In the wake of the Acoustic Test Drive 2010 Contest, I had the chance to speak with the winner, Andy Brown. I was immediately struck by the level of care he expressed in regards to participating in the contest. I knew when I viewed the video for “Happiness” that it was something special, and that the creative force behind it must be huge. But it all came down to one thing for Andy: authenticity. And in his quest for making something truly authentic and unique, he came up with guidelines to always keep in mind throughout the contest. I was lucky enough to learn these tips from Andy, and he’s been gracious enough to now share them with all of you. So, here they are. Tips and tricks on how to position yourself in the viral world:
1. Be Sincere
“People can always tell if you’re not being yourself, whether onstage or online. So the biggest piece of advice I can give is to never try to be something you’re not,” Andy states. In regards to their video for “Happiness,” the band held a brainstorming session and grew all their ideas organically. All of the work put in was theirs alone. Andy continues, “The video was just us being ourselves and being a little crazy and weird. People connect to that.”
2. Stay Consistent
“No matter what, every message about your band should be consistent. If you update Facebook, then you should update all of your sites. And the message should always be the same across all boards. If you have mixed messages, then people get confused about what you’re trying to say and will most likely stop paying attention,” Andy explains.
3. Know Your Limits
Not everyone is a social media mastermind or website builder extraordinaire, and that’s just fine. Just don’t pretend to be. “With the internet, its easy to take control of every aspect of your music career, but sometimes it isn’t the smartest idea,” Andy claims. “I know my limits when it comes to music and the business, and I’ve learned when I should back away and let someone else take control. I know when to ask for help or advice, and never try to undertake anything that is unrealistic. Always keep things simple.”
4. Make It Personal
Just because you can reach millions of people through the internet, doesn’t always mean you should try to. Targeting your audience and giving the message/video/song your sending out a personal touch can make a huge difference. “Don’t spam!” Andy exclaims. “Every message your send out should be personal in some way. People want to feel like this is special and truly an extension of who you are. For “Happiness,” we recorded the song just for the purpose of making the video. On the first day of the contest, we sent messages to our most loyal fans and friends about it. We knew they would get the most excited and potentially start the buzz around it. Doing little things that make it feel special to people shows them that you care about their opinion and value them. You should always strive to do that for your fan base. Make them a part of the action.”
Well, there you have it! Tips and tricks for your online success from Andy Brown. Don’t be afraid to use all of this advice in contests as well as in your everyday routine. Remember: Social media is your friend. Use it wisely.
Check out more on Andy Brown here.
