Help me find more fans. That is the response I hear so often when I ask clients what do they need help with, what is their goal. Sounds simple, more fans. But, what is a new fan? If you ask many musicians that question today the answer very often includes something like… a new Facebook like, a new Twitter follower, maybe even a visit to the band’s website. Those are definitely some metrics you can use to judge success and failure. But are those real fans? No, no and no.
I would argue that a real fan is someone who you have made a connection with, someone who has moved from being a observer of what you are doing to someone who is engaging with what you are doing.
You can be a real fan and NOT like a Facebook page, follow on Twitter or ever visit the website. Ok what defines engaging? Well… that could be commenting and replies in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It could be sharing or retweeting your content. It could be messaging you to ask what they can do to help. When a fan takes that step to engage with you they are indicating that what you are doing matters to them, it is important to them.
Engagement doesn’t happen by just starting a Facebook page or opening a Twitter account. Engagement doesn’t happen by just posting a update and leaving. Engagement happens when you get involved. If you remove yourself from your online networks nobody will connect with you. You MUST reply, not to everyone, but to many. Fans want to see you are interested in them. Ask questions, answer questions, show you really do want to get into conversations.
How do you define a new fan?
I agree completely.
Some artists might also consider sales as a measure of fandom , but I personally think the actual listening/plays of the music, even if that is unknown, from physical media (cd/cassette/vinyl), is a true measure of fandom, because someone being engaged in your music, even while multitasking, is the obvious ultimate goal.
Live show attendance can be an INDICATOR, but there are a lot of factors that can make those numbers go up or down, without it necessarily relating to the number of fans a group has – many people might be missing the show for a number of reasons, which may not relate to their enthusiasm for the artist, and there might be a number of people (especially for bar/club shows) that are present for other reasons, and couldn’t give a crap about your music.
Harsh, but true.
In the end, whether live, in press, on social media, and with your products that you produce, engagement is definitely the key.
I had a great conversation with a world famous musician, who happens to be an old friend, and he said that it’s humbling to remember that those big numbers of fans, concert and music sales, are each and every one, a PERSON, and that your music touches their lives, even in minor ways, is an honor on the highest order (paraphrased, but pretty close to his exact words).
Even if you are a new, unknown group, and have your sights set high, never forget that your fans owe you nothing, they give of their time, attention, money, and often even their hearts, and for that, you owe them everything.
That doesn’t necessarily mean to pander to their whims, it may mean that you owe it to them, to become the best version of yourself that you can be, and make the music that is the most true for you – if they keep interacting with you, then they are fans.