people of different class and people from all walks of life and corporate organizations.

In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations and individual who we know will our services.

We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that all our music production company is well accepted in the marketplace. Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically market our services to;

• Music Artists
• Record Labels
• Advertising Agencies
• Corporate Organizations
• Radio and TV stations

Our Competitive Advantage

We not unaware of the point that there are stiffer competition in the music production industry in the United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developer to handle our sales and marketing.

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company might be a new entrant into the music industry in the United States of America, but we are coming into the industry with core professionals and of course a standard world – class recording studio with the best equipment in the industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups music production companies) in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the music industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract music artists that will sign under our record label. Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company will generate income by offering the following services;

• Music Consulting Services

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain when it comes to music; music never dies and the demand for good music will continue to grow. This goes to show that any music production company that is known to always produce good music will continue to attract talented music artists and that will sure translate to increase in revenue generation for the business.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in the U.S. and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow the business and our clientele base beyond Los Angeles – California to other cities in the U.S. and even the global market.

We have been able to critically examine the music production market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in Los Angeles – CA.

Below is the sales projection for Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company, it is based on the location of our business and other factors as it relates to record label start – ups in the United States;

• First Year-: $100,000
• Second Year-: $250,000
• Third Year-: $750,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same music production services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Music production business is not a business that you have to retail products, which is why we must do all we can to maximize any opportunity that comes our way. Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the music industry and they will be trained on a regular basis, so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.

We will also ensure that our excellent music production / top class music speaks for us in the market place; we want to build a standard music production company that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients / artists.

Our business goal is to grow our music production company to become one of the top 10 music production companies in the United States of America, which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the U.S but in the world stage as well.

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to organizations and key stakeholders in the music industry in Los Angeles and other parts of the U.S.
• Advertise our business in relevant entertainment magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Attend relevant international and local music expos, seminars, and concerts et al
• Create different packages for different category of music artists, authors and corporate clients in order to work with their budgets and still produce top notch music, jingles, audio book and soundtrack for them
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from our loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with brand and publicity specialist to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.

We are set to take the music industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our music production company. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our music production company;

• Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant TV shows and radio programs
• Maximize our official website to promote our business
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook ,Twitter, LinkedIn, Badoo, Google+ and other platforms (music online forums) to promote our business.
• Offer Pro Bono services as part of our community social responsibility
• Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Los Angeles – CA
• Brand all our official cars / buses and ensure that our trademark label is boldly printed in all our music album covers and CDs et al

12. Our Pricing Strategy

It is important to point out that, though, music studio charge by the hour so it is the responsibility of the music producer to ensure that set target are met within the stipulated time. The more time you spend on the studio, the more money you would have to pay.

No doubt, hourly billing for music studios is a long – time tradition in the industry. However, for some types of music / record contracts, flat fees are adopted.

As a result of this, Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company will charge our old clients (artists) a flat fee and charge new clients (new music artists) hourly when they make use of our music studio to record their music or produce music beats for their albums.

At Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our clients by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to start – ups, nonprofits, cooperatives, and small social enterprises who engage our services to help to produce musical jingles for advert purposes.

• Payment Options

At Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company, our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

The cost of setting up a music production business to a larger extent has reduced from what it used to be; many thanks to the advancement of technology and perhaps the internet. These days it is now easier to see people set up a music production studios in their house. All they need to do is to register a business and set up a mini studio is their apartment!

Basically, it is not expensive starting a music production company in the United States of America except for the prices of setting up a standard studio. The amount required to start a music production company may vary slightly from country to country and from states to states.

Part of the factors that can influence the start – up cost of a music production company is the amount needed to rent or lease a facility, the cost of the equipment you would need and the money needed to brand your business et al.

When it comes to purchasing microphones and headphones, we will go for Neumann u87; it will cost us about $2000 or more. For mixer, we will go with Euphonix or any other brand of our choice. But Euphonix is great (especially with is sweet sounding preamp and on board compressors).

It will cost us about $30,000 or more. On the alternative, we can choose to go for purely digital and skip the mixer altogether. This means that we will need a good audio interface with multiple inputs. 12 stereo pairs minimum. The emu 1820m is a good one.

Then cables (nothing else but mogami cables. these are the best audio cable in the market for now; although we may explore other options). We would need to create budget for pre amp. Avalon is perhaps our best bet and we can get it for about $2500 or less.

We have also prepared a good budget for monitor; monitor is one of the most important gadgets we would need in starting our own record label and record studio. We have made provision for a Yamaha monitor; it is simply one of the best we can get in the market.

When it comes to acquiring a computer, we just have to budget for high end computer designed for such purpose. It is important for computer to have a very large memory, high end graphic card, and 2.6 GHz quad core processor and we will search for a good software to work with. Essentially, this is the area we are looking towards spending our start – up capital on;

• The Total Fee for incorporating the Business in Los Angeles, California – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license – $2,500
• The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility with enough space for standard music studio in a business district 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $40,000.
• The Cost for equipping the office (computers, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $2,000
• The cost for equipping the music studio with the required gadgets – $100,000
• The Cost of Launching your official Website – $600
• Budget for paying at least 5 employees for 3 months and utility bills – $100,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
• Miscellaneous – $1,000

Going by the report from the research and feasibility studies, we will need about $300,000 to set up a medium scale but standard music production company in the United States of America. Here are some of the key equipment and musical gadgets that we would need to set up our record label company;

• Mixing console
• Multi – track recorder
• Microphones
• Reference monitors, which are loudspeakers with a flat frequency response
• Acoustic drum kit
• Digital audio workstation
• Music workstation
• On Air or Recording Light
• Outboard effects, such as compressors, reverbs, or equalizers
• Audio interfaces
• Effects racks
• CD duplicator
• Supply of CD

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company

Clarkson Magic Finger® Music Production Company is going to start as a private business that will be solely owned by Clarkson Dempsey and Bradley Jacksons.

Both of them will be the financial of the business, but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they have decided to restrict the sourcing of his start – up capital to 3 major sources. These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from my Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $60,000 and soft loan from family members $40,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $200,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is easier for businesses to survive when they have steady flow of business deals / customers patronizing their products and services. We are aware of this which is why we have decided to offer a wide range of music production related services and also to work with music artists, corporate organizations and authors.

We know that if we continue to produce hit songs, albums, audio books, soundtrack and jingles, there will be steady flow of income for the organization. Our key sustainability and expansion strategy is to ensure that we only hire competent employees, create a conducive working environment and employee benefits for our staff members.

We know that if we implement our business strategies, we will grow our music business production business beyond Los Angeles – California to other states in the U.S in record time.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Renting of Office Facility: Completed
• Building of Music Studio: In Progress
• Intellectual Property Protection and Trademark: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founder: Completed
• Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed studio / musical gadgets, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry: In Progress

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Music Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Music Business Plan

If you want to start a music business or expand your current business, you need a business plan.

The following business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning music business plan. It can be used to create a music production company business plan, a business plan for a music artist, or business plans for a music teacher and/or music management.

You can download our Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Below are links to each of the key sections of a successful music business plan. Once you create your plan, download it to PDF to show banks and investors.

I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

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Music Business Plan Outline

How To Write a Winning Music Production Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for music production businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every music production business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is a Music Production Business Plan?

A music production business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Music Production Business Plan?

A music production business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Music Production Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful music production business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a music production business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your music production company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your music production business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your music production firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen music production business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a music production business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the music production industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the clients of a music production business may include:

• Recording studios
• Independent record labels

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or music production services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your music production business may have:

• Proven industry experience
• Unique production process
• Strong customer loyalty
• Extensive music library
• Personalized service

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your music production business via a public relations campaign.

Operations Plan

This part of your music production business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a music production business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new production equipment, opening a second location, or hiring new personnel.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific music production industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Music Production Firm

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Music Production Firm

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup music production business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Music Production Firm

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your music production company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Remember to keep your business plan updated as your company grows and changes. Review it at least once a year to make sure it is still relevant and accurate.  

Finish Your Music Production Business Plan in 1 Day!

Music Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Music Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your music business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their music businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Music business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Musicians First Studio is a startup music company located in Nashville, Tennessee. The company is founded by Michael Smith, an experienced musician who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a music business during the past ten years while working at My Music Production & Management, another local music company. Now that Michael has experienced managing a music company, he is ready to start his own business, Musicians First Studio. Michael is confident that his skills as a musician, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable music company of his own. Michael is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a music studio – sales and marketing, production, artist management, music instruction, financial reporting, studio equipment maintenance, and client relations.

Musicians First Studio will provide a full suite of music production, management, and instruction services for both novice and professional musicians in the Nashville area. Musicians First will be the go-to music studio in Nashville for its client-focused services and dedicated professionals who are experienced in all aspects of the music industry. The company will be the ultimate choice for the needs of aspiring and professional musicians.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Musicians First Studio will provide:

• Artist Management
• Music Recording, Production, & Post-Production
• Private Music Lessons & Group Classes
• Venue Booking & Live Event Management
• PR & Marketing for New Artists

Customer Focus

Musicians First Studio will target new and experienced musicians in Nashville who are looking for professional production, management, or marketing services. The company will also target aspiring musicians and children looking for music lessons taught by industry veterans. No matter the customer, Musicians First Studio will deliver the best communication, service, and professionalism.

Management Team

Musicians First Studio will be owned and operated by Michael Smith. Michael is a graduate of Tennessee University with a degree in music. He has over ten years of experience working as a manager for another local music studio. Michael will be the company’s chief executive officer. He will oversee the recording/production process, music equipment, and studio staff’s activities.

Michael has recruited his former administrative assistant, Jessica Garcia, to be the company’s chief operating officer and help oversee the studio’s operations. Jessica will handle the day-to-day operations, including budgeting, scheduling, client relations, and logistics.

Michael and Jessica have recruited an experienced marketing director, John Brown, to become a member of the Musicians First Studio management team. John is a graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing. Michael and Jessica rely on John’s expertise to execute the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.

Success Factors

Musicians First Studio will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Skilled team of music production technicians and veteran musicians who will work one-on-one with clients to reach their individual music goals whether they’re looking to record a new album or learn a new instrument.
• Musicians First Studio is one of the only studio’s in the area that offers a wide range of services for musicians of all skill levels and goals.
• The company offers competitive pricing and discounts for referrals.

Financial Highlights

Musicians First Studio is seeking $800,000 in debt financing to launch its music business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the studio and purchasing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Studio build-out: $340,000
• Music equipment, supplies, and materials: $280,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $160,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Musicians First Studio.

Company Overview

Who is musicians first studio.

Musicians First Studio is a newly established music company in Nashville, Tennessee. Musicians First will be the first choice for aspiring, novice, and experienced musicians in Nashville and the surrounding communities for its full-suite of professional services provided by industry veterans. The company will provide a wide range of services including recording/production, music lessons, artist management, and marketing for new musicians.

Musicians First Studio will be able to guarantee high quality production thanks to the latest and most innovative music technology operated by expert music production technicians. The company’s team of highly qualified professionals experienced in music, production, and marketing will manage the suite of services offered at the studio. In addition to customized services for musicians, customers will be able to book studio time that comes with use of equipment by the hour.

Musicians First Studio History

Musicians First Studio is owned and operated by Michael Smith, an experienced musician who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a music business during the past ten years while working at My Music Production & Management, another local music company. Now that Michael has experienced managing a music company, he is ready to start his own business, Musicians First Studio. Michael is confident that his skills as a musician, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable music company of his own. Michael is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a music studio – sales and marketing, production, artist management, music instruction, financial reporting, studio equipment maintenance, and vendor relations.

Since incorporation, Musicians First Studio has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Musicians First Studio, LLC to transact business in the state of Tennessee
• Has identified an ideal location for the studio that is available for lease
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include local musicians, production technicians, and venue managers to help spread the word about the new studio
• Began recruiting a staff of musicians, music instructors, production technicians, marketing experts, and office personnel to work at Musicians First Studio.

Musicians First Studio Services

Industry analysis.

The global music industry is an estimated $60B market and is expected to grow by 8% by 2026. The broad music industry can be categorized into three primary segments; recording, live music, and music publishing. In the United States, the recording segment generated approximately $8B in revenues last year, while the live music segment brought in an estimated $9.5B, and the publishing segment totaled $1.8B. A majority of revenues generated in the recording segment come from streaming (28% of total industry revenue), with digital downloads and physical media coming in much lower (6.7% and 7.5% respectively). Revenue for the live music segment is generated primarily through ticket sales (37.1%) and sponsorships (10.3%). Publishing accounts for approximately 8.9% of total industry revenue.

Music streaming is one of the most significant trends in the industry, with the number of Americans who pay for streaming subscriptions at approximately 82.1M, up from 7.9M in 2014. Another trend is the emergence of independent artists and small record labels. These groups are earning more revenue than in years past and their percentage of revenue increase year over year is growing faster than that of larger record labels. With more options open to them when it comes to where and how to get their music out to consumers, artists, managers, and record labels have more opportunities for success than ever before.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Nashville, Tennessee are:

Customer Segmentation

Musicians First will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Novice-to-experienced musicians looking for recording/production services
• Aspiring musicians of all ages looking for music lessons
• Musicians looking for artist management, booking, and representation services

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Musicians First Studio will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

My Music Production & Management

My Music Production & Management is one of the largest commercial music studios in Tennessee. The company was established in 1997 and offers professional music recording and production services for local musicians. My Music Production & Management also handles the business management activities for musicians including marketing, booking, and legal representation services. The company is well known for providing high quality production for some of the top artists in the region and has been recognized in various publications and music industry associations for its outstanding work in the local music community.

Genre Music

Founded in 2018, Genre Music is a small music company catering to local musicians in Nashville, Tennessee and surrounding areas. Genre Music is owned and operated by a veteran musician who has over 40 years of experience in the music industry. The company specializes in artist branding, marketing, and representation in addition to its top notch recording services. Genre Music has worked with a variety of up and coming artists in multiple genres and has a loyal customer base of regular musicians who use the company’s services.

Retro Recording & Productions

Retro Recording & Productions is a trusted Nashville, Tennessee-based music company that provides superior production and recording services for Nashville and the surrounding areas. The company is able to provide a wide variety of recording, production, and post-production services using its state-of-the-art music recording equipment. Retro Recording & Productions serves local musicians and national musicians. The company prides itself on being the number one choice for classic sound produced through modern technology. Retro Recording & Productions also manufactures its own collectible vinyl records in limited quantities.

Competitive Advantage

Musicians First Studio will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• The company offers competitive pricing on studio rentals and discounts for referrals.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Musicians First Studio will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Musicians First Studio provides a full suite of services tailored to the individual musician’s needs. Professionals are equipped to provide services for all skill levels from the aspiring and novice musician, the the industry veteran.
• The company’s studio is expertly designed for the clearest sound quality. The equipment is carefully selected to ensure the best sound possible.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Musicians First Studio is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Musicians First maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and fun content to get customers excited about using the studio’s services.

Professional Associations and Networking

Musicians First Studio will become a member of professional associations such as the Nashville Music Association, American Music Educators Society, and the Tennessee Music Production Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s artist and vendor network.

Print Advertising

Musicians First Studio will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The company will also send direct mailers to local residents advertising the services it provides.

Website/SEO Marketing

Musicians First Studio will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Musicians First is able to provide. The website will also list information on the company’s events and featured artists.

The marketing director will also manage Musicians First’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “music company” or “music studio near me”, Musicians First Studio will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Musicians First Studio will be on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Musicians First Studio.

Operation Functions:

• Michael Smith will be the CEO of the company. He will oversee the music production technicians, production process, and the music equipment maintenance. Michael has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Jessica Garcia – Chief Operating Officer who will manage the day-to-day operations, client relationships, scheduling, and logistics.
• Nancy Johnson – Chief Financial Officer who will provide all accounting, budgeting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• John Brown – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and outreach.

Milestones:

Musicians First Studio will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

12/1/2022 – Finalize lease to rent the studio facility

12/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Musicians First Studio management team

1/1/2023 – Begin build-out of the studio, purchase equipment, and test the acoustics

1/15/2023 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan

2/15/2023 – Finalize contracts for musicians, instructors, production technicians, and marketing professionals

3/15/2023 – Musicians First Studio officially opens for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Musicians First Studio are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the company’s services and fees charged to book studio time by the hour.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a music company. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average hours booked per month: 120
• Average fees per month: $30,000
• Overhead costs per year: $640,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, music business plan faqs, what is a music business plan.

A music business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your music business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your music business plan using our Music Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Music Companies?

There are a number of different kinds of music companies , some examples include: Recorded Music, Music Licensing, Live Music, Music Publishing, Music Production, Music Business Consulting, and Retail Music Store.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Music Business Plan?

Music companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

How to Start a Profitable Music Production Business [11 Steps]

By Nick Cotter Updated Feb 02, 2024

Business Steps:

1. perform market analysis., 2. draft a music production business plan., 3. develop a music production brand., 4. formalize your business registration., 5. acquire necessary licenses and permits for music production., 6. open a business bank account and secure funding as needed., 7. set pricing for music production services., 8. acquire music production equipment and supplies., 9. obtain business insurance for music production, if required., 10. begin marketing your music production services., 11. expand your music production business..

Starting a music production business requires a keen understanding of the current market dynamics. An in-depth market analysis can help you identify trends, understand your competition, and pinpoint your target audience. Here's how to go about it:

• Analyze the music genres that are trending and determine which you are best suited to produce. Look into sales charts, streaming services, and social media for popular music trends.
• Research potential competitors, including their services, pricing, and market share. Understand their strengths and weaknesses to find gaps in the market you can fill.
• Identify your target audience's demographics, preferences, and habits. Use surveys, focus groups, and online analytics tools to gather information on potential customers.
• Assess the scale of the market, both locally and globally, to set realistic goals for your business. Consider factors such as the number of active consumers and the volume of music production in your niche.
• Stay updated on technological advancements and industry innovations that could impact music production, from new software to emerging distribution channels.
• Review economic factors that can affect your business, such as funding opportunities, grants, and changes in consumer spending behavior in the music industry.

Are Music Production businesses profitable?

Yes, depending on the type of services offered, music production businesses can be quite profitable. Many music production businesses specialize in creating music for films, television shows, and other media, which can be quite lucrative. Other types of music production services, such as recording and mixing, can also generate a good income.

Embarking on the journey of starting a music production business requires a well-structured plan to guide your decisions and strategy. A comprehensive business plan is essential for securing funding, understanding your market, and setting clear objectives. Here is a summary of the key elements you should include in your music production business plan:

• Executive Summary: Provide a concise overview of your business, including your mission statement, services offered, and your unique selling proposition.
• Company Description: Detail the nature of your business, the demand for your services, and the markets you intend to serve.
• Market Analysis: Research and analyze your target market, including customer demographics, market size, and competition.
• Organization and Management: Outline your business structure, ownership details, and the profiles of your management team.
• Services Offered: Describe the music production services you plan to offer and how they stand out from the competition.
• Marketing Plan: Detail your strategies for branding, promoting, and selling your services.
• Operational Plan: Explain your process for delivering services, including any equipment or facilities needed.
• Financial Plan: Present financial projections, funding requirements, and revenue models to illustrate the financial viability of your business.

How does a Music Production business make money?

Music production businesses typically make money by charging for their services, such as recording, mixing, mastering, and production. They may also charge for use of their equipment or studio time, or for additional services such as music lessons, artist management, or distribution. Additionally, some music production businesses may offer royalty and publishing deals for their work.

Developing a strong brand is essential for standing out in the competitive music production industry. It's not just about your logo or name; it's about the entire experience your clients have with your business. Here are some key points to consider when developing your music production brand:

• Define Your Brand Identity: Determine the core values, mission, and unique selling points of your brand. Consider what emotions and messages you want to evoke through your brand.
• Create a Visual Identity: Design a memorable logo, choose a color scheme, and develop a consistent visual style that reflects your brand's identity. This will be used across all marketing materials.
• Establish an Online Presence: Build a professional website and maintain active social media profiles. Showcase your portfolio, client testimonials, and provide an insight into your production process.
• Develop a Brand Voice: Decide on the tone and style of communication that reflects your brand's personality. This should be consistent in all written and verbal interactions.
• Network and Collaborate: Partner with artists and other brands that align with your brand identity. This can enhance your brand's visibility and credibility.

How to come up with a name for your Music Production business?

Brainstorming is essential when coming up with a name for your music production business. Consider words that evoke the feeling you want customers to associate with your business and words that reflect the type of music you’ll be producing. Take a look at competitor’s names to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t. Finally, do an online search to make sure the name isn’t already taken and if you’re happy with it, go ahead and register it.

Once you've laid out the foundation for your music production business, it's time to make it official by completing the business registration process. This crucial step legitimizes your company and ensures compliance with local laws and regulations. Follow these guidelines to formalize your business:

• Choose a business structure (e.g., Sole Proprietorship, LLC, Corporation) that best suits your needs for liability protection and tax considerations.
• Register your business name with the appropriate state agency, ensuring it's unique and adheres to state-specific naming requirements.
• Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for tax purposes, even if you don't plan to have employees immediately.
• Apply for any required business licenses or permits specific to music production or business operation within your city or county.
• Register for state and local taxes to ensure you can legally operate and are set up to collect sales tax if required.
• Consider consulting with a business attorney or accountant to ensure all legal and financial aspects of your registration are handled correctly.

Resources to help get you started:

Explore vital resources specifically designed for music production entrepreneurs to gain insights into market trends, operational best practices, and strategic growth advice:

• Sound on Sound Magazine: Offers in-depth reviews of music production equipment, software, and techniques. - https://www.soundonsound.com
• Music Business Worldwide: Provides global music industry news and analyses, focusing on trends, deal-making, and behind-the-scenes insights. - https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com
• Produce Like A Pro: An extensive online resource offering tutorials, tips, and interviews with industry professionals to help producers improve their skills. - https://www.producelikeapro.com
• The Mastering Show Podcast: A resource for advanced production and mastering discussions, hosted by mastering engineer Ian Shepherd. - http://themasteringshow.com
• Splice Insights: Offers trends and statistical analysis on the music industry, particularly useful for beatmakers and electronic music producers. - https://splice.com
• Music Tech Magazine: Covers the latest in music technology, digital music production workshops, and software reviews. - https://www.musictech.net

Launching a music production business involves obtaining licenses and permits related to copyright, business operations, and possibly a studio space. Ensuring legal compliance is crucial for protecting your work and your artists. Key considerations include:

• Business License: Register your music production business with local authorities.
• Copyright Registration: Protect your music and productions by registering copyrights as needed.
• Zoning Permits: If operating a studio, ensure your location complies with local zoning laws for commercial use.

What licenses and permits are needed to run a music production business?

Depending on the type of music production business you are running, you may need various licenses and permits such as an occupational license, a business license, a sound production license, a mechanical rights license, and/or a performance rights (copyright) license. Additionally, depending on the location you plan to conduct your business activities in, you may also need to obtain any required county or city permits.

Having a dedicated business bank account is crucial for managing your music production business's finances, and securing funding can help cover startup costs and keep operations running smoothly. Here's how to approach these important steps:

• Research banks and credit unions: Compare fees, services, and any benefits specific to small businesses or those in the creative industry.
• Choose the right type of account: Decide between checking, savings, or a combination of accounts to suit your business's cash flow needs.
• Prepare the necessary documents: Collect your business registration papers, EIN, and personal identification to open your account.
• Explore funding options: Look into small business loans, grants, investor opportunities, or crowdfunding specific to the music industry.
• Consider credit options: A business credit card or line of credit can be useful for managing expenses and building credit.
• Create a budget: Estimate startup costs, ongoing expenses, and potential income to understand how much funding you'll need.
• Develop a pitch: If seeking investors, prepare a compelling pitch that outlines your business plan, market potential, and financial projections.

Setting the right price for your music production services is crucial to attracting clients while ensuring you're fairly compensated for your time and skills. It's a delicate balance that can determine your business's success. Here are some guidelines to help you establish competitive and sustainable pricing:

• Analyze the Market: Research what other music producers are charging and understand the going rates for various services like mixing, mastering, and beat making.
• Know Your Costs: Tally up your overhead costs, including studio time, equipment, software, and any additional staff, to ensure your rates cover these expenses.
• Value Your Experience: If you have a strong portfolio and years of experience, price your services higher than someone just starting out.
• Offer Packages: Create tiered pricing with bundled services to provide options for different budgets and needs.
• Be Flexible: Be willing to negotiate and adjust prices for larger projects or repeat clients to build long-term relationships.
• Clear Communication: Ensure your pricing is transparent to avoid misunderstandings. Clearly outline what is included in each service package.
• Review Regularly: Reassess your pricing periodically to keep up with changes in the market, your growing expertise, and inflation.

What does it cost to start a Music Production business?

Initiating a music production business can involve substantial financial commitment, the scale of which is significantly influenced by factors such as geographical location, market dynamics, and operational expenses, among others. Nonetheless, our extensive research and hands-on experience have revealed an estimated starting cost of approximately $24000 for launching such an business. Please note, not all of these costs may be necessary to start up your music production business.

Starting a music production business requires not just talent and creativity, but also the right equipment and supplies. Your gear will be the backbone of your operations, capturing, manipulating, and polishing sounds to produce high-quality audio. Here's what you'll need to acquire:

• Computer: A reliable and fast computer is essential for running music production software.
• DAW (Digital Audio Workstation): Choose a DAW that suits your workflow, whether it's Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, or another.
• Audio Interface: Invest in a high-quality audio interface to ensure clear sound input and output.
• Studio Monitors: Accurate monitoring is crucial, so select studio monitors that provide a true representation of sound.
• Headphones: A good pair of closed-back headphones will be essential for detailed listening and mixing.
• Microphones: Depending on your needs, you might require various types of microphones, such as condenser, dynamic, and ribbon mics.
• MIDI Controller: A MIDI keyboard or pad controller will be useful for programming instruments and beats.
• Cables and Stands: Ensure you have all the necessary cables for your equipment, as well as mic stands and monitor stands.
• Acoustic Treatment: Proper acoustic panels and bass traps will help control room reflections and provide accurate sound.
• External Storage: High-capacity hard drives or SSDs are important for backing up projects and storing samples and recordings.

List of Software, Tools and Supplies Needed to Start a Music Production Business:

• Music Production Software
• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
• Audio/MIDI Interface
• MIDI Controllers
• Synthesizers/Samplers
• Microphones
• Studio Monitors
• Mixing Console/Mixer
• Recording Media
• Computer/Laptop
• External Hard Drives

Ensuring that your music production business is protected against potential risks is crucial for its longevity and success. Business insurance can safeguard against unforeseen events that could otherwise be financially devastating. Here are some key steps to obtain the right business insurance:

• Assess Your Risks: Identify the types of risks your music production business could face, such as property damage, theft of equipment, or legal liabilities.
• Research Insurance Providers: Look for insurance companies with experience in the entertainment or music industry. Compare their coverage options, premiums, and customer reviews.
• Choose the Right Coverage: Common insurance policies for music production businesses include general liability, professional liability, and property insurance. You may also need workers' compensation if you have employees.
• Consult with an Expert: Speak with an insurance broker or legal advisor who specializes in the music industry to ensure you're getting appropriate coverage for your specific needs.
• Review and Update Regularly: As your business grows and changes, your insurance needs may evolve. Make sure to review and update your policies accordingly to maintain adequate protection.

Now that you've honed your skills and set up your music production business, it's time to attract clients. Marketing your services effectively is crucial to building your brand and establishing a client base. Here are some strategies to get the word out and start generating business:

• Develop a Strong Online Presence: Create a professional website showcasing your portfolio, services, and contact information. Utilize social media platforms to engage with potential clients and share your work.
• Networking: Attend industry events, join music production forums, and connect with artists and other professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. Word-of-mouth can be a powerful tool.
• Create Content: Produce tutorial videos, write blog posts, or start a podcast to share your expertise and attract attention from potential clients interested in learning more about music production.
• Offer Promotions: Consider offering introductory rates or package deals to new clients to encourage them to try your services.
• Collaborate: Work with established artists or producers and ask for referrals. Collaborations can also lead to shared audiences and increased visibility.
• Paid Advertising: Invest in targeted online advertisements on platforms like Google, Facebook, or Instagram to reach potential clients actively searching for music production services.

Once you've established your music production business and have a solid workflow and client base, it's time to think about expansion. Growing your business can take many forms, from increasing your client list to offering new services. Here are some strategies to consider for expanding your music production business:

• Network and Collaborate: Build relationships with more artists, producers, and industry professionals to expand your reach and opportunities.
• Enhance Online Presence: Invest in a professional website, SEO, and social media marketing to attract a wider audience.
• Expand Services: Offer additional services such as songwriting, mixing, mastering, or sound design to become a one-stop-shop for clients.
• Invest in Education: Keep up with industry trends and new technology by attending workshops, courses, or obtaining certifications.
• Upgrade Equipment: Invest in higher quality or additional equipment to improve the production value and attract more clients.
• Hire Talent: Bring on additional producers, engineers, or administrative staff to handle increased workload and bring in fresh ideas.
• Seek Partnerships: Form partnerships with labels, studios, or media companies to secure a steady stream of projects.
• Diversify Income: Look into passive income streams like selling sample packs, beats, or offering online courses.

Music Business Plan: A Guide for Music Industry Professionals

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A music business plan is crucial for any music industry professional looking to launch or grow their business. It provides a snapshot of the current state of the business and lays out a clear growth plan for the next five years. This is essential for understanding where the business is at and setting achievable goals for the future.

Check out our article below to learn more about creating an awesome music business plan and get a template.

What is a Music Business Plan?

A music business plan is a comprehensive and detailed document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections for a music-related business. Whether it's a record label, music production company, artist management firm, or any other music-related venture, a business plan provides a roadmap for success. It helps to attract investors, secure loans, and guide overall operations.

From market analysis and competitive research to marketing and distribution strategies, a music business plan covers every aspect of the business to ensure clarity, direction, and long-term viability. It is an essential tool for anyone looking to establish or grow a music-related business in the highly competitive and dynamic music industry.

Why is it important to have a music business plan?

A music business plan is crucial for an artist's success in the industry for several key reasons.

It serves as a blueprint for the artist's career, outlining their goals, strategies, and financial projections. This document helps attract investors by showcasing the artist's vision, potential for return on investment, and realistic plans for reaching their target audience.

A well-crafted business plan guides decision-making by providing a clear direction and framework for the artist's activities and investments. Furthermore, it defines the artist's brand, including its image, style, and target market, which is essential for standing out in the competitive music industry.

In summary, a music business plan is instrumental in attracting investors, guiding decision-making, and defining an artist's brand, making it essential for achieving success in the music industry. Therefore, having a solid and comprehensive business plan is crucial for any aspiring musician or band looking to establish a successful and sustainable career.

How to Fill Out Your Lean Music Business Plan

In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of filling out your lean music business plan, from identifying your target audience to mapping out your marketing and sales strategies. 

We'll be referencing sections of the US Small Business Administration's ( SBA ) lean business plan template . Despite its generality, it works as a music business plan template. 

Aspects of this guide relate to the traditional business plan, which we will discuss later in the article. 

Business identity

A business identity helps your business specify exactly what you offer. Both the single-page lean plan and the traditional plan place importance on your identity. Let's say, for example, you're a business-owning musician who provides audio for creatives in the media industry. Here's how your identity might look:

Our business identity revolves around providing high-quality music and sound effects for TV programs, film industries, commercials production companies, video game developers, corporations, and event organizers. 

Through the lean template, try to identify your business in under one paragraph. Then, using the traditional template (see below), expand on that identity. Things like your mission statement, which we visit later, are an aspect of this.

The problem you're trying to solve

All businesses are problem solvers. Record labels help musicians with distribution, while music teachers help provide the next generation of musicians with a strong foundation. 

Naturally, you might wonder how this applies to musicians. Just saying "entertainment" feels a bit weak. There are bands, like Rage Against the Machine, who make music to push a movement. But if you're not part of that crowd, what do you put?

So, think about why you got into music-making in the first place. Any professional musician should think about who their music appeals to and what they want people to feel when hearing their music. You can then say your music solves that problem in a cheesy reminder that you think about more than what shows up on your financial statements. 

If you don't want to get too corny, think about who your music will most appeal to. Then, you can say what your target audience is. Think of something like this:

Creating music for young men and women that will entertain them and inspire them to explore challenging topics.

This problem-solving might feel generic, but you'll know your fans and why you make music. So, stay focused on that.

Solution your business presents

Once you consider the problem your business solves, you need to state how you solve that problem. Again, this is much easier for music industry professionals who work in support roles. Music distributors solve the problem by having direct connections with other distributors, while music marketers help bands reach out to fans via multiple social media platforms. 

As someone who makes music, your solution is the creation of music. So, ask yourself how the creation of your music solves this problem. Here's an example based on our situation above:

Our band writes music that delves into mental health struggles based on personal experiences and how we overcame them.

You might think that doing this as a musician feels silly, but think of it as a reminder. One of the reasons famous musicians like David Bowie and Tom Morello were so successful is focusing on how their music helps people. 

Competition 

Competitive market data varies depending on the territory you plan to target. For musicians and bands, this might involve bands in the local area and those in future touring locations. For musicians, the competition can also be a list of potential collaborators.

For everyone else not making music, other record labels and music production companies are just competition. Whether you can collaborate with them or not, you'll want to differentiate yourself from all the other options out there. Being another "me too" music business will make it easier to forget you. 

Using the lean small business plan, you'll want to stick this to two or three sentences. Be very general, knowing you can also expand using the traditional business plan. Here's an example of a made-up Tennesse company: My Music Production & Management: 

The competitive landscape for music production companies in Tennessee includes My Music Production & Management, Genre Music, and Retro Recording & Productions. My Music Production & Management offers a wide range of services, including music production, artist management, and music distribution. 

Revenue streams

Revenue streams come from various sources. A business plan reminds you of those sources so you can stay focused. As a musician, your income can come from many sources. Below is an example you can use under the lean business plan:

As a musician, my income comes from paid gigs, teaching music lessons, instrument repair services, and recording sessions. To ensure financial stability and growth, I plan to diversify my income by capitalizing on these different opportunities.

Your revenue streams will differ as a record label or other kind of music business. Like musicians, your revenue streams can vary. However, as a young business, you may specialize in specific areas. You might work on creating merch or distributing digital releases. 

Marketing activities

Marketing activities focus on how you plan on reaching out to different sources. For many new music businesses, this involves outreach through social media platforms. Here's an example of what you might include in your business plans:

Our marketing activities will primarily focus on building a strong online presence through social media and regional publications. We plan to utilize platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to engage with our audience and share regular updates about our music and upcoming events. Additionally, we will work on developing a press kit to distribute to regional publications and media outlets to garner publicity and reach a wider audience.

Bands can create electronic press kits (EPKs) that are prebuilt for members of the media. This makes it easy for journalists and members of the media to share content about you, such as a new album release. You can also consider how much you might pay for advertising. Digital marketing activities like those above are the first choice, as this activity uses advanced targeting tools based on what people search for and their demographics.

Marketing traditionally focuses on the four Ps: product, price, place, and promotions. The first two Ps delve into your product line, which you'll learn about later. Promotions indicate the type of marketing you choose, and Place usually refers to the platforms your target audience uses. 

The lean business plan gives you a simple overview of your likely expenses, which can be detailed in your longer business plan. Part of these expenses include music taxes. Read our guide on music taxes for more details.

Expenses vary depending on the type of music business you run. You could pay to rent a studio for recording sessions, purchase recording equipment, access manufacturers, or pay for other expenses. These expenses can result in tax deductions .

Here's an example of what your expenses section might look like:

To get my music business up and running, I need to budget for several key expenses. Studio time would be required for recording and producing music, averaging around $50-$100 per hour. I'd also need to allocate funds for engineering talent, which could cost between $50-$200 per hour, depending on experience. Transportation costs for getting to and from recording studios or performance venues should be factored in, estimating around $200-$500 per month.

Legal fees for business formation are also deductible. When listing your expenses and considering deductions, ask yourself what your type of company would normally deduct. Reach out to Augur CPA if you'd like a comprehensive review.

The key roles section provides a list of high-ranking authorities in the business and explains the responsibilities and functions those roles bring to the business. Here's an example of what that might look like in your business plan:

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Responsible for overall strategic direction and leadership of the organization, making key decisions and representing the company to the public and stakeholders.

2. Human Resources Department: This department is responsible for recruiting, training, and managing employees, as well as ensuring legal compliance and promoting a positive work environment.

3. Marketing Department: Responsible for promoting the organization's products or services, conducting market research, and developing marketing strategies to attract and retain customers.

4. Finance Department: This department is responsible for managing the organization's financial resources, including budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting.

5. Operations Department: This department is responsible for overseeing the organization's day-to-day activities, optimizing processes, and ensuring efficient production and service delivery.

As a new business, you might not need all of this detail in your roles. A new business owner wears many hats, handling all of this themselves.

As your business grows and you fill roles like those above, you'll want to create an operating agreement . Operating agreements dictate the roles, holding groups responsible for their actions. This can dictate things like voting rules, which are vital when making high-risk business decisions that require more input.

Your milestones tell readers, yourself, and business partners of the important milestones you've already taken or plan to take. Your lean business plan is a single sentence telling people what you generally plan to do. Larger business plans might look something like this:

Milestone 1: Lease Finalization

- Task: Negotiate and finalize the lease agreement for the studio space

- Deadline: by May 15th

Milestone 2: Personnel Contracts

- Task: Draft, review, and finalize contracts for hired personnel

- Deadline: by May 20th

Milestone 3: Studio Build-out and Equipment Purchase

- Task: Begin construction and build-out of the studio space, purchase necessary equipment

- Deadline: Construction to be completed by June 30th

Milestone 4: Networking and Marketing Plan Implementation

- Task: Develop and implement a networking and marketing plan to attract clients

- Deadline: Marketing plan to be in place by June 1st

Each milestone outlines specific tasks and deadlines to ensure a smooth and successful opening of a recording studio. A musician or distribution company should take a similar approach, focusing on initiatives that help them grow their business.

Filling Out Longer, Traditional Business Plans

The SBA's traditional business plan, which you can find here , is a multi-page document. It's an expanded version of the lean business plan, which you can provide upon request. When applying for business loans or bringing on business partners, this plan can help communicate your vision.

Traditional business plans might use a bit more jargon, like executive summaries and mission statements. Below, you'll learn a bit more about some of the more complex aspects of writing your detailed business plan.

Executive summary

Executive summaries summarize the main points of a business plan. The summary points include the purpose of the business, the business name, the target market, your business location, and how your business solves its target audience's problem. Here's an example you can use for inspiration:

The Executive Summary of my music business plan showcases my artist bio, mission statement, and unique selling proposition. As a musician, I bring a unique blend of classical training and modern influences, with a strong foundation in jazz, pop, and R&B. My mission is to create music that transcends genres and connects with audiences on a deeper level, aspiring to inspire and uplift through my art.

My unique selling proposition lies in my ability to blend diverse musical styles and deliver powerful, emotionally resonant performances. I have achieved recognition in local music scenes, including winning the Best New Artist award at a prominent music festival. My aspirations include reaching a global audience and collaborating with industry-leading producers to create music that leaves a lasting impact. What sets me apart from others in the industry is my unwavering dedication to authenticity and artistry, always prioritizing substance over trends.

For bands and musicians, the executive summary is a great way to showcase your passion for music. Notice the "unique selling proposition," which indicates how you plan on differentiating yourself compared to other companies.

Other companies, like music publishing companies, might focus a little less on the creative aspects of their business. An executive summary can differ slightly between companies. However, if you're new, start with the template until you get comfortable writing these plans.

Company description and mission statement

Your company description, based on the traditional plan, includes the mission statement, members, legal structure, and location of the company. It might also include the executive summary.

Here's an example of the description for a made-up company: SoundWave Entertainment:

Our company, SoundWave Entertainment, is structured as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and has been in business for ten years. We specialize in providing top-quality live music entertainment, event production, and artist management services. Our diverse range of offerings includes wedding bands, corporate event entertainment, and music festivals. Our customer demographics range from engaged couples looking for the perfect wedding band to event planners seeking unique and memorable entertainment experiences. In the past decade, we have experienced significant growth, expanding our roster of talented artists and achieving a strong presence in the events industry. Our primary business goal is to continue providing exceptional musical experiences and to further expand our reach in the entertainment industry.

The description is simple enough, but the mission statement is arguably the most important aspect of your business plan. It's a few sentences long but shares the overall mission of your company, dictating where it goes and how it makes decisions. Mission statements are emotionally driven and connected to the morals and heart of the company's stakeholders. Here's how it might look:

At SoundWave Entertainment, we are committed to delivering unforgettable musical experiences and fostering the growth of talented artists. We strive to exceed our client's expectations by curating exceptional live entertainment and providing a platform for artists to showcase their skills. Our goal is to leave a lasting impression through the power of music, creating moments that inspire and connect people.

Market conditions and research

The traditional business plan offers a bit more room for reviewing your market conditions and researching your competition. Doing your own research helps you understand the market. Sharing your research on a business plan provides proof of your knowledge of market conditions. Here's a short example of market conditions:

The current market conditions in the music industry are characterized by several industry trends, including the shift towards streaming services, the resurgence of vinyl records, and the increasing importance of live performances for artists' revenue. Consumer behavior has also changed significantly, with more music fans opting for subscription-based streaming services over traditional album or single purchases. Key competitors in the industry include major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as record labels and live event promoters.

Additional sections of your business plan include a detailed description of your customers, how your company outperforms the competition, and regulations that might impact your company.

Regarding regulations in the music industry, it helps to have a general understanding of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ( DMCA ), fair use , and current communication laws. Knowledge of these laws or working with a music attorney can help you with this aspect of your business plan.

Service line and pricing structure

Your service line includes a complete list of your services and their costs. For musicians, this might include gigs, music lessons, and anything else you do to advance your career in music. It then breaks down the pricing of your services, including some potential for how that pricing can flex.

Services can vary heavily depending on your company and the services you offer. When you first start your business, you might specialize in a few areas. One milestone could be expanding to include additional features, like a record company offering email marketing services.

The service line section also includes your product lifecycle. For example, albums tend to make more money during their first year of release, and your lifecycle dictates how long you might make albums. If you go on a tour during the album, you might stop creating new albums or merchandise sales during this time. 

Service line information can also include information on intellectual property rights and how your band and albums will be copyrighted. You can also work to trademark your company (or band) logo.

Marketing, sales, and growth strategy

While your marketing research section details information about the market and industry, your marketing, sales, and growth section dictates how you plan on reaching target customers. The lean plan mentioned above briefly addresses this area.

The three areas you'll want to consider are your growth strategy, how you want to communicate with customers, and how you plan on selling your products.

Let's say you plan on creating your own Shopify e-commerce store for your business, which is a huge investment. This means your growth strategy, product sales, and customer communications will wrap around this tool. If you want to start simpler, mention how you plan on talking with fans and setting up merch tables at local shows.

Here, you'll see some examples of how you could write this section:

Our music business aims to market, sell, and grow by implementing a combination of online and offline strategies. Our marketing efforts will include targeted social media campaigns, SEO optimization for our website, and collaborations with music influencers and bloggers. We will also explore opportunities for live performances, partnerships with local venues, and utilizing traditional advertisement methods.

To drive sales, we will offer unique packages for our music services, including special promotions for first-time customers and loyalty rewards for returning clients. Our pricing strategy will be competitive while still maintaining the quality of our services.

In terms of customer retention, we will focus on delivering exceptional customer service and providing personalized experiences for our clients. Our unique selling proposition lies in our ability to offer customized music solutions tailored to different occasions and preferences.

Moving forward, our plans for growth and expansion include branching out to new markets and offering additional services such as music production and event management. We will also invest in building brand loyalty and expanding our customer base through strategic partnerships and collaborations within the music industry.

Why Should I Care About A Business Plan?

A business plan is a crucial tool for any musician or music industry professional looking to advance their career in the music industry. It serves as a roadmap for your career, helping you set goals, make strategic decisions, and stay on track for success.

One of the most significant benefits of having a business plan in the music industry is its ability to attract investors. A well-thought-out plan demonstrates to potential investors that you are serious about your music career and have a clear direction for success. It outlines your financial projections, marketing strategies, and potential for growth, making it more likely for investors to see the value in supporting your music endeavors.

Additionally, a business plan guides decision-making by providing a framework for evaluating opportunities and making informed choices. It forces you to consider all aspects of your music career, from marketing and promotion to touring and merchandising, ensuring that you have a comprehensive strategy in place.

Furthermore, a business plan helps define your brand identity and outline your unique selling points, target audience, and marketing message. This is crucial in the music industry, where standing out and connecting with fans is essential for success.

To learn more about how taxes can apply to a financial plan for your business, contact Augur CPA today .

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. You should consult your own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor regarding matters mentioned in this post. We take no responsibility for actions taken based on the information provided.

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A step-by-step guide to developing a music business plan

June 17, 2021

Why you need a music business plan

Where to start, the main components of a music business plan, the importance of multiple income streams, subscribe to greenlight by thimble..

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Making a living in the music business is the ultimate dream of every serious musician. But out of the countless individuals with a passion for music, only a select few will make a profitable business out of it. That doesn’t mean reaching your goals is impossible. If you want to earn reliable income from your music career, you need to treat it like any other business. That means making a detailed blueprint that will take you from passionate hobbyist to successful professional. This step-by-step guide to developing a music business plan will set you on the right path.

Whether your goal is to have a career as a professional musician, recording artist, producer, or music teacher, documenting the path you’ll take with a music business plan will be helpful to your cause. Your business plan outlines your goals, identifies the practical methods you’ll take to achieve them, and lists the resources you have and will need.

Not only will a concrete business plan keep you on course, it will also demonstrate your credibility in the eyes of others. Potential clients and business partners will see you as a professional and not another starving artist. If you ever need to take out a business loan or raise money for investors, a business plan is a must-have.

Crafting your music business plan isn’t something you can do in one sitting. You’ll need more than an afternoon to get this right. Take your time, bite off piece-by-piece, and chew your thoughts over thoroughly.

Our first piece of advice is as old as time:  know thyself.

You need some clarity of purpose before you can craft a useful music business plan. Ask yourself:

• Who is my audience?
• What is my ultimate goal?
• Why do I want to do this?

Having this understanding will make it easier for you to explain your vision to others and convey your enthusiasm. It will also establish the framework for your music business. This step is crucial if you’ll need people to buy in to help you reach your goals.

The content of your music business plan will vary depending upon whether you’re aiming to start a music school, be a producer, or work as an artist. But the fundamental components are the same either way. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Mission Statement
• Executive Summary
• Audience Analysis
• SWOT Analysis
• Marketing Plan
• Financial Considerations

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Mission Statement:

This can be as short as a few sentences, as long as it adequately describes who you are as an artist or a musical entrepreneur and what you’re trying to accomplish. While this might sound simple, think things through a bit before you try to draft your statement. Everything that follows here will hinge upon it.

Executive Summary:

The executive summary is a one-page synopsis of your plan. It should include an introduction as well as a description of your endeavors. Details about the funding you already have and what you’ll need in addition to a brief accounting of your plans for putting all of it into play are important too.

Most experts recommend saving the drafting of this part for last. It’s essentially a digest of all the other parts of your plan. Doing it last allows you to draw upon the information you’ve drafted for all of the other steps.

Audience Analysis: 

Here’s where you’ll demonstrate your understanding of your target audience. If you’re already performing, teaching, or producing on the side, think about what traits the people who follow you have in common.

If you’re just getting started, find someone doing what you want to do whose style and circumstances are similar to yours, and analyze their target market. Create a demographic sketch of your target audience based on gender, age, location, musical tastes and favorite venues.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats:

Think about the qualities that make you unique. List everything that comes to mind, from technical mastery and creative spark to teaching older demographics and networking. Your skills might not seem extraordinary on an individual level, but combine all your best qualities and you’ll find there isn’t anyone quite like you on the market.

Don’t forget about your weaknesses. Identity these not as qualities to promote, but as areas to work on in the future. Being aware of your shortcomings will also help guide your decision on potential business partners in the future. Let your inner critic loose, but realize that this is an exercise in personal growth, not tearing yourself down.

Had enough reflecting? Let’s take a look at the marketplace. Think about potential gaps in the industry you can exploit. Perhaps your competitors are overlooking a key value and you see a way to provide it both efficiently and effectively. These are your opportunities.

Threats could include technological shifts, cultural changes, the emergence of new artists, competition, and new trends. The music world moves fast, and today’s hot act can end up as yesterday’s news before your can say “more cowbell!” Brainstorm any roadblocks you picture yourself facing over the next few years and strategies you can use to overcome them.

Marketing plan:

Your marketing plan will detail how you’ll spread the word about yourself. Consider how much money you can reasonably invest into marketing and work out how you’ll spend it to reach as many of the right people as possible. Think about how you’ll grow your online presence—including social media, a press kit, and publicity materials such as a logo and photography.

Get a full account of your current cash flow situation. List how much capital you currently have and estimate how much it’ll take to get your operation up and running. When in doubt, overestimate. Studio time, engineering talent, transportation, legal fee, copyrights and trademarks are all important considerations when projecting your budget.

Measuring your progress:

At what intervals will you go over the financials to see how you’re advancing? What are the milestones by which you’ll mark your achievements?

You’ll also need a method for measuring your impact on the market in terms of the reputation you build. Social media outlets provide analytical tools to help you track these metrics. They can also help you pinpoint the demographics of your audience.

Establishing your key performance indicators (KPIs) can help you set the standards by which you will gauge your success. Sharing this information with others makes you accountable because they can look at your projections and see how much progress you’ve made toward achieving them.

Summarizing your music business plan

As we mentioned above, once you have all of these areas covered, you can then condense the information each section contains to create your executive summary. After all, how will you know what to put in it until you’ve examined all of these other areas first?

Success in the music industry takes a lot of work and a little luck, but you can stack the deck in your favor by building multiple income streams. That way, if one area slows down, you’ll have another one in play to keep you rolling until the next opportunity presents itself. Revisit your strengths and opportunities and start brainstorming ideas. If you get stuck, here’s a quick list to get you started:

Give music lessons. Chances are if you’ve got the chops to play paid gigs, you’ve got enough skills to pass on to some novice students. Giving music lessons can be a great way to add some extra recurring income.

Start a YouTube channel. With over 2 billion active users, YouTube might just be your biggest source of untapped attention and potential. 1 The platform offers users a chance to learn or be entertained, and as a musician you’re well-positioned to offer both. You could upload instructional videos or footage of yourself performing. You’ll get to keep a portion of any ad revenue your videos make. And if the right person sees your content, it could open the doors to even greater opportunities.

Explore the marketing world. If composition is your thing, you might be overlooking a potentially huge money-maker—marketing and advertising. Brands are in constant need of good video content to market their products, and those videos need music to truly capture attention. If you’ve got a knack for putting together atmospheric instrumentals, creating music for ads could seriously help stabilize your income.

Open your own studio. If you have the capital to invest and live in an area underserved by recording studios, you might want to consider opening your own. While you’re not using it for your own projects, you can rent it out to other local musicians and producers. If there’s enough demand, you could cover the costs of equipment and rent and even have a little profit left over.

Explore session work. Sure, your band is your baby, but if you’ve got time on your hands and musical versatility to boot, why not offer your services as a session musician? Session work is an effective way to boost your income, make new connections and get your name out there as a legit professional. If an artist is truly enamoured with your work, they could invite you to join them on tour.

Another important consideration in your music business plan is protecting your livelihood from the consequences of unintentional accidents. General liability insurance is key to helping you stay focused on your business. Carrying a policy also demonstrates to potential clients that you are a serious professional — whether you’re a musician, DJ , or another kind of entrepreneur in the entertainment industry.

• Hootsuite. 25 YouTube Statistics that May Surprise You: 2021 Edition .

Written on April 19, 2021 | Last updated: June 17, 2021

Our editorial content is intended for informational purposes only and is not written by a licensed insurance agent. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary by class of business and state.

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Production Company Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Production Company Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their production companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a production company business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a production company business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your production company as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan

If you’re looking to start a production company or grow your existing production company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your production company to improve your chances of success. Your production company business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Production Companies

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a production company are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for production companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a production company.

If you want to start a production company or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your production company business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of production company you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a production company that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of production companies?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the production industry.
• Discuss the type of production company you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of production company you are operating.

For example, your production company might specialize in one of the following types of production companies:

• Feature Film Production Company : this type of production company handles all of the necessities that go with producing a major film – hiring on-screen and off-screen talent, writers, musicians, location scouts, a team for pre-production, post-production, legal, etc.
• Commercial Production Company: this type of production company can produce stock footage, short corporate videos, training videos, and creative projects such as music videos and short films
• Post Production Company: this type of production company handles video editing, special effects, color correction, sound mixing, and editing to eventually produce the final video.
• Niche Production Company: this type of production company focuses on one specific niche that it has perfected. They often combine the best of animation, commercial, and post-production companies.

In addition to explaining the type of production company you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of films with positive reviews, reaching X number of clients served, etc.
• Your legal business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the production industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the production industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your production company business plan:

• How big is the production industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your production company? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your production company business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, companies, filmmakers, studios.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of production company you operate. Clearly, small businesses would respond to different marketing promotions than filmmakers, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Production Company Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other production companies.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes social media platforms, web developers, apps and even college or university students. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of clients do they serve?
• What type of production company are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide concierge services or customized packages for your clients?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a production company business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type o f production company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide video editing, music editing, pre-production, or post-production services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of yo ur plan, yo u are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your production company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your production company located in New York or Los Angeles, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your production company marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Be part of filmmaker associations and networks
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your production company , including client communication and interaction, planning and producing production services, billing clients, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your production company to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your production company’s potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing production companies. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a production company or successfully running a small filmmaking company.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance s heet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you book 5 films or videos per day, and/or offer production packages ? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your production company, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a production company:

• Cost of equipment and production studio supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your studio location lease or a list of production services you plan to offer.  

Writing a business plan for your production company is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the production industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful production company.  

Production Company Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my production company business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your production company business plan.

How Do You Start a Production Company Business?

Starting a production company business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Production Company Business
• Create Your Production Company Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Production Company Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Production Company Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Production Company Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Production Company Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Production Company Business Equipment
• Develop Your Production Company Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Production Company Business
• Open for Business

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Production Company business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to hire someone to write a business plan for you from Growthink’s team.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

How to Write a Business Plan for Musicians

Want a copy of ours?

Pre-Written music business plan template available! This 25-page music business plan is fully written and includes example verbiage from a musician. Use it as a template to write your own.

Creative entrepreneurs have a responsibility to themselves (and their families where applicable) to make good financial decisions for their present and their future. Whether you’re full-time, part-time, or aspiring; being financially savvy is both good for business and good for your overall morale. However, for musicians, it’s way too easy to get distracted with making music and art while neglecting other important parts of being in business like taxes , legal considerations, insurance, and finances. If you’re hoping to build a strong financial foundation for your music business, starting with a Music Business Plan is highly recommended.

Anytime an aspiring business person applies for a business loan, banks usually ask for a business plan. That’s because they want to see if you have a solid plan for making money and staying in business so they can get their money back and get a return on their investment. Likewise, if you’re hoping to achieve any amount of financial success as a musician, it’s important to start with a plan so you can make your money and get a return on your time investment.

A business plan is basically a blueprint for success. It outlines who you are, what you are, what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, what your challenges are, how you plan to overcome them, and finally, how you plan on earning money to cover your expenses and produce a profit. Putting together a business plan for your music business forces you to ask and answer these tough questions and pave a path to success.

Your business plan should include the following sections:

Executive Summary

The executive summary is a quick synopsis of your business. It provides the who, what, and where. It’s sort of like a cover letter that you would include with a resume. It’s useful if you’re giving your business plan to someone such as a potential partner, investor, etc. It includes…

• Your stage name and location (where you’re based)
• Types of music related services and products you’ll offer (think live entertainment, sound engineering, sync licensing, songwriting, merchandise, etc.)
• Mission and vision statement briefly explaining your reasons for being a musician. If you need help putting together a mission statement for your music, check out our post, The Musician’s Guide to Creating a Meaningful Mission Statement
• The purpose of your plan (optional if you’d like to share this with others for the purposes of raising capital, support, or asking for help.)

Watch Me Walk You Through Writing Your Music Business Plan…

Customize this template and make it your own. Includes all sections that are already pre-written for a musician or band. Just plug in your information and go.

Business Description

This is an overarching description of your business and its structure. It should include…

• How your business is structured legally. Is it a corporation, a sole proprietorship, or an LLC?
• How long you’ve been in business (or why you’re doing music if you’re just starting out), a brief summary of what types of business you will engage in, and what consumer needs you plan to meet.
• A brief description of your services and/or products and who your customers/clients are.
• An overview of any growth highlights you’ve achieved since you started such as expanding your fanbase, adding team members and their achievements, or increasing earnings.
• Business goals and how you’re going to make a profit from your business endeavors.

Do you have a business plan for your music business? I just updated my plan and this next year is going to be fire!!! pic.twitter.com/J31yG04455 — The Crafty Musician (@IndieArtistsDIY) December 10, 2021

Service or Product Offerings

In this section, you’ll describe in detail what you’re offering including the various types of services you offer (live entertainment, lessons, session work, etc) as well as any products you sell such as merchandise, books, etc.

• List a description of each of your services along with its benefits.
• List a description of each of your products or product types.
• Share how you’ll stand out among fellow artists and how you’ll niche yourself, especially in your local area if you’re planning on making a splash locally.
• Any service or product expansion initiatives that you are planning in the future such as starting a band, doing larger shows at larger venues, touring expansions, etc.

Market Analysis

The Market Analysis provides a snapshot of your fanbase and how you’ll reach them. The standout portion of this section is the research you’ll do into your potential base of fans. Learning all you can in this area will help you make effective marketing and promotions decisions that save you time and money. Most importantly, it will help you build a solid following with loyal followers.

• A description of your fans or ideal fans.

Pro Tip: If you haven’t done any research or identified who your ideal fans are, check out How to Identify and Reach Your Ideal Fans here .

• A summary of music industry trends related to how you do business.
• How do people find new music?
• What types of music-related products are people buying right now ie. live entertainment, music merch, digital music, etc.
• A detailed description of similar acts in your area and how you’ll stand out.

Your Business Model

This section provides details regarding how you will make your money. It describes the nuts and bolts of your operation such as how you market your music in order to acquire new fans and how you get your fans/listeners to spend money with you. This section should include…

• An explanation of how you’ll promote your music to current fans and potential fans and how you gain exposure with your music.
• Information about your price points as it relates to each of your service offerings, products and merchandise items.
• Information about how you plan to distribute your music and make it available for people to purchase.
• A summary of your supply chain if applicable. This includes how you plan on producing your music, what professionals or studios you plan on working with, if you have a supply chain for creating your merchandise (check out my article about an easy way to create tons of merch items without having to stock an inventory here )
• An explanation of how you’ll market your services and products

The last bullet point on this list (how you’ll market your services and products) is the factor that will determine your financial growth. Each of these considerations is equally important. However, if you don’t address how you’ll market your services and products in order to earn an income, it will be very difficult to meet your financial goals. You have to be intentional about how you’ll earn your money and be willing to make these offers to your listeners, followers, and fans. In other words, simply putting your music “out there” is not enough. If you want to earn a significant income from your music endeavors, you have to start thinking like a business. This means actively engaging in sales and marketing efforts. These include…

• Hosting sales events for new merchandise items
• Promoting a special entertainment service like a singing telegram or a custom song
• Promoting your guitar lessons on your mailing list, website, and blog
• Encouraging your fans to buy your new album
• Encouraging your fans to host a house concert
• A campaign to get listeners to pre-order your upcoming release

Pro Tip: Check out our 30 Day New Release Promotions Bundle for an easy, plug-and-play way to market your upcoming release. It includes a pre-written press release, email, and pitch letter templates in addition to pre-written social media content for 30 days and more. It provides everything you need to market your upcoming release. Learn more about our 30 Day New Release Promotions Bundle here .

These are just a few examples to illustrate what actual sales and marketing initiatives look like. There are tons more ways to promote your products and services. Start paying attention to some of your favorite small businesses and how they promote their products and services. It might give you some ideas!

Organization and Management Team

This section lists who your main players are. In this section, you’ll list who facilitates the operations of your business starting with yourself at the top and then moving down the hierarchy.

• Who is the owner? Who is making high-level decisions for your business?
• Is there a management team?
• Is there a booking agent?
• Is there a PR person or team?
• Administrative professionals?
• List job responsibilities of each position.
• If you don’t have anyone currently functioning in these positions, that’s totally fine. You could choose to describe how these functions will be executed instead. For example, when you need a PR person, you’ll hire someone on a case-by-case basis. You could also use this opportunity to do a brief search for potential PR providers and list them in this section.
• You could also list potential mentors and music career coaches here as well.

Financial Outlook

This is the final section of your business plan. It describes the financial health of your music business. In this section, you’ll illustrate how your business is doing financially by providing historical financial data (if you’ve been doing business for a while) and/or financial projections for the future. When illustrating financial projections make sure it is realistic! This section includes…

• Income statements, Profit and Loss Statements , and cash flow data from the past three to five years.
• A snapshot of projected revenue and expenses for the next five years.
• A description of new potential business opportunities and how you plan to increase revenue in the future. Check out our article 18 Ways Musicians are Actually Making Money for ideas.

This section is very useful if you’re trying to apply for a business loan, business credit card, acquire investors, or show your business financials for other purposes such as taxes, insurance, rental/mortgage applications, or financial programs. It’s also great to see how you’ve done in the past and what you have to look forward to in the future.

Get the Music Business Plan Template for Musicians.

Free for members! Login or become a member below! Memberships start at just $5/month. Cancel anytime! Once you log in, you’ll see a link to the template in the exclusive members-only section below.

Preparing a business plan for your music business helps you build a solid blueprint to achieve success as a musician. It helps you create a map that will get you from starting with nothing to building your financial empire.

More Resources…

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Hi Anitra, great blog! I came across this article by watching your YT series on the same topic and wondered if by becoming a member, I could not only access the very helpful business plan template, but would it also include the August, Lately insert for contextual purposes? Or is the latter only accessible via your biweekly YT episodes?

Thanks Uasuf. The Music Business Plan Template that is available for members is pre-loaded will all of the August, Lately content. As of right now, the template only has the sections that have been covered in the YT series thus far. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks for reading/watching!

I’m a member but it won’t let me access the music business plan template.

Hi Mars. I sent you a welcome email with all the information you need to access it along with all of your other perks. Did you get it?

I just had to be more patient! I’m good. You’re the best, thank you so much!

Ok great! Let me know if you have any questions or need help with anything!

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How to Create a Production Company Business Plan [FREE Template]

H ighly successful video companies start with a strong production company business plan. Whether your company has been around for a while, or you’re a freelancer ready to take your services to the next level, this post will provide you with actionable strategies for success to compete more effectively right now.

It all beings with formulating the business plan that will get you where you want to go. If you don’t have a business plan, don’t worry. We provide a  free business plan template below and will walk you through it. 

Step by step.

• Production Company Business Plan
• The Executive Summary
• Perform a Video Company Self Assessment
• How to Get Started
• Financing a Video Production Company
• Marketing Plan
• Day to Day Operations

Freebie: Business Plan Template for Video Production

Download your FREE printable business plan template for your video production. Just enter your email address and we'll instantly send it to you!

business plan template

1. what is a production company business plan.

Essentially it's a tool for raising funds, creating a roadmap, or altering course and plotting out the next steps.

One purpose of any business plan to so convey to investors, or a bank, why they should put money into this business.

Think of creating a business plan you could bring to them

What does that mean?

It means you need this business plan for a production company to prove that you will make money. To prove it to you, but also to any investors.

After all, nobody invests to lose money. Or break even. So with that in mind, let's forge ahead into the actual writing of the business plan.

how to make a business plan

2. what is an executive summary.

Every business plan starts from the top down, with an executive summary.

What is that, exactly?

An executive summary is a short part of a larger proposal or report that summarizes the main points so the reader can become quickly educated on the whole document without having to read it all.

So it’s a detailed overview.

Of course, "executive summary" has a nice ring to it...

Your job here is to lay out the big picture of your plan. Some questions to ask yourself: Why do you want this business in the first place?

Similarly, what inspired you to start it? What's going to make it work?

Next, start to answer the questions your investors might have. Try getting into their head-space.

"Why would YOU invest in this business?"

You might want to write about the competition. The targeted demographic. Be specific here.

What need does your business fill? Which kinds of customers and clients are you targeting?

Think about your target market

Furthermore, what else sets you and your business apart?

Especially relevant is using concrete examples and not only ideas. Can you cite previous work you've done?  

This brings us to...

Your production companies competition

What does the rest of the field looks like. Your investor will want to know if they don't already.

What sets this company and this production company business plan apart from others?

Knowing the entire field of competitors you have is a good idea, even if it's a very long list.

Your production company business plan must factor in what else is being offered. That way you can adjust, and target a more specific niche.

Or, you can figure out what you can do better.

For example: what can you identify in your competitor's list of services that you know you can nail?

This is what your video company plan needs to convey.

Finally, remember to think of it from the investor's standpoint. How is this an opportunity for them?

how to create a business plan

3. why a video company self-assessment.

This step is easy to do, but hard to do well.

Can you take a good long look at your video production studio? With the intent to circle problems? Areas that need improvement?

The second part of this step might be easier. Find the areas where your video production studio can really shine.

In contrast, you don't want to elaborate on weaknesses in your video production company business plan. Rather, you want to identify them so you can find ways to address them.

You need to have answers to the questions these flaws might bring to the mind of your investors.

  You are not required to sing “Man in the Mirror” 

Then go beyond looking in the mirror.

Look back at the field before you.

This is a business plan for a production company. What opportunities exist for that?

Most of all, try and tailor this production house business plan to specific needs.

Here are a few methods of company self-analysis:

This is a way to identify changes in your industry, to target potential growth opportunities. The acronym stands for:

P olitical Factors

E conomic Factors

S ocial Factors

T echnological Factors

 P roduction company business plan would include a PEST

We've mentioned elements of SWOT:

W eaknesses

O pportunities

The one to focus in on here is threats. Don't assume everything will work out for the plan just the why you'd like it to.

Because it won't. Investors will know that. You should not only know it, you should expect it.

Most important of all: prove that you're prepared for whatever may happen.

Here's a cool way to approach your SWOT analysis. Try applying your strengths to your opportunities and see what kind of leverage you can create.

Then theoretically expose your weaknesses to your threats. Are you in trouble? Do you need to address something to better protect your company?

Think of this as planning for a battle. Therefore, you don't want to ignore cracks in the wall if your enemy is bringing a battering ram.

Business plan can benefit from SWOT

Strategy, structure, systems, style, shared values, staff, and skills.  The 7S model  was developed by business consultants  Robert H. Waterman Jr. and Tom Peters . It's also known as the McKinsey 7S framework.

The idea here is that your business needs these elements to be aligned and "mutually reinforcing". Let's go over each "S".

Strategy: How does this business plan to gain an advantage.

Structure: How do you divide the various operations of the company.

Systems: Procedure for measurement, reward and resource allocation.

Skills: the companies core and distinctive capabilities.

Staff: Human resources.

Style: Behavior patterns of the key groups like managers.

Shared values are in the middle of them all on the diagram. It's somewhat self-explanatory.

In theory, using these methods of self-analysis will help you a great deal. Due to them you'll know, and decide, all sorts of things about your production company.

The 7 S model of analysis

Start putting these ideas onto paper now! If you haven’t already…

Gentlemen, start your engines

4. how to get started.

A business plan for a production company must lay out how you will get started. This is also referred to as a "roll out plan".

How you engineer your beginning is critical to your cash flow. What do you need to get started?

And can you start at a sustainable level?

Will you open a physical office space right off the bat?

Overhead is a major cost. If this is more of a production house business plan then you’ll want to factor that in.

Do you have existing clients?

Equipment or gear already in place?

A video production business plan suggests that your focus will be on video production. Things like equipment will be critical.

In addition to considering this an entertainment production company business plan you may also want to focus on creative development.

How you want to focus effects how you want to phrase things. And it matters almost immediately.

START FEES YOU CAN AVOID

It's a good idea to propose that you start small.

There are two reasons for this.

The first is that you will scare away investors if you ask for too much up front, almost without fail they can tell if you are asking for more than it seems like you need.

It also throws into question how serious you are about sustaining success.

Which leads to the second reason.

It'll be much harder for you to sustain success if you ask for big upfront funding that you aren't sure you can earn back plus profit.

Let's say because you know of a few jobs you'll have early on, that you ask for less up front.

You'll be able to get rolling right away, earning back the initial investments and then some.

Above all you want to start off with easy wins.

Or as close to easy wins as you can get when launching or re-launching a video production business plan.

Seems like it would somewhat obvious not to ask for more than you can earn back...

Rather, it's a mistake people make all the time.

Speaking of which...

do have the capital?

5. financing a company.

Any business needs capital. As a result, you need a section where you lay out the cash flow for the production house business plan.

What kind of money do you expect to have coming in, and how much do you expect to be spending?

Make the budget, while also estimating how you'll be earning.

If you can't demonstrate this, then you need to go back to the drawing board.

Just pose like this and you’ll reassure any investor

You will want to get involved with an accountant at some point soon.

But remember, this is a business plan for a production company. So you may have a lot of costs coming at you early just to get started.

What is a marketing plan?

Your video production business plan is almost complete. Another section worth including would be one on marketing.

Here is a good additional resource on small business accounting .

You want to prove that business will be coming in, and not assume it will on faith alone.

Building a strong portfolio is a must. Consider again what niche you may be able to serve best. Find a solid "bread and butter" to start with.

Remember, good businesses expand when they need to. They don't bite off more than they can chew right out of the gate.

INVEST IN A GOOD WEBSITE

Do some research on how you’ll be building the best website for your product.

Get your production company a few social media accounts, and start trying to create a presence there. You'll need to find many ways to attract clients, and show your work.

Do some additional research on how to market a production company.

All this needs to find its way into the marketing section of your production company business plan.

what's your daily workflow?

7. day to day operations.

The day to day operations are a critical part of the plan. Have you visualized what the daily workflow will be?

Now is the time to do that. Who is going to be on your team, and how will it grow and change over time?

Determine what tasks will take priority each day, and how to best utilize your resources and finances.

This will be a key step in determining if your production company business plan is sustainable.

Ask yourself a few of the following questions:

How much time per day will you spend building your client base? What elements of each job will you tackle in-house? Which tasks might you outsource?

What equipment and gear do you own?

When will it need to be replaced and/or upgraded?

Are you going to hire anyone to start? Will they be full-time employees?

Will you hire independent contractors per project? How many, roughly?

As mentioned in the finance section, you need to know how you'll plan your reporting for taxes and your bookkeeping process.

These questions will help you start to determine what each "day at the office" will look like.

The clearer a picture you can paint here, the better.

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Now, let's get a little more advanced. In our next post we'll dive into writing a 4 part business plan. 

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Music Recording Distribution Business Plan

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HeavyMetal Praise Records

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Youth will be served!  For the past 10 years, Christian music has made strong inroads in every area of popular music except for the vital and chaotic world of Heavy Metal music. Heavy Metal Praise Records will focus only on recording Christian Heavy Metal performers, promoting their success in the popular mainstream of Punk and Ska music.

1.1 Objectives

• Sign and record two new Heavy Metal bands in the first year.
• Release the first CD of each group in the first year.
• Establish a strong distribution network that will facilitate CD sales.
• Establish the necessary strategic alliances to assure the widest possible distribution of our music.

1.2 Mission

The idea of Heavy Metal Praise Records is the brainchild of a group of dedicated Christians who created the Skate Ministry over three years ago. The Skate Ministry is a group of 10 adult skateboarders who spread the word of God to young skateboarders during the weekend at various skate parks throughout the area. Most of these young skateboarders are boys between the ages of 12 to 18. The predominant music in the skateboard culture is Heavy Metal and is played at every skatepark in the area. From the beginning the group realized that the music itself was creating negative actions on the part of young skateboarders and was facilitating a culture of selfishness and violence.

Heavy Metal Praise’s mission is to introduce Christian Heavy Metal bands to the target audience that gives the same musical intensity of popular Heavy Metal bands but with a more positive, constructive message that will move young people to a closer relationship with God.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Delivering Heavy Metal groups that the target audience will find irresistible.
• Access the music and distribution network that feeds Heavy Metal artists to the skate culture.
• Access the traditional Christian music and distribution network that will provide a ready-made group of customers for Heavy Metal Praise Records artists.

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Company summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">.

Heavy Metal Praise Records is a recording business that will focus exclusively on Christian Heavy Metal music groups.

2.1 Company Ownership

The sole founder and owner of Heavy Metal Praise Records is Johnny Young. Johnny is also a founding member of the Skate Ministry and a skateboarder for the last 20 years. 

2.2 Start-up Summary

Heavy Metal Praise Records has the following start-up expenses and the purchase of equipment:

• Computer system with three workstations, a printer, CD-RW, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Access.
• Legal fees regarding business formation and generating and reviewing contracts.
• Copier, fax, and a phone line.

Various office supplies.

Heavy Metal Praise Records, as the name implies, produces CDs of Heavy Metal Christian music groups.

The typical Heavy Metal Praise Records buyer is in the 13-22 year old age bracket–and is a direct result of the attitudes expressed by the label’s bands. The spirit of youth is the driving force of the label, offering proof that the energy of Heavy Metal Praise music exists beyond constraints and categorizations.

While Heavy Metal Praise Records hates to pigeonhole any of its artists’ musical sounds, it can be generalized that all the bands convey an in-your-face sound Christian music. This sound, when coupled with each band’s own creativity and inspiration, allows for the artists to maintain their identity while sharing the same energy, focus and often fan base with their label mates. Heavy Metal Praise Records is an artist-friendly label, priding itself on giving its bands complete artistic and creative freedom.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

Heavy Metal music is the music of preference among boys and young men, ages 12-22, who are part of the skateboarding culture. Heavy Metal music generated $180 million dollars in sales last year.

Skateboarding has grown into an enormously popular recreational sport that generated 1/2 billion dollars in sales last year. Each year the base of skateboarder grows even larger. The sport is still enjoyed by young men in their thirties. In many cases, these older skateboarders still enjoy Heavy Metal music. This represents a huge market opportunity for Christian music.

Heavy Metal Praise Records will focus on two customer groups:

• Early teen skateboarder.
• Late teen skateboarder.

4.1 Market Segmentation

• Early Teen Skateboarders: This group has limited mobility to attend most Heavy Metal group performances. Yet they represent the largest consumer group of Heavy Metal music. Generally, this target group hears the music from friends, at skateboard parks and at skateboard shops.
• Late Teen Skateboarders: This group represents the strong fan base that comes out for live performances at local clubs. They are also exposed to the music at skateboard parks and skateboard shops. It is critical to build a secure fan base with this group in order to generate sales among the younger skate boarders.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Heavy Metal Praise Records will use their competitive advantages in a new musical area of Christian music to steadily gain market share. The first advantage is based on Johnny’s extensive inside knowledge of the recording industry. The second advantage is an already established network of contacts within the industry.

5.1 Competitive Edge

Presently, there are few Christian Heavy Metal bands with CDs in the marketplace. The only real competition is the acceptance of the skateboard culture. Can a Heavy Metal group with a christian message gain a fan base? The success of a Heavy Metal band is dependent on its fan base and its live performances. If the energy is there, the fan base will grow and CD sales will follow.

Heavy Metal Praise Records understands that their bands must have the energy before the message will be heard.

5.2 Marketing Strategy

Heavy Metal Praise Records has established the following Promotion and Distribution strategies.

5.2.1 Promotion Strategy

• Early Teens: Heavy Metal Praise recording artists will be marketed at the weekly sponsored skateboarding events by the Skate Ministry. A band will play at each event during the summer months. In addition, Heavy Metal Praise recording artists will perform as part of the concert series sponsored by Rally Skateboards. At these events, free CD samplers will be given out of Heavy Metal Praise recording artists.
• Late Teens: Heavy Metal Praise recording artists will be booked to play extensively during the summer of 2002. A Heavy Metal Praise band will be part of the “Split Cross” tour in the region. Split Cross is a Christian music website and a strategic partner of Heavy Metal Praise recording. At these events, free CD samplers will be given out of Heavy Metal Praise recording artists.

5.2.2 Distribution Strategy

Heavy Metal Praise Records have made strategic alliances with both the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and Straight Arrow, the number one Christian Music Website in the country. Heavy Metal Praise Records CDs will be distributed through CIMS to stores regionally and with greater visibility of the bands, the distribution will expand nationally. Straight Arrow will sell the CDs online as part of their campaign to widen the range of artists they offer. Last year, Straight Arrow sales topped $50 million.

5.3 Strategic Alliances

The strategic alliance with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and Straight Arrow holds great potential.

• Straight Arrow is a distribution system for Christian artists who want to buck the system and do it without major label backing. The amazing thing is: it truly works. Some of the most sincere, yet cutting edge artists existing today are available to purchase at the Straight Arrow website. They will focus on building sales in the field of Heavy Metal music starting with Heavy Metal Praise artists.
• Coalition of Independent Music Stores represents a distribution system of 10,000 stores nationally. CIMS creates its own sales programs that focus on independent artists. They have committed to packaging Heavy Metal Praise Recording artists to its regional members. With the bands’ success, they plan to distribute the CDs nationally.

5.4 Sales Strategy

Our combined sales strategy of distributing our product online and in stores will result in the following first year sales goals:

• 5,000 CDs sold online.
• 10,000 CDs sold in stores.

The sales totals represent only six months of sales activity. The first six months will be focused on signing the bands and producing the recording.

5.4.1 Sales Forecast

The following table and chart presents specific sales forecasts by month, over the first year of development. Years two and three are cumulative totals only.

5.5 Milestones

Heavy Metal Praise Records will have several milestones:

• Sign two Heavy Metal Christian bands.
• Produce two new recordings during the first six months of operation.
• Release recordings in six months.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

Heavy Metal Praise Records is solely operated by Johnny Young. Johnny is a Christian music industry veteran with over 13 years of music ministry experience with extensive connections with producers and distributors. Johnny toured the USA with the CCM group “Seeds of Change” between 1991 and 1998. It was during this time that Johnny felt God calling him into a ministry that would usher in Heavy Metal music that was so powerful, so fresh…that people would sense the spirit of God and come to a realization that God desired each and every one of His creations to know Him intimately.

This will be a one person business for a while. Johnny’s planned salary is shown in the Personnel table below.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The following sections will outline the general financial assumptions, break-even analysis, profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet and business ratios.

7.1 Important Assumptions

The following table shows some of the basic financial assumptions used in this business plan.

7.2 Break-even Analysis

The Break-even Analysis indicates approximately $1,700 is needed in monthly revenue to break even. The Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost varies over the course of the first year, as seen in the P & L appendix table, and this figure is an average based on the first-year totals.

7.3 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table will indicate projected profit and loss.

7.4 Projected Cash Flow

Heavy Metal Praise will begin with adequate investment to cover the beginning months of negative cash flow and, as shown below, have an overall increase in cash balance by the end of the first plan year.

7.5 Projected Balance Sheet

The following chart and table indicates balance sheet.

7.6 Business Ratios

Business ratios for the years of this plan are shown below. Industry profile ratios based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 7929, Musical Groups and Artists, are shown for comparison.

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