As with many of you, I continue to form my thoughts on the new paradigm of the internet, and more specifically, the music business. The two entities (technology and music) have been battling one another the better part of my professional career. Technology has brought the discovery of new music into every home, it’s as easy as the click of a button on Pandora, last.fm, and many others. While this is exciting for undiscovered artists, it can’t be the ONLY piece of the puzzle. Being discovered by a new fan is one thing, monetizing that relationship is much more complex.

How does your personality translate digitally?

You may be one of millions of great songwriters, musicians, or entertainers, but what is setting you apart? One of the great ways to distinguish your personality “online” is to blog…. just like I’m doing now. You’re end result is to create a perceived relationship with your reader. Hopefully there are those out there that can relate to you and what you write. People that can “feel your pain” or agree with you theories.

I’ve found two wonderful bloggers that I follow regularly because of their position and theory on technology and its implementation in the way I do business, and I think it is applicable here. When developing your digital identity, use these guys as guideposts.

The first is Chris Brogan and specifically, his blog on HOW to write a compelling blog. The second is Gerd Leonhard, the author of Music 2.0, and perpetual thinker on how technology is affecting the music industry. I’d direct you to a specific entry, but you’re better suited just adding him to your RSS feed. On the subject of inventing yourself to the digital community, check this out.

It’s all about participation in what your fans and customers are talking about. Be heard, have a voice, and lead rather than follow.