jessie scoullar - releasing your album direct-to-fan (darker music talks august '13)
TRANSCRIPT
RELEASING YOUR ALBUMDIRECT-TO-FAN
A detailed look at the anatomy of a D2F fan acquisition and album presale campaign
Do you have a network of fans?
Don’t play to an empty room.
Plan your launch.
Connect with fans first!
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged
WHAT IS DIRECT-TO-FAN?
It’s a way for artists to increase their sales margins.
It empowers the artist to create and develop a direct relationship with
their fans.
It complements existing sales channels.
1. Engage
2. Connect
3. Reason to buy
HOW?
1. ENGAGE
Optimise online presence: website, social media profiles, fan sites, blogs
1. ENGAGE
Build mailing lists using data capture widgets offering free digital content
2. CONNECT
Through their own unique voice, the artist via email and social media
2. CONNECT
Artists can create a dialogue with the fans, and involve them in their
creativity
2. CONNECT
Build a relationship of trust, where fans share the message and become
co-marketers
3. CREATE OFFERS
Using the music as the base unit, the artist creates a compelling range of
offers
3. CREATE OFFERS
Offer quality, exclusive, limited edition products
$999.99
DATA
For example:
DATA
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged
LAUNCH TIMELINE
1. Fan acquisition and renewal
2. Marketed presale campaign
3. Onsale
FAN ACQUISITION
Finding, engaging, and connecting.
- social media feeds move fast
- noise vs signal
- 94% check email daily
- 75% prefer email marketing
MARKETED PRESALE
- enable sales
- maximise opportunities to market
- consolidate first week sales
TIMING
Data Capture Presale Release
date Post-sale
minimum 2 weeks
4-6 weeks
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged
What’s the best way to get an email address?
- double opt-in
- customised to your brand
- exchange value
- optimised for sharing
Here’s the homepage for The Veils.
They use a modular “bleach” data capture widget.
It includes a clear call-to-action: “click to download”
Click on the image to reveal the data input field.
Your fan enters their email address
and is prompted to visit their inbox.
They can also share their action on social networks.
Here’s the confirmation email.
This “double opt-in” ensures your list is highly engaged.
It also means you know the fan’s geo-location.
The fan clicks through the email to a custom lightbox.
The fan clicks to download the incentive - usually an MP3.
They can also share the action on social networks.
You can specify preset share messaging to Twitter
including a link back to the promotion
@ usernames and # hashtags.
Set up a preset share message and image for Facebook.
This can link back to the promotion
or load a data capture widget in-stream.
Sharing across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr is tracked.
Compare performance so you can optimise activities.
Try varying incentives and measuring conversion.
After downloading and sharing, the fan closes the lightbox
and lands on The Veils’ Facebook page.
You can set any page as the landing page.
Drive traffic to your store, website or social profile.
Data capture widgets can be customised to fit any website.
No platform is a silver bullet.
Keep the 4 key points in mind:
- double opt-in
- customised to your brand
- exchange value
- optimised for sharing
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged
How do I create a presale?
What does a presale look like?
- offers
- data capture
- sharing
OFFERS
* Source: Wicksteed client offers, 2012
Sales: Quantity Sales: Revenue
Less than £10 £10-£30 Greater than £30
What does a presale look like?
- range of compelling offers
- include data capture
- share options
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged
How do you keep your fans engaged?
Market your presale!
HOW?
- thank purchasers
- offer bonus exclusives
- give a reason to buy
1. What is direct-to-fan?2. Album launch timeline3. Best practice data capture process4. Album presale structure5. Keeping fans engaged