No Fans? No Problem! How to Build Your Brand + Your Audience Base from Scratch…

by Cari Cole

1. Speak Your Message

It’s not enough to shout out about your music, matter of fact, when you do, be sure to also talk about your message. Chances are your songs are about surviving, empowerment, or heartache, overcoming difficulties or disappointment, or are full of inspiration. Maybe they are about being a minority, being gay, being different, misunderstood? Maybe your songs belong in a yoga studio? There are messages in them. Use hashtags on Twitter and Instagram to find your audience like: #helpwomen #dreamchasing #selflove #empowerment #selfcare #depression #speakout #lgbt #yogamusic #mantramusic etc. Hashtags around your message can help your audience grow like wildfire.

2. Big Giveaway

Be sure to have a big giveaway on your website (and if you don’t have a designated yourname.com don’t read any further and go make your site right now). Music is literally your hook for drawing people to you – free music that is. And a one song giveaway isn’t going to do it any more. Artists give away half or all of their albums now, but only in exchange for an email address. I recommend giving the whole album away for a promotional run of 90 days (which you can repeat whenever you want to grow your list again). Once that 90 days is over you can give away half of your record on your website’s email opt-in. Make it sound super exciting! Drive traffic on social media to your website. This grows your list like mad if your free offer is juicy enough!

3. Be Consistent

Do what you say you’re going to do, market consistently (a consistent newsletter), and always keep your word. People follow people they know, like and trust!

4. Be a Go-Giver (vs. a Go Getter)

There is a trend in marketing (thank goodness) happening which is more about others than promoting yourself. It’s quite contagious.

Lady Gaga just came out with a new song/video “’Til It Happens to You”, written by Dianne Warren talking about campus rape. But the message in the song also applies to anyone who’s had trauma in their lives. Powerful. Lady Gaga is not even in the video. It’s solely about others. This is an example of your music having a message that is more about others, than you.

5. Shine a Light On Others

Promote people, other artists, musicians, producers, songwriters, and mentors you admire. They will promote you back. And even if they don’t directly, it’s good marketing karma. It’s a BIG part of growing your list and following. You get what you give.

6. Engage With Your Followers

Respond to every comment, every RT (with a favorite). Spend time learning how to connect with others. Watch how successful social media pages do it. Fastest way to grow a following.

7. Paid Advertising

Thank goodness for social media, artists now have an opportunity to grow their own lists and communicate directly with fans and potential fans. But don’t forget the power of paid advertising. Start with a Facebook Ad. It’s cheap and you can grow your audience naturally and authentically by tagging pages of similar artists.

8. Build a Community That Supports Each Other

Artists without support can waste a lot of valuable time, energy and resources doing things that don’t grow one’s business. Like paying for radio promotion when their list is small. Build a community of artists who are further than you to learn from. The support is invaluable.

Looking for a community of dedicated, professional, open-minded, genuine, generous, hard working musicians and mentors?