Amanda Palmer: “Toward A Patronage Society”
The ever-intriguing Amanda Palmer has a really great talk that she gave at Harvard's Drama Center. In it, she relates he career as a street performer to where the music industry is heading in the digital age. Towards, as she puts it, a virtual patronage society, where every artist proudly stands on their box and isn't afraid to put out their hat and ask their fans for money for their music.
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I was in the audience, and Amanda absolutely “gets it”. By the way, she filled the auditorium and her notice about the event went out just a few hours earlier via twitter and email that same day.
This “direct-to-fan” model is the way the music industry will go. And the foundation is based on (1) identifying who your fans are, (2) developing that “bond” and relationship with your fans, and (3) having your fans support you in any way they can. That support can be bringing you more fans, donating money towards your projects, coming to your shows and buying your merch and music, or buying unique VIP bundles.
Amanda seems to practice what she preaches – she passed around an email signup sheet and specifically asked everyone that attended to get on her email list; she communicates regularly with her fans (blog, twitter, etc), and by sharing more of herself, she in return, builds a very passionate fan base; and she applies her “creative talents” not just to her music, but to her business and ways for her fans to support her financially.
Throughout time, the arts have been supported through patronage – and today’s tools, access, and technology are leveling the playing field for artists of any level or genre to find and connect with their most passionate fans.
Bob Cramer
Chairman and CEO, Nimbit
Totally agree with Bob, artists must become “virtual buskers” as Amanda rightly says. If you can get that right, you’ll create the personal relationship with your music that will bring a life long supporter and ensure that you’ll survive in any economic climate. The tools are certainly out there, its now down to the will, stamina and determination of the independent artist to embrace them and make it happen. The future of the music industry really is in your hands guys…
Simon Adams
Co-Founder, MyMusicSuccess
http://www.mymusicsucess.com
You are both idiots who take advantage of and misguide unsigned artists.
Artists have ALWAYS been able to go direct. The problem is that marketing matters.
after reading video comments was expecting something profound, all she said was ‘please pay me’.
In music, marketing DOES matter – that’s the whole point.
Marketing is defining your brand, identifying your target market segment, efficiently reaching your target audience/customer, giving them compelling reasons to purchase your product, and giving reasons to build long-term loyalty so your next sales are highly efficient and effective.
Solutions are just NOW becoming available to make it very easy to capture your fans, message to them efficiently and in a way you can use those metrics later to better send targeted offers, and to be able to sell digital & physical music/merch/tickets/VIP bundles on any web property or distribution channel – and manage the entire thing easily from one place (e.g., take a look at http://www.nimbit.com).
We currently have over 15,000 unsigned, signed to an independent label, or formerly signed (off-label) artists taking control of their careers – and not simply handing their career’s fate and their money to a major label.
The Org appears to have missed one profound aspect of Amand Palmer’s “please pay me” message. She is advocating that the exchange of energy(money) should go more directly to the creatives. As the age of marketing reaches it’s inevitable end, people are less likely to pay for the money/marketing machines that “create” demand. Since the creatives now have tools, marketing knowledge and access it makes more sense to pay them and she has taken on the role of changing the paradigm in people’s minds. She is a compelling presence.
Amanda has a very simple message and it will work. Not for all, just for those who can understand and embrace the concept.