Getting Back to Basics (Artists & the Music Industry) Part 1

Well you may just be wondering, well who is this guy? Well to better understand who I am go and check out my bio under the Bio(Hazard) tab on the main page of Atomic Finger. Well enough about me for now. Lets talk about you! Whether you are an artist, band or musician you will definitely take something from this blog. I hear all the time from artists, bands and musicians that they are not getting enough people coming to their shows or their different websites. Well by know you know that your message is not being heard even though you have a lot of “friends” on your sites and even talking to people by word of mouth. I am going to give you the straight, legit, real answer right now. Saturation and lack of business education!

Yes, saturation, I said it, so lets talk about this problem first. You’re probably asking, what’s this guy talking about? Well as a matter of fact I had a business meeting yesterday with one of my music industry contacts and this very exact matter was discussed. My contact admitted that every artist, band and musician needs to get back to an intimacy level with their fans if they have not started doing so yet. Ok, you might be saying now, this guy is weird, talking about being intimate with my fans. Well it’s not that kind of intimacy if that is what you are thinking, there are some similarities, but I will explain further. What I am talking about is having a real one on one relationship with your fans, even if you are engaging them as a big group. Heres an example, lets say you are putting on a show and in between sets your band takes a break, you see some fans that were truly rocking out during your show. Go and talk to some of them, ask them what they think of the show, maybe give out a free cd or two, ask them if they filled out their information on the emailing list so they can be updated about the band. Point is, treat them like people, show them a genuine side of you and your band, build that distinct relationship with them! Here’s another example, why don’t you and your band put on an on going weekly live video blog and talk to the fans and let the fans know what you guys are doing!

The point is, is that everyone wants to feel like they are a part of something. It is up to you to find that niche with your twist and touch on it. That is also part of branding, which I will discuss in another blog. At the end of the day you want your genuine fans to talk, blog, email, whatever about what you are doing like a virus. Don’t just go on your social networking sites and get tons of people on your sites just for the numbers. Yes it may take a little longer to develop fans this way, but the overall outcome and pace you set may not be as slow as you think. Plus doesn’t it make since to build your fans locally and have a following where you are at then to barely have anyone know you here or where you trying to go distant. I have been in the music industry a while and not only does this make sense, but if your big picture is to try to make it big and have companies wanting to get at you with lots of money, then you have got to make sure that you are worth what ever the risk by showing you have fans, (who are the market), following you. Your fans are the backbone of your movement, without them you don’t exist. Remember it is about staying true to who you are, but is also all about your fans.

 By: Derrick Heffner (2009)