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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Housekeeping note: I’m stepping away from my weekly schedule and shifting to a ‘most weeks’ publishing rhythm. That doesn’t necessarily mean I won’t send out an edition next week. I’m still very susceptible to winning streaks (I’m now on an 188-week roll), but it shouldn’t be the main motivation to write in weeks when I have less to say, which has happened a few times lately. Enjoy this week’s edition, and thanks for reading The Fanbase Builder!
Strategies and tactics that should fit life
It could fit the brand, but does it suit the life?
Why it matters
It always surprises me when artists ask me to come up with a strategy to go big on Instagram or TikTok, and then tell me they don’t use the app or never publish on it. I don’t think everyone should use Instagram or TikTok, on the contrary. But that also means I don’t think every artist should build their audience on those channels just because everyone does.
Most artist brands are personal, and most emerging artists execute their own marketing. Tactics have therefore two metrics for success:
Does it work on paper? Is the marketing idea backed by a strategy?
Does it work in the artist’s actual work week? Is it aligned with the artist’s values, availability, motivation, priorities, skills, etc?
If a tactic survives the first test but not the second, artists try it for two weeks, quietly drop it, and abandon it.
How it works
There are many strategic decisions for artists where strategists like me should take into account how the artist lives:
Social media channels: Artists should use a platform before building a strategy on it. Posting on a platform you never open yourself is fake.
Content format: Video, writing, photography: pick the one the artist is actually skilled and comfortable with.
Collaboration and networking: Cold outreach DMs, networking events. These tactics require a level of extroversion some artists don’t have.
Time and energy: A daily posting habit only works if it fits the artist’s actual week, day job, motivation and all.
Contact with fans: Replying to every comment builds real connection, but only if the artist actually wants that level of contact.
Etc.
It’s easy to copy-paste a strategy that worked for someone else. The harder, more valuable work is making it fit you.
Yes, but..
Some tactics apply almost regardless of fit: a working website, an accurate bio, a way for fans to actually find the music. Those are the basics.
“It doesn’t fit me” shouldn’t become an excuse to avoid anything uncomfortable. Growth sometimes means doing something you’re not good at yet, on purpose.
Take action now
Artists can evaluate advice they received in the past that they tried, then dropped and abandoned. What went wrong? Where didn’t it align with your life?
Your thoughts
What marketing tactic works well for most artists but not for you? Please share your experiences in the comments below.
Further reading
The blueprint trap: Why copy-paste strategies fail (The Fanbase Builder)
Quality versus Quantity: Two content strategies for artists (The Fanbase Builder)
Why artists should create personal winning streaks (The Fanbase Builder)
Why artists should select their platforms with care (The Fanbase Builder)
The Guanxi approach to networking in music (The Fanbase Builder)