The first thing you need to do is establish some short range, medium and long term goals regarding what you want to accomplish. By the way, "Get a record deal" shouldn't be one of your goals (more on that later).
Think like a small business person who's trying to set goals and establish a plan to make a successful business. After all, a career in music is just that . . . business! You need to put your creative hat on a hook for a while and figure out how to turn music making into profit taking.
Decide what type of gigs you need to setup to get started. What merchandise do you need to create and most importantly, how do I make a CD of my music, first for promotion and most importantly for resale. Create a plan and stick to it. Sure it will morph and change as you go forward, but you'll have created a clear vision for what you want to accomplish with your music career.
Remember, play, play, play . . . everywhere and anytime you can at first. You need to be seen and heard, start a following and start a buzz about your music.
Next time . . . How to turn demos into profits!
