Tag: marketing

Apply Obama’s Marketing Strategy

How did Obama do it? Here are five easy steps to a dynamite campaign.

“The market for something to believe in is infinite.” - Macleod

The Rules Of Engagement

  1. Truly believe in your cause. Work harder than anyone for the cause.
  2. Spread the word. Be ready to tell it in 1 word, 10 words, 100 words, simple and powerful, all the time. Know it’s essence and never stray from the core message. Constantly champion the stories of those behind the cause.
  3. Make it urgent. Always be beating the drum for some impending deadline to advance the cause.
  4. Give the power to the people. Let it sell itself. Give them the microphone, the communications tools, the community building tools, the network and get out of the way. Create environments where it flows. Ride the movement with everyone else. Give up control of your movement, open up to THE movement.
  5. Report from the front-line. Hard-working, open, authentic, sharing, available communicators gather supporters by simply participating in our hyper-networked world.

Short and sweet: Believe in your cause, spread the word, make it urgent, power to the people, and report from the front-line.

The Rules of En-J-ment

  1. Truly believe in my cause: Nothing is more important than making and sharing great art, song. This year I need to make a great album, site, and share it with Austin (DC, New York, San Diego…) and the world.
  2. Spread the word: I am a songwriter who cares about lyrics and poetry and uses a palette of folk, funk, soul, jazz, latin, rock and reggae. Everyday J making poetry pop.
  3. Make it urgent: Countdown to the next album: 5 months. It’s been 4 years since my last album and I’ve got scads of unrecorded songs. I’ve been in Austin for 13 years and am almost completely unknown beyond my friends. The time is NOW! Make a great album, show, site. Get on the map in Austin, at the very least.
  4. Give the power to the people: Solicit fan feedback on everything I do. Listen, write, record, perform for them. Create ways for fans to easily share it with their friends.
  5. Report from the front-line: Progress reports all the time from the center of the action.

In a nutshell: Make music, post songs, live for deadlines, share and engage with fans, always be broadcasting cool new stuff. Break!

I’ve got 5 months to make an album and 6 to sell it. I’ve got 8 songs picked for a theme and want it to be a soul album called Folk Dub for its personal funky acoustic beach reggae feel. Songs stripped down to rhythmic essence adorned with funky jazzy bass, guitar, organ, horns, and back-up singers. Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder and Jobim. Manu Chao,  D’Angelo, U2/Eno/Lanois.

  1. I Can See You -  reggae soul
  2. God Has Been Good To Me1 and 2 -  gospel funk
  3. Sat Morn (video) -  funk folk
  4. Mi Estilo Es Tranquilo -  reggae tejano
  5. Un Momento Perfecto – folk samba jazz
  6. Lake Rules  -  reggae kids fun
  7. All The Above -  pop folk rock funk vocal
  8. Speeding1 and 2– reggae folk rock bluegrass
  9. Nobody Knows What It Means – soul pop horns and harmonies
  10. Dub Lub – stone cold reggae jam (needs lyrics?)

 

Cracking Obama’s Campaign Communications Code

After trying to crack Obama’s communications code, I’ve broken my philosophy down to the following five principles.

  1. Truly believe in your cause: Nothing is more important than making and sharing great art, song. This year I need to make a great album, site, and share it with Austin (DC, New York, San Diego…) and the world.
  2. Spread the word: I am a songwriter who cares about lyrics and poetry. Non-disposable words and a palette of folk, funk, soul, jazz, latin, rock and reggae. Everyday J making poetry pop.
  3. Make it urgent: Countdown to the next album: 6 months. It’s been 4 years since my last album and I’ve got scads of unrecorded songs. I’ve been in Austin for 13 years and am almost completely unknown beyond my friends. The time is NOW! Make a great album, show, site. Get on the map in Austin, at the very least.
  4. Give the power to the people: Solicit feedback and collaboration on everything I do. Create ways for fans to easily share with their friends. Be accessible to fans, creatively reward. Always offer clear opportunities for engagement.
  5. Report from the front-line: Keep doing cool stuff, trying new things. Don’t sit around. Keep pioneering innovative approaches to writing and playing;  bring your sketchbook, recorder, camera, and guitar and get some good footage for the folks that can’t be there live.