Jessie Scoullar - Releasing Your Album Direct-to-Fan (Darker Music Talks August '13)

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

hello@wicksteedworks.com@wicksteedworks

Questions?