Last month Wired magazine Editor-at-large, and former
Executive Editor, Kevin Kelly wrote
an article called “1,000
True Fans.” Kelly claims that for a musician to make a decent living they
need 1,000 true fans. He defines a true
fan as:
“A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and
everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will
buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they
have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They
bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to
your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the
mug, and the hat. They can’t wait till you issue your next work.”
That’s a fairly easy goal for an artist with the power of a
major label-marketing machine behind them, but what does this mean for the
independent artist or band that’s just released their first album? It means that a musician needs to view their
fans and their relationship with them very differently than they have in the
past. A true fan feels they are supporting
something they are personally invested in. They want the band to succeed so they will continue to create music the
fan feels a connection with. So, how
does an artist create a relationship with listeners that will turn them into
these coveted true fans?
Social networks like Myspace, blogs, and contest sites like Ourstage
all provide opportunities to
connect with an audience. But to really
capture a true fan, an artist will need to go a little deeper and work
to
create strong emotional bonds. Give the
fans something to talk about, besides just the music. Start
conversations and share ideas. Treat your fans like friends and you
will soon find yourself with
enough fans to keep you on the road indefinitely.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Start a Blog.
See article “Why Every
Artist Needs a Blog”
- Share your Art, Photos, Poetry, etc.
This is probably the most important
thing an artist can do to create a deeper relationship with their fans. If someone likes your music and seeks you
out online to learn more about you, you’ve got their attention. Providing them with tour dates and news is
great, but beyond that – what are you going to do to engage their interest and
get them to return to your site? Offer
them something they didn’t expect – more of you. More of your talents, your interests and your adventures.
I recently had a conversation with Jonathan Case, of Los Angeles band Restaurant, that made me realize just how valuable this point is in fan relations. He told me about From Brighton Beach to Santa Monica,
a blog written by Clientele
lead singer, Alasdair Maclean. It was as glowing a review as any fan
could
give. He raved about Alasdair’s poetry,
writing style and photos of his paintings. Jonathan never misses a post
and even bought one of Alasdair’s
watercolors right off his blog. As soon as I got home I checked out the
site and now I’m a fan Alasdair’s! I’ve been a listener of Clientele
but never a fan, until now.
- Be
a Resource
Offering your
recommendations on music, film, art,
or anything that you want to share will also provide your fans with
more reasons to come back to your site over and over again. They will
associate you with other things they like. “I heard about this cool
book from xyz’s band blog.” Being a resource will create another bond
with your fans. Not only do you make
music they like, but you’ve also turned them on to new ideas and
experiences. This will go a long way in creating those 1,000 fans.
- Start a Conversation
Ask your fans for
feedback, input, ideas or opinions
– about anything. From your latest
album to the current Presidential campaign – what interests the band,
what
interests the fans? Your fans will feel
important to you if you ask for their input. They will also feel
invested in the conversation and in the outcome if
they have offered their opinion. You
can also get them talking with each other. Your fans have something in
common: YOU. Chances are they may have other things in common as well,
start a
conversation and see what comes of it.
I will continue to explore the many ways to build
emotional connections with fans in future articles. If you have had success in building your true fans and would like
to share those ideas with us, please send your story to me and I will be sure
to share it here. For more information
about starting a blog, please check out Blog 101, the Beginner’s Guide
to Blogging and visit the tuneCORNER
often!
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