Are you an artist struggling to make money with your music? You're not alone. Many musicians fall into the trap of trying to sell to everyone, resulting in confusion and financial disappointment. I've been there too. But there's hope! In this post, we'll explore a game-changing mental hack that will transform your approach to monetizing your music. By shifting your focus to the right audience - those who will pay the most - you can revolutionize your music career and boost your earnings. Get ready to discover the key to turning your passion into profit, right here on the Music Money Makeover Show!
Sell to Fans, not Samplers
When you start in the music business as an artist, your first instinct is to release your music and target streamers. These are "samplers." Ironically, they're not the ones who'll pay you the most money—even though your biggest paying fans start as samplers too. You need to shift your focus to selling directly to fans. This mental shift forces you to improve the quality of your material, offers, and delivery because these fans pay top dollar.
Fan type 1: Supporter
The first fan type is a supporter. Though they spend money with you, they don't spend nearly as much as type two. They tend to buy your albums and maybe attend a show or two. Occasionally, they'll share your stuff on social media. They listen to your music and stream it from time to time, and while they're emotionally invested in you, they don't let it dominate their thoughts. On top of this, they really respect your boundaries. Supporters will make up a big portion of your fanbase. The more quality you give them and the longer you continue your journey, the more consistently they'll pay you—usually about the same amount they paid in the beginning. These are respectful people and conservative spenders.
Fan type 2: Fanatic
The second fan type is a fanatic, and they spend the most money with you. Whenever you have something for sale, your music speaks directly to them. They engage with every piece of content you put out—sometimes multiple times. They may share everything you post, attend every concert (and sometimes multiple concerts on a tour leg), and spend large amounts of money to support everything you do. They often see you as an extension of your art, which could lead to an overwhelming desire to know everything about you personally. You have to be aware of them because they can cause extreme reactions. They can be very harmful towards critics and rivals, and they can also shift into toxic behavior. However, again, these people spend the most money.
The difference between the two
The key differences between the two are their engagement levels. Supporters are casually engaged, while fanatics are extremely active and deeply invested in what you do. Supporters love you and value your work, but fanatics often attach their personal identity and emotions to your music or persona. Supporters respect boundaries, while fanatics blur lines with their obsession and admiration for you. When it comes to impact, while both are valuable, having too many fanatics can create pressures related to privacy and sometimes even safety.
Why not Sell to everyone?
Not everyone is a buyer, which is why we don't sell to everyone. Instead, we focus on those who provide the most value. We create our products for potential customers who will give us the highest return. People who don't pay still get a great experience by default. This is why we choose to sell to fans rather than trying to appeal to everyone.
But It takes a while to acquire fans Right?
Wrong! This is a myth. In fact, you can acquire a fan from the very first listener. It all depends on the quality of your music, marketing materials, and "enlightenment" content—how well they resonate with your mission, purpose, and personality. If you have compelling offers that allow people to engage with you on a deeper level beyond just music, they'll consume everything you have available. Why? Because what you're offering is high-quality and speaks directly to them.
But what if my music doesn’t work the first time?
This is what your testing phases are for. Before you release any project or EP, you need to test your music. You need to see if people actually want to experience you as an artist. This requires content that showcases curiosity, talent, enlightenment, and story. It alo requires the open mic stage of your career as well. By reading the comments, you can tell if people are accepting what you do. Then you push towards creating your first project or EP. This is a methodical process.
Here’s what you can do first.
The next time you finish a record in the studio, give it a hard, honest evaluation. Ask yourself: "Would I pay for a physical or vinyl copy of this? Would I want to see this performed live? If I were a musician and a fan, would I be curious about how this was made?" This critical assessment will help you create music that truly resonates with your audience.
Record Label structure to support the mindset shift
If you're a music creative or executive looking to build your label or publishing company in 60 days or less, with a step-by-step foolproof process, Grab the 60 Day record label course and get it done today! You gain the ability to get real funding, prevent yourself from getting screwed contractually, and keep the middleman out of your pockets. Click the link below to get started right now! If you’re skeptical grab the free guide, "10 Ways to Increase Your Record Labels Profits," a free split sheet comes with the download!
If you shift your mindset
You'll see a guaranteed increase in your sales, followers, fans, and profits. There's no doubt about it. This shift in focus will lead to exponential growth in your music career. As you target the right audience, you'll find that your efforts become more efficient and effective, resulting in a snowball effect of success.
If you continue to focus on everyone
Your current efforts will yield only slow growth, making it increasingly challenging to boost sales, followers, fans, and profits. As time goes on, this approach will become even more difficult and less effective.
At the End of the Day
This mindset shift and hack will transform you into an artist that leaves people in awe. They'll ask, "Wow, where did they come from?" Fans will exclaim, "Oh my God, I can't believe they're speaking to my entire existence!" This powerful connection makes everything worthwhile.
Comments