About the Guest Series:

Each week we will be selecting a group of industry pros, artists (and really interesting people who have unique perspectives in general) to join us in a multi-part series designed to get their 50-100 word response on a single subject related to fan engagement. Our goal is to bring YOU (our loved reader) a variety of perspectives/ideas as you think about these subjects yourself, and who knows, maybe you’ll be selected as a guest author in a future series! (Hint, we will be reading the great comments that readers leave when thinking about who we will invite next…)

This Week’s Guests:

To get things kicked off here in Part I of the series, we’ve got some great minds who are helping drive the future, including Tom Windish (The Windish Agency), James Bailey (Yep Roc Records) and Brian Peterson (Bandbox)

What We Asked Them:

Should you treat loyal fans different than casual fans? If so, how?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tom Windish, The Windish Agency

As a booking agent and owner of The Windish Agency, Tom Windish has been booking shows for 17 years. He formed The Windish Agency in 2004 and oversees the booking of over 300 artists from around the world, including Justice, Hot Chip, Girl Talk, and Pink Martini.

“For optimal results, I think artists should treat all of their fans like they would treat and expect to be treated by their friends and family. Should some fans be treated differently?Business wise, I suppose it makes sense to offer “super” fans special opportunities in exchange for spreading the word about the artist.We are at a critical juncture in social networking.I don’t see the majority of artists doing enough to maximize the networking they do with their fans.More needs to be done.Many artists aren’t gathering fan data and offering them music, tickets, merchandise, videos, etc. or they’re not gathering this info from enough of their fans”.

James Bailey, Yep Roc Records

James has been the in-house publicist at respected indie label Yep Roc Records since 2006. During his tenure he has garnered artists coverage on national television, in national print publications and on nationally-syndicated radio.

“The answer to this question depends on your definition of the word ‘treated.’ If considered to mean ‘reached out to,’ then the ‘loyal’ (or perhaps more accurately, the ‘hardcore’ fan), should not be treated differently from the casual fan, per se. But if by treated you mean offered different products at different pricing levels, the answer is certainly yes. Through the Internet, the ability of artists and labels to offer an array of products directed at different types of fans has been a useful way to create new revenue streams in a diminished marketplace. That being said, it is important to have different content easily available to ALL fans while not quarantining the casual fan to some lesser realm of existence. If you do the numbers, it becomes fairly obvious that the casual fan is an absolutely essential part of the music industry’s financial survival. Equal (if not more) focus should be put on not excluding the casual fan than on including the hardcore one. The bottom line is that if you make cool, interesting content (retail and promotional alike) easily accessible to your fans, they will sort out the ‘casual’ or ‘hardcore’ question all by themselves”.

Brian Peterson, Bandbox

Brian is CEO and Co-founder of Bandbox, a Nashville based company that developed the first digital + physical direct-to-consumer platform of its kind that passes 100% of digital profits through to the artist and/or record label.

“Do you treat a steak different than a hamburger? Do you treat an $8,000 vintage Martin guitar different than a $99 Walmart special? Do you treat your spouse different than a stranger? Yes, of course you do. I do anyway.

I dress up for a steak. I drive farther to get a steak. I wait longer for a steak. I pay more for my steak. If that’s how I treat a steak, imagine how I treat an $8,000 guitar or more importantly my wife (and yes, I do dress up for her too).

Your loyal fans drive farther, wait in line longer and pay more to experience you and your music. They treat you differently. Likewise, it’s crucial that you treat them differently. They are your lifeblood, the only reason you’re able to make a living with your music. Don’t you think they deserve different?”

Share with us your thoughts about this topic and  stay tuned for the next part of the series!

Want more tips like this? Sign up for the Fan Marketing Institute and get free weekly lessons designed to help you get more fans, cultivate loyalty, and turn fans into customers.