Music and the Marketing Funnel

I have been around the block when it comes to music streaming websites.  It began before high school where all I had available with my family’s dial-up was Netscape Radio, which is how I discovered Jet, Hot Hot Heat, and Kings of Leon pre-mainstream and therefore still enjoyable.  Then I moved on to Myspace, Youtube, last.fm, etc.

The “Bored At Work Network” is not a new concept, and if you look around your office you can find some one, bored, spending all their time and attention listening to music via some streaming sites.  You can search through Mashable for the top music streaming sites, but it’s always from a tech/social/design perspective.  Multiple sites have incorporated rewards and badges that take away from the experience of listening to music itself.  Other sites have allowed ads to interrupt your experience (effing PANDORA!!!  we had such a good thing going!) Some sites I agree are great in concept but can’t cut it in the long run when it comes to the original objective of providing for the music-starved individual working in their cubicle.

I also feel that if you want to follow any trends in media and business, follow music.  Myspace brought the idea of creating communities and encouraging interaction around bands.  Both iMeem and Lala have been bought out.  People feel so strongly about their musical preferences, they are driven to be engaging and share their preferences with others and pledging their support.

Let me introduce you to the Marketing Funnel and how it is similar for the decision making process behind a music selection:

Awareness:
Marketers – Ensure that demographic is aware of your brand
Music – When you are first aware a band even exists, whether it occurs by recommendation from another influencer (fellow music snob) or by your own research. i.e. Search through Myspace, Hypem, etc. (has anyone else ever discovered bands just by typing random words in the search bar of music streaming sites?)

Consideration
Marketers – When your audience considers your brand a choice in the decision making process of a purchase.
Music – When you click on a link, read an interview on Pitchfork, select “See All” on Grooveshark, etc. i.e. Basically when you decide, “yes, i will get over my pretentious self and give this a listen and find out more”

Conversion
Marketers – When an individual in your target makes a purchase, tries your product, etc.
Music – When you decide, “I dig” i.e. “Heart” on hypem, thesixtyone, last.fm, etc.

Loyalty
Marketers – In basic terms, the consumer makes repeat purchases and is generally brand loyal.
Music – You buy the CD (download, to each his own), go to the concert, listen to every album religiously, etc.

Advocacy
Marketers – Your loyal consumers serve as an advocate and give their recommendations to their friends.
Music – You share with others your music preferences. i.e. reblip on Blip.fm, reblog a music post on Tumblr, set hypem up so everyone on Twitter sees you “Heart” a song, post user generated “music videos” from Youtube.

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I want to look more into today’s top music streaming sites and make a comparison between what are “functional” and relevant sites for marketers vs. sites that provide a better overall music listening experience.  I want to hear anyone and everyone’s input on what sites they use to find music and how they most often listen to music, whether through their own iTunes, online, etc.

Comment on this post and share how you discover music and anything you share about how you listen – do you buy off of iTunes, download, listen on Youtube, Blip.fm? Sky’s the limit.

When your friends get on the Pitchfork Forkcast…

For months my friends Matt Buszko and Anthony Gerbino have been recluses in their small walk-up apartment on Long Island working on their “music” – and it paid off.

You get to a certain point in your life (myself as an example – 22) when most of your friends with any musical inclination (or even lacking of) have attempted to work on their “music”.  Everyone has had a group of friends who have essentially been in the same band for five years, but just recycle one member for each new project (usually the bassist).  And forget people who are the ones “writing” the “beats” – it’s been said time and time again that anyone can be a music producer if they have a MacBook.

However – my friends are more talented than your friends. The difference? My friends lock themselves in their apartments all weekend, nap from 8 pm – 12 am and then get to work, take on any and every opportunity just to keep practicing their passion, and make it a priority that everything they produce has their stamp of approval.   They have four needs: eating, sleeping, breathing, and music (never in that same order).

I love this track and can’t wait for their EP.  Guys – get to work!

Sunvisor “Sky Dive”– featured on Pitchfork Forkcast 5/25/10
Sunvisor – Sky Dive by Nialler9

“Matt Buszko and Anthony Gerbino make up the NYC synth-pop duo Sunvisor. The pair have an EP out later this year; for now, they have one track to their name, the airy, hypnotic “Sky Dive”. (via Pitchfork Forkcast via The Road Goes Ever On)

I plan on posting more of my friends’ music projects in the future because they are so friggin’ talented gosh darn it.

Negative but hilarious self-cynicism

I may come off as a goofy girl with Midwestern tendencies, but in my head is a constant running dialogue of negativity, often aimed at myself.  Here are the best of the best for your enjoyment:

“God, just buy the song!  Replaying that same song over and over incessantly on Pitchfork is only going to cause you to loathe its existence.”

” Enough people have confirmed it.  Stop living in self-denial.  You snore – get over it.”

“No matter how you convince yourself, Nutella and peanut butter sandwiches have no nutritional value and should not be eaten three times a day as snacks.”

“You know you really don’t feel that guilty about spending $40 on a new planner, The Cry of the Sloth by Sam Savage, and the current issues of Rolling Stone and GQ.  You get off on that new paper smell.  The more you tell people about what terrible splurges you go on only confirms the fact that money burns a hole in your pocket when you approach a Barnes & Noble.”

“No matter how well you time it, you will always get stuck in NYC traffic.  You aren’t in Delaware anymore.  Rush hour lasts 5 hours.”

“Oh my god.  That girl totally lisps just like Sally does on Mad Men.  However, Sally is a sad girl living in a drama basedin the 60’s, and you, lil lady, are twenty two years old and live in the real, dark world of the new millenium.”

“Jesus Christ, did you really just say “Aw Shux?” You need to quit that or you will never be able to show your face in a professional setting in NYC.  Ever.”