A Stage-Based Guide for Sheet Music Publishers (Who’d Rather Be Composing Than Planning)
Let’s face it: most people who start a sheet music publishing business aren’t in it for the spreadsheets.
You’re a composer, an arranger, a music educator. You’ve got ideas to share and a catalog to build. But the moment your music starts selling—digitally, in print, or through distribution—you’re not just an artist anymore. You’re running a business.
And like any business, if you want to grow without burning out, you need structure. Strategy. Systems.
The good news? You don’t need an MBA to think in phases.
In this article, we’ll walk through a simple, stage-based roadmap for building and growing your sheet music publishing company—without getting stuck in overwhelm.
Phase 1: Foundation — Make the Music Work First
Focus: Product Quality + Identity
This is where it all begins. You’re writing, arranging, engraving, and releasing pieces under your name or a house brand. You may be using Finale or Dorico, creating PDFs, and distributing via email, a basic website, or a third-party platform like Sheet Music Plus.
The goal of this phase:
- Build a small but excellent catalog
- Define your style, strengths, and unique musical value
- Test the waters with your first few buyers
Key questions to answer:
- Who is my audience? (Church choirs? School ensembles? Professionals?)
- What kind of music do I love creating and want to be known for?
- How will I deliver the music? PDF, print, or both?
Don’t worry about: automation, hiring, full e-commerce setups. Yet.
Phase 2: Formalize — Turn the Hustle into a System
Focus: Workflow + Sales Infrastructure
This is where you go from “side hustle” to “real business.”
You need:
- A real website (ideally WordPress, not Wix)
- A catalog management system (spreadsheet to begin but move on quickly, SuiteCRM, Salesforce or similar)
- A process for creating, releasing, and promoting new titles
- A clear product format (PDF, saddle-stitch print, audio preview, cover image)
This phase is about consistency.
You’re no longer chasing individual sales—you’re building repeatable systems for:
- Uploading and formatting new works
- Sharing on social/email
- Tracking royalties and licenses
It might not feel glamorous, but this is where real scale begins.
Publishing, Distribution, and Retail: Know the Difference
Before we move into growth, let’s pause and define some critical roles in the sheet music world. This is, of course, just an overview, but I think it’s a good place to start, in broad terms.
Publishing
Publishing is about owning and preparing the intellectual property—engraving the music, assigning metadata, registering copyright, formatting parts, and ensuring the music is ready for sale. You, as the publisher, are responsible for curation, editorial integrity, and overall brand identity.
Distribution
Distributors like Hal Leonard, Alfred, and sometimes even JW Pepper or MusicSpoke act as middlemen. They don’t typically own your work; they list it, warehouse it (for print), or deliver it (digitally) and take a cut of the revenue. They help extend your reach—but you’re still responsible for making your product desirable.
Retail
Retailers are customer-facing outlets—whether brick-and-mortar stores or online platforms. In some cases, they overlap with distributors (like JW Pepper, who does both), but in others, they’re distinct. Think of a small music store carrying your work on consignment.
You can be all three (especially in early phases), but understanding the distinction helps clarify your workflows, profit margins, and relationships.
Phase 3: Multiply — Expand the Catalog and Distribution
Focus: Growth Through Multiplication
You’ve proven your concept. Your core audience knows you. Now it’s time to expand:
- Bring on other composers (carefully)
- List with distributors like JW Pepper, GIA, ECS or Hal Leonard to name a few
- Standardize your metadata for SEO and search
- Implement automation via tools like Boost.space or Zapier
At this stage, you’re not just publishing music—you’re building a brand.
Your composer onboarding process, contract templates, and file naming systems all matter.
Key tip: Develop a consistent release cadence. Monthly? Quarterly? Build anticipation and trust with your audience.
Phase 4: Market — Become Discoverable Everywhere
Focus: Digital Visibility + Content Strategy
If you build it, they won’t come. You need to market.
This phase is about:
- SEO optimization (composer names, voicings, long-tail keywords)
- Structured data (so Google understands your site)
- Email marketing (list-building and campaign strategy)
- YouTube + social (score videos, live readings, composer interviews)
It’s not about being everywhere—it’s about being strategic.
Start with content:
- Monthly blog posts about pieces, composers, or seasonal programming
- Video previews of each new release
- Email series for conductors and educators
You don’t have to do it all. But you do have to show up.
Phase 5: Streamline — Automate and Delegate
Focus: Operations and Efficiency
By now, you probably have:
- 50+ products
- Multiple composers
- Orders coming in weekly (if not daily)
You also probably feel stretched.
That’s a sign it’s time to:
- Automate where possible (sales, tagging, CRM updates)
- Delegate tasks (engraving, uploading, customer service)
- Create SOPs (standard operating procedures)
- Document everything
This phase is about moving from reactive to proactive.
Your mindset shifts from:
“How can I get this done?”
To:
“How can someone else get this done right without me?”
Phase 6: Scale — Go Big (If You Want To)
Focus: Strategic Expansion
Scaling doesn’t mean bloating.
But if you want to:
- Build multiple imprints
- Offer subscriptions
- Create education programs or licensing platforms
- Sell internationally
- Support Yourself by making and selling music
…this is where strategy really matters.
At this level, you need to think like a media company.
- Brand architecture
- Rights and licensing models. Please don’t tell people they don’t need a license for your music or it’s okay to make copies. It makes you look small and unprofessional. We see this all the time when composers and founders don’t understand how licensing works.
- Wholesale vs. direct-to-consumer balance
- International metadata standards
Most importantly, you must stay true to your musical vision while leading a team.
Final Thought: Not Everyone Needs to Scale. But Everyone Needs a System.
You don’t need to be any of the big companies.
You just need to know where you are, and what to work on next.
This roadmap isn’t rigid. It’s a lens to help you:
- Avoid distractions
- Make better decisions
- Build a business that serves your music (not the other way around)
Because at the end of the day, publishing is still about people, purpose, and good music.
But a little structure? That goes a long way.