It’s hard to get off stage.

Being a songwriter is weird. You dig deep inside yourself. You extract and explain your emotions. Then you broadcast your innermost feelings to the biggest possible audience.

It’s a life that demands a deep focus on yourself. It’s all you, you, you. It’s a one-way road that goes from inside of you out to the audience.

Because of this, it’s hard for you to turn that off, switch directions, and just listen to others.

The essence of marketing is looking at everything from the other person’s point of view. So it’s no surprise that musicians find it hard to switch into that mode.

It’s OK. Have some compassion for your situation. It’s a side-effect of the craft. Don’t beat yourself up over it.

But first, before you begin marketing, get off the stage. Pause your habit of broadcasting. Turn the spotlight on your audience. And get ready to listen.