Content is Not King
Hell, the Grammys prove that year after year. Obviously, you don’t have to make very good music and people will buy it. It can even be downright terrible. Here’s why:
Sure, the Internet leveled the playing ground for a lot of us but it also muddied the waters; now, everyone’s an off-the-couch artist, writer, photographer, musician. Hence, content, i.e. music, is everywhere. And free. And virtually worthless.
What’s valuable is the way fans FEEL about your music, the connection you have with them, the shared experience. Naturally, if you’re making great music, that helps. But interestingly enough, it doesn’t really matter how good you are… it matters how good your BRAND is. That’s where the money is. From indie to Britney.
Think about it. That crappy cover band that has a gig at the bar down the street every Friday night? They make people feel good, nostalgic, whatever. And then those people buy more beer. And chances are they leverage the shit out of their brand. For example, Boomerang (yes, a real band). Their catchphrase is: “It’s All about… Good Times!!!” You get it.
So whether it’s Boomerang or Radiohead, basic public radio marketing tactics can apply (yes, we’ve been down this road before). But. It’s YOUR job to identify and celebrate your fans, to turn them into super-fans; your brand runs on super-fans.
Keep this in mind: super-fans work for you for free. Largely through word-of-mouth, super-fans act as marketing agents for bands they love. They can’t help themselves.
The trick is to keep them at it:
- Thank
- Reward
- Identify a Need
- Call to Action
- Super-Reward
Reminds you of public radio, right?
Like public radio, your super-fans are integral to your brand. Think of them as equal partners in your quest for monetization; simply put, you can’t do it without them.
Speaking of essentials, our Outlandos intern John keeps this blog going every week by publishing it in various places and wrestling with the nuances of WordPress and the Internet. We really, actually, quite literally, couldn’t do it without him. John is just getting his film career started at Vassar College. By way of thanking him for all of his hard work, please do check out a project he just finished:
Thanks John! As per usual, you RULE.xx
Tags: CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, Fans, KATE BRADLEY, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, Radiohead —
2/9/09
Categories: CUT THROUGH THE NOISE • KATE BRADLEY • OUTLANDOS MUSIC
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