The Million-Dollar Idea Challenge

Here's a quick but powerful thought that hit me yesterday. It's an idea that just might help you reach more people, make more of an impact, and make more money with your music.

Over the weekend I was considering making an investment in a program produced by a well-known marketing expert. And at close to $300, it wasn't exactly an inexpensive program.

I appreciate the value of education. No doubt. But I am also frugal when it comes to the way I spend money -- as I'm sure you are too. I had to justify the purchase.

So here's the thought process that went through my head ...

"OK, if I make this investment, I must make a commitment to finding at least one good idea in this program that will earn back the price of it, and hopefully a lot more."

I envisioned sitting down with the material for at least an hour a day, taking detailed notes, and seriously brainstorming on how I could implement the ideas. I thought how fun it would be to turn it into a personal challenge:

"Your mission is to find the one or two idea nuggets in this program that will help you make a difference in people's lives while also earning a profit you deserve. Don't hold back. Think big!"

Then it hit me ...

Why should I limit this mindset to this product alone? Why should I limit it to high-priced learning materials only?

Couldn't I apply that same opportunity-seeking mentality to everything I read, listen to, and watch?

Of course. And so can you!

Therefore, I issue the following challenge ...

Select a book, a DVD, a collection of blog posts or podcasts, or a workshop you plan to attend. Trick yourself into believing that you are starring in a reality TV show, and imagine the producers have hidden a million-dollar idea in the book, post, audio, video, or live event.

It's now your mission to discover the idea and put it to use!

(To add more mental leverage, imagine that you had to pay $10,000 to star in the TV show. And finding the million-dollar idea is the only way you'll earn back your investment.)

Have faith that the idea is there. Don't worry about how you will implement it. Just know that once you uncover this gem of an idea, it will lead to greater exposure, contribution and reward for you.

Are you up for the challenge?

Great. Go forth and find the hidden idea!

Then come back here and report your results in the comments below.

-Bob

New Facebook Music Promotion & Marketing Resource Page

I just created this big page of links to how-to articles, tips and advice on using Facebook to market your music, connect with fans, promote your live shows, and sell more music.

If you've been looking for Facebook music promotion resources, this is a great place to start.

Please hit the Like and Share buttons while you're there!

-Bob

Great Music Sales Lesson from the Raveonettes

A few weeks ago I was a guest blogger at Hypebot. If you missed my post there, here's the beginning and a link to the full article.

Giving Music Consumers These 3 Choices Leads to More Revenue

Are you pulling your hair out trying to figure out how to make money selling single digital downloads and albums, while also wondering where physical CDs fit into the mix these days?

Well, Scott Cohen may have an answer. He manages a band called the Raveonettes and is the co-founder and international VP of The Orchard. Cohen just wrote an op-ed piece that appears on the Billboard web site. In it he reveals some interesting numbers from music sales data he's been able to crunch.

Here are the figures I found most interesting:

When Raveonettes fans were given a choice between purchasing a full-length digital album for $7.99 and buying a single track for 99 cents, they chose the single track 75% of the time.

As Cohen points out, most of a band's music sales revenue comes from album sales, not single-track purchases. So that wasn't a percentage to celebrate.

So the Raveonettes decided to try something different ...

Read the entire post here.

-Bob

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My Free Gift to YOU - And a Special Offer

2010 represents a couple of milestones for me -- and I want to celebrate by giving you a very useful gift.

Watch this video to learn more, or read below for more info:


This year marks 20 years since I started writing and speaking about music promotion and self-empowerment for artists.

And at the end of this month (June 29) I'll turn 50. (Where does the time go?) It's been a great ride -- and it's far from over.

I'm so grateful that I've been able to pursue this path, and that cool people like YOU have supported me on this journey.

To show my thanks, I want to give you a 15-minute audio training session on "How to Promote Your Music & Build a Buzz Online."

You can access it now on this page.

While you're there, I want to also make you aware of another cool thing I'm doing -- making 14 music resources available for five days only.

These are exclusive reports, interviews, videos, and audio training sessions that were previously available only to members of my Insiders Club.

I'm taking some of the best resources and offering them to my readers -- but only until the end of the day this Sunday, June 6.

After that, they'll go back in "The Vault."

So please take a minute to go here and claim your gift -- and check out the five-day-only music marketing collection.

Thanks!

Bob

Meet Me in LA This Sunday, May 23, 4-6 PM

Pooki and I will be in Los Angeles for a few days later this week. While we're there I will hold a "meet-up" or a "tweet-up" or ... let's just call it a casual get-together ... this weekend.

Whatever you want to call it, here are the details if you're in the LA area:

Sunday, May 23
4:00 to 6:00 PM

Makai Lounge
101 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 434-1511
www.makailounge.com

There will be no workshop, no teaching. Just a casual hang-out with cool, creative friends in the area. It's Happy Hour at Makai from 4 to 6 that day.

Makai is at the corner of Ocean and Broadway -- just one block from the Santa Monica Pier. There's no-cost 3-hour parking at the promenade garage off of Broadway and 2nd St.

Please stop by and say hello.

-Bob

A Simple Way to Help Nashville Music Flood Victims

UPDATE: I just sent a check for $1,800.00 to MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this effort!

I'm ending my fund-raising project for Nashville, but you can still help them directly by visiting MusiCares or The Community Foundation. Thanks again for your generosity!

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You've certainly heard the terrible news from middle Tennessee: 34 people dead and thousands of lives turned up side down -- many of them musicians.


On May 12, I sent a short message to my mailing list asking my readers to participate in a fund-raising effort to help musicians in Nashville who have been affected by the flood there.

And they really came through!

As of May 24, they've contributed a total of $1,675.00.

Thank you!

Everyone who participates in this effort will get six info-filled music resources from me ... and a public thank you and plug right here on my blog.

By pooling our efforts, we can help hundreds of music people in the Nashville area whose lives have been shattered by this disaster.

Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Here are just some of the good people who contributed to this worthy cause so far:

Daniel MacLellan, Jennifer Noble, Paul Reisler (Kid Pan Alley), Geno Haffner (The Dean Martinis), Corey Koehler, Barry McCabe, Tirk Wilder, Matt McKay, V.R. Leavitt, Gravity Tree, Leanne Regalla, Jay Pelham (music business career coach), Rob Rinderer, Cynthia Shelhart, Angelo Dodaro (Alero Music Group), Fran Stelken, Curt Potter, The Eben Brooks Band, Steven Charles, Don Slepian, The Country Casanovas, Martin Erich, Scott Gordon, Lance & Larry Hoppen (Orleans), Lynette Yetter, Prodigal Son Entertainment, Kate Ashby-Craft, Stolting Media Group, Antonio Pontarelli, Chris Goslow, Brad Broadrick (Rock Solid Entertainment), Thea K, Shawn Mars, Melissa Behring, Dream Town Media, Teddy Bear Band, Anders Eriksson, TOMOKO, Geoffrey Williams, Chris Cowan (Basil Records), Terri Langerak, Emily Arin, Isaku Kageyama, Kita-Simone, Michael Wheeler (Australia), Blane Gilbert (November), Mobile Guitarist, Scott Shelly, Adena Brumer, Michael Cotter, RuthyAnn Mandell, Judy Rodman, UR S MAN Sam Reeves, The Duke Wilde Band, Joseph Marsden, Lennon Baker & Cal Lamore (Wall Of Funk), Andrew Apollos, Cyril Pahinui.

-Bob

Surprising News About Attracting New Fans

You know you need to build a fanbase to be successful with your music. Therefore, the more fans you can acquire, the better. Right?

Well ... maybe. Or maybe not -- according to Tom Hess, a music career mentor and touring guitarist.
Hess just published the results of a study he conducted among his circle of musician friends and clients. He identified six common mistakes that musicians make.

Two of them really caught my eye. First this one:

Mistake #1: Trying to "get one's name out there." The main goal of most new bands and musicians is to get their music heard by as many people as possible. "Although this may seem logical, it is the wrong approach to take," says Hess. "Before trying to be seen and heard by a lot of people, it is often more important to focus on 'converting' the people who hear and see you into becoming actual fans. This conversion is the first key to your promotional success."

Then this one:

Mistake #4: Focusing too much on acquiring more new fans, rather than making the existing fans more loyal. This is particularly true in the beginning of a band's career. "The number of fans a band has is only of secondary importance compared to the number of intensely loyal and fanatical followers. Increasing the number of people in the second group will increase the number of your overall fans through powerful word of mouth," says Hess.

I agree, for the most part. While I wouldn't suggest you turn fans away or water down your fan acquisition efforts, Hess makes a great point about "conversion" and realizing that not all fans are created equal.

Absolutely. All of your public exposure activities should be focused on more than simply getting your name out there. Your goal is to engage people and pull them invitingly into your musical world. Then build an interactive relationship with them.

That means simply asking random visitors to check out your music isn't enough. But you could ask them to listen to a song and get on your mailing list. Or listen to four songs and rate them. Or enter a contest. Or ...

And as I've written about before, you should keep your radar up for those Ideal Fans who are your true early adopters. And give all your fans the tools to help you spread your music to more people.

Those intensely loyal followers are the True Fans who will have the greatest impact on your growth and success.

Yup. Focus on the quality of the fan relationship as well as the overall quantity of fans you have.

-Bob

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