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Topic History of: Wise Words from a 91 year old
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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zooloo |
And in the red corner zooooo... 
The problem isn't giving stuff away it's getting people to take it.
If you can get the public to take your stuff swap it for their email address and send them regular and relevant newsletters.
On the low/high quality question - wait a little bit, EMI are going to spend millions educating the public about low quality with DRM and high quality DRM free and why they should want the latter.
Wait for the EMI bandwagon and then offer the premium version at ordinary prices.
MySpace and YouTube are search engines
Use them like search engines.
Get used to giving something away. |
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Mart |
The preloaded MP3 player is a surprising affordable idea.
These can be bulk bought and have a screen printed logo put on them very cheaply thereby creating a collectable MP3.
If you look at all the best sellers over the years, they have had to have a collectabilty about them.
The MP3 players can easily be individully numbered.
Expanding on that of course, you then create a situation in which fans can have a rackful of MP3 players with the artists name printed down the side library style with room to fit the next product from the artist on at a discounted rate as they are a registered subscriber to the act.
This will also encourage future developement to acts knowing that in , say 2008, they launched their MP3 player and it is their "contract" to themselves or whoever, to fill it by 2018.
Fans can be offered pre-ordering perks such as vinyl limited editions or posters or discounted tickets.
I like the idea of selling advertising on a preview site as well.
The golden goose would of course be to get the download companies to pay to advertise that the track(s) are available from them on such and such a date and advise consumers to pre-order now.
If we take a business model like this, we could well save music from becoming free, which surely must be our role.
I am afraid KZ, that I don`t believe the average listener can tell the difference between 128k and 320k lossless, that said, it does hold up a very good case for price scaling.
However, and I will admit this as I`ve done it only this week, one track on our new release, was 128k and brought up to 320k, so technically it`s 128k anyway.
(It makes the cymbals sound really naff!)
I think it`s an amazing thread this, we`ve gone from nowhere to the start of a way forward.
My main uncertainty with the MP3 player library idea, must be the same fear that occured to people when cd`s were launched.
How long is the lifespan of these things?
My first memory stick is five years old now and operates fine still, it cost |
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emmapeelfanclub |
Great interesting debate here. Expanding upon Marts' post above, making it available for a week as a preview is certainly a good idea.
Of course a strategy would be needed so the preview would be available for a few days 2 or 3 weeks before release date. After a few days and the preview is removed, one would think by then it will have reached the main fans and if its any good, a buzz would surely build up so by the time release day comes it may have generated enough curiosity and interest to guarantee sales of some kind. I think many young people are getting too blase... we need to grab their attention and generate some form of excitement so they will take some notice.
An idea that comes to my mind anyway! |
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DJKZ |
Free plays on an interactive website prior to release will hurt sales. One of the reasons radio works is because you cannot play the tracks again and again and to own the music you either have to tape it or buy it.
My thoughts on Myspace and Youtube for that matter is that they are valuable for branding and perhaps we should be looking at a brand new format: An official FREE single, but it must be ad sponsored. Maybe we should look at creating a site that will host all of the official FREE singles from Labels.
Fabulous comments and debate and one of the most constructive ever on tipsheet.
My conclusion is:
If the most you will sell is less than 10,000 then seriously consider an online single which would be free but ad-sponsored. You may need to set up a 'front' site to host the files so that the freebie appears to be an 'arms length' away from your official website. A music blog or a front shop from Itunes or 7Digital which you can set up your site an affiliate partner. Alternatively your official merchandise shop.
But it must have Google Ads or Adbrite. If you have not joined the do so now. If you are not interested in setting up your own site for this then research as there are plenty of sites that you can use.
With this FREE single go for 1,000,000 downloads which if they get consistent play every month could earn a nice tidy sum which would outstrip what you would have earned selling downloads on a major unless you have a runaway hit. With a runaway cast iron guaranteed smash YOU Release as normal and put only 30 sec clips on the internet and then make it FREE once the dust settles and you have shifted millions of downloads and CDs.
PS I said it ages ago that music will eventually be FREE and mark my word it will because this model will work and become standard.
Fans will then PAY for Lossless quality.
Physical Product (Vinyl or CD) bundled with T-shirts.
The irony is that Downloads will revive physical product sold direct from artist to fan. Personalised maybe with a message, autographs etc.
Convenience and portability.
Other merchandise like Ipods which you can engrave and preload.
Exciting times indeed.
ALBUMS: Physical (on demand from Disc Kiosk who are doing a great job with Universal re-issues).
Also as digital albums in the new pristine quality on Itunes.
Actually on that point i think that although it is a few years too late but Itunes new format which EMI are using is the way forward for downloads. Upgrade from crappy 128k free version to 320k lossless audio.
It can work.
Let's start testing the above. |
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Mart |
Ok, well , we`ve looked at the preview and lo-fi idea.
Let`s consider the limited time available to view/hear, idea and encode it in a Mission Impossible way.
One week and it goes anyway, 2 plays on an i.p address, and you can`t enjoy it anymore. |
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