06 Tools Soundcharts 07–08 Campaigns Amy Winehouse, Jean-Michel Jarre, Deezer, Avenged Sevenfold 09-12 Behind The Campaign Biffy Clyro NOVEMBER 02 2016 sandboxMUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 167 SUPER- MARKET FINDING AND KEEPING YOUR SUPER FANS COVERFEATURE Not all fans are created equal. What most acts want is as many fans as possible, but the super fans are often the first to flock to them and will often be the ones still there long after the stadium shows and #1 singles have dried up. Holding and cultivating them in a time when there are so many other distractions has never been more important. Marketing experts speak to us about how to identify super fans and how to ensure they stay super fans. How to create, and any number of imagined slights can be a truly keep, your super fans desperate sight. With this is mind, sandbox presents its All fans may be equal to musicians, but guide to encouraging, and keeping, your some fans are certainly more equal than super fans. others. Yes, we’re talking the super fans, the semi-mythical tier of hyped supporters 1) Locate your existing, as who will shell out for expensive box sets, well as potential, super fans champion your cause on social media and send your records up the chart by sheer The logical first step in this process is finding force of will. It is a concept so potent that existing super fans, as well as those who it has now reached from band into brand could one day become them. In the digital marketing, with Forbes – of all people – age, there are hundreds of ways in which recently writing about super fans as “the you can measure fandom, from seeing secret weapon in marketing”. who has signed up to your email database One of the advantages of an art as to remarketing techniques (see Darren visceral as music is that fans are far more Hemmings interview on page 4 for more on likely to obsess over their favourite band this). Essentially, though, it all boils down to than their #1 soft drink. engagement, both online and off, as Cyber Equally, though, the power of individual PR founder Ariel Hyatt explains. taste in music means you can’t exactly “Who is in the front row at shows?” she create super fans, no matter how clever asks. “Is there anyone you see often in your marketing. What you can do, attendance? Who hangs around the merch however, is encourage them along their table? Look to see who is interacting with you journey, leading fans up the tunnel from on Facebook, Twitter and any other socials. casual to super. Who is liking your Instagram posts? These You also need to work to keep your super are your super fans and they should be SUPER-MARKET fans, of course. We’ve all gone off bands, categorised as such.” however much we once loved them, and to Of course, there are no hard and fast finding and keeping your super fans see super fans turn on their former idols for rules as to what constitutes an actual or 2 | sandbox | ISSUE 167 | 02.11.16 COVERFEATURE potential super fan, so marketers will have fans and creating media attention. But would to establish their own guidelines. “It’s all probably only work for someone with his about analysing the data and setting certain level of fame, rather than a Beyoncé-esque parameters,” says Luke Ferrar, senior digital superstar. marketing manager at Virgin EMI Records. Other musicians embrace social media. “A fan has to have completed Oliver Cox, contributing writer for Soundudes X action to belong to X group. Using (a platform that existed to connect musicians Facebook as an example: super fans may with their SoundCloud fans), cites former have had to have liked, commented on Civil Wars singer Joy Williams as a good a post, and watched over 50% of a video; example of a musician who communicates casual fans may have just liked the page of with their fans on Twitter “like they’re the artist, potential fans may like a page of humans, not wallets (asking them for advice a similar artist.” If, during this process, then on getting through a rough day)”, which you can identify potential influencers or a message before everyone else. And then he says “is a great way to forge a strong band champions among your fan base, then when the information becomes public their emotional bond”. all the better. attitude is, ‘Oh yeah I already knew that.’ And Artists can, of course, also pick up the they feel like part of an inner circle.” phone and speak to their fans – “Skype with 2) Talk to them, in any Cohen adds that email is “still the most the artist”-style packages are often popular way that feels right effective way” of communicating with fans, rewards in crowdfunding campaigns – or a view shared by Walter Gross, who heads meet them for coffee. Alternatively, there’s Nobody likes being ignored. So it should up digital marketing at Sony’s Legacy label. the modern version of a coffee shop natter: come as no surprise that one of the keys ”Email is your only owned data Twitter Q&As or Reddit AMA sessions. The to encouraging and keeping super fans is source ,” he says. “You look at Facebook possibilities are myriad. to talk to your fanbase. If this seems like or Twitter and all these other platforms, and incredibly open-ended advice, that’s because we have seen this with the way they have 3) Bring your fans it is: there are hundreds of different ways to changed their algorithms […] It is very clear into the “journey” communicate with your fans and the best that those platforms have matured, they way to do it will depend on what you know have a business model now and they are One of the main points that separates the about them, how many fans you have and essentially making you pay to access their super fan from the regular follower is a the ways that the artist in question feels data. And email lists are our data. And it strong emotional bond with the artist. That comfortable about communicating. allows us, over time, to build a 360-degree means they are emotionally invested in Scott Cohen, CEO of The Orchard and profile of the fan.” the artist’s success and will, as a result, do manager of The Raveonettes , says that XL-signed electronic producer Powell , anything to enable it. This can go too far at communication helps to create the right who has a background in advertising, times, when packs of fans turn on their idols’ environment to move casual supporters recently demonstrated the power of email in perceived rivals. But if cleverly harvested, into super fans. “There is one set of communication,” he explains. encouraging super fans, when he published this emotional super fan power is one of the messaging that should go out to random “The super fans should know any his email address on billboards in New York strongest tools in marketing. people that may or may not like an artist. information that you are going to ‘press and London. “I don’t like Facebook, I don’t Talking to your fans is one way to do The second that goes out to fans of the release’ first. They shouldn’t find out about like Twitter,” he told The Guardian. “I stuck this. Another way is to bring them into the band. And the third messaging that goes gigs or new releases or you’re heading into my email address on a billboard instead, and “journey”, giving them insight into the artist’s to a much smaller group that is the super the studio because they’ve read a press I had a thousand real conversations.” This development. Again, there are many different fans and often that is even one-on-one release. They should know because they get approach paid dividends both in engaging ways to do this and the right approach will 3 | sandbox | ISSUE 167 | 02.11.16 COVERFEATURE in a new album can sometimes be as simple money. But it has already worked for bands as getting them to invest financially in as diverse as Marillion and Ben Folds Five. it. This is something we have seen with crowdfunding sites such as PledgeMusic 5) Reward fans with or Kickstarter, where fans are asked to exclusive content cough up their hard-earned cash to help their idols record and promote their new Exclusive or limited content is like halogen releases. light to a super fan moth: not only will they Clearly, this has a financial benefit for pack your merch stand at gigs, they will also depend on the artist. But the key is to offer artists. But helping a band to record shell out large amounts content that takes the fan “backstage” both a new album will also help fans of money on limited box literally and in a metaphorical sense. to connect more with the release: set releases just to get Video works well for this. In a blog, you’re clearly going to pay more their hands on a replica Ben Sword, founder of Music Marketing attention to an album that you laminate backstage pass Classroom, offered 32 different kinds of helped fund than one that simply from your 2001 tour. This, video content that he says can help to turns up on Spotify one Friday naturally, is something But exclusive content can also be used to create super fans, from “making of the morning.