I’m hugely interested in new kind of music marketing models. Trent Reznor’s new band, How To Destroy Angels is a very good example of do-it-yourself marketing. Of course this kind of model is likely to work better for a band that’s been around for a while, but should work on a smaller scale as well. These are rather simple marketing methods.
1. Give a few songs for free, in exchange for an e-mail address
HTDA’s debut EP can be downloaded for free, if an e-mail address is given. One can also buy hi-fi versions of songs for a few dollars. This is, of course, just a part of the bigger plan.
2. Sell songs bundled with merchandise
Hi-fi versions of HTDA’s songs can also be bought with a t-shirt or a poster. The price is still rather moderate, and the fan will receive something tangible. Of course posters and t-shirts are good also for further band promotion. Fans don’t mind really – they like to show their support, which is cool in my book.
3. Locate song player on a sales page (with desirable product bundles)
Of course HTDA’s songs can also be listened to at the site. But it’s no coincidence that the player is located right next to the purchasable products. It’s crucial to offer an easy way to buy, when the listener finds out that the music is worth listening to. The listener will hopefully not want the music to stop, so keep everything on one page, because leaving the page would stop the music. HTDA has also done a good job in creating desirable packages – everything looks really cool and suits the music well. Naturally fans need to be proud of the design they wear, because if they really like what they see, they’ll wear the shirt more often.
4. Use mailing list to promote new products
When a user downloaded HTDA’s EP “for free”, they also agreed to receive marketing messages from HTDA. They now have a huge mailing list of people interested in their stuff. This is why the addresses should be collected well in advance, and leave some sales arguments for later. In HTDA’s case, releasing an EP created an atmosphere of anticipation – something bigger and better is yet to come. Mailing lists should be used carefully, though. People will unsubscribe, if their mailbox is flooded with marketing messages.
Want to do it yourself?
How To Destroy Angels has been spoiled with loads of media interest due to Reznor’s previous efforts with Nine Inch Nails. So they may have a head start, but it doesn’t mean that smaller bands couldn’t benefit from the methods mentioned in this post. Most of the tools are available for free. They require some technical expertise, which can either be bought or learned. Now go do it.
Download this EP for free, and see how their marketing works.
