SHELLY'S BLOG

March 8, 2012

I am a commodity and you are my Customer



Yes, you read that right.  I know, I know - I am an artist and you are my fans!  BUT, no matter if you are a private yoga instructor, a bookkeeper, a gift shop owner or an independent musician (like me) - I have to see myself as a small business person trying to generate revenue. 

As I stride into the home stretch of the Social Media Challenge – Music Success in 9 Weeks, I find myself learning a few tricks of the trade.  When I joined the challenge, I already had:
.           My website                 http://www.shelly-dubois.com
.           Facebook page            http://www.facebook.com/ShellyDubois.CountryArtist
.           Twitter                         http://www.twitter.com/ShellyDMusic
.           Reverbnation               http://www.revernation.com/shellydubois
.           icontact                       a program for my monthly newsletter

So why did I join?  I wanted to learn more.  Just because I had all these in place didn’t make me an expert by any means and I firmly believe that we can all learn something new all the time.  And, I wanted to generate revenue!  I was making small sales but I definitely need to make a lot more.  I want to make a living in this career!  This was an opportunity to learn how to better utilize social media to help me do that.

Since the challenge began I have made some changes/updates:
.           My website:
.           That I needed to offer my customers (my fans) something for joining my fan email list.  Now when you join my fan email list on my website, you receive a free song download.
.           Added a link to my blog
.           Facebook page:
            .           Added my pitch – which explains who I am and what type of music I play
.           Twitter:
            .           Added my pitch and changed my profile
.           Reverbnation
            .           Added my pitch
.           icontact:
.           Switched from icontact to Fanbridge.  Fanbridge has many more useful features and you can even download an app on your iphone or android phone so you can have fans join your fan email list directly on your phone (which I used for the first time a few days ago at a gig.  It works like a hot damn!)
Now that this is all set up I have to utilize these ‘social powers’ for my music (my commodity) to engage my fans (my customers) on a continual basis.  This is the plan: 

.           I currently send out newsletters on a monthly basis.  I will be looking at doing this twice a month.  In my newsletters, I will:
.           talk about various subjects of interest.  For example: how I baked banana chocolate chip muffins and posted a picture on facebook that got 20 comments!  Maybe I’ll even give you my recipe!
.           give you an opportunity to book me for a private gig
.           set up a monthly fan club that will give you access to a once a month video of a new song
.           talk about new merchandise
.           inform you of a new song release
.           talk about my charity
.           let you know of upcoming shows/tours
.           look at creating a fan club that hosts a special event once or twice a year
 
And of course, I will post a link to my newsletters on my Facebook and Twitter pages.  Plus, give daily status updates and tweets on the happenings in my music career.

Its definitely all going to take time and hard work – as it has been for the past two years.  And it does get frustrating at times because it seems like my focus is at the computer rather than writing songs and practicing music.  I’m learning to find a healthy balance and once I have an effective system in place it will be smooth sailing from there.  For the next month or so though, its going to be chaos as I move from Vancouver Island back to Alberta and prepare to release my single “This Town” to country radio at the end of April.  Thank goodness for laptops, android phones, wireless internet and mobile networks.

Whatever your dream, if you follow your heart,
 it will lead you to places well worth the adventure.

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