Musicians, Bands, Songriters — You Can Market Like A Dentist!

One of the most valuable marketing techniques I’ve learned in the past few years is something that dentists have been doing for many, many years.

Open your mind and you can see how this applies to you — no matter what business you are in.  But it works especially well for promoting your band or your merchandise (like CDs and T-shirts and all that other stuff that people pay money for.)

Whenever somebody goes to the dentist, they are immediately entered into a computer for a follow-up campaign.  The most basic is a postcard in the mail (nowadays, probably an email) reminding you to come in for your 6-month check-ups.

But the up-sell is where the real money is.

You can imagine the extra business a dentist gets when he/she runs a special like teeth-whitening.  Or when the dentists schedules a teleseminar that will lead to interest in some special, elective procedure — such as replacing amalgam fillings.

So how does the garage band profit from this.

First of all, if you are not already doing this, you MUST get a list of the people who come to see you play.  Have a table set up (to sell your CDs, T-shirts or just to give away your newsletter).  Add people to your mailing list.

This is one of your greatest assets.  You can have the benefits of a fan club, just like Elvis or the Beatles had.

It makes people feel special to belong — and you keep making them feel special.

Have a weekly email blast, text message broadcast or some other kind of communication to tell people where you are playing next.  Promote it like the baseball games do — first ten people in the door get a T-shirt of ballcap.  Then they are walking billboards promoting you.

Why not just post a notice on MySpace or Facebook?  Well, you don’t know who is going to see it, and it isn’t special to just read a notice.  It makes a fan feel valued to get a personal email or text from the band (although it’s actually a bulk-sending).

That mailing list is like solid gold.  You can announce your CD launch party, special events like holiday shows or grand openings of new venues.

The important thing is to generate this mailing list and keep in touch … you have to be faithful and contact your fans at least once a week.

One final note — don’t just spam the fans.  If all you do is tell them where you are playing or when you have a new CD or video, then they will turn you off.

When people sign up, get their birthdays, and you can automate your email to send out a birthday email on their special day.  You can also announce birthdays (anniversaries, or whatever) from the bandstand.

Recognition is the most valuable thing you can give your fans — and it costs you noting.

So market like a dentist.  If you want more information on the various techniques you can use, contact me.

WADE