In Search of the Magical Music Marketing Model.

From fan engagement through social media, to “freemiums”, to music streaming platforms, to whatever – there seems to be no end of expert advice, ideas and gimmicks meant to fill the hole left by the implosion of the record industry.

But it’s not just the absence of the old marketing model that’s causing so much chaos.

Due to cheap production and distribution, digital technology has created abundance to the point of over saturation. There’s more music available and more people creating it than at any time in history. Not only that, but easy online access to everything that’s ever been recorded is now possible.

The listening possibilities are limitless. Rather than repeatedly playing favourite and popular songs, you could probably listen to a stream of songs you’ve never heard before, without repetition, for the rest of your life.

So, how do you stand out?

Rather than listening to every newly minted expert out there, bleating on about social media and fan engagement – or worse, giving your music away free as a prop to selling t-shirts – learn and practice the fundamentals that have created every famous brand on the planet.

Marketing 101:

• Create a great product.
• Clearly define and position your product: Simplify and reduce. It’s better to own a short sentence, or better yet, one word in the minds of your intended audience.
• Create an image, tone and attitude that projects your positioning in every piece of communication you do.
• Build awareness as inexpensively as possible: Try Google TV ads for example.
• Persuade and promote: With outbound links to your website, ask incoming visitors to sign up to receive ongoing information, or access to a private members area and reward them for it.
• Create and continue to build a database of fans. How about rewards for inviting a friend?
• Make your marketing content surprising, valuable, relevant and therefore welcome. Don’t spam.
• Get to know your audience better with every marketing effort and improve your product and marketing based on the information.
• Optimize (dump the stuff that doesn’t work, improve the stuff that does) and repeat the process.

The first point is the most important. Your product is the point of differentiation that separates you from your competition. It’s also where most brands and bands fail. Mainly because people feel safer following, rather than creating something different and new. However, thinking safe is the riskiest thing you can do.

Despite the massive amount of competition in music today, most music is engineered to be mediocre – as is typical with everything. So, start with creating a product that is different. Something people haven’t heard before and didn’t know they wanted until you came along.

As for the other points, don’t become overwhelmed. Focus on what you can do, do it well and build over time.

Comments? Agree? Disagree? Feel free to drop your thoughts below.

Posted via web from Flatacre