Zed Equals Zee blogger Debcha recently wrote a post entitled What Will Music Fans Pay For? that nicely articulates what kind of things we value as consumers — with special attention paid to direct commerce. As you might expect, a lot of what Debcha looks for corresponds with what’s found success on Kickstarter.
Let’s quickly examine her list of what she would pay for:
The music. First and foremost, many people will (and do) voluntarily pay for digital music, even if they don’t have to. This might be because it’s easier to use iTunes than BitTorrent. Or it might be because they want to support the artist. Or both.
CDs and merch. Atoms, not bits. Do you pledge money to NPR to support the programming, or for the This American Life DVD? I’ve bought merchandise even when there was no rational reason for me to, simply because it was a way to support an artist I love. I buy CDs at concerts, because I know the money goes directly to the artists (and because I can listen to them in my car).
Relationships. Anything signed or limited-edition is not just about the article itself—it’s about expressing a relationship with the artist. And relationships aren’t fungible. Jonathan Coulton and Amanda Palmer are two excellent artists who have close relationships with their fans, who in turn support them.
An experience. The canonical example of this is, of course, the concert – whether it’s $5 to see your favorite local band or hundreds of dollars for an arena show. But this also includes things like doing ’shrooms in a Lamborghini with your favorite drummer.
Something unique. The illustration at the top of this post is a commissioned portrait (“Portrait of the Blogger, with Johnny Toaster,” by rstevens). Definitely worth paying for.
A narrative. What’s a story worth? Apparently, quite a bit. The Significant Objects art project posts thrift-store finds for auction on eBay, along with the back stories. But the back stories are fictional, and are described as such. Nevertheless, the items go for substantially more than their market value.
Debcha’s list might lean heavily on music, but it’s a solid approach to pretty much any kind of artistic patronage. And notice her last four in particular: relationships, an experience, something unique, and a narrative. Couldn’t agree more — in fact, I’d say there’s nothing more important than those four. Any endeavor that can bring those things together will find tremendous success and a lifetime following. It’s what we all want.
Kickstarter is built on those same desires. It’s not just about The Thing (the finished record, the completed film, the postcard in the mail), it’s about the process of making The Thing and the life around it, and how we as fans/audience can be involved. Make us part of the story. Make us feel special. As Debcha’s post makes clear, if you do it right we’ll reward you with our support and gratitude. It would be our pleasure.
