8 Lessons Learned in Digital Marketing by Creatives, Artists, and Musicians
As a creative, why do you even need to market yourself? Can’t an artist just exist? Well, no. If you’re serious about actually surviving on your art, you got to get the word out. There’s a lot of marketing lessons learned by artists, musicians, and creative types of all kinds that are worth repeating.
Be real
If you’re promoting your brand personally and/or if your brand is partly centered around your personality, be real. Use your real name, get out there front and center, and don’t be afraid to show a little of yourself. People don’t connect with brands, they connect with people.
Be authentic
The #1 rule for a creative professional is to be authentic. We’re all unique people. If you think you’ve a voice, use it. In a world where there’s so much artifice, no-filter authenticity stands out. There’s a saying, ‘Be hated or loved, but don’t be boring.’ This sort of applies here. Boring is the death of any brand.
Find your following
Not everybody’s going to like you, sorry to say. Just because you care about your brand doesn’t mean that passion’s going to bring everyone to you. That said, if you’re passionate about your work, you’ll find an audience – even if it’s a small one. The goal in social media marketing isn’t always to boost your numbers to the highest they’ll go but it’s sometimes to get your brand acknowledged and known by the smallest, most important audience you’ll have.
Always provide value
The more value you give to your customers, the more attention you’ll receive. Blogs, videos, interacting on social media, and more. Put out different forms of high-value content so that consumers in your neck of the woods begin to trust you. If you’re an artist, this means being productive and engaging with the people who are following you.
Price is value
The way you price your product, services, or brand communicates a lot to consumers. A high price, for example, indicates a higher quality and more luxurious item. You may choose to offer lower pricing temporarily to build trust in the marketplace, or offer a permanently low price to advertise yourself as ‘affordable’. Regardless, know that where you price your brand is going to say something.
You are your platform
If you don’t believe and promote yourself, no one else will. Don’t be dependent on any one platform like Instagram. What happens if Instagram disappears or falls out of favor? These sites aren’t to be ignored but this is to say simply the only thing you can count on to hang around is your website. Use it as your hub. Promote on social media, all the while connecting and directing people to your site where you know you have the most control.
Word-of-mouth
Word-of-mouth means your customer’s so into you that they are willing to tell their friends about you. You can subtly encourage word-of-mouth marketing by offering contests or incentives to those who share your brand on social media, email, or who recommend someone to you.
Invest in email marketing
Email’s a direct line of communication. It pops up on a person’s computer, tablet, and smartphone. It’s personal and meaningful. If you haven’t already, start an email marketing subscriber list. Even if your website goes offline for whatever reason or something happens with your social media, you have a way to connect.
These are just some of the ways creatives, artists, and musicians have struggled with digital marketing. You are your own salesperson. Sell, sell, and sell some more. If you don’t care and aren’t passionate, don’t expect others to flock to you. Join us today!
