Tons of companies around the country are taking advantage of election enthusiasm by giving away products to people who vote. Krispy Kreme is giving away doughnuts. Starbucks is giving away coffee. Ben and Jerry's is giving away ice cream.
Not only does a promotion like this get a lot of publicity, it also gets people in the store, may of whom will have a scenario that goes something like this...
Voter 1: Hey, John. Where are you going for lunch today?
Voter 2: I'm broke. This economy sucks. I brought something from home.
Voter 1: You know since we voted today, we get a free cup of coffee at Starbucks, right?
Voter 2: Didn't know that. In that case, let's go. And while we're there, let's buy more stuff they sell. I could go for a $5 scone.
How much does a cup of coffee cost? Maybe $.25, with $.20 of that being the cost of the cup. But with Starbucks coffee costing $5/cup, the perceived value is a lot more.
You could do something similar to promote your band. Probably too late to take advantage of this election, but big events happen all the time. If they don't, be like the greeting card companies and make something up.
A "download" is cheap, but it can get you a lot of attention and encourage people to buy more stuff from you. Don't be afraid to give something away, even if it costs a little bit of money. As long as you make more than you could have otherwise (and don't lose money), you'll be in good shape. And even if you lose a little bit on the front end, you can often make it back later.
Giving away a doughnut or cup of coffee doesn't cost a lot of money, so it's not hard to make a profit on the front end. However, let's assume that 100% of the people come in to Starbucks or Krispy Kreme today, get the freebie, and leave...
Both companies will still make money. How? People will discover the ease of consumption. They'll think, "Hey, that was so easy, I could drop in anytime I need a cup of coffee."
Somebody who thinks like that will make these companies a lot more than the guy who just adds a $5 scone (or whatever) to his free cup of coffee.
These are the type of people you want as fans of your music.
Always think longterm. Are you running a "money maker" and doing the equivalent of living paycheck to paycheck, where you have to have money every single time, or are you running a real business that can look at the big picture and be willing to lose a bit of money now for greater profits in the end?
The "backend" is where real money is made. "Recurring" income, such as that from a fan who comes to show after show and buys album after album, is where the real money is made.
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