Someone is having a party and they need live entertainment. They ask around to see if anyone they know has any ideas. One of those people just happens to be your fan and your fan shares you and your music with them. And, bam!! –
you got yourself a gig. That’s how quickly it can happen for you and that’s how powerful word of mouth is. It’s organic, uber effective, and it does your promoting for you.
Word of mouth is way more effective than any advertising and promoting you can do for yourself because people tend to believe their friends and family. A promotion coming from a trusted source is mostly always well received. As an artist in the music industry, the more people who know you, the more chances you have at getting gigs. So how do you make it happen?
Ask for shares.
In your e-mail newsletters include a link to your most recent material. It could be a song, a video, an interesting blog post and ask your fans to think of one or two people who they think would get something out of it and share it with them.
Ask for referrals.
Be genuine and ask for referrals. Remember your fans made themselves fans because they like you and they want to support you. When you ask for referrals, all you are doing is simply giving them a practical way that they can help you. One way you can do this is by adding a line in your e-mail signature asking for referrals. For example:
“If you know of anyone hosting a party or an event and need live entertainment, please pass them along my information. Feel free to share this page (make this a hot link) with them, it’s a page I set up that should answer any questions they might have when it comes to booking me. I really really appreciate your help.”
This is a very genuine plea for help. It has worked for me, and I know it can work for you. Also, by adding it to your signature line, it automatically does the work for you. You only have to write it one time and you’re done. It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.
Create a referral program.
Is there a way you can track your fans’ activity when it comes to sharing or referring you? Can you offer a very special gift to fans who refer you for a gig? This is by no means, an exhaustive list, but here are just a couple ideas below.
Host a contest – Post a status on your social media pages asking your fans to share or retweet something you specify for their chance to win a (you fill in the blank with your fabulous prize here). Make the gift something really really good like your entire music catalogue, or a free lunch with you the next time you come to their town, or something creative like sending them tickets/coupons to see a live show in their hometown (it doesn’t necessarily have to be you performing). The idea here is to make the gift special. Have them enter the contest by posting a message in the comments section saying that they shared it on Facebook or Tagging you in a retweeted message on Twitter. That way you’ll get a notification when someone shares and you can then add their name to the list. Make the contest huge. Advertise it if need be. And make sure you notify the winner and make a big deal out of that. This way the next time you do a contest, more people will get involved.
Incentivize your fans to share your music by giving them your music to give away as gifts to their friends.
I once bought a CD from an independent artist and when I received the CD in the mail, there was also a couple free download cards of that CD included. The artist also added a handwritten note asking me to give those cards away to two people I think should have it. It was a great idea and I did end up giving it away. I do something similar to this at my live shows. I created a “Gift” card that includes a link to downloading freebies on my website. I typically make an announcement about it and try to motivate them to tell a friend about me by asking if they’re having a good time and if they know any other people who would enjoy themselves if they were here. They mostly always respond by saying “Hell Yes” because I do a pretty decent job at engaging my audience.
Click here and learn How To Engage Your Audience and Leave a Lasting Impression
Then I pull out my little “Gift” cards and show it to them. I let them know I have plenty at the merchandise table and to come by and get some after the show to give away to their friends. It never fails, everyone usually comes up after the show asking for these cards.
There are plenty ways to encourage Word of Mouth for your music. Try one or try them all and use what works for you. You don’t have to just sit on your butt praying that people will share your music if you’re good enough. It doesn’t really work like that. People are busy and they are not sitting around twirling their thumbs thinking about how they can help you. You have to put it out there. You have to ask, and you have to encourage it somehow. You can encourage organic word of mouth by outright asking or offering subtle gifts that inspire your fans to help promote you. Either way, it’s a win-win for you and your fans. You get to broaden your fan base, and your fans get to share something cool with their friends and family – you!
What do you think? Do you have any ideas on how to encourage word of mouth promotions for your music? How do you make word of mouth happen?
