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Offline Client - Online Music Store

by StrategicCheetah
7 replies
Hi Warriors,

I have come in contact with an offline client who is running an online record store which retails alot of different types of music on CD, Vinyl, Tapes, DVD etc. They specialise in underground music, such as hard to find remixes of certain tracks from perhaps well known bands such as radiohead. They also stock a great deal of lesser or unknown artists.

They have their ecommerce site all set up, only trouble is, it aint getting the traffic it needs to survive.

The site itself, looks great. However, they need help with marketing to get it busier.

I am meeting with the head of the company next week and my initial thoughts are to offer pay per click and YouTube promotion. I will also strongly recommend that they start visiting all the relevant forums and signature marketing every day.

They don't have a huge budget for advertising, but the guy has told me he knows he needs to do something. I have been made aware by a 3rd party that a figure of around £200 per month should be doable, but they would need to be very confident it was the right thing to help their business.

My question to the forum is, what would you recommend this customer, and why?

Thanks
#client #music #offline #online #store
  • Profile picture of the author carloru
    Without advertising, every business will collapse. They need to create an advertising budget, no matter how small.

    I will support using PPC advertising and Youtube promotion, but it will also pay to create a Facebook page and try to get as many fans as possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    With that kind of budget I'd look at starting a facebook fansite for DJ's to discuss rare remixes etc - thinking that facebook has a younger market. It probably will take time though to grow organically. You could manage it for them after setting it up.

    Rich
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    • Profile picture of the author StrategicCheetah
      Thanks for the help warriors, this was a nice meeting. I heavily promoted Facebook, Youtube and Forum Marketing and put forth a plan of action which the shop owner loved.

      We have signed a 3 month contract of $250 per month for me to assist them with setting up the Facebook, Youtube and Forum marketing campaign we discussed.

      Really happy with the way it all went, I now get to deliver alot of value for them, while getting paid, and when it all turns out to be a huge success, they will not want to let me go :-)
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      • Profile picture of the author MercadeoEspañol
        You honor your nick PositiveVibe, thats the attitude and congrats!

        Get them to drop their jaws, with that budget you need to get creative and apply simple strategies found here. So rock on!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Face book makes sense because "underground" music is a very social clique kind of thing... Niche music lovers dont like to have to sort through all the main stream stuff and they appreciate when there is a niche just for them... Face book is an excellent opportunity to create a targeted social group for this. I would say more people are on facebook to find people like themselves, who enjoy the same musical niches, than are on facebook to find say "Pizza Delivery".

    So not only you reach the customers but you are the answer to their problems...and help them to interact with others like themselves,making the world a smaller place for them.

    The other thing I like about this market is that music lovers are "passionate". You know alot of people go to star bucks for coffee, but alot also go just as much for a place to hang out with other like people... who are passionate about similar things. They all feel welcome as a fellow lover of extreme coffee. Thats as good as the coffee; "The belonging".

    Create that for the lovers of this customers music, and give them a place to get passionate together...

    Nobody cares who "Bobs Record store" online is... its just a fact..., But they do care who "Blink 182" is... so draw all those people together and sit them in front of Bobs store as a hangout. They will buy coffee.

    My two cents.

    I would create a network of niche fan sites based on the names of some of the artists. Individual sites that cater to specifically the lovers of that artist... and advertise Bob record store to them with links to products, albums, posters...

    I'd say Bob needs to capitalize on the individual brand names he has within his store for now, and not focus on the store itself... and that will draw people to the store.

    This is just off the cuff. I hope it helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author StrategicCheetah
      Thanks John. On point as always.

      Thats pretty much exactly what I presented to the client today. He currently has a Facebook page which is his record store. I explained, the reason it has barely any fans and creates no value is that nobody knows his brand, so they are not searching for it, nor are they interested in it

      I explained that our goal is to create a community based around the musical styles and artists that he stocks and then use the power of running that community to drive sales and derive gold nuggets of marketing intel :-)

      Great meeting, I'm still buzzing from it!
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      Timing beats speed

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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by PositiveVibe View Post

        Thanks John. On point as always.

        Thats pretty much exactly what I presented to the client today. He currently has a Facebook page which is his record store. I explained, the reason it has barely any fans and creates no value is that nobody knows his brand, so they are not searching for it, nor are they interested in it

        I explained that our goal is to create a community based around the musical styles and artists that he stocks and then use the power of running that community to drive sales and derive gold nuggets of marketing intel :-)

        Great meeting, I'm still buzzing from it!
        Cool. Im thinking individual niche sites for each artist... individual fan pages... that rank on their own, individually, by all their respective totally HOT artist keywords... Also if the artists are real obscure but have a passionate following there may not be a ton of competition, and alot of opportunity.

        I think we are right on track. Of course there are other things too, like article marketing but your client cant afford that right now it seems... you could write articles about the various artists...

        I think its a good opportunity because of the artist brand names you can ride on... I guess we are on the same "vibe".
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