Fan Clubs and Street Teams: The Give and Take of Free Labor
By Robyn Burnham and Will Morgan

 

 

On the surface, the concept of free labor implies that there are losers and winners — those supplying the complementary service and those reaping the benefits of it. Yet, in reality, it is an idea more aptly defined by a mutualistic relationship, one in which both parties are able to derive different but equal benefits. Such is the thinking behind fan clubs and street teams, at least at the independent level. Artists and their dedicated consumers, both willing to sacrifice precious commodities (money for the former, time for the latter) to ensure particular results, enact an exchange. It is now a process that has become deeply integrated into the DIY mindset, and is part of a larger effort to generate buzz amongst important influencers. Fan clubs and street teams, on a more theoretical level, are actually remarkable testaments to DIY principles.

Much like free labor, fan clubs and street teams may appear to be simply backdoor tactics by fans for landing a spot on the guest list or receiving a piece of autographed merchandise. However, the symbolic value of these rewards cannot be overstated. Having one’s name placed on a guest list is, in effect, a rite of passage, and the sense of pride in showing up at the door and stating “I’m on the guest list” has powerful effects. The fan has succeeded here in breaking down one wall (namely, the purchase of a ticket) between him or herself and the artist. Therein lies the foundation of every fan club and street team, as well as the core DIY goal — to decrease the degrees of separation between the artwork and its appreciators. Each free ticket or piece of merch is a stepping-stone towards greater rewards, and independent artists would be wise to harness such enthusiasm from the onset.

KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE
Both fan clubs and street teams can offer much-needed promotional support, but of different kinds. It is important to be able to recognize the motivation behind the two organizations, and then cultivate them as needed.

Oftentimes, a fan club starts with little to no help from the artist — it is purely a labor of love. But it is also an indication of a more understated need, that of being part of a group. Many fans not only are more comfortable knowing others feel the same way they do, but also require a certified outlet to show their allegiance.

To ensure that the energy generated is channeled appropriately, artists can select a trusted friend — preferably one who is outgoing and sociable — to launch an official fan club (resources for doing so are discussed further on). This way, the moderator can always have the artist’s needs in mind. These are fans who are simply passionate, and proud to show their colors (usually as part of a scene, movement, or genre), so emphasis should be placed on promoting the artist’s identity. The members’ time is better spent online than on the streets; encourage them to exploit user-generated content and exude their enthusiasm across different networks.

The interest of a street teamer, on the other hand, resides more in the inner-workings of artist management. Thus, it can be helpful to have the manager, or at the least the “Director of Promotions,” be the one heading up the street team. While a passion for music still drives these individuals, as it does in a fan club, their enthusiasm is expressed through a desire to know more and get closer to the action. Keep an eye on those who put up the most flyers, travel longer distances to promote shows, and are consistently active — bringing them closer in to the fold (by making them the point person for a certain city, for example) will be a greatly appreciated reward, and one met with even more fervor to do more and get even closer.

ATTRACTING A CONSTITUENCY
Seeing as developing a fanbase and drawing a crowd are large enough hurdles to surmount, how can artists encourage those hard-earned fans to go one step further and sacrifice their time and effort for the sake of promotions? Online presence, of course, is paramount. As you enter into the friend-making process, try to avoid simply boosting your numbers and instead work to establish a personal relationship with each new connection — the effect will be much longer lasting than the impression 10,000 MySpace friends will have on any one listener. Doing so will help you gauge more closely how many fans you can rely on to attend shows and spread the word. Send personalized messages or wall posts (including the listener’s name at the top), acknowledging how much you appreciate their support, asking whether they would be interested in helping further, and encouraging them to sign up for the mailing list.
The mailing list — the perennial promotional favorite. Be sure to always have a sign-up sheet clearly visible at shows, and in addition to the fan’s email address, ask for his or her address and whether he or she would be willing to help flyer when you return to play. Again, it will serve as an accurate bellwether of your support base by city and region. In addition to mentioning the mailing list during the performance, try to enrich the mix — offer new members two exclusive, unreleased tracks, give away stickers and pins, or even mail out a welcome package. These small sacrifices not only incentivize attendees to join, but also increase your brand awareness when they sport your merch around town or share your music with others. Also, have a mailing list sign-up placed front and center on your website and MySpace (there are a variety of services and codes that enable you to do so free of charge, as discussed further on).
With these important modes of communication in place, you can direct listeners to the fan club site and the street team coordinator.

ESTABLISHING VALUE
The quality of music is vital in continuing to garner new fans, but more often than not it takes an exchange of goods and services to drum up promotional support. The trick here is to make sacrificing time and effort worthwhile, instilling the process with enough value for fans that they are willing to go the extra mile. The standards are often free admission to a show and autographed merch, but these displays of gratitude are devoid of personal meaning for street teamers and fan club members. Acknowledgement should be more direct, granting fans a small taste of “backstage” access in order to encourage greater enthusiasm, word-of-mouth and, ultimately, better results from promotional efforts.

Consider offering street teamers appreciation shows and parties where they can socialize with the band beforehand, discuss new initiatives, and enjoy a more intimate performance. Also, creating a private group through MySpace or Yahoo! allows them to check updates, swap ideas, and determine flyering coverage through a dedicated forum. The promotions manager could also make exclusive content available here to encourage return visits and spawn participation. A weekly newsletter with tour updates, handbill and flyer attachments, and perhaps a note from a band member will keep teamers informed and on task. Rewards can even be established in exchange for reliability. For instance, have fans submit a report with photos of each location in which they flyered prior to the show. In return, the band can declare the “Most Actve Fan” during the performance and award him or her with a song request, a free poster, etc.

For fan club members, try letting them vote on which songs they would like to hear at the next concert to involve them more directly and generate excitement (and ticket sales) for the gig. Ticket pre-sales, while usually not necessary, at least bestow a certain level of importance on the most dedicated consumers. In addition, make use of the group’s talents outside of being a catalyst for gossip by holding a poster or t-shirt design contest. In this way, you can save on the costs of professional artwork and involve your fans to a greater extent. Additional methods of exchange could include awarding the show’s best-dressed attendee, or finest dancer, as well as creating fan club membership cards. Strive to accommodate your fanbase’s demographic. Do they tend to be more active online? Are they taping your shows? Do they personalize t-shirts to wear at the show? All of these nuances can be harnessed towards generating support.

IDENTIFYING RESOURCES
Given the boundless internet offerings today, musicians can create fan clubs and street teams with a series of mouse clicks to reach, engage, and mobilize their supporters. As an established resource for artists, MySpace has many features available to communicate with fans. First, start out by making a group. If you click on “groups” in the top menu bar, you can handpick the functions that will be offered to group members. Making it private allows artists to screen members before granting membership, adding an alluring exclusivity to it and emphasizing the importance of dedication. Artists can select whether members are able to invite others, post bulletins, post pictures and talk to each other.

While Facebook does not offer the music-selling options of MySpace, there are many music enthusiasts just waiting to join a fan club. Anyone with a profile can create groups on Facebook (all you need is an email address). The group profile is simply another chance for artists to communicate through an online forum with the aid of messages, posting events, wall posts, and discussion boards. Events can be easily created, with invitations going to all of your online friends. Facebook initially began as a student-only forum, and for the artist with little time to spare, reaching out to the college-aged demographic through Facebook can be very beneficial. Many colleges and universities have student-booked performance opportunities, so be sure to exploit this advantage. Keep in mind that many Facebook groups tend to be more for show, so it may be a better venue for fan club support.

Another option for those weary of MySpace and Facebook or looking for a more organized and professional networking tool is Yahoo! Groups (groups.yahoo.com). The user signs up for an account by providing an email address and can create a group in a subcategory like “unsigned bands” or “artists.” These groups offer functions like message boards, calendars, and photos. To create a group, just follow the few simple steps and you will have a fully functional page to communicate with fans.
In keeping with the new technology focus, explore the idea of offering downloads to fans. DiscRevolt (www.discrevolt.com) allows artists to design plastic download cards that can then be distributed by street team members at concerts. Interested attendees or passer-bys will be able to download a free song from the band, thereby increasing awareness. Giving bonuses to street teamers who sell/distribute the most cards will help ensure active participation. DiscRevolt offers 100 cards at $.99 per card, 250 at $.75, 500 at $.50, and 1,000 at $.45. Dropcards (www.dropcards.com) also offers a similar service.

Message boards are also a well-tested form of fan communication. Sites like Bravenet allow users (meaning artists) free web space with the capabilities for message boards, mailing lists, calendars, chat rooms, photo albums, and hit counters. Other sites that offer simpler mailing lists are www.coollist.com and www.notifylist.com, both of which allow bands to email notices and news to fans about shows and street team opportunities, as well as establish automated responses to fans that sign up for the mailing list. For MySpace mailing list codes that you paste in to your page, try www.myspacesociety.com or www.myspacecore.com.

To accommodate larger fanbases, it may be necessary to outsource fan club and street team management. Companies such as Fun Palace Entertainment can create a fan club site for you and offer “exclusives” to fans for an annual fee. Perks include a welcome package, newsletters, special contests and giveaways, exclusive concert ticket pre-sale opportunities, insider notes from artists, and special merchandise. Paying the $25 fee allows fans access to the fan club site, as well as the physical perks of a forum to communicate with the artists and other fans who share their enthusiasm.

Do not, however, outsource your fan club or street team without being fully confident in the stability of your support group, especially considering those individuals who you wish to relinquish to new management are more than likely the ones who cultivated your fan network and identity to begin with. Having these groups in-house offers both reliability and accountability. Likewise, you are able to benefit from reducing the degrees of separation between yourself and your fans when they are under your own control.