[Dixielandjazz] Making Love To The Audience

[Stephen G Barbone]

Hello Thad:

Sorry you got trapped in my spam filter. I've corrected that.

I respect what you say below, but do not agree entirely. I think the  
stature of our art is raised or lowered not only by the music we play,  
but how we present it to the audience.

Louis Armstrong was certainly aware of that as is your favorite band  
led by Jim Cullum. I think successful bands have audiences and that  
bands should try and communicate, or make love if you will, with their  
audiences, however different those audiences may be. Certainly,  
Cullum's is different from mine. However, I believe we both make love  
to our audiences in our own way.

As the leader of a working jazz band, it is my goal to first get an  
audience and then increase that audience. And so I market to my  
audience, which I define very broadly as anyone in my territory  
between the ages of 16 and 100. Cullum does the same thing with his  
audience.

There is a very interesting (to me at least) blog about the Kama Sutra  
of Music Marketing. As a retired Marketing Exec who became the CEO of  
a 100 million dollar company through the Marketing discipline, I may  
have a little different slant about how to get OKOM (the product)  
heard. I've copied it below should you wish to read it.

It may not read artistic, however what good is art if no one sees or  
hears it? The trick is to market the music without compromising one's  
art. And from my experiences, that is not difficult to do.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

The Kama Sutra of Music Marketing
By Bob Baker, www.TheBuzzFactor.com
When was the last time you thought about music promotion and making  
love at the same time? Been a while? Well, by the time you finish  
reading this column, you may do it more often. (Thinking about the  
combination, that is. How often you “do it” is up to you)
This whole idea started when I ran across an article by Desiree Gullan  
called “The Kama Sutra of Marketing.” (In case you don’t know, the  
Kuma Sutra is an ancient Indian text widely considered to be the first  
manual on love and human sexuality.)
It reminded me of an analogy I’ve often used: Marketing is a lot like  
dating.
But most self-promoting musicians don’t think of it that way. And  
because of that, they struggle to get noticed, connect with fans, and  
make more money.
So, here are some valuable lessons from the Kama Sutra you can apply  
to your music marketing efforts:
1) Don’t settle for anyone - search for your music fan soul mates
You’ve heard the jokes. “He’s not Mr. Right, but he’s Mr. Right Now.”  
When dating, especially if people feel desperate, they settle. Instead  
of finding the right match, they pursue relationships that have little  
long-term potential. “Well, it’s better than being alone,” they say.
Do you do the same with your music promotion? Are you out to catch the  
interest of anyone who will listen? Or are you more discerning? The  
best way to proceed with a music career is to first decide who your  
ideal fan is. Who is your music-related soul mate?
How old are they? Do they tend to be male or female? Where do they  
hang out online and off? Where do they shop? What magazines, blogs and  
web sites do they read?
Get a handle on who you want to attract. Then focus on reaching only  
those types of people.
2) Get to know your fans first
What do you do on a first date with someone you really think has  
potential? Do you talk endlessly about yourself and how great you are?  
Or do you listen a lot and have a two-way dialogue?
Sadly, most people feel the need to impress others with how cool they  
are. So they launch into a laundry list of everything they’ve  
accomplished in their lives. Unfortunately, this approach leaves the  
other person feeling more neglected than impressed.
It’s the same with music promotion. It’s not all about you and your  
needs. Get to know your audience and what their interests and concerns  
are. Listen more than you talk. Share some of yourself and your story  
as you get to know them better. Give your fans a chance to know, like  
and trust you.
3) Don’t forget foreplay
Okay. You’re excited. You met someone new who really likes you. You  
anticipate the potential pleasure you will both experience together so  
much, you can taste it. It’s time to move in for the grand finale,  
right?
Wait! Hold your horses, Casanova Carl (or Valerie Vixen). Ease into  
the blessed event. Warm each other up first.
 From a marketing standpoint, that means you don’t have to be so quick  
to ask for the sale. Wine and dine your fans (figuratively) before you  
flash your “Buy Now” button. Tease them a little with samples and  
insights into your songs. Leave them wanting more!
Consumers generally need to be exposed to something they enjoy 7 to 10  
times before they get out their wallet or credit card to make a  
purchase. So expect and allow for this delayed gratification as you  
promote yourself.
4) Be a great lover
When the time comes to consummate the relationship, make sure you  
deliver the best goods you can. Make it a joyful and stimulating  
experience for all concerned — one your fans will remember (and maybe  
even tell many others about) for years to come.
That means you must create an unforgettable experience (be it a CD,  
music download or live show) filled with benefits that make each fan  
feel good. Make yours the best music in your genre. Thrill your fan  
partners so much, they’ll want to recreate the experience again and  
again.
That’s your goal as a self-promoting musician: Create moments your  
fans will want to duplicate over and over – all the while telling  
their friends about you and the great time they had.
5) Contact them and ask for another date
Finally, don’t leave your fans hanging after your first meaningful  
encounter. Get back in touch soon to thank them and let them know how  
much you enjoyed the experience.
This means you must follow up after the sale. Why? Because, if it was  
good for both of you, you want the relationship to continue. You want  
to interact more and enjoy more positive experiences (including music  
and merchandise sales) together.
Therefore, you must put a huge emphasis on building and using a fan  
mailing list. Capture the name and email address of everyone who has a  
positive experience with your music. Then input those details into a  
database and send messages to your fan list on a regular basis.
See, there is a connection between the Kama Sutra and music marketing.
So, from now on, when you’re engaged in music promotion activities, I  
encourage you to think about dating and making love.
But vice versa … you might think twice about that one.
Bob Baker is an author, indie musician and former music magazine  
editor dedicated to showing musicians of all kinds how to get  
exposure, connect with fans, sell more music, and make more money. His  
books include “Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook,” “MySpace Music  
Marketing,” “Killer Music Press Kits,” and many other titles. Check  
out Bob’s free ezine, blog, podcast, video clips and articles at www.TheBuzzFactor.com 
.


On Jan 13, 2009, at 12:57 PM, Thad McArthur wrote:

> Bob's statement is a little too inclusive and there may be a little  
> room for romance between his two terms, but your choice of "making  
> love to your audience" certainly lowers the tone of the performer- 
> audience relationship to a point that is too intimate, a little  
> squeamish and does nothing raise the stature of our art.
> Thad McArthur
>>
Remainder snipped for brevity.