As I started looking into Just Joe’s Kickstarter, things just kept getting better and better.

First, the righteous graphic that is the cover of his video.  Nice work on the flex goal!

Next, the fact that he sang the theme song for WWE’s Big Show.  Bitchin’!

But way more important than either of those…  the WISDOM!  Of how to connect to fans in order to make your marketing and fundraising pay off.

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MARKETING YOUR KICKSTARTER

I believe that marketing your Kickstarter and your music in general is best accomplished through email.  This belief is based on numbers and data, click here to read more about it.

But what if you don’t have an email list?  What are you supposed to do?  Is there any chance in H-E-L-L that you will succeed?

Have you ever noticed that rhetorical questions almost always come in threes?

Anyways, you know as well as anybody else that, OF COURSE, you can successfully market yourself and your Kickstarter without an email list….

But before you run off celebrating all the way to the bank, you had better damn well make sure that you’ve got the secret sauce.  It is what Just Joe has and he is here to tell us about it.

Carefully Cultivate A Trusting Relationship

Joe:  I felt that if I took my time building up TRUST with my fans that when the day did come to launch my KS it would be successful!

I use social media very wisely. I do NOT push myself down people’s throats. I do NOT beg for FB likes, or to FOLLOW me on TWITTER, and so on. I am MYSELF on my FB and Twitter. I talk of my love for music, I post songs of artists that inspire every day, I engage my friends and fans in Daily Discussions on music and I subtly promote my shows and albums.

There is nothing worse than seeing artists and bands BEG for attention, and forcing people to LIKE them. The internet has made people TRANSPARENT, you can see right thru their BULLSHIT, and you can tell when someone is sincere!

I could not have said this better.

And he is basically saying what I say around here quite often:  Connect To Fans.

Let’s look at the key words:

SINCERE – obviously.  Bullshit In = Bullshit Out.  Expect to put real effort into this.  For some people this comes more naturally than other, but bottom line is that people are being mercilessly pinged from every direction, so in order to get and hold their attention, you have to be real, honest, and sincere.

ENGAGE – this is how you build trust, by reaching out to people and creating personal experiences.

TRUST – it all leads to this and if you have not taken the time to build a trusting relationship, then it doesn’t matter whether you are using Facebook, email, or a good ol’ rotary telephone, people will ignore you all the same.

Before You Run Off To Get On Facebook…

Even Joe acknowledges the power of email.

Joe:  Here’s the funny thing. I don’t have a mailing list!!! Would you believe that. I have been meaning to set one up for a few years now because I know that is THE best way to stay in contact with your FANS. I do have a devoted following on FB and 90% of all my pledges have come directly from there!! Hell imagine IF i had a real mailing list!

Did you catch that?

THE BEST WAY!

SHARE THE EXPERIENCE BY BEING COLLABORATIVE

If you want to harness the true power of crowdfunding, then your interaction needs to be bi-directional.  In other words, if money is going to come your way, what is going the other way?

Yes, people like rewards like tunes and t-shirts.

But what is going to get them to treat your project like a fundraiser not just a presell?

Collaboration…  and Joe absolutely crushes this point.  Look at this excerpt from his Kickstarter:

Just Joe’s Kickstarter:  During the recording of the album, I’ll be publishing updates regularly to show progress on the album – there will be video and audio updates as well, to keep you well informed of the process – and you can leave feedback, as well!  You’ll have a direct line to me and a clear view of the process of writing and recording a Just Joe Album.

If you were a fan how would this make you feel?

AWESOME, right?

EXCITED, right?

LIKE PART OF THE CROWD!

Right?  Am I right?!!

The funny thing is that people may or may not actually tune into that stuff but it will definitely drive them toward supporting you, just knowing that you will make the extra effort to include them in the process.

THE TAKEAWAY

SUPER DUPER BIG LESSONS TODAY!

First, increase your marketing efficacy by carefully cultivating a trusting relationship with your fans.  It doesn’t matter if you use email, Facebook, or smoke signals, this advice holds.

Second, to really drive people towards backing your project, be collaborative by promising to (and following through in) sharing your experience.