Seth Godin has done it again. In few words, he has reframed how businesses should treat and view their best customers. Godin argues that most businesses just take the money of their best customers. Worse yet, they judge their loyalty by how much more money they're willing to pay than others. When businesses view their best customers in this way, their knee-jerk reaction is to just charge them more. After all, they'll be happy to pay. Right?This applies to artists too. Are your "biggest fans" merely the ones who buy the deluxe package? You offered it because you knew that they would want to buy it. However, you also needed the money.
Next time, it's tempting to charge a little bit more, knowing you can get away with it. Just take their money and run. This is what happens when you associate your "biggest fans" with your biggest profits. If instead, as Godin suggests, you viewed these fans as your biggest marketers too, it shifts your perspective. If your biggest fans are those who stick with you through thick and thin and refer your music to all their friends, is simply taking their money the best thing to do? Likely not.
