Music Promo Blog: Why You Want to Surprise the Hell Out of Your Fans

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Why You Want to Surprise the Hell Out of Your Fans

A few days ago, I surprised the Hell out of one of my fans using a cool internet tool called Technorati. This site allows you to see what people are saying about you in their blogs. But why do you want to surprise the Hell out of your fans?

You see, guerrilla music marketing is about getting your music to potential fans aggressively and at low cost. One way to do that is to build a viral buzz around your band such that people talk about you without you having to tell them to talk about you. Great music may do that. But great music combined with a great experience Wget your fans talking.

As a fan myself, my favorite bands are those I know or those that give me a story to tell. My favorite Celtic rock group is Black 47. Why? It's not just because they offer a powerful, unique contribution to the genre. They were like musical legends when I first emailed them to tell them how much I loved their music. But I became a fan and started telling my friends about them when Larry Kirwan, the lead singer of Black 47, emailed me back.

Now, that was exceptional! I was able to connect with the band in a personal way. How many times as a publisher and DJ have I emailed other groups and never received an email from their manager or publicist, let alone one of the band members? However, Larry Kirwan did and this is the zillionth time I've told that story.

The cheapest and most effective way of marketing your music is by not doing it at all. Rather, it's by getting other people to do it for you.

Technorati gives me the opportunity to provide a similiar exceptional experience. I don't spam myspace fans with irrelevant comments about my latest CD or how cool I am. Instead, I use Technorati to tell me where people are already talking about me or listening to my music. I post a comment and nearly every time I do, I give my fans a pleasant surprise. They email me back saying, "Wow! I can't believe you commented in MY blog. I love your music... etc, etc, etc."

That's an experience that they will remember. No longer am I just like every other band... untouchable and impersonal. I'm the guy from the Brobdingnagian Bards that they Talked to, that they Know, that took a personal interest in their life.

So the next time, someone asks for cool Celtic bands, they're gonna say, "Have you heard of the Brobdingnagian Bards?! They're awesome!" Then they'll tell the story of how we met online.

That is viral marketing power. You will earn new fans without any extra work on your part. And as a huge added bonus, you get to make some great new friends and have a fun time doing it. What can be better that than that?

Marc Gunn, Bard of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians save and make money with their musical groups through his monthly newsletter, Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine. Now you can get FREE "how-to" music marketing and promotion advice by visiting www.bardscrier.com. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the Bards Crier Ezine for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com

Labels: fan marketing, guerrilla music marketing

--posted by Marc Gunn at Sunday, May 13, 2007
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