Dear Christian Music Industry (Part 9)
Dear Christian Music Industry,
It’s been a while since we have talked. You have kept me busy, but also I have been watching you. I’ve been watching how you are responding to this ‘new’ way of communicating with your fans/listeners/followers or whatever else you want to call them. I’ve been watching you test things out and figure things out and move forward rapidly this past year. I’m proud of you.
I’ve noticed that aside from a handful of ‘mainstream’ artists, Christian musicians seem to be leading the charge on Twitter with thousands of followers and connecting to their fans. Twitter has become a regular term used in management and label meetings. This all happened this year. Funny because when I made my first phone call introducing Twitter to an artist, the response was something along the lines of , ‘I have no idea what you are talking about’.
A couple weeks ago The Wall Street Journal published an article talking about the ‘Secrets of Marketing in a Web 2.0 World‘. Sounds exciting doesn’t it? And here’s the funny part about that article. It’s exactly what SkörInc has been saying for a year. It’s exactly what we have been trying to tell you way back in our first letter to you. In fact, I think someone even mentioned it far before that. However, it does look like The Wall Street Journal has now given us a name.
A ‘MARKETING TECHNOPOLOGIST.’
So who should direct a company’s forays into Web 2.0 marketing? A number of managers identified an ideal set of skills for an executive that go beyond those of a typical M.B.A. holder or tech expert. We coined the ‘term marketing technopologist’ for a person who brings together strengths in marketing, technology and social interaction.
Here’s what I am excited about, Christian Music Industry. There’s a chance we are at the forefront of something here. There’s a chance that we have been doing something an entire year before even The Wall Street Journal even mentions it. Doesn’t that excite you? Or does it make you nervous?
The downside? Yes, there is one. The downside is simply that since we are on the forefront of something, we need to stay there. We need to blog and blog well. We need to interact with people more than ever and we need someone’s help doing that. We need someone who has been living this way for long enough to know what they are talking about, and we need to ask for help. And for clarification, when I say ‘we’, I mean ‘you’, Christian Music Industry. You can’t do it yourself. Your artists can’t do it themselves. The Wall Street Journal is making up names for people that can help you.
And if you are going to do it, you better make sure you are doing it well. After all, people are watching.
Your Friend,
Brody
Let’s see so far today, Randy is in need of a haircut and you are taking on the Christian Music Industry. What a pair! And, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s Saturday. You up early I understand, but Randy?
I read the first 2 letters about getting the word out. They were just as amusing. Can’t decide if you meant them that way or not. Why is it the fans have such a need? Why do we need that connection? Sometimes the songs we hear “speak” to us in ways only God knows and we want someone to know that the words they wrote meant something to ME. Mark Schultz says it all the time “I was just in the room when God wrote the song”.
“Marketing Technopologist”? You know Baylor is graduating their first Entertainment/Music Marketing majors this year. The best man at Mark’s wedding is one of them. He interned last summer at Provident & worked on their new web page design. I think “technopologist” is a made up word. I have to keep looking to make sure I’ve spelled it correctly, because spell check is going “what the heck?” .
You have brought people together. You’ve made it fun AND made the fan feel important. That when we spend our hard earned dollars to see a show & spend at that show, the show gives back in a human way. : )
Well said, Shellie! Brody, I hope the Christian Music Indunstry listens. Our pastor is always saying that as Christians, followers of a creative God, we should be on the forefront. Not following the world in things, we should be the ones starting things for them to desire and follow. This is a perfect example of doing that! I really hope the Christian Music Industry takes the baton you are trying to hand them, and runs, and runs far, with it!
I always love reading your “Dear CMI” letters, Brody. I get so excited and pumped about it all, about Skorinc. I am continuing to keep ya’ll at the top of my prayer list!!!
Keep ‘em comin’.
I enjoy keeping up with Randy’ tweets about what food he is eating and what wine he is drinking.
Good post Brody.
Great job, son. This is what your business is about. Be steadfast, glorify God and keep integrity. You are the best at what you do. It’s another gift from God….Good for you!
Love you, Mom
So I was listening to Christian radio (ugh) on the way back from my holiday trip to make sure some of our stations were playing our WinterJam adds and I heard an add for a contest on one station to win some Christian cruise tickets…the contest was compared to MercyMe’s “cover tune grab bag” it was kind of cool…I thought a lot about the marketing and branding that has taken place through MercyMe’s wildly popular blog…that wasn’t the first time I’ve heard their blog or Natalie’s mentioned on air…