Operation Hurricane: Getting New Fans
I’m listing this as part of Operation: Hurricane, but in some ways it doesn’t follow the overall plan of that at all. Of all the promotion and tasks we do day to day to help Alexz out, I think we can agree the end result we’re aiming for is to get her new fans. I also needed to be in the right mood to write this because of what I need to search for in myself to do it correctly, and what you’ll find you need to do with yourself to really make this effective. This is why.
Before you can really get someone to listen to something you want them to hear, or try something they’ve never tried before, they’ll be curious why they should and probably wonder why it should matter to them. To even be effective past here what you’re about to show them has to be important to you. It’s got to be something you can relate to, have experience with, and can talk heartfelt about. Believe me, if YOU believe it, they’ll be ready to believe it too. In this regard, we’ve got it easy. We’re passionate about Alexz Johnson and her music. So, how do you take your passion for this and use it to make her new fans?
The first thing I want you to do is think back. You’re here so I know you’re a fan 🙂 but think back to a couple of different moments. However they happened the important thing is that you know what they are. First, that moment you thought “Who’s that girl?” Way back I had been watching Instant Star, but not really, if you know what I mean. One time I decided to actually watch the show from the start after The N rebooted the series. Only watching the story and not paying TOO much attention “Won’t Get Fooled Again” came on. When she started singing Skin I suddenly had to know who she was. The episode, the story, the song all hit me so hard. I was hit emotionally by her song and it’s interpretations in just that episode. So that was that moment for me. I can still find it in my memory what I was thinking and feeling when I saw it for the first time.
As you’ll see at every step, you’ll want to know these feelings so you can try to create them in other people when they see her act, or watch her perform, or hear her songs.
The next moment you need to know is WHEN did you become a fan? The exact moment. This is pivotal. Lots of people can be closet or fans in denial for a long time. “Skin” was this moment for me too, the song. I had already accepted her as an actress and quite a good one from Instant Star. THIS moment is the time I became a fan of Alexz and the music she makes. If you don’t know what made YOU a fan you’ll have a hard time making other people fans. This moment is rooted in more emotion than logic. The reason it is is because of her craft. She sings and acts. Both are based on having a huge understanding of people, the way they act, the way they feel, and why they do what they do. The choice you make and accept that you are a fan is an emotional one, not one of logic. And think, that moment she hit your heart with so much emotion you couldn’t stand it, right? It’s an intangible and expression that can only be felt and not explained or rationalized. If you don’t understand this moment for yourself, you’ll never be able to successfully lead people to the point they can have it for themselves after listening to her music or seeing her in interviews or whatnot.
The final moment comes a bit later after becoming a fan. It’s that unquenchable desire to find, listen to, and watch anything Alexz has ever done. It’s like your dying of thirst and no matter how much water you drink you want more. I’d put this moment for myself, a bit later than Skin, but not too far chronologically because Instant Star was getting played every day and with multiple episodes at the time. The song that put me from a fan to a hardcore follower of Ms. Johnson was I Don’t Know If I Should Stay. The music, her voice, that dress, how emotional her singing is. Trust me, at this point, there was no turning back 🙂
The good thing about this step is that it will often take care of itself. Where you come in is that these people are not sure where to go next. With a song catagloue as huge as Alexz’s is it can be daunting, but rewarding work to find what you can. When you get someone here don’t just give them everything. They need to look for it. There’s beauty in the discovery of every new song they find she has done. Your job is to lead them the right directions. This moment you need to remember because the unquenchable desire to find more is a feeling you want to flame, not quench. At this point they’ll continue looking for her material WITHOUT your help, which is what you’ve been wanting all along.
You’ve really got to lead them without pushing, give them enough to keep looking and discover her BY THEMSELVES. Which is another feeling that’s fun to touch on. The time you discovered her and how talented she is just hit you like a truck. This is a private moment most of the time and let them have the moment on their own. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. So, using this same metaphor, lead them to the water making them wanting to drink the pond when they get there. 🙂 Sorry, best example I can do at this time of day 😛
Obviously, this is very hands-on, word of mouth, and one-on-one stuff. At the root of it, that’s really how fans are created anyway. Her single will reach places and people in groups impossible for us at the scale only a single can do. Knowing it’s on the way, I’m sure you know some people you can get highly anticipating it before it’s released 🙂
That’s a lot to take in. I’ve got more. I guess I’ll have to make a Part 2 sometime 😀
