Building Audience vs. Making Profit
by Ari Koinuma on Mar.04, 2010, under Entrepreneurship, Music Career, Self Sufficient Musician
I think this is a common mistake that many artists make: trying to chase two bunnies at once.
I’ve been guilty of that, for sure.
Among the web circles, we talk about how a web page, or ideally, a web site as a whole, should have a single purpose/function it serves. If you try to build a page that is both the killer article and an elaborate contact form, it ends up being convoluted and unfocused, being great at neither.
Similarly, building a fan base and making profit are two quite dissimilar functions. It’s best if you do it one at a time.
And I’m sure it’s obvious which should come first.
You see, if you realize that first you need to build your fan base, even at the cost of profit, then that realization leads to further decisions. Like giving a few songs away free in exchange of their e-mail address. Making e-mail list sign up form higher on a page than buy CD button.
Focus on one thing at a time. It’s hard enough doing that one thing very well. If you build an audience base large enough, then I’m sure your fans will tell you how they can help sustain your artistry.
Then, you can switch gear. Only then.
