Giving People A Reason To Buy: Make Buying Fun
from the what-a-concept dept
One of the key points in talking about giving people a real reason to buy is to make it an experience where people want to pay the prices that you're offering. In fact, one of the best to do this has been Josh Freese -- who set up a variety of hilarious options on what people could pay him for additional value beyond his latest album, causing the $250 option to sell out quickly -- and the $20,000 option to sell out as well (there was only one, but still... someone paid $20,000 for it). $20,000 is a lot, even for getting the following:- Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
- T-shirt
- A signed DW Snare from the 2008 Nine Inch Nails tour.
- Maynard James Keenan, Mark Mothersbaugh from DEVO and I take you miniature golfing and then drop you off on the side of the freeway (all filmed and posted on youtube of course).
- I give you a tour of Long Beach. I'll show ya my first apartment, the coffee shop on 2nd St where my buddy paid Dave Grohl $40 to rip up some tile just weeks before he joined "Nirvana". I'll show you all my old stomping grounds....the Vandals old rehearsal spot, the house Quackenbush and I use to rent, where to go for the best tacos, Snoop Dogg's high school, etc.... for an extra 50 bucks I'll show you where Adrian and Tom from "No Doubt" live. For another $25 I'll throw in Brooks from Bad Religion and Eric from NOFX's houses too! We then spend the night at the Queen Mary and take the "Ghost Tour" (seperate rooms of course.....no spooning).
- I write 2 songs about you (or if you want 1 can be about you and the other one can be about whatever or whomever you'd like) and it goes on my next record (you can sing back up on them, clap, play the drums, triangle solo...whatever you want).
- Drum lesson OR foot and back massage (once again.....couples welcome).
- Pick any 3 items out of my closet.
But, of course, it's not just in the music business where this works. Reader William Jackson writes in to point to an interesting article of a guy noting that making buying fun works in a range of industries, from software to t-shirts. He describes the process of buying a t-shirt at the T-Shirt Deli, a t-shirt shop that is set up just like a deli, and makes the process of buying a t-shirt like the process of buying a sandwich -- including handing you the final product wrapped up in wax paper with stickers... and including a bag of chips as well.
So, if you're looking for ways to give people a reason to buy -- a good place to start is to make buying your product fun.
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Filed Under: fun, josh freese, reason to buy, t-shirts
Companies: t-shirt deli
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Are you suggesting....
You would pass having lunch with Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin just because they haven't been to the moon recently.
Or
The Dodgers (or insert your favorite team here) should not have any fans just because they haven’t won a world series in a few decades.
Or
Meeting Adam West would be worthless because he stopped making batman films decades ago.
Or
Talking with Albert Einstein is not useful because he is been dead for .... ummm going to stop now.
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Re: Are you suggesting....
Nope - but sort of like on Futurama, after everyone has been to the moon, does it matter anymore? Columbus coming to America was special, but I have no urge to eat lunch with each person off a flight from Europe landing in New York these days.
The Dodgers (or insert your favorite team here) should not have any fans just because they haven’t won a world series in a few decades.
it might be interesting - but I am sure hoping this isn't the only thing they are doing for money.
Meeting Adam West would be worthless because he stopped making batman films decades ago.
It would actually be sad if this is what he would have to do to make a living, but I think Mayor West is doing okay for himself these days and doesn't need to whore himself out for cash
Talking with Albert Einstein is not useful because he is been dead for...
Actually, I would rather meet Stephen Hawking. He appears to have a better sense of humor.
I was never impressed by celebrity, only by what they produce or accomplish. I certainly think it is sad when someone who is a accomplish musician is sort of backed into this sort of corner to make a living. I guess it is better than giving drum lessons.
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Re: Re: Are you suggesting....
Not for the native Americans
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Re:
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Wha??
Whom do we sue to stop this outrage?!
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Hark! What doest thou hear?
"Seventy six trombones led the big parade"
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Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
Then again, I can't wait to see what some of the up and coming girl singers come up with to push their products.
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Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
"...if the music was good (and had value) this guy wouldn't have to sell himself like a side show attraction to be making a living."
Is your grasp of history so limited that you cannot look back before the Elvis era? Go back to pre-WWII and tell me how many massively rich musicians there were. That the conglomerates have created a corporate music machine for six decades does not mean that it must or should remain that way.
..
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Re: Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
The value of music and musicians has been grossly inflated by the corporate machine flogging it.
I love both but I do not worship either.
Also, I have often wondered if the uber-rich musicians complaining about the effects of file-sharing on their uber-richness would actually quit music because of it.
Seriously doubt that they would give up music to earn 80,000 a year selling/fixing/making/etc. whatever. And they bloody well know it.
The talented ones deserve the big bucks if they can get it but don't bemoan a 10% loss to the millions when you're getting paid to play a guitar for a living.
I know, a bit off topic but I have never posted this before and felt the need to express it. Apologies if this has been a waste of your time.
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Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
Then again, I can't wait to see what some of the up and coming girl singers come up with to push their products.
Been reading too many autobiographical tell-alls about the music industry?
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Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
In keeping with the Fat Albert theme, maybe you should change your name from Weird Harold to Mushmouth since you just spew nonsense.
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Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
The point is, he has gotten a lot of publicity and a fair amount of money already from this idea, and if the choices are any indication, he is having some fun himself along the way. Not to mention making a deep connection to some fans who will buy whatever the hell he asks them to from now on.
How can you be so negative all the time?
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Re: Re: Hark! What doest thou hear?
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"Maynard James Keenan, Mark Mothersbaugh from DEVO and I take you miniature golfing and then drop you off on the side of the freeway (all filmed and posted on youtube of course)."
High-larious.
It's not being a side-show, it's called being fun and having a sense of humor. And yes, connecting with fans. Well, fan, I guess.
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Re:
The only item on that list is the "write two songs" and then he turns around and pretty much kills the concept by saying "and you can do what you want on them", a total lack of respect for his own work.
In the end, he isn't selling being a musician, he is selling fun times with these famous guys I know. It is just disappointing, and even more so when someone would suggest this is one of the successful business models that will replace the music industry as it is now. Sort of like turning the Olympics into an American Idol audition show.
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