The Rhyme and Reason of Twitter

Turning musicians into marketing experts
February 15, 2014
Rhyme and Reason of Twitter Vol. 2
March 4, 2014

rhyme and reason

“Why Twitter is a Musicians Best Friend”

By Dexter Patterson

I don’t know about you, but I have never taken Twitter very serious.  To be honest, I thought Twitter was all hype because I couldn’t see the value in 140 characters.  I could tweet until I turned blue in the face and still see no results.  All I wanted was more followers, but that little bird always failed to deliver.

I was ready to give up on Twitter completely until I read The Tao of Twitter by Mark W. Schaefer.  I must admit, I went into this book extremely skeptical because I had already convinced myself that Twitter only worked for large corporations and famous people.  If it wasn’t for the Tao, I would still be an uneducated and extremely frustrated Twitter user.

It’s time for a new approach.

After reading Mark’s book, I challenged myself to take things to the next level.  I no longer viewed Twitter as a burden but as a potential resource to grow as a businessman.  I now realize Twitter has an endless supply of information, and it is full of incredible opportunities. I currently spend most of my time on Twitter following industry leaders and learning as much as I can from them to better myself.  This was when I had my “a-ha moment.”

One of the core principles in the The Tao of Twitter is developing a targeted audience.  I know this sounds simple but most artists fail to do this properly.  We assume because we can get a few Facebook likes that everyone likes us.  We assume we are marketing our music to a targeted audience but how much do we know about these so-called fans?  As musicians, its imperative that we start to market ourselves to people who actually like us.  My professor at UW-Madison Don Stanley once told me; “We all start at zero”, but if you work hard you will not stay at zero forever.

As artists, we need to try to have a little more patience.  Don’t ever let your want for more fans impact the way you view the fans you currently have. Why are your current fans so important? According to Mark Schaefer, “No amount of work, time, or dedication to marketing and social media networking will work if you haven’t surrounded yourself with people who might be interested in you and what you have to say.”  How can you find these dedicated fans?  You have to provide them with meaningful content that is worthy of their attention.  Your content is what will establish your value to potential new fans.

We also need to stop wasting our time connecting with everyone.  Focus on connecting with people who offer something positive to your growth as an artist and business professional.  The Tao of Twitter suggests we should seek out connections with the thought leaders in our industry.  “Remember that it’s not essential for somebody to follow you for you to realize some business benefits.  Twitter is a great learning tool; so, if a celebrity, author, an industry leader, or professor doesn’t follow you back, relax and just enjoy the information they provide”, says Schaefer.  Remember it’s not always about you.

Sharing is caring…Yes, even for Musicians!

We have to check our egos online and realize that it’s in our best interest to support others.  Not only does this show you genuinely care, but it can also create opportunities for you to collaborate with other artists.  In addition, collaborations are great because they can help you gain new ears for your music, and new ears can lead to new fans.  We’re always so worried about ourselves that sometimes we forget to engage in the social part of social media.

We can’t be afraid to give our fans more of us in our marketing efforts.  Fans will always support someone more if they feel a real human connection with that individual.  As an artist, don’t ever be afraid to show people who you are on a deeper level.  Just keep it real. “You can’t fake authenticity,” says Schaefer.   Remember we all have the power to be an original.

In the end, put in the work and be patient…

It’s sad because as artists we’re constantly comparing ourselves to the success of others.  Furthermore, we beat ourselves up if we don’t have instant success.  We need to start focusing on the quality of our music and be more creative with the way we market that content to the public.  Remember social media is alive and to reap the benefits of it you must live it.

I highly recommend that you grab a copy of Mark Schaefer’s book if you want to take your social media marketing to the next level.  You can buy The Tao of Twitter on Amazon today.

Peace and Progress

-DRP

DRP
DRP
Digital media problem solver dedicated to helping brands succeed online. Professionally, I have experience working as a content marketer, digital marketer, blogger, podcaster, and digital sales consultant. Currently, I'm the digital and social media specialist for the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. I specialize in social media marketing, digital media, and digital advertising. Let's talk digital!

4 Comments

  1. Love the post Dexter! And thank YOU for the #SO. This post is full of outstanding advice. I’m glad you had an open mind giving Twitter a second chance.

    I think of Twitter somewhat like a great recording studio or instrument. The studio might have the best equipment in the world or you might have the highest quality instrument in the world, but if if you don’t know how to use it, that equipment and the instrument are worthless.

    Twitter (and any other marketing tool for that matter) is worthless if you don’t know what to do and how to do it. This post is a great kick starter for making it easier for musicians embrace the power of Twitter to get the music out to the world.

    And, I hope your fellow musicians listen to this because you hit the nail on the head. Mark’s book and your advice, WHEN APPLIED, will make you a much better marketer and a much better musician 😉

    Keep crushin’ it!

    • drpmarketing says:

      Thanks so much Don. I tried to be honest and as helpful as I could. I’m hoping that my fellow artists and musicians take the time to absorb the knowledge and apply it to their own brand development. I still have so much to learn but I’m eager to do so. I now have a reason to be on Twitter which is awesome!!! Thanks again for making your class so informative it really has opened my eyes and helped me in the real world.

  2. Tremendous job young man. You made my day! Great blog post. Thanks for spreading the Tao movement!

    • drpmarketing says:

      Thank you for saving me from my endless battle with Twitter. I know I have a long way to go but I finally have some direction. If I can help someone else gain that same sense of clarity I will do it with pleasure.