For most independent artists or producers thinking about marketing their base focus is usually promotional tactics. And while this is important, I think a real marketing gem for independent musicians is even taking a few steps back from that. Too often people can get lost in the end goal without realizing the importance of the journey along the way, and those who support you.
Something that someone told me a long time ago that was super helpful for bringing this into reality, and that I still refer back to when I am helping others try to make a career in music, is to focus on gathering 1,000 fans. 1,000 diehard fans.
Think about it: one fan at a time. If you focus on bringing in one new fan every day, that’s a win. In 1,000 days, you’ll have 1,000 fans. So, one new diehard fan at a time. It can be a day, a week or a month. It’s important to understand the importance of your fans and celebrate every single one you receive along the way. If you can get 1,000 diehard fans, you can have a career in music.
For me, that was doable in my mind. I realized I didn’t have 1,000 fans right in that moment I first heard this, but eventually I hit that point where I realized that I could do it. Once you hit 500 fans, 600 is easy. Once you hit 1,000, 2,000 is easy. 5,000 and then 10,000 is easy because the more you get, the more they talk to each other, the more the word spreads. That’s why the concept of obtaining 1,000 diehard fans is a marketing gem for independent musicians.
Now once you sketch out that concept in your mind, then it’s a great idea to learn about entrepreneurship, social media marketing, sales, and other tactics that can help you get to those 1,000 diehard fans. And a lot of independent musicians will say they make music and can’t do all of that, but if you want to make it independently, you have to do all that. That’s the sad truth of right now or the happy truth of right now because the power is in your hands.
