Those of you who enjoyed my post on Secrets of a 20-Year Music Career will enjoy this presentation on Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, which gives a lot of detail on exactly what he is doing to connect with fans and give them reasons to buy.
Here is an updated version of the same presentation, with extra footage at the end, which explains how these techniques can work for musicians who aren't as well known...
I'm a big believer in congruency when it comes to your image and music. In short, if you're going to play music that sounds like Slayer, you really need to look like you worship Satan and just sacrificed a virgin...
Of course, sometimes not looking like the music you create can be a plus and make you stand out more. Like this girl for instance...
Do you think about your image as it related to the style of music you play? Post comments below...
If you want to make the big money in the music business, one of the ways to do it is to invent something that catches on. The "invention" doesn't have to be something brand new...it can be an offshoot of or an improvement on something which already exists.
Think about creating a style of music (or specific song) which is associated with a type of dance. Even better is having somebody develop a dance, just for your song. The easier the better... Go to a wedding and you'll see what I mean.
People like songs like Macarena, YMCA, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, etc. Why? Because people love to dance. Unfortunately, it's not that easy for most. Dancing in front of people in a bigger fear than public speaking.
If you want to make really big money, what you develop has to be easy and something which everybody can do...of at least thinks they can do. Again, think Macarena, YMCA, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, etc.
There are hundreds of ways to use this concept to make money. The video below is of a dance based in Memphis, which has helped to get some great publicity for the entire city. Although not something your grandmother or frat boys will be able to take on, it works, because it's very interesting to watch.
This isn't the first time something like this has come from Memphis. Rufus Thomas had a number of hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, notably a string of songs that were tied to a then-current dance craze: "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do the) Push and Pull," "The Breakdown," and "Do the Funky Penguin." In 1972, at his Wattstax performance, he lead a crowd of 40,000 in the "Funky Chicken." If you want your song to really take off, the dance associated with it has to be that easy.
Every scene, band, and genre of music has the opportunity to do this. Are you doing anything specific in your area or with your music which is similar? Post comments below...
This month Nashville voters will head to the polls to vote on the
English Only Charter Amendment. This Amendment would preclude the use
of all non-English languages by Nashville's government.
The situation is very similar to what recently happened in California with Proposition 8.
There is a huge marketing lesson in these situations...
In my opinion, the reason Proposition 8 passed in California and the reason somebody would vote "yes" on Nashville's Charter Amendment is lack of understanding how the "other side" feels.
If you're not gay, why do you care about gay marriage? It doesn't affect you.
If you speak English, why do you care if it's the only option? You'll be ok.
But both these situations affect some people in a big way...and this is a huge marketing lesson.
If you're going to sell somebody something, whether it be music or anything else, you need to understand how the potential buyer feels. You have to understand their needs, their wants, their desires, their struggles, and everything else that would either pull them toward or push them away from buying.
Who does the best job at selling golf clubs? Somebody who plays golf.
Why? Because he understands the needs, wants, and desires of golfers. He can relate to them in a way nobody else can.
Who does the best job of writing songs people can relate to? The people who have been in love, been dumped, been happy, been sad, and otherwise experienced life.
Last month, I did a "case study" on how to leverage time and get more done using Twitter (follow me). In short, this was to show people how to get the most of their time.
Today I going to talk about leverage in another area of your music business, your live show. You're playing live, which more or less is the same work from gig to gig, regardless of whether you're playing to ten people or 10,000 people.
The issue is promotion. Getting 10,000 people to a show is usually a lot more effort than getting ten people to a show.
What can you do to make this easier? Find the "leverage point." In other words, the sweet spot where you get the most bang for your buck.
Just picked up one of the weekly entertainment papers we have in Nashville. As usual, it's full of live music.
Over the last few years, as the entertainment market has gotten more saturated with options. Not only do we have more musicians than ever, we've also got more non-music options-- more movies to watch, more television channels, more radio stations, and more video games. It's getting harder and harder for new bands to break.
In the last ten years, "tribute" bands have become more and more popular. A big reason for this is because promotion is easier. In short, people have already heard the songs being played, so you have one less step in order to get them to come see a live performance of those songs.
In the current paper I have...
- The Breakfast Club (80s Tribute) - Wrong Way (Tribute to Sublime) - Christie's Ex (Tribute to Billy Joel) - Big Wooly Mammoth (Tribute to Widespread Panic)
And that's just one club.
This is an example of a leverage point. And it's even more powerful than most, since it's already been established in a huge way.
Billy Joel has a huge fanbase. Sublime has a huge fanbase.
Every band, musician, and songwriter has points of leverage within their businesses. Every one...not just the tribute acts.
What can you align yourself with which will allow you to get more leverage from your promotion?
Examples...
- charities - geography - musical style - sexual orientation - race or ethnicity
Post examples in the comments section. If you're doing something creative, I'll feature you here, on my radio show, or elsewhere.
Anybody who thinks that success in music is "all about the music" needs to read this.
In 2006, Ronald Jenkees started a YouTube channel and put up videos of himself playing keyboards. Pretty soon, people started watching, and telling their friends, and buying his self-released album.
There's nothing really special about the production quality of his videos... They're pretty basic, just like anything else you can see thousands of times from everybody and his brother, who thinks they have something to say via the computers in their bedrooms.
But the authenticity of the videos, as well as the music, is something you don't see often. "Video quality" is more than just a sharp picture, you know.
An example...
When I talk about developing a relationship with fans using video, this is what I'm talking about. Every musician using video should strive to do something like Ronald Jenkees is doing.
But is Ronald Jenkees real? As his popularity has increased, so has the number of skeptics who say the whole thing is just an act and that "Ronald Jenkees" is actually Ben Feltes, a guy who studied music at Murray State University in Murray, KY.
The music he makes is good. But, in my opinion, a big part of Ronald Jenkess' appeal is that he's a guy, just like any of us were at one time, in his bedroom with big dreams of making music that the world would hear. The only difference is that he, while still in his bedroom, because famous, at least on some level, and the world is hearing his music. And, he's making a living at it.
Underdog comes out on top.
It's his story that put Ronald where he is. When I say you need a "hook" to market yourself, this is exactly what I'm talking about. It takes your music and makes it 10,000x more powerful.
Don't lie though...
I have no way to know one way or another if what people are saying is true and that Ronald Jenkees is a fake. But I do know that what helps you one minute can be the same thing that bites you in the ass the next.
Like I said, Ronald Jenkees is us. He's the guy with the "big dream" who sits in his bedroom, practicing like crazy, hoping that the right person will discover him, and take him to the next level of music business success...with world tours, big album sales, fame, and respect.
People love this story. People want to help a guy like this.
And if those people find out they've been lied to, they'll turn on you in an instant... Much like they do the homeless guy who asks for food money, only to turn around and spend it on booze.
If Ronald Jenkees turns out to be a fake, good music or not, he'll be slapping a lot of people in the face. It will be 10,000x harder than any lying homeless guy ever could though...because we've all been where Ronald Jenkees is and we want to believe he's who is says he is more than we've ever wanted to believe that a homeless guy would actually buy food with our spare change.
All the kids who believed that you really could teach yourself how to make great music, the wannabe musicians who still believe it's possible to have fame just by sitting in your bedroom and making videos to post online, and the people in the world who don't look or act like everybody else...they're going to be pissed.
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.
This is a great example of what I was talking about a few days ago when I mentioned leveraging current events to promote your music...
Here's another one, which isn't a direct promotion, but certainly does a good job of using a current event to bring attention to the group.
Keep the examples coming. Are there no McCain fans in the music business?
If you're doing something cool to promote your music, I'll post it here. And if you're doing something really cool, I'll feature you and your music on Music Business Radio.
What does Barack Obama know about video games that you don't?
Judging by the pictures below, he knows they're a great way to reach certain types of people...like the people who would like to see Barack Obama as President!
These images are from the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. This is official advertising placed by the senator’s campaign team.
So what does this have to do with you and your music? You can get the same type of access to the people playing this game (and others like it) without paying a dime. In fact, the companies which develop these games will actually pay you.
How? Music licensing!
Video games are a huge business right now. In fact, by 2011, the business of video games will be twice as large as the business of music. And that's great news for you...
Because of the huge boom in the video game business, developers are going crazy coming up with new titles. And with those new titles comes an increased need for music to be used in the background.
Why do much music? Let me give you one example...
Have you played one of the new generation car games? They're highly realistic, down to the last details...like the billboard on the side of the road or the radios in the cars themselves.
And just like you'll see this on the side of the road...
...you'll have a car radio where you can pick from any number of stations, each with its own style of music, just like you'd get on your real car radio.
Because of this authenticity, there is a huge need for music. And the "car radio" example is just one of many. Video game developers are using music all over.
As I mentioned earlier, the video game industry is growing like crazy and making record profits. They need music and are willing to pay for it, so this means a good opportunity for you to earn money.
But when you're in video games, your music is exposed to tens of thousands of people, even hundreds of thousands of people, which can mean...
more CD and download sales
more concert ticket sales
more publicity for your music
more credibility for your music
more fans
And that's just the beginning...
So how does it happen? Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to help you put all the pieces together. One of the ways I'm going to do that is via a free teleconference where you can call me directly via the phone.
I only have a limited number of phone lines, so "seats" to this event are limited. If you want to be sure to get in, your best bet is to get on my "early notification" list. You can sign up below. I also recommend you subscribe to my feed. It's free and you'll be instantly updated on new blog posts on the subject.
To stay updated and have "early notification" about my free teleconference on music licensing...
1. Subscribe to my feed. It's free and this will make sure you're instantly updated when I post a new video or other information on licensing music.
2. Sign up for email updates. Not only will you get "early notification" to the teleseminar on music licensing, you'll also get bonus information, such as the direct contact information for music supervisors that I can't post here.
Input your name and primary email address below. That way you'll be sure to stay on top of everything.
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