ArtistForce’s presence at SXSW 2008 in March was part of a huge pre-launch promotion that included exhibits at the trade show, giveaways, mobile billboards and more. ArtistForce is a progressive new online system developed to provide members of the live entertainment industry a single platform through which individuals can network and generate business.

During SXSW 2008, ArtistForce signed on hundreds of new clients. “SXSW gave ArtistForce the chance to address an entirely new set of artists and talent buyers from all over the world,” said Jonathan Romley, founder and CEO of ArtistForce. “We are targeting the kinds of folks who come to SXSW — artists, agents, managers, venues, promoters and talent buyers.

ArtistForce officially launched June 1 of this year. We caught up with Jonathan recently and asked him to share some thoughts about his company and the state of the music business.

How are you marketing the company after the launch?

ArtistForce will be at the Village Voice Siren Music Festival in New York on July 19, we’re hosting Lunch 2.0 Hollywood (a tech industry event with Mixergy) in August, exhibiting at industry trade shows, signing up thousands of Venues, Promoters, and Talent Buyers all over the world, rolling out a great affiliate program and calling everyone we know! The best promotion will come from the success of people who use the platform - our goal is to drive success in the ArtistForce community.

What was the genesis of ArtistForce? This is a brand new model for working in this section of the industry.

That’s right, ArtistForce is definitely a new model, and we are really excited to be providing a solution that works for everyone involved in the live entertainment booking process. We are building a community of live entertainment professionals based on business relationships where people can work more effectively, forge new relationships and take advantage of expanded opportunities. Everybody wins.
There is a basic lack of business technology in the live entertainment industry. Many live entertainment bookings are contracted on paper – and many indie bands don’t use contracts at all, leaving the band exposed. From Offer all the way to Settlement, ArtistForce is the first comprehensive solution for live entertainment business.

How do you see ArtistForce impacting the music business?

We believe ArtistForce will drive growth in Music and Live Entertainment by increasing the opportunity for Bands to grow independently, and expand the reach of their music through live performances. Music Consumption is at an all time high. Consumers are simply changing the way they learn about and experience music. A decade ago, fans supported their favorite artists by purchasing recorded music, attending concerts, and buying merchandise. Today, concert and tour revenue are the major revenue drivers for Artists.

It’s an incredibly valuable solution for indie artists. ArtistForce is delivered “On Demand”, which means there is no software to download, no hardware to buy – all you need is a web browser and you’re all set to receive and negotiate offers, generate contracts, manage bookings, share contacts, settle shows, read industry news, research 25+ years of industry data, and network with other subscribers.

Read the article on SXSW.com

From C|Net Webware.com:

“The key attention-grabbers seemed to be recently out-of-beta Engage, which helps you connect with potential dates within your existing social network, and last-minute-add ArtistForce, whose reps smartly hung a huge banner to help raise visibility in an otherwise tough corner spot.”

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9917784-2.html

ArtistForce on the sponsor display…

…. and Joel Lindenberg explains everything ArtistForce.

Techcrunch Link:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/15/2100-people-party-in-la-with-popsugar-and-techcrunch/

A progressive new system developed to provide members of the live entertainment industry a single platform, through which each individual can freely network and generate business; ArtistForce will bring an entirely new set of tools to the talented people working in the live entertainment industry. Starting off with a splash, ArtistForce began an aggressive product launch campaign, at the music trade show at South by Southwest on March 14th, in Austin, Texas. The launch proved to be a huge success and ArtistForce has already signed on thousands of eager clients, all of whom will enjoy three complementary months of service and all of whom are the potential winners of a brand new Smart Car, courtesy of ArtistForce.

Cognizant of the fact that the music world is in a state of technological turmoil, enabling agents and artists alike to conduct their business more efficiently, Romley created ArtistForce in recognition of the unique velocity of technology in the live entertainment industry. ArtistForce delivers streamlined efficiency, an unparalleled number of choices, connection, and control, by centralizing a user’s day-to-day business. Paving the way for new relationships and creating opportunities for industry professionals all over the globe, ArtistForce will revolutionize the way the live entertainment industry does business, by offering working professionals the tools they need to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

The ArtistForce Display @ SXSW 2008: