Chasing Lions

Using Google in your music endeavor

As we plan out the future of Puddlegum and the upcoming record label we’re forming, we have struggled to organize all our information and details. We needed a way to keep everything together so we don’t get lost in our own mess of plans.

We found two options that stood out above the rest. The first option is Google, one that millions of people are familiar with. We’ll write about the second option, Music Arsenal, later this week.

To start with, Google allows you to setup your domain with their web applications. In other words, you can create up to 50 email addresses that use Gmail and your domain address (such as flick@puddlegum.net). When you do this you’re sparing your server bandwidth use and storage space of hosting emails. But there are more reasons for setting your domain up with Google.

Something I appreciate about managing my domain through Google is that it’s possible to share your Gmail contacts with all of your users. Spending enough time, you can share phone numbers, addresses, instant messaging usernames, company information, and notes.

Google Calendars can be automatically shared between all of the email addresses, giving everyone access to daily plans and schedules. If you are planning a tour for example, you can share the calendar with your team, making certain events public or private. To keep fans updated you can embed the Google Calendar on the artist’s website without having to enter in the same event information twice.

The ability to share Google Docs is invaluable, considering that you have the applications that rival Office without having to spend $500 per license. Google Docs include Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations, all of which can be edited or viewed by numerous people. So if you need to create one-sheet for the tour you’re planning, you can have others proof it before you export it as a PDF. Spreadsheets could be used to keep track of expenses.

As you plan your tour route you may want to plot it out on a map. Google Maps is a perfect solution to this. We have used it to plot out routes, sharing the Google Map with those involved, and gathering input quickly. Other Google Maps can be overlaid on top of your tour route, helping you plot hotel stays or gas station stops.

To share emails or carry on further talks about your plans, create a Google Discussion Group. You can forward emails to your Discussion Group so everyone can share their thoughts, or start threads of discussions about your plans.

You can create your own Google Start page, at start.yourdomain.com, to pull it all together. You might encourage your team to have this as their home page so everyone will stay focused on your goals. Customizable, your Start page can have your logo replacing the Google logo, show your latest emails, calendars, documents, Google Talk, and to-do lists.

An advantage of using Google for your music endeavor is that you’re using tools that most people are already familiar with. The learning curve should be minimal, since millions of people already use Gmail and the Google Applications.

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