People don't see you on social media for the first time and then decide to give you hundreds of dollars for your music and merchandise.
I know that you probably know this. However, I see artists all the time create posts trying to get any and everyone to buy their musical merchandise.
That's because most don't understand that people have to go down what I call the “Fan Journey” before they get to that point.
If you're not already familiar with my Fan Journey, it has five different steps:
Stranger
Follower
Listener
Fan
Super Fan
A stranger is someone who is seeing you for the very first time. The way that they see you and interact with you at the beginning is very critical. This is your make-or-break moment with these people. If you give them the wrong impression of yourself or tease them with some up-and-coming music, they will leave and possibly never return.
This is why it is critical to put out pure entertainment on social media.
“But Harkos, how am I supposed to get these people to start listening and buying my music?”
That's what happens when they become super fans. But we have to take them down the full journey first before that happens.
ENTERTAIN, ENTERTAIN, ENTERTAIN
If you entertain, a stranger will follow you on social media and check out your music on streaming platforms.
After that, and they like what you have to offer, they will take the next step and go to your website.
On your website, you allow them to become fans and super fans.
Your website will let them sign up for your email direct communication, AKA your email newsletter. They will also have the opportunity to get free downloads of some of your music in exchange for their email. This will put them on your email direct communication system.
With your Email Direct Communication, you now have a more intimate form of communication with these people who are now your fans.
In your Email Direct Communication, you must speak to them in an entertaining and engaging way for 80-90% of the email. For the bottom 10-20% you should be asking them to support you directly by buying your latest project or some of your merchandise.
Also, don't forget about asking them to share your social and streaming platforms with their friends. A fan telling their friend or family member about your music is the fastest and easiest way to grow more fans.
“But when do they become super fans?”
Well, that is when they start buying your music, merchandise, donating directly to you, or going to your live shows.
Your super fans are only approximately 1-10% of your total online audience. However, they are your most important people.
Not only do they financially support you, and allow you to live a career musician lifestyle, but they will relentlessly share your music with everyone that they know.
They will be your loudest spokesperson.
And that's what we want.
We want people who will scream at the top of a mountain for us.
It starts with treating them properly as a stranger and throughout the entire process.
The key to this is entertaining and engaging with people thru the whole process.
For 80-90% of the time, you are only entertaining. For 10 maybe 20% of the time, you are asking them to help you out in some way.
Many artists want to skip ahead and get on that fast track.
There is no fast track!
The fastest way to grow your audience is to focus on entertaining only.
As of right now, my TikTok Style Music Video Course is still absolutely free. It is a great resource to show people how to easily create entertaining video content for their music, and how to do it for free.
Do me a favor and share the link for this course with every artist that you know. (Here’s the link: https://mailchi.mp/1dfc1540b329/ttmv)
Let them know that it is only a little over an hour's worth of video
AND
that will show them how to:
create 30 days' worth of social media content
in as little as 1 day
for $0.
I have other courses on the way, but, I put this course out first because it is the most important first step that musicians need to take if they want a real music career.
And of course, after you have checked the course out, reach out to me and let me know what you thought of this course.
If you need any help along the way, let me know that as well.
I’m here to help. Book a Zoom and let’s get your fanbase growing.
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