Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Understanding Tipping Points
Understanding how trends are created is important and will help you craft your marketing to give your band the best possible opportunity to break it big.
Creating A Tipping Point
* Tipping points are created by individuals making a decision to support a band (buy a CD).
* There is no silver bullet, everyone turns to different sources for music and makes decisions differently.
* Thus the goal of the campaign is to be everywhere to maximize the probability that a person will come across your music and be moved to buy it.
* If you reach enough people and encourage them to check out your CD and share their thoughts with their friends through their network, then the groundwork is laid for a tipping point to occur. This is the moment when you create a movement of exponential growth.
Here is an example:
Jason is checking his Facebook when he notices that 2 of this friends have become fans of the new band "Modern Day Escape", he notices but does not click on the bands profile. Later while reading his favorite music blog he notices a blogpost about the new "Modern Day Escape" contest running on iSound. That is the 2nd time with in a week he has seen the band and decides to click on the profile link from the blogpost to see what all the hype is about. While listening to the band Jason decides he likes them and decides to update Twitter and tells all his friends to check out "Modern Day Escape" and includes the url to the bands profile. Jason's friend Ryan sees Jason's Twitter update and remembers hearing something about the band on iSound and decides to check out "Modern Day Escape". Ryan likes the band so much he sends out a bulletin on Myspace and invites all his friends to check out the bands contest on iSound.
This is essentially the beginning of a tipping point. It is created by:
* Utilizing every resource possible and being everywhere possible
* Inviting new fans to engage in social networking actions and share your music with friends
For more information on understanding what creates trends and viral marketing check out the book "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference" by Malcom Gladwell
Got A Question About Marketing? Email me at alex@isound.com
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Posted By Alex @ 12:00 AM
Author's site: http://www.isound.com
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peter_risman's comment posted August 3rd @ 3:55 PM:
Hi Alex!
As a marketer, I thought that I would contribute to your posting on tipping points.
Your definition of a tipping point is not quite accurate. In his book "Tipping Point", Malcolm Gladwell offers many examples of how products, ideas, music, etc. can suddenly burst onto public consciousness - seemingly from out of nowhere.
The key to exceeding the Tipping Point - or in other words, "going viral" - is through reaching three key types of people: "Connectors", "Mavens" and "Salesmen". These influencers, once they latch onto something, can have the result of creating a popular tidal wave as others follow.
Think Oprah. If Oprah says that she likes a book - it immediately becomes a best seller. Corona was a cheap Mexican beer, until Sean Penn was photographed drinking it. Etc., etc.
The key to a Tipping Point for a band is to find an "Oprah", get your music heard by him/her, and pray to God that he/she likes it.
But a Tipping Point doesn't really have anything to do with the concept that you were presenting: maximizing impressions through ubiquity and frequency. It's a valid strategy, but it doesn't have much to do with Tipping Points.
Best wishes!
Peter Risman
peter.risman@gmail.com
Commentors site: /peter_risman |
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