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Direct-to-fan

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Direct-to-Fan is a new business model used by independent musicians, independent music labels, music marketing professionals, promoters, and others in the music industry.

The Direct-to-Fan model by-passes the traditional major record label model that historically controlled radio, venue, and distribution channels, and instead enables the artist (or the team that supports that musician) to create interest in their music directly with their fans, identify those fans, market directly to and develop relationships with those fans, sell directly to and monetize those relationships, and use those relationships to expand their fan base.

There are many new solutions emerging to support this model including music discovery sites, and Direct-to-Fan music sales, marketing, and business solutions.

Direct-to-Fan is not having a fan find you, and then directing them to retail distribution site, such as iTunes or Amazon. It is engaging directly with your fans, keeping them engaged, knowing who they are (who, what, when, where, why), building your brand, and developing that relationship over time.

Direct-to-Fan Tools

Some useful tools supporting Direct-to-Fan include: Storefronts to sell direct-to-fan on Band Websites, Storefronts to sell direct-to-fan on social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace, Widget tools to embed sales, calendar, profile info anywhere including blogs, Marketing tools such as email marketing and messaging, Event tools, Central Content Management tools, and Central Catalog Management tools for both digital and physical products.

Direct-to-Fan Sales, Marketing, and Business Solutions

More complete, one-place-to-manage-everything Direct-to-Fan solutions are beginning to emerge. They help the artist's team with fan management, brand management, sales, marketing, distribution, manufacturing, event management, merchandizing, warehousing, fullfilment, and more, all from one dashboard.

Direct-to-Fan Solution Example

An example of a Direct-to-Fan solution would have online storefronts for their official band websites, Facebook[1], MySpace, blogs, etc.; Marketing solutions for email marketing, fan capture, fan messaging, and fan management; Label services including digital distribution to iTunes, Amazon, and other retail sites, CD and DVD manufacturing, custom merch, print services, graphic design and web services, warehousing and fullfilment, backend ecommerce and payment processing, and more.

Core applications that assist musicians in implementing a Direct-to-Fan approach include:


--Band Website and Storefronts
--CD/DVD Manufacturing
--Digital Music Distribution
--Download cards
--eTickets
--Fan Email Marketing and Messaging
--Fan Marketing Solutions
--Merch
--Music Discovery
--Music Festival Submissions
--Payment Processing
--Physical Warehousing and Fullfillment
--Poster and Print Services
--Storefronts

Companies that are delivering portions of the above solution include:
Nimbit, Tunecore, CD Baby, Constant Contact, iContact, Reverb Nation, TopSpin, Musicane, Music Today, Cafe Press, Bandzoogle, Aimee Street, Pandora, MySpace Music, Facebook, Discmakers, Sonicbids

References

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