10 Strategic Ways to Adjust Your Position in the Market
(With Real-World Samples You Can Model)
In this market, success is not necessarily about talent.
It’s about translation of your experience into a clear value position.
Below, each adjustment includes a clear sample so you can see exactly how positioning shifts from passive to compelling.
This is not a story about failure. It’s a story about calibration.
One artist. Thirty years in the industry. Thousands of kilometres in the van.
Calloused fingers. A catalogue of stories that could fill a tour bus.
He pitched into a few marketplaces. Confident. Established. Certain.
He passed the first gate. Onboarded. Waited.
Then nothing.
No dramatic rejection. No blacklist. No villain. Just silence.
And silence, in business, isn’t cruelty. It’s data.
So instead of turning this into a cautionary tale, let’s turn it into a playbook.
Here are 10 constructive ways to adjust your position in the market when traction stalls.
1️⃣ Shift From Experience to Relevance
Adjustment: Translate longevity into current value.
Weak Positioning:
“With over 30 years in the industry, John has performed across Australia.”
Stronger Positioning:
“After 30 years on national touring circuits, John now delivers a tightly produced, two-hour show engineered specifically for 35+ pub audiences who want high-energy nostalgia without the chaos.”
Experience reframed as commercial reliability.
2️⃣ Treat Silence as Feedback
Adjustment: Turn non-response into data-driven refinement.
Before:
Acoustic rock covers from the 80s to today.
After (clarified positioning):
A 90-minute, high-rotation 90s alt-rock set tailored for regional venues seeking 35–50 year old crowds who respond to Foo Fighters, INXS and Powderfinger.
Specificity creates fit.
3️⃣ Audit and Upgrade Visual Positioning
Adjustment: Modernise imagery.
Before:
Grainy stage photo
Harsh lighting
Inconsistent branding
After (sample description):
Clean hero image. Tight crop. Clear crowd engagement. Consistent colour grading. Strong stage lighting. Modern typography overlay for digital portals.
The difference? Instantly bookable vs. “local act.”
4️⃣ Move From Competent to Compelling
Adjustment: Show demand, not just skill.
Before Showreel Clip:
Artist performing in empty venue during soundcheck.
After Showreel Clip:
Open with 3 seconds of crowd singing back chorus. Vocals are strong, professional and in tune. Cut to packed room. Close with applause crescendo and MC announcement.
The market buys energy, not rehearsal.
5️⃣ Clarify Your Niche
Adjustment: Stop being “versatile.” Start being defined.
Before:
We play everything from 70s rock to modern pop.
After:
A high-energy 80s and 90s arena rock experience designed for major pub venues seeking nostalgic, dance-floor-filling sets.
Narrow equals memorable.
6️⃣ Replace Résumé Thinking With Market Thinking
Adjustment: Shift from biography to buyer language.
Before:
John has toured nationally and supported major Australian acts.
After:
A commercially proven headline act capable of driving 250–400 ticket sales in regional theatres, with a structured show format designed for smooth bump-in and predictable run times.
That’s operational language buyers understand.
7️⃣ Upgrade the Narrative
Adjustment: Remove ego protection. Insert strategic analysis.
Old Internal Story:
“The marketplace doesn’t respect experience.”
New Strategic Positioning Statement:
“We’ve refined our offer to clearly target venues seeking proven nostalgia-driven acts with strong mid-week draw.”
Emotion removed. Strategy installed.
8️⃣ Modernise Branding and Messaging
Adjustment: Update tone for today’s market.
Before Website Copy:
Bringing good vibes and great tunes to audiences everywhere!
After:
A precision-built live experience delivering high-recognition anthems for 30–50 year old audiences seeking premium nostalgia entertainment.
Sharper. More commercial.
9️⃣ Demonstrate Momentum
Adjustment: Show traction visibly.
Before:
No mention of recent activity.
After:
2025 Highlights:
– 18 sold-out regional shows
– Average attendance increase of 22% per venue
– 4 repeat bookings secured for 2026
Momentum reduces buyer risk.
🔟 Choose Upgrade Over Narrative
Adjustment: Implement visible improvements.
Before:
Same photos. Same copy. Same reel. Same pitch.
After (Practical Upgrade Example):
New cinematic showreel filmed in packed venue
Updated hero images
Rewritten bio targeting defined demographic
Refined playlist highlighting strongest response tracks
Clear headline positioning on booking portals
Result? The act reads as current. Focused. Intentional.
The Core Distinction
Talent is emotional. Positioning is structural.
The market rewards clarity, differentiation and visible demand.
Thirty years in the industry is impressive.
Thirty years translated into a compelling, current offer?
That’s leverage.
Written by Nichola Burton. I work in partnership with Agents, Artist Managers and Event Producers, who juggle a diverse range of relationships in the Musoverse, to curate, manage and measure data in systems, experience, creative and content to support the entire Musoverse operation in my enterprise A Little Pitchy Copyright 2026
