Orangutang Music

Converting Punters Into Your Fans – It’s All Up To You!

“What’s in it for me?”

This is the main question that people are asking of anyone that’s wanting to attract their attention and/or intend to part them with their hard earned disposable income through live music.

Think about it for a minute! How would you as an indie artist or band answer that question?

I used to run an acoustic music night at a local pub a while back and I noticed that attendences go up or down depending on a whole range of things. Who is playing, the weather and so on.

This experience did give me some food for thought though on how someone can evolve from a person who has no idea about a certain band to being a rabid ‘fan’ or ‘groupie’ of them.

There’s some sort of conversion process that takes place here.

From my experience there are four types of people who comprise a listening audience at your local venue. They are:

1. Converted fans
As mentioned before these are the rabid, one eyed supporters of your music. They come to every show, know all the words to your songs and would even buy a lock of the lead singers hair if given half the chance.

It’s safe to say that the more of these you have in your fan base the better.

2. People that know you
Im talking about friends, family, work collegues, acquaintances, next door neighbours and anyone who is not a total stranger to you.

NB: When you first start off it’s always a great idea to make a list of everyone that you know and contact them to let them know of what you are doing and to make sure you have their permission to put their details on your fledgling opt-in email list.

If you are a four piece indie music band for example, you then have four times as many people to contact and put onto your email list. If you do this before your first gig you have a better chance of getting a good crowd.

3. Punters
These are people that dont know you but are the type of people that go out and see any band because they just love live music.

4. The rest of us
The ones that are at the pub because it’s their local hangout not because they want to hear you (or anyone else for that matter). The ones that are there for dinner or because they were driving/walking past and fancied a drink.

These people are generally apathetic, don’t care or can be offended if a band starts setting up and they didn’t know about it beforehand (if you have already played a few gig you will know what I mean)

I’ve come to the conclusion that the way to have more converted fans is to have in your own mind the answer to the various questions that people in groups 2, 3 and 4 mentioned above are going to ask in their own heads when you start playing.

Questions such as:

“What’s in it for me?”
“Why should I listen to you?”
“What am I going to get out of this?”
“What is the benefit of me staying?”

(I think you get my point)

If you are thinking that this post is reading like a sales article rather than indie music information well, you are right. We as indie artists and bands are selling ourselves to the public. The public today is bombarded with more information and choice than ever before.

I hear musicians complaining all the time that they dont get people to their gigs and that venues won’t take them seriously.

I believe that if you dont answer those questions listed above through the way you present yourselves and your live shows then why should people come to your shows?

Why should venues take you seriously?

I reckon the secret to getting more converted fans is to give them a reason to be converted. Touch, move and inspire your audience.

Give the people that are at your gigs (whether they want to be there or not) an experience they will not forget in a hurry.

Think about it, how you answer the “what’s in it for me” questions are up to you. Just have the willingness to search for the answers.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: indie music, music industry, music business, music marketing, music promotion, independent music, orangutang music, corey stewart

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