63 creative ways to reach fans without social media 🙃
This post loosely accompanies Gab & Jam, 295. 63 creative ways to reach fans without social media
(video: https://bit.ly/295reachfansvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/295reachfanspod )
Social media is both a blessing and a curse. So, we want to give you the opportunity to take a SLIGHT break from the regular social media hamster wheel by giving you some other alternatives that either you may have overlooked, never thought about, or needed the courage to pursue. That’s what this episode is about.
Check out the episode for the full discussion
Gab & Jam, 295. 63 creative ways to reach fans without social media
(video: https://bit.ly/295reachfansvid and podcast: https://bit.ly/295reachfanspod )
We LOVE social media.... 😬
Social media allows you to reach millions of potential fans across the world without leaving your basement, but if you’re not careful, you can spend more time trying to figure it out and trying to build your audience than time it took you to make your music. So, we know that summer is a great time to do some additional music promo and last summer we talked about promo tips–3 Summer Music Promo Tips: https://bit.ly/232summerpromoblog –and then we even gave social media tips –in these 3 posts (81+ types of social media posts, Reasons to be on more than one social media platform, and 10+ social media tips).
Credit due....
This episode was inspired by CD Baby’s D.I.Y. Musician podcast, ep 339: How to reach fans beyond social media: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diy-musician-podcast/id253809240?i=1000617154211
There are a myriad of ideas, some of which are typical and some of them seem wacky. As with all the advice that we give, take what you can from it, so that you can stand out from being more than an artist who only posts on social media.
3 Summer Music Promo Tips: https://bit.ly/232summerpromoblog
Why bother?
These ideas show that you give a damn about your fans. Here are some ways to make a more personal connection and continue to foster those relationships. They have separated these out into categories, so here are some ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.
Here are the 63 creative ways to reach fans without social media 🙃:
Underutilized channels:
1. Email
2. Text
3. Direct message
4. YouTube community features (“Create a Post”)
5. Bandcamp
6. SoundCloud
7. Bandsintown (website)
81+ types of social media posts: https://bit.ly/277socialmediapostsblog
Wacky:
1. Fan hotline (speakpipe app)--a song a day to make it special for the folks who call (like Callin' Oats; First, call up 719-266-2837 (your local rates will apply).
2. *Snail mail (post cards, Christmas cards, etc.)--see our efforts below
3. Show posters
4. Treasure hunts (for ticket giveaways, etc.)
5. Airplane dragging a sign (could create an AI version)
6. Billboard (or digital mock up)
7. Graffiti (real or fake)
8. Crop circle (real or fake)
9. Seance (fans all at home; work in music messaging)
10. Tattoos (you could design them; make it temporary; have fans design them)
If you need to do social media, here are 10+ social media tips: https://bit.ly/socmediablog
Mess with time:
1. “Message in a bottle” (stuff your band flyer in a bottle and throw it in the ocean)
2. Time capsule (stuff your band flyer in a bottle and bury it??)
3. Backmasking (leave backward messages)
4. Leave messages from the future (“You will allow our next single to soothe you through a breakup”)
5. Make a chronology (that includes band milestones)
Reasons to be on more than one social media platform: https://bit.ly/Ep141moresocmedblog
Merch:
1. Turn merch purchase into a care package
2. Be at merch table and let fans know you will be there
3. Leave Easter Eggs in the merch (add a QR code with unreleased demos on your t-shirt, etc.)
4. Make themed merch to go with your project (for instance, if you make a surfing album, create a surfer’s kit)
5. Always bring it back to the music with a link, download code, and/or QR code that brings you back to listening to the music
6. Set up a pop-up shop (while you’re busking or when you’re on tour, find an unusual place, where folks have to participate within that short time frame)
Live events:
1. Meet and greet (before the gig, make it a contest)
2. Do personalized shout-outs to fans
3. Play on the back of flatbed trucks
4. Do a secret show BEFORE the actual gig
5. House shows
6. Singing telegrams
7. Tailor-made serenades
8. Flash mobs
9. Listening parties
10. Teach your audience something
11. Meta verse gigs
12. Pop-up recording booth (allows fans to record a part for your next release)
13. Reach out to fans for extras in your music videos
14. Fan meet ups
Check out the full discussion on the podcast.
Personalized conversations:
1. DMing people
2. Leave an audio/video message on SnapChat
3. Shout outs in email
4. Direct messaging apps
5. Twitch “Ask Me Anything” stream
6. All requests episodes
7. Live audio channel in Dischord
8. Twitter Spaces (online forums)
9. Reddit forums
10. Zoom Meets (“Coffee with Chris” and “Tub Time with Tina”)
11. Take your fans on a walk/drive/beach walk
12. Personalized birthday greetings (musical or not)
13. Podcast?? (Be sure you have enough to make it fulfilling and sustainable)
User-generated content:
1. Respond to everything (it shows that you noticed them)
2. If someone makes anything to your music, respond
3. Fan club (by someone else); give them LOTS of perks
4. Chatrooms
5. Give them permission to make user-generated content
6. Make a collaborative list for your opening live concert music
7. Let your fans choose your setlist
8. Pop up exhibit of your fans’ art/music/photos
Need Contest Ideas for D.I.Y. Rock Stars? https://bit.ly/contestideasblog
The take away...
The podcast hosts remind us that these are about reciprocating relationships with your fans. It goes so much further than likes and shares on social media. Those only go so far, but when you interact in a more personal way, which will make fans for life. That’s what this list is meant to tap into. It creates memorable experiences for them, so that you are unique to them. Ask them questions about themselves; get to know them. “They are not a metric.” was a memorable quote from their episode. We hope that these help you think of MORE ideas after listening to these. The BIG idea is to build lifelong fans, so these are some ideas to help bring you closer to the people who vibe with you.
Let us know what ideas YOU like and/or you plan to try. Leave it in the comments below.
——
*We just did our first snail Mail campaign in about a year to record stores (see below), thanking them for turning folks on to new music, offering them the chance to come to our livestream in a week, and giving them the limited edition sticker, as well as a QR code to go look at details about the album. I doubt if this would’ve happened if we hadn’t had more time and space to include new ways to reach our people.
Here is the backstage Snail Mail prep experience (see above)
So, will we do it again? HELL, YEAH! 🙌🏾 In fact, our NEXT livestream is scheduled for Friday, July 28, where we will debut for Bourgeoisie Paper Jam’s next single “It’s Gonna Be Alright.” We will also premiere the music video live and on-air—unless you are a member of our Patreon community. (If you’re in our Patreon, you will see the video one week earlier. Join here.)
Did you know that along with putting together our next album, we are working on our first book?
Here’s the link, if you want to pre-order: https://bit.ly/prejippiebklanding
Here’s what we’re into now:
· We’re featured in Variety Magazine! https://bit.ly/featuresxsw2023
· The video for “Every Heartbeat” is doing well in Indonesia! https://bit.ly/everyheartbeatvid
· The Tony Webb "Funkalicious" video is going crazy in Honduras, y'all! https://bit.ly/twebbfunkaliciousvid
· One of our videos for our song, “Tell Me What You Want,” is going gangbusters in Vietnam! https://bit.ly/tellmewhatyouwantvid
If you like this, you might enjoy:
· Basic Recording Studio Setup: https://bit.ly/246basicstudiopost
· What to do when real life interrupts your artistic process? https://bit.ly/241reallifeblog
· 7 Strategies for rebounding from creative burnout: https://bit.ly/239digoutofburnoutblog
· How to give better interviews (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/236betterinterviewsblog
· How to give better live performances: https://bit.ly/219betterliveblog
· How to collaborate better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/Ep163collaborateblog
· How to write quicker, but better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/228writebetterblogpost
· Should you ever play for free? https://bit.ly/214playfreeblog
· 17 Tips for taking better band photos—ESPECIALLY if you taking them yourself: http://bit.ly/betterbandphotos
NOW:
New single, “One Love (Find a Way),” by Bourgeoisie Paper Jam http://bit.ly/BandCampPMG and
follow on Spotify at https://bit.ly/bpjspotfollow
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Until next Monday, here’s wishing love, peace, and chicken grease!
