Marketing tips from politics that you can apply to the music industry
Politics is undoubtedly one of the most controversial subjects within culture and society right now. People such as Trump, and other public figures, have constantly been able to remain in the media due to their ability to generate awareness around topics that they believe in. After all, the ability to convey an idea towards consumers using psychology and emotions is an absolutely essential tool when marketing in 2019. In this article, we’re going to look at some effective marketing strategies that politicians have used to win elections, and also how those specific tactics can be applied to the music industry.
Firstly, saying what others are too afraid to say is certainly an incredible strategy when it comes to public announcements. Using Trump as an example, he’s spoken out about how a lot of politicians can be incompetent and has always had a tough stance regarding immigration. In the modern era, it’s absolutely essential that politicians are able to resonate with their voters. And for better or for worse, reverse engineering the audience so they listen to what you say is something that works incredibly well.
As a producer, a good marketing tactic is to “stand out from the crowd”. An effective way to do that is by saying what others may potentially be too afraid to say. For example, you could talk about how women are often treated in the entertainment industry compared to men, and how unfair it is that the majority of large Spotify playlists are rigged in favor of the major labels. Those are just some examples. The essence of this point is to find what you care about and talk about it. Create a stance on certain issues that allow you to speak out. If your point is interesting and unique, then there is a probable chance of it being covered by large music outlets such as Billboard & YourEDM etc. After all, they are constantly looking for new and exciting stories around the music industry that will generate a reaction from their audience.
Another tactic often used within international politics is to build an extremely strong and reliable support network. Whether it’s digital strategists, chiefs of staff, members of Congress, or even Prime Ministers around the world, they are certainly able to generate strong relationships with people in order to pursue any presidential objectives.
Despite how much some people dislike the phrase, it’s certainly true. It’s not what you know… it’s who you know. If you are able to foster a strong, reliable network within the music industry, it will make it much easier to obtain any goals you may have. For example, you should be constantly networking with other producers, graphic designers, record label owners, playlist curators etc in order to progress your career.
If you’re looking to resonate with your audience as an EDM producer, then having a talent for storytelling around a topic is something that will definitely be beneficial towards your artistic career. Supporters of trump don’t just support what he believes in – as they are more than happy to rally behind a cause he stands against. Likewise, Steve Jobs was able to position Apple as an underdog in comparison to Microsoft which led to a lot of brand loyalty. If you believe in a cause, tell a story around it in order to make your listeners resonate with your artist brand, and thus build a relationship with your music.
Being constantly in the media, it comes as no surprise to learn that all publicity is great – in the eyes of many Presidents around the world. Their stances on issues reguarly earn them priority spots in media broadcasts. With an angle of attention, political leaders & candidates around the world know that being in front of their audience is absolutely crucial when it comes to politics and maintaining relevant. If people aren’t listening to your music, they are listening to someone else’s. Think of innovative ways to get in front of your audience so that you are always in their mind. After all, if you’re the first music producer they can think of, there’s a high probability of your social media and Spotify numbers increasing significantly as your media strategy evolves.
Throughout the past few decades, consumers have constantly been the subject of intense marketing campaigns in order to increase sales and awareness surrounding a product. But despite the regular success, there are often times when it backfires. For example, Nike was under extreme scrutiny several months ago for a marketing campaign they ran. Therefore, having a strong message is essential to standing your ground and being respected in the media. A good way to gather consumer attention is by guest blogging on articles, appearing on podcasts talking about your views on the music industry, and much more. If you are able to cipher the attention of hundreds, even thousands of media outlets, people will quickly form an opinion on your artistic brand. Of course, you can’t please everyone. Nobody can. But you can certainly make an impact on your target audience in order to progress your music career.
There are certainly many controversial figures around the world within politics – there is no denying it. However, despite their debatable ideologies, their strategies and tactics of generating a strong message which resonates with the public is certainly something to be admired. By using and adapting some of these tactics, you can significantly progress your own music career, and ultimately gather a lot of consumer attention.