Very few things are scarce in the music industry as it stands today.
From vast online libraries of digital downloads – legal or otherwise – to over 20 million tracks available for on-demand streaming, abundance abounds in an industry that once traded on limited distribution and highly anticipated release dates.
All of which makes it crucial for today’s musicians to seize the day when a moment of scarcity arises for your art.
Image Credit: Kmeron
Making the Most of Your Moments
I define “your moments” as any opportunity to connect with a fan in a way that is unlikely to arise again for some time, if ever.
Sometimes this will be limited to deepening your relationship, but often it will include a rare chance to offer them something that supports your art monetarily. Some examples:
- Talking to fans after a live performance at the merch table is a moment,
- The day you release a new piece of music is a moment,
- Filming a music video is a moment,
- The buzz a fan feels after purchasing a ticket for your future show is a moment,
- Collaborating with other artists on a new project is a moment.
Making the most of these requires you to actively nurture the nature of the moment, turning an already important interaction into something even more lasting, be that emotionally, materially, or both.
To transform the scenarios above, for example:
- Creating a unique recording of that live show and offering it for sale before the adrenaline fades makes the most of the moment,
- Offering limited edition versions of your new release in a physical format with creative artwork or merchandise is making the most of the moment,
- Inviting fans to participate in the filming process, perhaps even helping to inspire and refine the concept, is making the most of the moment,
- Capturing that excitement and channeling it into a social share or offering a VIP experience is making the most of the moment,
- Planning a unique launch event for the collaboration and inviting a select group of passionate fans is making the most of the moment.
Eyes Wide Open
More important than following specific examples such as these is keeping your eyes and mind open to opportunities around you. As you create, network, and interact with fans, always keep one eye on the potential to develop a unique moment.
Anything that closes the gap to your listeners is what you’re looking for, but especially those with the potential to create a memory that can’t be replicated.
Making those moments gives you a long term, inimitable connection to the individuals with whom you live the experience, something that could be worth its weight in gold in an environment where it’s increasingly difficult to make your music stand out for a single spin, let alone the span of a career.
Where have you seen musicians creating moments that live long in the memory for you as a fan?
Share and inspire us, if you’d be so kind…