Having toured the country for a large part of my youth; reliant on crowds showing up for our shows and buying our merch simply to fill our gas tanks and stomachs one more day, I understand the value of a “network.” It was a constant push to write better songs, put on more compelling performances, and engage crowds with the hope that they would do something amazing - tell their friends about us.
Social marketers, learn from this! There’s an easy way and a hard way to learn the most important thing you can about building a network of fans. You can take the hard way like I did; start a band, write some songs, buy a van and live off ramen for nearly 10 years - or you can learn from my sleepless nights.
Rules to live by to build a fan base:
- Know What Kind Of Band You Are - if you haven’t defined the style of music you want to make, go back to the garage, write some more songs and join the party when you know what you want to be.
- Be Authentic - You’re interesting, just the way you are. Don’t try to be the next Beatles, be the next Big Thing - YOU! Being a tribute to someone else is flattering, but you’re still going to be a cover band - you’ll never have the same fan-base and impact that the original did.
- Practice Makes Perfect - There are no rules in rock & roll, the same is true for Social Marketing. Innovation comes with trying something new, testing, practicing, seeing what sticks. Perform for your friends first before taking it to the masses.
Those 3 simple steps will make you a better brand band. Take it from someone who’s done it the hard way, know thyself, be thyself, and practice practice practice.
