If you have an album or art you're trying to sell and distribute digitally this might help you. There are some suggestions on how to sell online and on mobile, and some general stuff on where your music or art fits into the digital world. If everyone is going to download your album for free, you want to be able to find ways to let your fans support you. I believe fans of artists want to help their favourite artists and its up to you to help them do it.

1. Where to stick yer album.
Digital downloads, MOBILE DISTRIBUTION, ToURING, COMMUNITIES, CD SALES
AND Merchandise
The web’s a big scary place full of groovy things you can use to touch people.
On the left are all the things you can do on the web. On the right are some of the things
you can do on the mobile. Some will need you to do work on them on a regular basis
(like updating a blog for example). I’ve marked those with a star *. You should give
some thought to how far you want to go. Its all good though.
WEB MOBILE
blogging- text, photo, art, music * track downloads (sales)
cd sales and shipment text message your fans *
nominate a price or set a price for cd sale mobile website: download free track
instant download of album advertising of the album
community building and social networking. Premium SMS: Text XXXXX to download
Mailing lists and updates. * the song
find out where your fans are and map them microsponsorships...
get your fans to schedule your gigs * videos- downloads and streaming
microsponsorships sell image rights and ringtones
online downloads from iTunes etc. publicity: be the first to do something on
the mobile! Get Nokia to pay!!
cd sales through Amazon etc. and own site DRM: people are less hostile to it on the
mobile
videos, trailers, performances, diaries *
Andrew McAvinchey• email: dabdidea@gmail.com
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2. WEB MOBILE
Previews of album tracks and promos
downloads count towards the charts downloads count here too!
GENERAL THOUGHTS:
• Create a constant dialogue, a relationship, with fans, through music,
art, messages.
•Maintain the mystery. You are a star.
•What is the ultimate goal? Think about this and establish it early. To
sell music, to relate to fans, to create sustainably, to innovate? Your fans
will want to know what you’re trying to do, and they can help you if you
ask.
•Is this art and experimentation, or sales focused market driven com-
merce? Be honest. It will help to drive the momentum either way.
•You should look like you’re doing a lot of this stuff yourself. You are
really, you’re just getting a bit of help.
•You could consider putting some raw uncut work on your website. Fans
would like some of that stuff, and you could put it out for a limited time,
into the ether, unofficially.
THE WEBSITE:
The website should look great, be easy to use and make you happy.
Hidden inside your website should be lots of beautiful features to make
your fans happy. Here are some suggestions:
•there’s a map, where everyone who buys your album pops up as a little
heart or icon. You’ll start to see clusters. And those fans can host you in
their town. You can go directly to where the love is! Or go where it isn’t
and spread it around! Fans create clusters of love for your music and you
Andrew McAvinchey• email: dabdidea@gmail.com
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3. reward them by going along and playing a gig there. They can even or-
ganise it for you.
•there’s lots of videos and special messages from you. And they get to
talk to you and ask you questions.
•you can buy cds and merchandise directly from the site
•you can download the album immediately
•you can spread the word by hooking your friends into the site- word of
mouth about your music and your website.
•All roads lead to your website: you’re on myspace, facebook, imeem, etc.
all linking back to your website. So do your CDS, because they’re en-
hanced.
•The CD downloads in seconds from the site.
•Indie Bloggers, magazine writers, PR etc have somewhere to go to listen
to your music and link to it (the Indie Bloggers are the ones who drive
people to download songs these days. Help them help you.)
GET HELP ON THESE:
Traditional record distribution is not dead so if you can use em, use em.
•physical printing, artwork, cd hardware etc.
•distribution to traditional channels: shops, radio stations, promotional
etc.
•PR
•Licensing
•Legal
You should also find out how much of this is already covered or is being
taken care of under your existing contracts.
Andrew McAvinchey• email: dabdidea@gmail.com
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