Live Streaming to Your Fans (and Not to Strangers’ Wallets)

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

It’s a sobering thought.  This year has forced performers to put on live shows from home, streaming through Facebook or Instagram or YouTube or some other platform.  All with the hope of viewers tipping them electronically or streaming their music – or both.

The problem is that neither of those have a high percentage of likelihood.

When the world isn’t in a pandemic, you go out on a given night and you pick one place to go to where you’re going to just see and hear one artist performing.  There is a strong chance that you will support and engage with that person in some way, shape, or form, whether it’s walking up to the stage and dropping cash in their tip jar or buying a CD and/or other merchandise of theirs or writing your name and email address down on their newsletter sign-up sheet or seeing their sign that notes their social media handles and following them on one of those.  The latter might even include Spotify, where you’ll then stream their music from.

However, with restrictions getting tighter and tighter in places like California and New York as the Coronavirus numbers reach scary heights, the scene instead is those guys and gals performing from home, hoping you’ll land on their live stream.  The problem, though, is how crowded that gets.  Can or will someone actually stop by one guy’s live stream and Venmo him five bucks and then tap over to a different girl who is singing her heart out and would appreciate five dollars through PayPal, but then switch 15 minutes later to a third performer and send five more dollars via CashApp, only to then get notified that someone they genuinely know and like has just gone live and would love for viewers to join their Patreon for, you guessed it, just five dollars?  Oh, and did I mention that one hour and 20 dollars later, it’s only Monday night?

Now let’s look at the other side of it.  The, “Yeah, tips are definitely welcome.  I can’t pay my bills with 47 thumbs-up comments.  BUT, if these people watching would stream my music, I might get some traction on Spotify” side of it.

I don’t want to be a Negative Nancy, but late last week I read a report from Billboard that said that music streaming is stalling.  In fact, while it mentioned the obscene number of tracks being uploaded every day (and you thought the live streaming space was crowded), music streaming hasn’t grown since mid-July.

It all boils down to this.  I’m not telling you to never do a live stream again.  What I do recommend, however, is that rather than waiting and hoping for a stranger to find you – someone they’ve never heard of – in a live stream and watch long enough to like you, tip you, and maybe engage more with your music, you need to focus on nurturing your loyal fan base.  Are THEY watching your live stream?  Have you appealed to THEM for opportunities that you’re not getting?  Who do they know that can offer you something more rewarding than setting up and tearing down in your house just to play on Instagram for 30 minutes and no tips?

Do you want and should you be trying to attract new fans?  Of course.  But in an attempt to find coins under the couch cushions in the form of people who are just getting exposed to you for the first time, don’t forget about the loyal supporters who’ve stayed with you and then just expect them to show up when you are back at that popular venue where they so faithfully came and saw you perform so many times before.  Otherwise, you just might be staring at the same empty chairs being seen today by those performers who are fortunate enough to be getting bookings for live shows.

What have you done successfully to stay connected with your devoted fans?  Tweet those wins to me via @NHT_tweets.  Or, post them for me and others to read on Facebook or LinkedIn.  Alternatively, you can send me the details via email.  And if you are worried about these and other challenges in your music career, book a private, one-on-one, video consultation with me to get you moving in the right direction.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.

 

Promoting and Preparedness: Some ‘How To’ Notes

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

It’s time for an empty-out-my-notebook blog entry.

In no particular order…

Whatever it is that you create, don’t promote to fellow creators.  They are not your audience.  Go to the people who do consume whatever you put out, whether that’s music or podcasts or books or something else.  Here’s what I mean.

I’m amazed when I see podcasters trying to promote their show in a podcast industry newsletter.  Or similarly, when I see musicians posting links to their new single, EP, album, or video in a Facebook group of other recording artists.  No!  You should know who your listening audience is (podcasters or musicians) and be seeking out those folks where they hang out.

It would be like an author going to a writers’ conference and trying to sell their books to other attendees.  Right?  It’s not even so much a thing of ‘competition’ as much as it is just the wrong people to try to market to.

Another note I jotted down is my surprise at people who don’t promote shows that they’ve been interviewed on (TV shows, radio shows, podcasts, livestreams).  Don’t you want your family, friends, fans, and followers to know what you’re up to?  They deserve to hear what you had to say, so why not tell them and share a link where they can go watch or listen?  This is how you show people that you’re busy (especially during these pandemic altering times) and thus create more demand for you and your business, product, or service.

Here’s something else.  For a couple weeks or so now I’ve been running a survey about the weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast.  (One person who fills it out will win a $25.00 Amazon e-gift card in a random drawing to be held on September 14^th, so, if you haven’t already completed the survey, do so now and maybe that lucky winner will be you!)  The point here is that if you have a podcast or a book and want to get feedback – meaning, rather than waiting and hoping for it to come to you in an email or on a social media post – go ask people for their input.  Instead of guessing what your audience wants (or convincing yourself that they do, even though no one has told you so), solicit their opinions and then react accordingly (for, say, changes to your podcast or what your next book should be about).

This one wasn’t on that list in my notebook, but since it’s happening today, there is another “Be prepared” lesson in this morning’s worldwide Zoom outage.  That is, have alternate methods not only for people to get a hold of you, but, for video conferencing.  Everyone jumped on the Zoom bandwagon when the pandemic forced workers everywhere to stay at home.  I’ve still been on Skype, where I’ve been recording NHTE episodes for six-and-a-half years.  There is also Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, among others.  Include your Skype name in your email’s electronic signature.  When a service goes down, don’t be handcuffed.  It’s like when your Internet service goes down right when you’re working on a deadline.  Tether your phone and voila, thanks to your data, you now can proceed with what you were working on.

Lastly, I’m working on an online course that I hope to have available soon.  It will teach you interview tips, since so many people are staying home and trying to promote their business, product, or service by getting on as many shows as they can.  I suggest you use the newsletter signup box on this page so you can see when that course is ready because it’s one thing to land an interview, but it’s another to get ready for it so that you maximize the potential return from it.  After all, if a musician gets booked to perform somewhere, isn’t there still the task of getting ready for and then actually putting on the show?  Two different things.  I will help you be ready for the interview form of “it’s showtime.”

What else is on your mind that I can help you with?  Tweet at me to @NHT_tweets.  Alternatively, use Facebook or LinkedIn, or even email!  Keep in mind that I also offer private, one-on-one video consultations.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.

The Online Cream Will Rise to the Top – Production and Performance Counts

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

I wish that I didn’t have to write about this topic.  And I actually wouldn’t mind being proven wrong about this – sooner than later!  But for now, revisit what you’re doing online-performance-wise, and fine tune every aspect until it’s a well-oiled machine.

When you perform live in a traditional live music setting, you want the attendees to have a good experience, right?  You recognize that they’ve taken time to put themselves together, drive to a venue, devote their night to seeing you, and for that you want them to get enjoyment from it and, of course, buy your music and/or merchandise as well as stay engaged with you (i.e., email list, social media).

So, you need to create an equally memorable experience when you’re performing online – even if the attendees didn’t have to leave their house and likely aren’t dressing the same way they would’ve to go see your show in-person.

Why am I writing about performing online – especially only five weeks after I published a blog along similar lines?  As much as we’re all sick of hearing about it, the Coronavirus is not going away anytime soon.  Maybe some numbers will help you see it more clearly.

Here in Florida the numbers have gotten bad.  Real bad.  According to the Tampa Bay Times, the sunshine state “added nearly 3,500 new cases (yesterday).  In just ten days, infections tracked by the state Department of Health have more than doubled.  If recent trends hold, Florida will surpass 100,000 today.”

While it has been encouraging to see live music starting back up as restaurants and similar establishments have reopened – albeit at reduced capacity – it’s not to say that everything is better.  Three notable music venues in the greater Tampa Bay area that were to reopen this past weekend ended up taking a pass and will stay closed, all because of Covid-19 reasons.

Just under two weeks ago a truly alarming statistic was reportedby NPR, who said that 90% of independent clubs, festivals, and other music venues could close – permanently.

So, if you thought that Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Instagram Live, and other livestreaming platforms were just band-aids to get you through the pandemic that you thought was over (or ending), think again.

By this point everyone has heard of Dr. Anthony Fauci.  He and well-respected medical professionals like him are not issuing an optimistic forecast for the rest of the calendar year, never mind the start of 2021.

So again, check your broadband connection, your hardware, and your software.  Look at your home “stage.”

I had a guest on “Now Hear This Entertainment” tell me recently that they’re planning to make online performances a standard part of their regular schedule even if/when things do open back up.  Don’t be naïve and think you can just wait it out and that lots of venues will be throwing their doors open and their arms to welcome you back.

Tweet at me to @NHT_tweets with your thoughts.  Alternatively, use Facebook, LinkedIn, or even email to continue the conversation.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.