I get emails from bands all around the world that are looking to get ahead. I appreciate them very much, and hope I can help find work, or advance an entertainers career in some way.

Occassionally, I will sense an less than appreciative attitude from an entertainer that will probably not make me very enthusiastic to help them. It's difficult to tell artists that they might want to look at their communication skills with others. I have come up with a couple of ideas that might help, if you are not getting what you want in the entertainment industry.

1) Be nice. Nobody likes negativity. Be positive, and warm.

2) Try not to start an email with something like, "I want you to do this for me". Right off the bat, it doesn't set a good tone. Relationships with agents, labels, or clients are two way affairs. You do something for them, and they do something for you. Try to start by asking if there is anything you can do for them. That really turns it around. Most people are not prepared for someone to ask to help them.

3) Be professional. Your letters, emails and phone calls should be businesslike, with reasonable sentence structure and spelling. Get help, if necessary! Anyone who can help you, will need assurance that you will conduct yourself properly with others.

4) Thank them - no matter what. Always, say "thank you, and I hope to be of assistance in the future", whether they can help, or not. You never know when the next time that person might need your help. It is amazing how often someone will call back years later, and give you help, especially if you help them.

5) Dump the ego. You are not the greatest thing since the beginning of time. The greatest artists have, inevitably, been the ones that realize there many other unrecognized artists that have not had the money, resources or willpower to make a living at their art.

6) Be patient. Things take time, and I mean years....Getting gigs, record contracts, concerts, etc., all take awhile to come together. The farther ahead you schedule your life, the more consistent it will become. Try to put a timeline together, and create a series of tasks to finish a goal. Be very reasonable with the timeline, and remember other people have other things to do, besides you.

7) Learn about business. Making art is only half of what you need to make a living in music or the arts. Read many books about business, marketing, PR, etc., so that you can ask intelligent questions about the industry your in. Even if your goal is to get someone else to run your business (and it is a business!), the more you know about it, the less of a chance you won't be ripped off!