

Rad Omen the startup band - Using the product as marketing. - lzw
http://www.radomen.com/

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lzw
This is the first band that I can remember using this model, and it hooked me.
I think there might be some useful lessons here for startups, but I'm speaking
here totally as a consumer.

I'm a typical music listener, I expect. I have the bands I got interested in
when I was a kid, and slowly over time I've been exposed to new music
happenstance.

That is to say, I am NOT hard core. I don't go seeking out music. Must
customers probably aren't out looking for your product, either.

Awhile back, someone linked to this bands video for a single they released
called "Rad Anthem".

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfwEH8Ds4pg>

The video was hilarious and really engaging, along with the song.

They let you download the single for the low, low price of your email address.

Months pass. And today I discover I got an email- they have released their new
album. This interests me, and even more, I can get this album for the low low
cost of giving up my email address.

This I then do.

Now I'm a fan. I'd never heard of them. I liked the one song, but wouldn't
have bought this album, probably, because I've been burned by one-hit wonder
type bands in the past.

But when their next album comes out-- I'll know it, because I know they'll
email me. And I'm happy to have them do so, because in all these months, since
Rad Anthem came out, I've not gotten a single email from them. no spam. Just
the notice when the album came out.

And I can promise you I will buy. I'm not hardcore, but having listened to the
album, I really like it, and I'll happily buy their next one.

\----

I just thought it might be illustrative, entertaining or useful to hear my
experience being marketed to and how it was successful. I spend so much of my
time thinking about how to market to people, when I see it happening to me
successfully, I want to take note.

Now, did Rad Omen give up their product? Yes and No, but they did not
undermine their long term value.

The greatest risk facing startups is obscurity... they helped get over that by
giving up their first album for free.... and I think they will do well with
follow on releases as a result.

They also got ahead of the crowd here. Finding free singles is probably not
that rare (though this is the first one I've seen) but free albums? That has
special value.

And this from someone who knows jamendo (which has lots of free albums, but it
is more needle drop quality, I think.)

