It’s amazing to me that so many experts are telling musicians to focus entirely on online marketing because apparently that’s where the money is.
This article is more than music marketing. It’s a battle cry. Live music isn’t dead! It’s a lifeline to any musician who loves to perform and is looking for a better way to grow their audience.
By taking advantage of a common technique some musicians use to successfully market music on the internet, you can exponentially grow your fan base performing live.
I call it the FanGrabber.
It’s one of three simple ways I was able to get paid what I was worth from live music before I had a large fan base. My Success With Live Music Blueprint will show you how to put those strategies to work at your next gig. You can grab it for free right here.
What is a FanGrabber?
Have you ever heard of a lead magnet, opt-in offer or opt-in bribe?
I’ll explain more in a sec, but that’s basically what a FanGrabber is.
It’s giving your fans something of value (like free music) in exchange for their contact information (usually their email address).
How a FanGrabber Works (Online Vs. Live)
There’s a bit of a difference in how this plays out online versus live.
Online, it might look something like this:
You run a Facebook ad that directs people to your landing page where they sign up for a free song and get on your email list.
From the stage, you could simply make an announcement prompting the audience to go to your landing page where they sign up for your free song in exchange for their email address.
Why Would You Want to Use a FanGrabber?
So, why would you want to use a FanGrabber in the first place?
First and foremost, because it will build your email list.
Additionally, staying in touch with your fans gives you more opportunities to connect with them, invite them to buy your music, come to your shows and so on. In the long run, it will mean more revenue for you too.
ExactTarget has shown that 77% of people prefer to get messages related to things they can buy via email.
So, that means email marketing works better than just about anything you can throw at me, whether it’s social media, texts or even phone calls.
If there was ever any doubt, you should know now that building your email list should be your priority. You can get your social media and Spotify following up later.
How the FanGrabber and Music Marketing Funnel Work Together
I’ve shared about the music marketing funnel before. The idea is that there’s an entry point into your funnel, which is your FanGrabber.
Once your fans have claimed it, you can continue to build that relationship with them and have them supporting your music.
So, the FanGrabber is the “free download” offered at the top of the funnel, and it’s the key to a successful funnel.
In my Success With Live Music Blueprint, I talk about three simple ways you can get paid what you’re worth at your next gig. It’s free to download, so grab yours now.
What Can You Use as a FanGrabber?
Most artists like to give away a free song in exchange for an email. It’s a little played out, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still work.
All it means is that there’s plenty of room to get creative with it. It doesn’t even have to be a “free download”.
Let’s think about the kinds of things your fans might be interested in:
- Audio. We’ve already talked about free music. You could also record a special podcast episode with the band and share it with your audience.
- Video. It could be rare concert footage, rig rundown, an acoustic performance, an unreleased music video, and so on.
- A merch item. You could give away a T-shirt, button/badge, sticker or other merch item in exchange for email addresses.
- Tickets to your next show. If you have a big gig coming up, this might be a good angle to work.
- Free trial membership. If you have a fan club or membership site set up, you could offer free trial memberships to your fans.
Keep it simple. Just make it something your fans and prospective fans would want, and you’ll have a great FanGrabber on your hands.
If you want to attract the right kinds of fans in droves, you’ll want to establish a strong brand for your music. If you want three simple ways to create a brand that matches your music sets your live show apart, my free music branding cheatsheet will give you that.
FanGrabber Works Both Live and Online
It makes a lot of sense to put a FanGrabber on your website. After all, your website stays up 24/7, and it can keep working for you, even as you’re sleeping.
Would you like to see this in action?
I recently redesigned a Billboard-charting independent artist’s website. The goal was to get people to sign up for their FanGrabber. You can see my case study article here.
Unfortunately, people are distracted online, and their attention is divided among a ton of different things.
If you want to grow your email audience exponentially, you should also use a FanGrabber whenever you’re playing live.
It’s Easier to Get Everyone’s Attention Live
It’s so much easier to get everyone’s attention live, because they’re already there paying attention to you. And, it’s way more effective than just spamming your Facebook page with your FanGrabber link.
For me, it’s more effective live than online.
The first time I used the FanGrabber technique at a live gig, it was in front of an audience of about 100 people.
When I got home, I saw that I received 50 new email signups. That’s an insane conversion rate (roughly 50%)!
This is proof that live music isn’t dead, and all it takes is a few simple tweaks for you to get the results you’re looking for.
This is exactly why I created the Live Music Revenue Accelerator, which details the five-step plan to a profitable live music business.
And, it didn’t require me buying ads or learning confusing software. All I needed was an audience.
A FanGrabber is one of three simple ways I was able to get paid what I was worth from live music before I had a large fan base. My Success With Live Music Blueprint will show you how to put the FanGrabber strategy to work at your next gig. You can grab it for free right here.
A Fun and Easy Way to Connect With a Live Audience and Exponentially Grow Your Fan Base
So, let’s review.
A FanGrabber is something valuable you give away to your fans and prospective fans in exchange for their email address.
You could give away a free song, a podcast recording, a music video, or anything else your fans couldn’t resist (more ideas above).
It works amazing in live situations because you can announce your FanGrabber from the stage. When I used it for the first time, I got 50 signups from an audience of about 100.
This is easy to do every single time you perform live and it’s a sure way to grow your email list, which is more valuable than a social media following.
Your email list can then be leveraged to create a stronger connection with your subscribers and promote everything, whether it’s your next live show or tour, forthcoming release or songwriting contest.
