The New Music Business ? Using a guilt trip approach with fans is less than bright.
?How could none you you fools purchase the three new songs I put up?? What is wrong with you? I posted these songs you have all been waiting for on Tuesday for sale and there has not been a single sale. Go now to XXXXXXXXX and buy them. They rock! Come on!?
Ok, sound like a messed up statement? Get this? It is verbatim. Exactly as I read it. Taking out the link, leaving out the name of the artist and the songs, this is the post I saw recently on Facebook from an ?up and coming artist?. You can?t make this kind of dumb ass post up. Trying to take a break from writing, but reading these posts that are put up on Facebook or forwarded through emails makes it hard for me to keep my mouth shut. It is just too easy to comment and the post I saw today just flat out blew my mind. I had to comment, hence this blog.
Still it was intriguing. I had to look at this persons page, like one of those train wrecks that you can?t look away from. This person had maybe two hundred or so friends and in earlier postings he had a lot of blaming going on. Talked about how this venue screwed him over or how that venue didn?t advertise for his show and that was why there were only a few people there. This is unproductive, ineffective and flat stupid social media promotion to use in the new music business of today.
He put up posts where he seemed to claim to be bragging about all his fans on Facebook and how supportive they were a few weeks back and then, on this mornings post, blasting them for not purchasing the music. From reading this mornings post, I feel pretty safe in stating he is going in the wrong direction.
The point of highlighting this persons post is that to a certain extent, the music business can be incredibly frustrating, painful and excruciating world to live in, work in and especially to succeed in. Like any other business you will get your share of lies fed to you, more than your share of disappointments, rejections and aspects of failure. The best tip for artists I can give as a music consultant, is to grow a thicker skin and don?t take it out in person or online. Not to mention using a guilt trip approach is a terrible idea.
One of those things such as coming to shows and buying your music can be solved with a pretty easy equation that I have seen effective since I first started playing out.
10 people say they are coming to a show = Two people will come?..Maybe.
I know that could be viewed as a little negative but if you are setting your heart on every one doing exactly what they say, you are going to be disappointed. Plus, if you are one of those that is a little more pushy or a little more aggressive when it comes to promotion, they are going to say they will come just to get you off their back.
Again, success and sustainability in the music industry can and more than likely will be the hardest thing you will ever go after in your life, but attacking fans, blaming venues, managers, labels and who ever else is only going to hurt your chances and your reputation. Attacking people for not buying your music, for not coming to your shows and not liking your page or sending your links to others is only going to distance them more and in the end lose a fan.
I don?t want to read about that kind of stuff and being asked what is wrong with me for not buying his music. He may have added me, but I dropped him and I bet a few others did today as well.
Keep your message and your messaging/posting/marketing strong and assertive but not too pushy. Push too hard and you will push them away. Do not attack your fans EVER!!!! Do not blame your fans or try to make anyone ever feel guilty for not purchasing your music or coming to a show. Make fans feel good, make fans want to come back, make fans want to share your music and your pages with other fans. Keep the ego in check and check your anger at the door before you go to make any type of attacking, aggressive or rude post.
Even if some one is to blame, even if some one is lying, even if something is happening in your career that isn?t fair? most of the time, it is going to hurt more than help if you call people out in a public setting.
Or in short summary: Don?t be a dumb ass with your fans!
L
Loren Weisman is an accomplished music producer, author and music consultant. He is the author of ?The Artist?s Guide to Success in the Music Business?, a book to help independent artists, musicians, bands, labels and managers achieve self sufficient and sustainable success. For more info on Loren and music consulting services, visit: http://www.lorenweisman.com
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