Here’s a new take on audience swaps during COVID-19 to gain new fans while staying home.
You want to open new markets, and expand your fan base, but right now streaming to your fans is mostly what you got going.
Why not try swapping streaming audiences with an act you know to introduce each act to each other’s fans.
First, find an artist you might know, whose work you like and with whom you think you would be compatible.
Second, make sure the artist selected has a strong following on the social media platforms where you are trying to expand.
Suggest to the artist that you both promote at least one streaming event or perhaps even a number to each of your fan bases.
Make it a special event. Go ahead, charge a ticket price on Eventbrite or use a donation button or a virtual tip jar if you are not comfortable simply charging a ticket price in advance.
Each act can create a series of emails to launch a campaign to make the event stand out. Stream on multiple platforms or each one, select their best platform to host the other act.
Perhaps include a short interview segment where you interview each other to help your own fans find out more about the other act. Take questions from participants in the chat to really let them engage.
Use this time not playing in venues to build new fans, create new programs and update old marketing materials, website copy and come out on the other side of this ready and prepared to go. No matter the direction, prepare now for newer and better times ahead.
By swapping audiences, you will gain some momentum building your audiences for the future. I suggest asking the following questions to be sure the group you are considering is the right act for your audience expansion project.
- What size audience do they have on their various social media platforms?
You want to be sure they have built a loyal following.
2. When was their last streaming performance and how often do they stream a show?
Make sure there is enough demand to see the group.
3. Are they popular in any specific markets?
4. What size venues do they normally play?
If you were to do this live in the future, splitting fees at 50 seat venues may hardly be worth the trip whereas co-billing in a 300 or larger seat venue may expand your fan base nicely.
5. What is the size of their mailing list in their area and the nearby surrounding areas?
Select an artist whose fan base is substantial.
6. Who does their booking?
This is just good to know so you have a point person. If the group has an agent, there may be some commission to pay if, and when, you do a live event.
7. Who does the publicity?
Connect with the publicity person to get your materials to them and arrange any interviews and offer suggestions on how best to promote your group to their social media audiences or if you should do this live in the future.
8. Do they get coverage from local press and radio? Have they ever had a feature article written about them in local papers?
If the group has recently been covered for gigs, the media may be reluctant to offer more space for this act. However, with you co-billing at a future live gig, your act may receive the lion’s share of the publicity to bring new recognition to the hometown band. Make sure they had not recently had a feature article in the main paper if you do a live show with them.
Choose dates for your concerts after considering all the above.
Audience swaps can boost your career in a new market more smoothly than trying to open the market on your own. But why wait to gain new fans and share another great artist with yours? Try this new take on audience swaps during COVID to get a jump on your audience expansion.
The real key to holding the newly won audience, is to make sure you invite them to friend you or like you while sharing the platform with your streaming co-bill. Have something set up on a special landing page on your own site to do a special event give-away and capture email addresses. Follow up with a thank you to all who attended. Then keep them engaged with new, and nurturing content and future streaming events.
Have you ever tried to swap audiences? How successful were your efforts? What insights can you share with others who might want to try this in the future?
Leave me a comment below.
I can’t wait to hear about your success.
Stay healthy, stay creative, stay engaged.
Now, Thanks to the band curfew from the UK for the Biz Booster Theme Music, Future Dance.
And for more career boosting tips, articles, books, resources, tele-seminars, online courses and retreats,
visit me at Performingbiz.com
