Mark Mack over at Viral Garden (among others) has an idea of how to make marketing music relevant again in a program he has dubbed 100 CD's for 100 Bloggers. It's a great idea because it's simple, and uses the wisdom of existing fan bases to spread the word. It's not spamming en masse, but providing the fans with tools to spread the good word.
The program works like this. First, you search for your biggest fans who also blog. Second, you send them a CD, personalized by the band, and ask them to review it, no strings attached. It's a good idea because it's so simple. It will work because it merely makes it easier for the consumer to do something they want to do anyway. Here are a few of my suggestions:
1) Expand it past just the one band. Sure, each band would find their 100 biggest blogging fans, but then they would also receive a second CD, that they would be likely to enjoy, also no strings attached. Why not try and expand one band's community by tapping into another? As long as the process is genuine and authentic, not based on who's paying what, it could be an added value, and another win-win.
2) Establish a relationship with these bloggers. Make it easy for them to talk to you down the road. If there's another band they'd like to write about, keep the communication open so they have the opportunity to find and talk about the new stuff. Help establish them as the go-to-person for new music amongst their peers.
3) Create a conversation with bloggers across different acts. With their invitation to become a blogger for a band, they also receive an invitation to become part of a deeper communtiy. Give them access to music, give them access to their favorite musicians, and access to each other. Make personal contact with these musicians paramount. Give them the references they need to help them write.
4) Make it easy for them to pass-along the music itself. Give them a download link to post a single on their blogs, and pass along that link to their friends and readers, so they can hear it first-hand, and maybe talk about it, too.
This is sort of like on online version of Buzz-Oven, which was started down here in Dallas by Aden Holt, and is about to start up in Austin. The idea is simple, and much like Mark's 100-4-100, but based less online, and is more about a community of music marketers, and less in engaging existing fans of the bands.
Kudos to Mark Mack for a great idea. Now, Will anyone actually do it?
interesting marketing approach in getting the bands out there. a few things that i question
1- how many bands have bloggers as their audiences?
2- how easy is it to communicate with the bands and send out free material
3- is sharing their songs on a cd (who uses thoses) more valuable than something more personal.
overall i think it could work just wonder its effectiveness. something more could be offering 5 concerts for people in their city.
noah
okdork.com
Posted by: noah | June 10, 2006 at 06:42 PM
1) If you go back and read Mark's piece in Marketing Profs, it explains the base of this a little better. Of course, this wouldn't work with a band just starting up, and drawing 5 people to shows. But this would work for medium-sized bands, who already have a small, but loyal fanbase. I'm sure there will be those in the group who also blog, considering the ubiquity of fan forums, myspace, and the like. The blog doesn't necessarily have to have 1,000 visits a day, just 5 or 6 can be enough to start a wave.
2) Very easy. Bands are almost always looking to grow, and giving out promotional CDs is just a part of the business, not matter how big you are.
3) Mark talks about it, and I touched on it, but personalization a huge part of what would make the program work. You could have the band personally sign the CD's or actually have the blogger interview the band for the blog.
And I agree, CD's a getting a little passe, but if you are true geek for a band, you're probably going to want something physical to hold in your hand, so you can see the album art, read the liner notes, etc.
Posted by: paulmcenany | June 10, 2006 at 07:35 PM
Noah, first let me address your comments:
1 - All bands have bloggers as fans. The question is how many, and that's why I was putting forward that this promotion would work best with a 'middle-tier' artist/band such as The Donnas. The Donnas have a decent-sized fanbase, but they aren't superstars. This promotion would help grow their fanbase to push them to the next level.
2 - Depends on the band. I will say this, The Donnas have a special website(www.donnasmedia.com) set up where they openly encourage their fans to upload and download any of their concerts, in MP3 or video form.
3 - I will admit that simply sending the bloggers the music as a download would be more convenient, but if you do that, most labels would say that all the bloggers will pass the songs to their friends, and within 12 hours every person on the planet will own a copy of the music. The band offers to give the bloggers a copy of their CD to review, and then as an added bonus, the band signs and inscribes the CD, which of course since its going to fans of The Donnas, makes the CD a tresured collectible.
Paul to your points, first my name is MaCk (don't worry everyone calls me MaRk at first), but I can tell you that I know for a fact that at least one major label is seriously considering a plan to implement all of the points you raised. They are also seriously considering the '100 CDs for 100 bloggers' plan, so we'll see what happens.
As for will anyone do this? Yes. It's just a matter of time. And as I keep saying, the FIRST label to try this promotion is going to have a can't-lose hit on their hands, as the flood of pub that this will generate in the blogosphere will be massive.
Posted by: Mack Collier | June 10, 2006 at 08:44 PM
Well, Damnit, MaCk, now I feel like an idiot. I guess it's time to go get my eyes checked.
Posted by: paulmcenany | June 10, 2006 at 08:54 PM
No biggie Paul, like I said, everyone does it ;) I've seen The Donnas a MySpace bulletin, so I'm sure they'll be contacting me shortly ;)
Posted by: Mack Collier | June 12, 2006 at 07:51 AM
Mack is spot-on with his "100 for 100" concept, when he says, "As for will anyone do this? Yes. It's just a matter of time."
Can't wait to see you grow that community, my friend!
(Confession: I also initially called him Mark.)
Posted by: Ann Handley | June 15, 2006 at 03:58 AM
Well, Ann, that makes me feel much better. I kind of felt like an asshole!
Posted by: Paul McEnany | June 15, 2006 at 01:01 PM
LOL Paul I told you don't worry about it. It's almost so bad that more people call me 'MaRk' at first.
Posted by: Mack Collier | June 20, 2006 at 12:32 PM
Ok, well, good. I guess I'll just go back to calling you Mark, then! :)
Posted by: Paul McEnany | June 20, 2006 at 10:59 PM
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Joannah
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Posted by: Joannah | April 10, 2009 at 01:38 AM