| Droplets of Wisdom

Digital Marketing: Can Everybody Really Do It?

Image from: http://digitalfireflymarketing.com/avoid-panic-why-hire-digital-marketing-firm

Noticed how today, anybody can become a writer just by blogging? Anybody can have a free website by using their blog as one. Anyone can self-publish and distribute, through a POD company and EVERYBODY can do marketing using social media. But can they really?

I am studying and I want to work with music artists marketing. I have learned that marketing is a process of creating and communicating a message to a specific target market. Also, marketing is a creation of strategies that in the end should give us measurable results.

I can admit this, with digital marketing, there are tools that lets us create easier and faster ways to deliver messages in multiple ways. Also, there are tools that provide us with immediate results of our marketing. But I do not think that EVERYBODY has the ability to end with successful results.

For example, now, it is so much easier for an artist to create a fan base with digital marketing and through social media. Artists begin to create an online reputation even before they are famous. They can start doing this themselves, using free social media platforms. Eventually, artists will be too busy with their music. I recommend they find another person who can concentrate and work on their marketing strategies. Contact someone who really knows how to work with social media marketing. A marketing expert can help you with:

Creating a proper Online Presence:

Website - this represents who you are and what you do. For an artist this works as a portfolio and electronic press kit. This is how people find you and see every detail about you. This is the first impression you give a person who has just found you. Make sure you like what they see because this can decide if they can contact you or continue interacting with your work online.
Social Media Platforms - it is important to have them since they are being used by a large market, but make sure they lead the person to your website where your official information is found. Also, make sure your website has the opportunity to share and connect through these social media platforms.

Creating a social strategy – Make sure you are developing a social media marketing campaign that specifies which social channels you are going to use and why you chose them.
Knowing your audience - You should have a complete definition of who you are trying to reach, what are their needs and what drives their decisions. If your audience sees you provide them with what they were looking for, it is easier to build their trust and interest.

Finding someone who knows how to use these social media platforms is easy; anybody can use Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest etc. People are wasting time doing interesting and creative things that draw attention only for a while, but they don't think strategically how to create a greater impact. They should think if what they are doing really is helping the company, or in this case, is it giving successful results for the artist’s career? You need to try and prolong the connection you have with your customer, fan or follower. Marketing experts think about ways to make the person come back to you and stay loyal to your brand.

I found this video of “Webtrends”, a digital marketing company, where they are explaining why companies dedicated to the specific tasks of marketing services should exist. WebTrends makes sure your digital marketing is working for the growth of your company. In the future, that is what my company of artist marketing will be committed to.

Real-Time Relevance. Remarkable ROI.™

by WebTrends Inc

You can also read more details in:
http://www.scoop.it/t/tsocial-media-useful-info

By: Ivo Novy

http://rebekahradice.com

By: Rebekah Radice

Is the Book really dying?

It is no doubt that the digital era has changed the way we look at things, or better yet, the way we use things. I for one was not a big fan of reading when I was younger. The idea of taking a 200 pages book with small font and pages filled of sentences and no pictures, got me sleepy just thinking about it.

Today books are more interactive and for future generations, books will not seem so boring after all. Some are saying the book is “dying” but I don’t think so…I think is growing into something fascinating. Reading is a necessity, I don’t think it is something that will ever “die”. The digital era has obligated books designers, publishers and even authors to interact words with visuals, movements and links. Also, the way we store the books we purchase and want to keep, is more convenient. We have a variety of portable devices full of books that we can carry anywhere we go.

Like I said, the book isn't "dying", they are just evolving in the digital era, as a matter of fact, schools are starting to use digital books in their classrooms. They notice a higher motivation in students for reading and learning using these interactive books.

Writers used to have the power and control over information and narrations, but now, consumers do. People had to read whatever they were given in schools or in their homes if they wanted to keep themselves properly informed. Now, consumers have the power because if they don’t like what they see, they will not use it or buy it. There are so many forms of receiving information today that if you do not make it interesting, it won't get to far.

What I am trying to say with all this is, that the physical composition of pages put together to make what we call a "book" now, is not going to be a “book” anymore. A “book” is becoming something more. Is a form of digital pages that with the click of a button can take you to another place.

There are 3 prototypes for the "Future of the Book" that the company IDEO has done that can show you exactly what I mean. These prototypes are just the beginning, I think the “book” can evolve even more.

The ambiguous definition of "Power"

In the entertainment business we will deal a lot with interacting in groups and in those groups we will always have to deal with "who has greater power." Here is what I think about a chapter I read called "Motivations Underlying Power Dynamics in Hierarchically Structured Groups”. Reading this helped me understand better why people are motivated to improve their power position. This talks about different theories that have come out of this behavior within groups and that have being formed to understand power dynamics. For example it mentions the "dominance behavior" which is a type of dynamic used to establish power. It is when people who talk more, who are louder and who start more social interactions often receive higher status of power in the group. It mentions and defines other strategies that people use for power maintenance.

Many people relate the word power with strength, force, authority or control, but if we study its true meaning we can see that it’s much more than that. After reading this about power I have learned that power’s definition has to do more with influence and with the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively. If we were to make this the official definition of power, then we would interpret that everybody possesses power. In every interaction with others, all members will have a possible position of power.
The chapter says that “the power you wield is dependent on the relationships you have with group members and no group member is completely powerless, the interconnectedness of components in as system means that all group members have some influence even if it's to resist or to defy the group.” This is also highlighted in the begging of the chapter when it says that “support from other group members is vital to improve or secure one’s position”. This means that if a specific person in a group has been given the position with most power is only with the support and approval of the other members.

I think everyone has there own definition of power, its a term too ambiguous. My personal opinion about everything stated in this chapter is that there will be a sense of power in every interaction between two or more people. This is because differences exist between every individual and depending on the circumstances, power will be handed automatically to who has dominant influence in the interaction. For example, who ever dominates the topic, who ever has more knowledge or experience etc. The size of the power will also depend and vary on context, genders, cultures, education and even people’s values.

What do you think defines power between people?

Learn the Law!

If you are ever in the need of researching and finding references about court cases and law terminology, Entertainment Law Update is a good website to use. In a one hour long podcast, any attorney, law students or others, are provided with analysis and commentaries to use, about any legal issue. These "up to date" podcasts talk about cases that have already been in court and others that are about to go to trial.

I used this website to learn more about the entertainment industry on legal matters.

In the Entertainment Law Update Podcast, Episode 6 - Celebrity Identity Theft, I found the following:

The case of Carly Simon v. Starbucks:

Starbucks (record label) is being sued for breach of contract and for not reaching the terms agreed in the contract with Carly Simon.

We must keep in mind how essential it is to complete a contract. You may want to include in the contract a way or situation where you can terminate it, and this way you have a clear description and both parties are aware of it.
This case helps reinforce the value of an agreements between 2 parties.

Each party is trusting the other party to fulfill the requirements.
Sticking to the contract helps you build credibility and a good reputation.

Starbucks was managing Carly Simon's record sales but they didn't accomplish what they promised.

If you're going to work as a manager, you need to make sure you are doing a satisfying and successful job for your client. At the end, the way you work with the career of your client is going to affect you too.

California’s new paparazzi statute:

This I found really flattering, not only because I hate paparazzi, but also because it reduces a lot of potential risks for an artist.
The California new paparazzi statute says that it is illegal to take photos of artist during their personal actives and if a photo is obtained by improper means and published without consent, the artist is eligible to sue.
Artist already know they are going to live a life full of “stockers”, but they should also know they are able to have moments of privacy and freedom.
This statute helps keep us motivated of learning the laws in each jurisdiction as we travel.

Each of us is responsible of knowing the laws and regulations that apply as we move to different place.
As an artist and manager, is good to keep this in mind because of all the traveling you will be doing.

An example of how strict the laws are now with paparazzi who violate a celebrities' personal intimacy, is what happened this week with Kate Middleton's topless photos. The photographer AND the magazine who published the photos where penalized and ordered by the French court to block and turn in Kate's photos in 24 hours.

This was in another country, but with all the easy access to media, this has become a concern and legal issue worldwide.

From the Entertainment Law Update Podcast, Episode 13 - copyrights, trademarks, fair use and net profit suits, I heard about the following case:

Nafal v. Carter (the rapper Jay Z):

This case is about copyright infringement.
The interesting thing is that Jay Z was being sued for performing and recording commercially the song "Big Pimpin'" which seems to be a song originally written in 1957 in Egypt.
Nafal sues clamming he has the copyright ownership of the song.

This song falls under the Copyright Act of 1909 and not the 1976 Act.

With this, the court proves that Nafal does not have standing to the lawsuit because he is not the "exclusive" owner of the song and didn't have full rights.

Under the old act, Nafal would also need permissions to use/own the complete song.

Jay Z was out of the lawsuit and no infringement was applied.

The thing to keep in mind here is, the only way you have the right to sue is if you are the exclusive owner of the work. For this reason, make sure you register under copyright, all art work you created yourself or for the use of your company, that may be seen and accessed to any public.

Always be one step ahead of those that try to take a piece of your work and make sure you know your rights; but most important, LEARN THE LAWS!

If you're going to have an event and artist management company, register your trademarks, copyright your works, make sure your artists has all the licenses needed for performance, music, adaptation, distribution etc. Make sure you acquire the correct license from the correct owner before anything goes to the public. If the case it that someone it trying to sue you, you have the evidence that you did things correctly...if your going to sue somebody, make sure you really have the intellectual property ownership.

Artists & Managers, Watch Out!

Industry Liabilities:

An artist manager must be aware of how the artist's image is being used in every circumstance. The artist manager should protect the artist representation in other medias that the artist may not be directly involved with. For example, in the gaming industry, games that have to do with music, use artist avatars to represent their physical appearance. There is a case where the group No Doubt is suing the videogame publisher Activision for allowing players to use their avatars to sing other artists songs in Band Hero. No Doubt said they were unhappy because they've been turned into a "virtual karaoke circus act". Their avatars are doing dance moves that the original band don't really do and Gwen Stefani's voice can be change into a man voice if her avatar is being used to perform a song from another band. I think this is where an artist manager has to be aware and defend the artist's image because this could change the perception viewers have about them. Even if the situation only bothered the artist, the artist manager should step in and support the artist's request to eliminate this type of representation.

What if the artist's image is affected by their own negligence? In February 2012, the artist M.I.A. flashed her middle finger in front of a camera of the most viewed performance of the year, the half time show of the NFL Super Bowl. In this case the artist manager should direct the artist with all the possible consequences for this type of behavior. They are artist who in some cases may act controversially to express a point of view. In this case, I think M.I.A.'s gesture was unnecessary because it didn't have a meaningful purpose. We can see this has affected her image because "some organizations, including the Parents Television Council, are not pleased with M.I.A.'s performance. They likened her controversial gesture as the selfish acts of a desperate performer." says Cynthia Hsu in FindLaw. The artist manager should try to get the artist to give an apology to the public, but in this case, no apology has been executed.

A big responsibility for an artist and artist manager is to fulfill the deal of giving a performance once it is established. Setting up a concert takes a lot of time, effort and money. It is the artist responsibility to show up the day of the event, especially if he or she has been paid. The singer Flo Rida is being sued for canceling a concert in Australia the same day it was supposed to be given. Flo Rida says it was due to him not being happy with his accommodations.

It is understandable that artists have requirements for their performance, but this should be detailed in the ryder and agreed to before the day of the show. "The legal action likely centers on the promoter's claim that Flo Rida breached his Australian concert contract. In the United States, and apparently in Australia as well, a breach of contract by one party generally entitles the non-breaching party to sue for damages." states Andrew Chow, JD in FindLaw. For now, Flo Rida is being held responsible for breaching the contract and is being sued to cover damages such as compensatory damages and punitive damages. My opinion about the facts found upon the case, is that if Flo Rida already had being paid to perform, it is going to be really hard to overcome this lawsuit by just saying he wasn't satisfied with his accommodations. Flo Rida and his manager should go over the contract and indicate exactlly want went wrong with the requirements and give a reasonable excuse for his cancelation at the last minute.

Out with the old marketing strategies and in with the new?...Not quite.

What is marketing? Marketing is everything you do to put your product or service in reach of your wanted target. Marketing a product includes marketing people. Managing artist is one of the most important jobs in the entertainment industry. This allows artists to have someone in charge of their career from a business perspective.

For the old marketing strategies AND for the new online marketing strategies, the main and most important thing is to know the target your product reaches. For example, a music artist will depend on the type of music, age, language and gender, among other things to determine it's target. For every marketing plan, whether your marketing a product, service or person, the first thing you need to learn about is your potential target.

Since the use of the internet, it has become easier to determine your target's specific lifestyle, taste, likes and dislikes. This has helped marketers receive instant feedback from the consumers; and with social media platforms artists receive instant feedback from their fans.

Before the internet, marketing strategies might have been in person, but not necessary more personal. In those days, you reached people face-to-face and asked them questions, filled out surveys, gave them offers in hand, wrote down their information to contact them by mail or phone and even invite them to be in focus groups.

These old marketing strategies haven't necessarily stop existing, they are now being used with the facility the internet provides. Combining the old marketing strategies with the new online strategies has become beneficial for marketing. In my opinion it has become more personal because you can get in touch with your target directly and quicker. Back in the old days, you weren't able to know if the person you were going to talk to would really be interested in your product until you asked. Now, you can post your product's information in places you know your target will be interested in searching. It used to be the product who had to reach the consumer, but now consumers can reach the product on their own as well.

Joining the old with the new:

Asking questions and creating surveys online:

It can me sent to multiple people at the same time, gives you measurable feedbacks and this helps with target segmentation.

Newspaper or printed ads:

These are very helpful and necessary. Never take for granted the fact that some people still like it "the old fashion way" and read the newspaper and magazines. Find the magazines most convenient for your product and use them.
The good thing is, that the design made for these printed ads can also be used as banners in websites and social media platforms.

Direct Mail:

Email has become the fastest way of reaching each person individually. It helps send your promotions, invitations, ads and future events to the exact people you want. The only thing we need to be careful with email is not falling into SPAM. Companies are still using direct mailing as a marketing tool as well.

Commercials:

Television can now be seen via internet. It is essential to create commercials that you can play on a computer with the same quality as seen in a TV. Websites have the capability of playing a video while you are browsing for something else. Social platforms such as Youtube, Pandora, Grooveshark are playing short video ads before playing the music or video selected by the consumer. So producing a video commercial for marketing strategy is great because it can be used in various places.

These are only a few ways old marketing strategies have evolved and come together with new strategies. Using the internet as a marketing tool has not only revolutionized the way marketers see their consumers, but how consumers see them. In the music industry, this is very important to know because fans now have a closer approach to their artist. Their connection is stronger, there for, the way the artist is managed has become more meaningful as well.

Here are 2 articles that relate to this topic. I found the first one might interest any future artist manager or anyone looking forward to market their product online. The second one is a post about digital marketing and the effects it has on artists today.

Check it them out!

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Artists and Creatives Make at Internet Marketing (and How to Fix Them)

http://carve-entertainment.blogspot.com/2012/10/digital-marketing.html

In addition, here is a video of Jerry Spangler who is an online marketer who, in this video, explores online marketing strategies vs old marketing strategies attempting to help the viewer to determine which techniques might be best for your business.

Check out this very helpful video:

by jspangl9964 on Jan 18, 2011

Sponsorships Are A Great Deal

Interview:

In the entertainment business world, a lot of things will depend on negotiating and deal making to succeed on the outcome of your projects. For example, SMG is a venue management company that administrates many facilities worldwide. In these venues, negotiation meetings are held on a regular basis. A lot of venues sustain themselves with sponsorships. The marketing department is in charge of making deals with companies that could serve as sponsors. Having sponsorships is very important because this gains something in return for your company.

I decided to conduct an interview with Gabriela Torruellas because she will help me learn more about the process of negotiating for sponsorships and how it is beneficial for a company.

Gabriela works as a marketing and guest services assistant in the Coliseum of Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot for SMG. Her job requires to find new clients with sponsorship opportunities for the building. When she finds a potential client, she sets a meeting to go over terms and options that may benefit both companies. She also meets with the sponsors the venue already has to go over or renew the contracts. Gabriela has been given the authority to negotiate with some of the most important clients of the coliseum. These include "Banco Popular" and "El Nuevo Dia", which are two of the most powerful companies in Puerto Rico.

One of the issues I could imagine when dealing with people from powerful companies, is how to handle their high status. It is not easy to have a personal opinion about someone and not demonstrate it. During a negotiation it can be hard to separate personal emotions and just focus on the problem.

"Learning to deal with emotions takes practice. I have learned to separate the people from the problem by staying focused on what I need to accomplish for my job's sake. Thinking about the outcome so much, just doesn't give me any time to think about personal opinions what so ever." says Gabriela.

Negotiating with a person who has a lot of leverage can be intimidating. Fear is a hard feeling to hide from the other person. Employees of "Banco Popular" and "El Nuevo Dia" know they have power over other companies. The Coliseum Jose Miguel Agrelot is also a powerful company, in fact, it is the most recognized venue of the Caribbean. So being a client of the coliseum can give you more power and exposure. Gabriela uses this power in her favor.

Gabriela stated, "When I step into the negotiation meeting I always remember I also have power and control. I try to leave outside the room any intimidation I might perceive from the person because inside the meeting we both have the same amount of power and want something from each other."

A lot of times sponsors are the ones who contact the coliseum for a negotiation. This is when the marketing department searches for possible resources that might interest them from that sponsor. Gabriela uses the client's interest in making a deal to acquire services that may benefit the coliseum. I really like how exchanging services really helps them to receive mutual benefits. "Most of our negotiations are reasonable and end up being mutually beneficial. We give them sponsors and they provide us with services; pure and simple." Gabriela expressed.

I learned that dedicating time to prepare is necessary and crucial for a negotiation. Doing research is a powerful tool, actually, it can become your weapon in case someone tries to play any tricks on you during the negotiation process. Make sure you know the company's background, history, resources and services. Search for any partnership they may have with other companies and try to investigate on the agreements they have. If you know all the company facts this can help you identify lies.

This is what Gabriela has to say about this:

"Preparation is the key to each of our negotiations. Once we find what the company can offer us, we even prepare a pre-contract. We hand it to them so they can read carefully and make the changes they want to bring up in our next meeting. And when I negotiate alone, I take a letter from my boss that indicates my authority to negotiate because they have tried to use this as an excuse to cancel the deal."

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