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Pink Ribbon PR Nightmare - What Musicians Can Learn From It

Every musician needs to watch what is happening to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. This is exactly what will kill your music career.

To summarize... Koman cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, some people got pissed, Koman reinstated funding to keep those people happy, and now almost everybody is pissed.

Comments the organization's Facebook wall:

"When I heard you dropped Planned Parenthood.....I made a donation to the Koman charity......and today I called visa and had it canceled.....what a fraud organization you are......on the national Susan G Koman website you have women wearing pink t-shirts which read....we celebrate life but then you monitarily support abortion which kills life.....unbelievable!!!!!"

"I applauded you for defunding PP. Now that you have caved in, you are to be pitied for lacking the spine to confront baby killers."

"I will never give this organization a dime! Planned Parenthood is primarily an abortion factory!"

"Do you realize next year all this controversy will return? READ THE PRESS RELEASES. The only thing Komen changed their stance on is the policy to not fund orgs under investigation. They will honor this year which they said from go...next year PP will be "eligible" for a new grant...this is just a back pedal to save a little face...I ain't biting this slimy hook!"

"If I didn't think SGK would change their mind again I would write them a check. Ill just send it straight to planned parenthood."

"Susan Korman-You are spineless and never again will I donate to your cause. You are just as bad as the baby killers of Planned Parenthood!"

Remember this...

You cannot please everybody.

Try to do that, which is what Susan G. Koman is attempting, and you'll end up right where they are. Everybody will be skeptical of you and nobody will be happy.

You're much better off taking a stand, isolating some people, and giving those that are left exactly what they want.

Time to Expand Your Music Business?

Jack Daniel's is the best-selling whiskey in the world. Because of this, we all know the "square" bottle, the black/white label, and all about Lynchburg [Pop.361], Tennessee.

Did you know Lynchburg is in "dry" country? Sure you did.

Did you know, since they can't serve whiskey in Lynchburg, you're served lemonade when you tour the distillery? Sure you did.

So why is Jack Daniel's doing "non-whiskey" things like this?

And this?

Because people who like Jack Daniel's whiskey also like meat! And if they're going to get meat anyway, it might as well be from Jack Daniel...

Even if you've got a hot product that sells a lot, it can be a good idea to expand to other things.

So what do fans of your music like and they'd buy from you, if you were to offer it to them? If they're the same type of people who like Jack Daniel's, perhaps your own brand of hot sauce would be a good place to start.

Here is My Bank Account Number...

Got this in my email box last week...

"Hi david hooper thanks alot now iam giving you authority to do everything but asist me with some money(2000$ dollas)so that i produce videoz&send every thing at once,but before you send i request you kindly to tell me theday,where to get the money from,after that i send mo new music thanks, your good man lets go ahead me&you have agood night."

Not sure where this guy is from, but as I was trying to be courteous to different cultures and how they do things, I originally decided not to post the message in the Funny Musician Emails section. 

Then I got another email from him.

And another.

And about 10 more after that...

So I changed my mind.

Messages like this...

"Hi david hooper how you today? after one week iam going to give you my acount(in barclays bank and my ID number (removed) phone number (phone number in Uganda) thank you."

And this...

"Hi david hooper i made mistake the phone number is (another phone number in Uganda) but it is not available at this time ID number is correct,acount number i will give it to you next week but it is in(BARCLAYS BANK) more to that i have another adress (another email address) have agood night."

Whether the messages are legitimate or not, I have no idea. For the point of this post, it doesn't matter.

And the point of this post is...

You will have a better response to your "pitch" if, before you approach somebody, you find out how the person communicates, how he does business, and how he's done deals in the past.

It works for everything...

Want a date with a certain woman? Find out what she likes and hand it to her on a silver platter.

Want to sell more Mary Kay cosmetics? Show up wearing a pink suit.

Want to get your song cut by ___________? Listen to previous songs cut by ___________ and pitch something similar, but different.

Good luck with your pitch!

What Do Your Fans Want? (Part 3) - What They REALLY Want

People lie. They say they'll come to your show, but they don't. They say they've purchased your album, but they haven't. They say they're vegetarians when they actually eat fish.

It's not that people are all liars though... Sometimes, like the vegetarian thing, it's perception. Just ask anybody who has been on an online dating site... What people THINK is an honest description of themselves can sometimes be far from "honest."

What does an "average" body type mean?

And what qualifies as "married" anyway?

You get the point...

This stuff can fool even the best marketers. Until you've rolled out your product or service and have people actually handing over their cash for it, you can't be sure. Just ask Coca-Cola.

Fortunately, technology has allowed us to "spy" on people to get information about what they actually spend their money on and where they spend it, not just what they say (or think) they do.

Sites I recommend and why...

1. Foursquare - This is the best way to find out where your fans hang out and can make your job of reaching them a lot easier. If you notice they're all going to certain places, perhaps you need to think about being in those places too...

2. Blippy - Where are your fans spending money? What are they buying? How much did something cost? Blippy knows... Click here for an example of where I'm spending my money.

There are other variations of each of these sites, but these are the big ones for their categories and probably the best place for you to start.

What Do Your Fans Want? (Part 1) - Product Research

If you had access to "X-Ray Glasses" that would allow you to see exactly what your fans wanted, do you think it would help you to sell more music and get more people to shows?

If so, keep reading, because I have a tool that does just this... In fact, there is a good chance you've already used it at some point.

Almost every group we belong to has its own "language." If you go to church, you may hear about a "crisis of faith." If you go to a yoga studio, you're probably familiar with the term "Adho Mukha Svanasana." If you play Scrabble, you know what "Triple-Word Score" means.

So let's say you've got some music that's very relaxing and you think it would be good for a yoga studio? Obviously, if you're part of this group, actively going to yoga classes, that's the best way to know what others in this market are looking for. What if you have no personal interest in yoga though?

Perhaps the quickest and best way to get connected with buyers in any market is to hit a site with product reviews, such as Amazon. Read the reviews, find out how people talk, what they're looking for, what they like about certain products, and what they can do without...

When you develop your product, talk in their language, give them what they want, and avoid what they don't. This will put you way ahead of something creating something at random, throwing it against a wall, and hoping it sticks.

Charging Money for "Free" Stuff

Just booked a flight on Air Canada. Once I had paid for the ticket, I was given the opportunity to select my seat, which included this upsell...

I think this is brilliant and here is why...

1. Just because something is (or was) "free" doesn't mean it's not worth paying for.

I'm 6'3". The comfort that comes from having a little extra leg room is worth $20 to me and I'm happy to pay it. In fact, I'd rather have the option of paying for it than getting it for free, since $20 takes a lot of my competition for the seat out of the running and gives me a better opportunity to actually get it.

"Competition" in this case is the 5' lady who booked two months ago. She'd probably take the seat for free, because extra room is always nice, but it's not worth $20 to her.

So everybody is happy... I get more leg room, the 5' lady gets her needs met, and Air Canada makes more money.

2. It's money on the table.

The downside for airlines is that airplane exit rows are required by law. Air Canada, like other airlines, has no choice whether to have them or not. The cost cannot be eliminated.

The upside is that people actually like sitting in an exit row.

So why not charge people for the privilege?

If you've got something for sale in limited quantity, even if it's something you've been giving away for free, charging something for it will not only benefit you, it may also benefit your customers.

You've also got fixed costs of running your music business, like recording costs, that could be offset by allowing people to participate in them. Music Producers Institute is a great example of this.

I encourage you to look at what you currently consider "free" to see it charging for it might actually be a benefit to you and your customers. In addition, take a look at fixed costs within your business, because many of them can be offset through options such as what Air Canada is doing with seats in exit rows. 

You Missed a $251,100 Opportunity

Being first matters. People remember the guy who wins the Gold medal, not the Silver.

And being first pays off...

A Seattle-based band needed money to record an album. Instead of doing the "normal" things that indie bands do, like get jobs, charge up credit cards, or get loans from relatives, they got on eBay and auctioned the naming rights for the band to the highest bidder.

The result is that the band got $251,100 from BuyStock.net and is now known as Buystock.net Band.

Why so much? Because being first matters. Because the kind of publicity BuyStock.net can get from something like this is worth $251,100.

Unfortunately for you, nobody is going to care about the next guy to come along and try this... It's been done and can't be repeated.

The good news is that there is something that hasn't been done yet and it's likely worth just as much money, if not more.

So go do it!

Making People Wait... Why It May Be a Good Idea

Was in the car today, listening to some channel on XM, and a song by The Cure came on. It took me back to when I was growing up, listening to college radio.

For a minute, I was reminded of what things used to be like...

15-20 years ago, and certainly before that, we didn't have the "access" to music (and other media) we have today. If you wanted to hear a song, there were only a couple of ways for you to do that-- you could listen to the radio and hope that it would come on or you could buy a copy of it...if you could find it.

Today, you can easily get a quality copy of any song you want, even if it hasn't been officially released. And we have so many "radio stations" available to us, whether they be on satellite, cable, online, or broadcast, that you won't have to wait long to hear the song you want.

Almost instant access to any piece of music we want, combined with the constant bombardment of commercial messages, entertainment options, and distraction, people don't "wait" for anything. But I'm starting to think maybe they'd be more happy if they did.

There is a reason for the big ass lines at Disney World. There is a reason a good restaurant will make you wait to be seated, even if they have tables available.

Waiting builds anticipation. It gets you involved in the process. It makes the final outcome seem worth more, because you had to invest something to get it.

Think back to your first crush. You saw her from across the room, perhaps in school. You were scared to approach her, because she made you nervous. But you finally did... You asked her out and she said, "Yes."

Then you found out she wasn't as smart as you though she was...

And she was kind of a bitch...

While the actual date might not have gone well, most people in this situation still have a fond memory of the events leading up to it. That's because, as humans, we enjoy the feeling of anticipation. And not knowing everything (or having total access) can be extremely enjoyable, since we'll make up positive details to fill in the blanks of what we don't know.

Hungry right now? That (insert food here) you're wanting won't taste nearly as good as you think it will. Sure, it will be pretty good at first, because you are hungry, but with each passing bite, as you become less hungry, you'll get less and less enjoyment from it.

Music is the same way. Sometimes it's a more enjoyable experience to wait for the new (insert artist here) album than it is to actually listen to it. Even the best musicianship, recording, and performance can't compete with the fantasy in your mind.

So what can you do to take advantage of this and give your fans what they want?

Make people wait a little. Not forever, but a little. Let the anticipation linger. Give them a taste and let them in on the process, but keep them a little hungry. Let them enjoy not having it.

If you can do this again and again, you'll have a very long career.

RELATED: The Problem with Drag Queens (and the Music Business)

Leave comments below...

It's STILL Valentine's Day

Yesterday, February 14, was the official Valentine's Day, but you should be celebrating it today, tomorrow, the next day, and every day when it comes to the relationship you have with your fans. Every day, all day.

Way too many bands think of their relationship with fans as a one-way thing-- them broadcasting a certain message to the fans. For a long time, that was great. It worked because doing things any other way wasn't a viable option, fans knew it, and they put up with it, even though they wanted more.

But now, communication is instant. You post a message on Twitter and it goes out to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people instantly...and they can reply...instantly. Same for posting something on a blog or Facebook.

What are you doing with all the messages that come your way?  If you're not using them to build long-lasting, two-way relationships with your fans, you're leaving money on the table.

Communicating with fans is easier than it ever has been. There is no excuse for you to avoid it.

Don't know what to say?  The first thing I suggest is letting your fans know how important they are to you...

Here are five ideas you can implement right now to do just that:

1. Free Show - Send out a free ticket for your next show to everybody on your list, letting them know you appreciate that they signed up. Most people travel in groups, so anybody who comes will likely bring a paying customer with them. This will get people talking about your gig to their friends and start the conversation about how great you are, fill your next show, and make you more money. 
   
   
2. Free Drink - Similar to above, but send out a certificate that can be redeemed for a drink ticket at your next gig. Let's say the show is $10. Even if the drink costs you $10, which it won't, that's money going to the bar, which will make the club staff happy and give you a better chance of coming back again.
   
   
3. Meet and Greet - You're a rock star, so act like it.  Rock stars have a "meet and greet" to connect with fans. It doesn't have to be formal. Just let people know you'll be at the club a little early, hanging out before the show. This doesn't cost you anything, has a high perceived value, and will help fan loyalty for years to come.
   
   A variation of this is to combine your meet and greet with a free drink.  That will really nail down the relationship and loyalty you get from fans.
   
   
4. Free Music - Exclusive "Fan Club" CD? You should be doing several of these per year. The most people consume your music on a regular basis, the more likely they are to support you.  Again, something to combine with a meet and greet.
   
   
5. Exclusive Merchandise - People love stuff that not everybody can get. Giving fans a limited edition t-shirt with a design now available anywhere else gives them bragging rights and you'll get some great free promotion from it.

There are a million variations of this idea... A favorite of mine is designing something you throw out from the stage, just to people on the front row who make a lot of noise. This lets everybody know it exists, which makes something rare even more valuable, encourages audience participation, and gives attention to the t-shirt recipient, before the shirt is even worn. 

Bottom line here is to let your fans know you appreciate them and to do it often. There is no way to mess this up, so just do something!

Feel free to leave your ideas for how to better appreciate your fans in the comments section below... 

The Bad News About Word of Mouth

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine mentioned he'd been invited to a "business opportunity" presentation.  I LOVE stuff like this.  It doesn't matter if the product being sold is something to do with a work-at-home business, real estate, online marketing, stock market investing, FOREX trading, or MLM, I'm interested.  The marketing lessons you can learn from these things, from the pitch, to the questions people in the audience ask, to what gets the audience to take action and buy, are huge.

So I tagged alone...

This presentation was both to motivate the people who had already signed up for the offer, as well as signup new people.  The "opportunity" being pitched was some kind of multi-level deal, where you bought a package of technology-based services, like cable television, mobile phone service, and Internet access.  According to the pitch, it was "stuff you're already paying for." 

Part of these events is to bring in people who have had success with the opportunity to share their stories.  The fomula is very similar to a "testimony" you see in a lot of churches, but instead of Jesus saving the day, the "opportunity" does...

"Nine months ago, I was so broke, I didn't have a pot to piss in.  My wife was about to leave me.  Then a friend invited me to sit in a meeting just like this one...and I said yes to the opportunity.  Now I make a million dollars every day, I have eight homes on the beach, I drive a solid gold car, and I hang out with bikini models on my private yacht."

So how come people in the audience, who had signed up weeks or months ago, weren't having the same results?  Here is why...

1. People don't take action.

2. When people do take action, they only work with the people they already know.

These two things are also why musicians have a hard time getting people to gigs, selling music, etc.

The Solution

Whether you're just starting or have been around awhile, you should always be looking to expand beyond the circle of people who currently support you.  If you're relying solely on your close friends and family to come to every gig, your attendance will soon fall.  People will only to go so many shows.

Even if you have a good stable of fans, you need to constantly be reaching out beyond their friends and family, because they have the same issue that you do-- the amount of people they know is limited.

Dunbar's Number is a theoretical cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social realtionships.  In other words, the number of relationships in which an individual knows who each person is, and how each person relates to every other person.

This number is thought to be around 150...and many of these people are shared between friends.  That means, if you're looking to expand your reach to a ton of people, you need to connect with people who don't associate with any of your current fans.

People who don't do this in MLM fail, because the number of prospects/customers isn't enough to make money using this business model.  And unless you can make a living with just a few hundred fans, if you fail to reach people outside your current circle of influence, you will also fail.

In short, "word of mouth" is limited, because we only know so many people...and our friends know the same people we do.  If you want to really take things to the next level, you need to reach beyond the circle of influence that your currents fans are reaching.

What are you doing to reach beyond your current circle of fans?  Post your thoughts below...