A couple of weeks ago, Imogen Heap came through Nashville. This was just after a huge flood hit the city, causing about $1.6 Billion in damages and displacing thousands of people.
The show was full of audience participation, but this took it to a new level. Instead of having somebody call out a request or doing a singalong, Imogen asked the crowd for a time signature, a tempo, and a key, then created a song with them.
Most shows are a "one-way" thing... The artist performs and people in the audience listen. This changed that, since the audience was actually part of the song being created.
The song was recorded and now it's for sale. All the money goes to flood relief. Buy the track now and see how she does it...
This is something she does in every city, by the way. And it works on so many levels... For one, it's not just any charity; it's a charity that means something to the local audience. It's also a moment in time, much like a photo, that lets people take the experience of a live performance home with them. And beyond just that, it's an experience of something they were actually an active part of, beyond just sitting in a chair and watching it happen.
Lack of followup from the thousands of people touring acts play for each night is "money on the table" at its finest. For a show like this, people pay around $50-100/ticket. They're obviously fans and fans never stop at just one purchase...but they do have to know something is available for them to buy.
How do you do this? A mailing list.
But people don't just sign up for a mailing list, you have to offer them a benefit for doing so, or make it part of another transaction in which you get their mailing information. Selling somebody a recording like this is that transaction.
People also have to like you and trust you before they'll do any business with you...and doing something for a charity they can relate to is a good way to make that happen.
Everybody has $1, right? Everybody wants to help others, right? Combine the two in your music marketing and you'll not only build great rapport and goodwill with your fans, but you'll also build a huge mailing list that you can use to promote other things.
Other things about this show which built rapport and goodwill...
1. Brought in a local act to open as well as join her on stage during the main performance.
2. Before the show, had people go to her website and tell her which songs they wanted to hear.
Now it's your turn... How are you building goodwill and rapport with your audience? Post your comments below...
David, great advice. I think Imogen is brilliant and what she is doing with the Live improv thing is absolutely brilliant and selling it the next day for a local charity in-dear's her to her audience. What I think about the improv it's terrible, but that doesn't matter they will still buy it again Brilliant if someone like Mac Davis with the way he improvised back in the day was to capture that on tape and sell it would be album's worth. I say all this to day Good on ya Imogen for what your doing. Brilliant marketing. Get better at improv though
Posted by: JT | June 27, 2010 at 06:52 PM
Yeah, the improvised isn't as good as what she records, but keep in mind that she is working with what the audience gives her. For the Nashville show, it was 3/4 time and a minor key...certainly different from what she normally puts out.
I think the fact that it's not perfect is actually very cool as it shows the amount of work she puts in to get the stuff on the album to the level it is. That isn't always obvious and I think people will find it encouraging that, with a bit of work, they may be able to come up with something just as polished.
Posted by: David Hooper | June 27, 2010 at 07:08 PM
I've always loved Imogen Heap, but this brought it to a whole new level for me. Brilliant, and the fact is that artists aren't so far above the general population as we used to let them be. The audience wants to be cared about now.
I think it's a good development.
Great post about a great artist.
Posted by: EMackenzieMusic | June 30, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Love the concept. Part of the endearment to the audience is the vulnerability of the artist. This is definitely taking a risk and even if the improv is not great, the audience is going to love you just for trusting them that much.
Pam Mark Hall
Posted by: Pam Mark Hall | June 30, 2010 at 01:00 PM
I can't agree more with you on this one. I think more than anything else, there has to be chemistry between the artist and the fans. The greatest appeal that you can have with your music is your connectivity with your fans. The fans will serve as your duet being an artist. If that duet proves to be successful, then you will also be as an artist.
Posted by: Nate | July 12, 2010 at 07:13 PM