Video: http://www.tommydarker.com/music-talks/archive/jessie-scoullar-releasing-your-album-direct-to-fan/

1. RELEASINGYOUR ALBUM
DIRECT-TO-FAN
A detailed look at the anatomy of a D2F
fan acquisition and album presale campaign

3. Do you have a network of
fans?
Don’t play to an empty room.

4. Plan your launch.

5. Connect with fans first!

6. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

7. WHAT IS DIRECT-TO-FAN?

8. It’s a way for artists to increase their
sales margins.

9. It empowers the artist to create and
develop a direct relationship with
their fans.

10. It complements existing sales
channels.

12. 1. Engage
2. Connect
3. Reason to buy
HOW?

13. 1. ENGAGE
Optimise online presence: website,
social media profiles, fan sites, blogs

14. 1. ENGAGE
Build mailing lists using data capture
widgets offering free digital content

15. 2. CONNECT
Through their own unique voice, the
artist via email and social media

16. 2. CONNECT
Artists can create a dialogue with
the fans, and involve them in their
creativity

17. 2. CONNECT
Build a relationship of trust, where
fans share the message and become
co-marketers

18. 3. CREATE OFFERS
Using the music as the base unit, the
artist creates a compelling range of
offers

19. 3. CREATE OFFERS
Offer quality, exclusive, limited
edition products

20. $999.99

21. DATA

22. For example:

27. DATA

28. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

29. LAUNCHTIMELINE
1. Fan acquisition and renewal
2. Marketed presale campaign
3. Onsale

30. FAN ACQUISITION

31. Finding, engaging, and connecting.

33. - social media feeds move fast
- noise vs signal

34. - 94% check email daily
- 75% prefer email marketing

35. MARKETED PRESALE

36. - enable sales
- maximise opportunities to market
- consolidate first week sales

37. TIMING

38. Data
Capture
Presale
Release
date
Post-sale
minimum
2 weeks
4-6 weeks

39. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

40. What’s the best way to get
an email address?

41. - double opt-in
- customised to your brand
- exchange value
- optimised for sharing

43. Here’s the homepage forTheVeils.

44. They use a modular “bleach” data capture widget.

45. It includes a clear call-to-action:“click to download”

46. Click on the image to reveal the data input field.

47. Your fan enters their email address

48. and is prompted to visit their inbox.

49. They can also share their action on social networks.

50. Here’s the confirmation email.

51. This “double opt-in” ensures your list is highly engaged.

52. It also means you know the fan’s geo-location.

53. The fan clicks through the email to a custom lightbox.

54. The fan clicks to download the incentive - usually an MP3.

55. They can also share the action on social networks.

56. You can specify preset share messaging toTwitter

57. including a link back to the promotion

58. @ usernames and # hashtags.

59. Set up a preset share message and image for Facebook.

60. This can link back to the promotion

61. or load a data capture widget in-stream.

62. Sharing across Facebook,Twitter andTumblr is tracked.

63. Compare performance so you can optimise activities.

64. Try varying incentives and measuring conversion.

65. After downloading and sharing, the fan closes the lightbox

66. and lands onTheVeils’ Facebook page.

67. You can set any page as the landing page.

68. Drive traffic to your store, website or social profile.

69. Data capture widgets can be customised to fit any website.

73. No platform is a silver bullet.
Keep the 4 key points in mind:

74. - double opt-in
- customised to your brand
- exchange value
- optimised for sharing

75. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

76. How do I create a presale?

78. What does a presale look like?

84. - offers
- data capture
- sharing

85. OFFERS

88. * Source:Wicksteed client offers, 2012
Sales: Quantity Sales: Revenue

89. Less than £10 £10-£30 Greater than £30

90. What does a presale look like?

91. - range of compelling offers
- include data capture
- share options

92. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

93. How do you keep your fans engaged?

96. Market your presale!

97. HOW?

101. - thank purchasers
- offer bonus exclusives
- give a reason to buy

102. 1. What is direct-to-fan?
2. Album launch timeline
3. Best practice data capture process
4. Album presale structure
5. Keeping fans engaged

103. hello@wicksteedworks.com
@wicksteedworks
Questions?