I want to talk a little bit about how important it is for a band or musician to develop, build and maintain a strong and loyal fan base, and how to do that. I said it before, and I am saying it again: You are nothing without your fans. Your fans are the new record labels.
Carl Jacobsen of Nimbit agrees. In ASCAP's latest edition of Playback he writes: "Direct-to-fan marketing and sales have shown promise, but unless you actively take them on, you could miss their potential to grow your fan base and maximize the money you earn."
By now most of you have probably realized that MySpace smells funny cause it's dead. D.e.a.d. What now? Before you leave the sinking ship, are you gonna go through the list of 40,000 so called fans to figure out which ones are really there because they love your music and which ones just want to promote their own band? Probably a little too much work, a little too late ...
So lucky are the ones who have done it the good old way: having your fans sign up for the mailing list at each show. Now you not only have their email address, you also know which city they live in. Great! That will help you tremendously promoting the next show you will play in that town, or starting a street team there.
Jacobsen goes on: "The most important thing you can do when you get a new fan is say "thank you". What's second? Do it quickly. When a fan joins your email list, follows you on Twitter, or likes you on Facebook, you've caught their attention, but attention is fleeting so act fast." Well, this should go without saying ... but how many of you have really taken the time to do just that, say thank you? But that's what it takes to make your fans part of your family, become your tribe, make them walk through fire for you. They need to feel that you appreciate them, that you don't take them for granted, cause - unlike your mothers - they will leave and forget you in a blink if they don't feel that you care.
How can you show your fans how much you appreciate them? Jacobsen has got it: "Surprise a fan a month after they made a purchase with a free download .... always give your fans the privilege to be first to purchase anything new ... Give fans ways to support you: Ask for help. Ask fans to spread the word about your free download, upcoming gig, or new video. Go beyond music & merch. How much would a fan pay for an in-house performance? To be thanked on your next album? To meet and greet at a show?
These are all great and practical ideas that won't cost you any money. What they require however is that you devote time to your fans, every day, and more so that you are honest and real and humble about it and that you really want to do this. Fans will smell a fake from a mile ...
