To Bait Or Not To Bait Your Fans – The Challenge Week 8

On By Lily CIn Challenge 2012

Most artists encounter at least some level of discomfort when their craft and business intersect. Even though the first 7 weeks of the Canadian Songwriters Social Media Challenge were business oriented, there was still an artistic spirit behind coming up with a branding statement, creating dialogue with fans via blogging and tweeting, creating YouTube videos, etc., Week 8 takes participants on a significant leap, out of our respective creative comfort zones, into the foreign land of talking money.  How else can artists be sustainable ?

This past week, artists have begun mulling over the task of building a “continuum plan,” which is fancy marketing terminology for the question, “What kind of carrots do I need to use as bait to lure my fans into spending money on my music?”  Some songwriters have already protested to this method and are choosing to opt out of building a strategy for their fans to opt in.

Like every other aspect of this challenge, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to creating a social media plan to develop your career as a songwriter.  Every person has different goals which require different tools and strategies.  However, the important thing is to have a plan.  Music is not like the movie, “Field of Dreams.”  If you build it, the fans won’t necessarily come.

So, even if you decide not to come up with a continuum plan, it is still advisable to have a concrete plan to entice your fans into deeper engagement.

Okay Challengers, please post the following:

1.  URL to the corresponding blog entry.
2.  Please let us know if you will be building a continuum plan in the next 3 months.

23 thoughts on “To Bait Or Not To Bait Your Fans – The Challenge Week 8”

  2. Week 8 blog entry: “How much IS that doggy in the window? In play money, please.”

    How much IS that doggy in the window? (Wk 8)

    I will absolutely be building a continuum plan, yes! First and foremost, the plan is to launch my “Fundraise the Roof” campaign (a crowdfunding initiative) for my next album. Within this campaign – which launches in the next few weeks – there will be different $$ levels available for fans/friends to back my album with corresponding “perks” at each level. Although many of these perks are unique to this fundraising campaign (like handwritten lyrics and photos taken in the studio), they will provide a good jumping off point for me to create my continuum plan… to develop a funnel that works and is sustainable.

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  4. 1. URL to Week 8 blog entry: http://siouxberry.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/funnel-of-love/

    2. Please let us know if you will be building a continuum plan in the next 3 months:
    Yes! These next 3 months will be focused building my fan base through the publicity, touring and reviews surrounding the release of my upcoming EP. Launching my website is a big part of this, which will feature exclusive downloads in exchange for fan email addresses. The website will also feature a link to my “Lemonade Stand” – where fans can buy merch, be encouraged to donate, and where future fundraising efforts will take place. I have also amended my annual goals to reflect my fan funding goals, and have built one hour per week into my schedule for researching effective, inventive and unusual fundraising campaigns that have worked for artists in the past, so I can keep amending my own funnel.

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  6. Blog Post:

    http://www.songstuckerwrote.com/songstuckerwrote/2012/3/4/tucker-isnt-continuum-plan-a-star-trek-episode.html

    Yes I will be creating a continuum plan.

    What I learned about myself, quite a while ago, is that songwriting is just one facet of my creativity. I enjoy creating the other stuff to go along with the song as much as the songwriting itself. I like thinking of what kind of items would work well with the story of the song. For example my lullaby will have a hand cranked music box that plays the melody of the song.

    I’m excited to side-step simple swag and find the items that support the story. That being said sometimes a wicked t-shirt is just necessary.

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  17. 1) Week 8 Video Blog entry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjlxafrHaes

    2) Yes indeed I plan to use the continuum plan and use some consistent give-aways. I think that has been my problem in the past: lack of consistency. I’m planning on releasing some videos 3 times a year as well for specific holidays. For the summer months, I’m going to offer some private events that people can win; ie in their backyards etc….preferably at some sweet cottages in Muskoka!

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