Blog Links

I realized I was being a prat for not posting links to sites that add value to me. As a way of thanking those that contribute to my knowledge, I have a new list on the right of my page showing other bloggers I find helpful. I know you will find them helpful as well.

Seth Godin – how following a writer’s example can save the careers of those in music.

Seth Godin is one of the smartest marketing minds out there. I have probably spent 50 dollars or more on his books, several of which I would like several more copies in paper form so I can study them more. When he tells me to buy a book or check something out, I do.. sight unseen.  He has built trust with me enough to get away with that.

How many musicians out there can do that? I don’t know many, but I would like to see some examples if anyone knows any by commenting.

Here are a few ideas on how I think he does it.

• Stay in people’s minds. Seth has been posting every day for years! He has done like 4000 posts or something that high. He doesn’t just release a book (album?)  every year and a half and expect us all to still be paying attention. Seth is entitled to my attention because he doesn’t feel entitled to it. He earns it every day. You do not need to do things every day, but you do need to be consistent, by delivering something of value within an approximate period of time every time.

• Deliver more value for free than you charge for. The book Trust Agents, by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, they suggest a ratio of  12 to 1 free to charging. Seth’s model seems very similar. Value can be different for different people/musicians. Some fans just want you to blog, telling them what has happened in their lives, others may want free concert footage, others may just want a chance to meet you and tell you how much they love what you do. Let your mind wander on this concept.

• Recommend stuff other than just your own. You can add value by simply telling others what you are reading/watching/listening to. If you like it, not only can you share it, but you can ask what your fans like and show them things similar to their interests. It also keeps you from being the annoying salesman who pushes and pushes his own stuff all the time.

• Be Accessible. Seth, to my knowledge, personally responds to every email. Don’t be a snob who pretends they cannot be reached directly. Say something, or you may lose listeners to someone who will. Even a simple “thanks for your feedback” can go a long way, especially if you add one or two short sentences talking about what they wrote to you.

• What you associate yourself with is important. The more your input adds value to other people, the more powerful your voice becomes. If Seth just stopped his useful posts and started doing celebrity gossip exclusively, or recommended things that are not beneficial, his power would go down. After several times of feeling burned by bad recommendations, I would not go for everything he recommended any more.

Many of these reasons are why I started a blog in the first place. It is fun to share things that help, things that entertain, and add personal perspective to that information. Find ways to do the same, and you will earn more constant attention, sustaining momentum in between releases of your own work.