The biggest names in music often become as popular as they are because they have access to some stellar marketing teams that help promote them in the best way possible. Although some of their marketing practices are also determined by an artist’s personal style, many of the techniques they use are calculated decisions that experts have decided will be the best ways to promote the artist’s work at any given time. With all of the success music stars experience, there’s a lot that franchises, and other businesses, can learn from how they put themselves out there.
Web Marketing Techniques
Although franchises and music stars are two entirely different types of entities, some marketing tactics transcend industries, as they focus more on evoking emotion and exciting the consumer. We can start by taking a lesson from famous rappers Kanye West and Donald Glover (known by the stage moniker Childish Gambino), each of whom have several top-of-the-chart albums. These musicians focus on marketing with a cool and sleek style that matches their personalities.
Kanye West is known for his use of single-purpose sites, a type of website that conveys only one point to his fans. He has used several of these sites to promote what he wants fans to be excited about, such as the release of a new single off a highly-anticipated album or the debut of his clothing line.
Single-purpose sites help consumers receive clear instructions without allowing them to become distracted by all the other features on a site, including email requests. By splitting your main domain into separate sites that highlight various areas of your business, you can make it easier for your customers to find what they’re looking for and make their purchase.
As an actor and musician, Donald Glover has a reputation for being elusive and exclusive when it comes to releasing new music. Using malleable and disposable URLs, Glover directed his fans’ attention to a website with only a countdown and no further explanation, in a mysterious tweet that was immediately deleted, which was a surefire to draw attention from fans. When the countdown finally ended, this URL redirected to the music video for his new single.
Although you don’t have to be quite so elusive as you develop your marketing plan, it does help to establish goals and to not be afraid of trying something new. By promoting your franchise with temporary deals that are exclusive to customers who follow your social media accounts, your business is likely to get some special attention as more people focus on what you’re posting in order to get the best deals.
Building Your Brand
If you’re interested in building a stronger brand, take some notes from Beyonce, who is one of the biggest music stars in the world. Although a top tier singer, Beyonce is also an entrepreneur, and she has long been dabbling in a variety of industries; including partnering with fashion company Topshop to release an athletic clothing line and investing in a cold-pressed juicing company. As she invested in these new businesses, Beyonce continued to release new music — her album Lemonade debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold millions of copies around the world.
All of these ventures were done within a matter or months, which helped keep the artist on news and blog headlines, and therefore in the forefront of her fans’ minds. Being associated with these different businesses, as well as the several charities Beyonce has contributed to and co-founded, have helped grow her brand and increase the public’s awareness of who she is and the positive messages she supports. Her willingness and dedication to getting her name, her work, and her projects out there is what helps to keep her relevant.
Musicians especially put a lot of effort into promoting themselves, and Beyonce is a perfect example of that. Even with all of these different marketing tactics, they often opt for the basics, such as going on talk shows, hosting parties or events, and using social media content strategies to get their new album or business venture to stick. However, as Kendrick Lamar proved, nothing beats the element of surprise when it comes to marketing a new product.
By associating your franchise with more brands, businesses, and charities, you can gain more exposure and also become associated with concepts that customers generally feel good about and are willing to support. That being said, it’s important to associate with businesses and charities that share the values of your customer base; otherwise, you could end up alienating people who have been customers in the past.
Therefore, as a business franchise owner, you should try to get an interview in a trade publication or local magazine to get some free publicity and establish yourself as a credible business owner. You can also host an event at your brick and mortar location, and ask customers to post about it on social media and use specific hashtags to win discounts. By establishing hashtags, you can boost the amount of people who see what your store is doing.
Social Media Influence
There’s some speculation as to whether or not music stars run their personal social media accounts sometimes, as it’s simply a slightly more personal channel for self-promoting, and advertising their music and business ventures. However, it continues to be effective, as it helps their fans know what they’re up to, in case they’re ever interested in getting involved or purchasing their products.
Even as a franchise, it’s really important to not dismiss the benefits of social media. In 2019, one of the first steps many consumers take in exploring a business is checking out their social media pages like Facebook and Instagram. Posting on these sites every once in a while is better than not posting at all, because it at least gives potential customers some products and personality to become familiar with, which will make them more comfortable about checking out the store.
Whether you’re considering a new advanced or elusive web marketing campaign to increase hype around a new product, working to build your brand through business associations and exposure, or simply seeking to improve your social media presence, there’s a lot to learn from music stars. The big names in music become big names because of their branding and stylish use of media, and by taking some hints from these pros, you can get your franchise started down the path of marketing success.
