Here's a funding route I love for all sorts of situations: Start small, and go directly to your intended audience.

Use a pre-sale campaign with a tilt mechanism (one that requires crossing a certain threshold before anyone is charged - so that you can ensure you will cover your costs and not leave anyone with unfulfilled obligations).

In this way - you are raising funds and marketing in a single bound - rather than dividing your efforts in two.

Ultimately, if you raise funds from an investor (not sure where Chamber Music Concert Investors are to be found outside the usual patron of the arts set, but that's a different issue) you'll then need to repay that investment from the sale of tickets, boxes, memberships, packages or however you intend to charge your end audience.

Happy to expand on this notion and tie it to your specific goals - I'll just need some more details.

I've been in the business as an independent artist for over 10 years. I've recorded 7 albums and have more than 10 million streams on Spotify. I've also done a lot of house shows and still do.

I believe the platform you'll need: https://www.openstageit.com/

But your fundraising success will be determined by your existing network (mailing list, social media, direct word of mouth). So if your fanbase is still developing I also recommend http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/.

Let me know if you have any questions and I'd be happy to schedule a call.

Cheers,
Ernie Halter

Ask everybody.

I am not trying to sell you on calling me. Really, I am pretty busy with my businesses and consulting. However, I need more info before I could have a greater impact in helping you.

Ask, Ask, Ask, then Ask again.

Bonus:
Here is $10,000 worth of information for free and in a nutshell.

Concentrate on the 3 M's. There are actually 7, but 3 will do for now. These are Market, Message, and Media. They come in that order.

Who is your target market (customer, clients, buyers, users, etc.)?
Tailor your laser focused message for this target market.
What is the best media mix to get your message to that market?

Here's what you do...first, make it an offer that is so incredible that they cannot resist. Secondly, do all the work for them. Make it so easy to make the purchase now that they can do it virtually without effort. Thirdly, give them an incentive to act right now. Fourthly, offer an almost unbelievable guarantee. Fifth, offer a bonus for acting now. There are many other incredible steps, but these steps should help the novice to the professional sell anything.

Whether you are selling B2B or B2C, you have to focus on selling to only one person. You can actually sell to one person at a time while selling to millions at a time. They are one and the same. Don't get off track, what we call digital marketing selling is just selling in print. And that has not changed since Cluade Hopkins wrote "Scientific Advertising." Really long before he wrote the book.

The secret to success: I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with some of the biggest names in business, celebrities, actors, entrepreneurs, business people, and companies from startup to billion dollar operations. The number one reason for their success is doing what they know and love while doing it in new, creative, and innovative ways.

Ask, Ask, Ask. Have thick skin and learn from each "mistake." In a short while, the market will tell you what you need to do and who and what you need to ask. But get started now even if that just means asking a contact on LinkedIn.

While you are thinking, think big and think of something at least 1% better, newer, or different. And being cheaper is not a winning strategy.

Make decisions quickly and change decisions slowly..unless you are actually going off a cliff.

Remember these two 11 letter words...persistence and consistency. They are two of the most important tools ever invented.

Treat everybody you talk to and everybody you meet (including yourself) like each is your number one million dollar customer.

Bootstrap when possible and reasonable. Read "How To Get Rich" by Felix Dennis. Or better yet just remember the camel's nose in the tent story.

However, sometimes you just need to make a deal.

Listen, in any business you have to take some chances and some risks. Make sure you don't need a license and go for it. Remember, timid business people have skinny kids. Paraphrased from Zig Ziglar.

Best of luck,
Take massive action and never give up.
Michael

Michael Irvin, MBA, RN

See if Groupmuse operates in your city. They match hosts with chamber musicians. They have a revenue model for musicians, too.

http://www.groupmuse.com