Helpful Tips from the true pioneers of free content and social media
 

I have been saying this stuff for years... now someone has gone and written the book...

Check this out for some handy marketing tips

Always liked this quote about them, "They are not the best at what they do, they are the only ones that do what they do".

:2 cents:

If you check out the article, pay close attention, anyone that finds the "Waldo" hiding out in there gets extra credit points. :winkwink:

Great read... thanks for the link

that article probably depresses them.

I was at that show. :stoned

Fun read...

ADG

lol, I doubt that just because I am sure it is kind of vindicating to get recognized after being basically ridiculed by the record industry for years.

lol, I am pretty sure that part of me is still at that show...:winkwink:

Good article/slide show.

In terms of the adult industry, what do you think the corollary is for the live concert in the Dead's strategy?

That's where I think the analogy gets tricky. I'm not saying there isn't a corollary to be had, just that the strategy for monetizing isn't quite as clear/obvious in a porn context.

Great point and question...

I do believe there is a corallary. Obviously, live cams seems to be one possibility. For example, Robbie and Claudia Marie being one example, or any other site where there is not just archive content but some form of live interaction. However, even a "mega" site like Homegrown Video, while we don't do in house live shows anymore, we do have plenty of live interaction with our community and completely treat our fans like they are "part of the show" which is something that the Dead did, always giving credit to their audience for being an essential catalyst to performance.

Fans of the Dead often acknowledge that even a bad show could be saved by a great parking lot experience. To correlate, on a site like Homegrown, we might put up a video that is not so popular, but we foster so much communication and cooperation about what goes up that our audience feels an essential bond and shared commitment to the content. This means it is more personal to them than "just another video of people fucking".

On a related side note... I once bought bunk acid in the parking lot at a Dead show.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, I didn't enjoy that particular Dead show nearly as much as the others I had attended.

The other side of that coin is I once went to a show and didn't indulge any... ahem... vitamins... cough, cough, or any psychic enhancifiers of any sort and after a few songs I was telling everyone how great the Scarlet Begonias was even though they hadn't played it. (and I am one of those freaks that can listen to a few seconds of a song and tell you the when, where, and what was played before, during, and after)

Interesting footnote...

why do some people wait in a 45 minute line at the end of the shows to BUY a set of discs burned off and dropped in simple sleeves when they could wait a day or two and not have to wait in a line and order online... or get the audience recording for FREE?

Clearly, that contradicts the often promulgated theory that people will only and always steer toward free stuff if offered a choice.

Why do we convert at a bit better than 1/1000 off tubes where others can't convert at 1/20,000 on the same traffic? (I learned why in some of the best parking lots in the US of A, as an indie vendor of silk scarves, shirts, etc.)

Do continue.....

:upsidedow

I edited a quote that I think fits the adult Net well.

This industry could learn a lesson from the Grateful Dead.

Is there an online version of the book online ?

( attended over 100 + shows mostly on the east coast )

The first time I fucked another man was in the parking lot of a Dead show.

Consequences will never be the same.

What lesson would that be?

From what I could tell, the majority of us do what GD is doing, with our customers and surfers. Other than having a parking lot party, most sites have a loyal fan base which they interact with, manage access directly, allow downloads (recording), newsletters and mailing lists aren't new in our Industry, we do build tools/apps on top of our main products and sell those, we build/create custom tools, cms, software, etc all the time, we have people to help us manage customers (fans).... really, I don't see what they do that we need to be doing, if anything they need to catch up to us.

excellent tips - they knew the power of social networking..

Which is why sign ups are increasing, earnings have never been better and the Adult Internet is thriving.

However in the real world, it's a bit different.

In the real world of porn, not everyone is down in the dumps.

This real world you speak of, the difference between many in our Industry and GD is, a sales team. It's not like you go out each day and contact a 100 new affiliates to see if they will promote you, it's not like you have a team of people doing that for you so you contact hundreds of people daily. Think if GD just waited for fans to find them, they never really tried - just waited.... that's what porn does.

At that, I highly doubt you have any real social presence at all or actually manage a real newsletter that isn't spam.

So in the real world... GD said hey, piracy is good, it helps, it feeds our fan base, etc.. in our Industry, you think it hurts you.

Starting to see what the differences are now? Our Industry isn't down, some of the people are though.

= See my sig and sign up.

Or SPAM.

Exactly... this is what our Industry thinks affiliate marketing is.

"They are not the best at what they do, they are the only ones that do what they do".
Brilliant...
I think this IS what makes the post relevant to the industry. A lot could be learned from keeping the "music" free.But we, the fans, will be more than happy to pay to see the band! Live is Weir its at ;)

"We can share the music, we can share the Wine!"

Furthur is tearing it up, something was awakened and it is Alive! Hope you have had the pleasure Far-L, they really are making somthing happen out there!
Peace

Number 2 & 3= Get rid of the dam affiliates and just put your content all over the tubes

Number 4 = Spam (email market ) and use twitter

Number 6= Go nuts on xsales and upsells

Number 8 = Hire KB and open a tube with "user submitted" content

Number 9 = have something worth selling, that every other peddler has not tried to sell....take the free exposure, let someone else foot the bw and find your true Fanbase!$$$

To clarify, the Grateful Dead allow taping, but Bob Weir has spoken out over the sharing of their soundboard recordings on the web, and had all soundboards taken off of archive.org because that has traditionally been a revenue stream for them. So in some ways it's gone too far even for them.

The Dead did this with record companies for years, they fucked with the music on someones tab.(Granted Working Mans was pretty tight for studio) Record sales was not their income... touring and Playing live was what made them what they are. They have just found out what it takes to re-invent themselves, and after a few road bumps, the remaining have found some Grate talent to keep their vision and music alive and profitable.
Wheel is turning and you can't slow down, can't let go, and you can't hold on! Can't go back and you can't stand still.........If the thunder don't get ya then the Lightning Will!!!!!@}>

Weir was a problem from the start, damn shorts:disgust
But I think he knows like the rest, the only way to feed the monster that they created is to tightin up the line-up and make the people want to see the show again.. Jer died and the premise went to shit!Simple and Done. But I think they are beginning to see the light again, Sold Out venues is where it's at!

Great read, Far-L. Have you checked out DeadVids yet?

Love the quote, Bill Graham was a marketing genius, as well.

I just re-read your post :thumbsup
Some climb to get to Terrapin!

"Terrapin Station"
Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia
Copyright Ice Nine Publishing; used by permission.

LADY WITH A FAN

Let my inspiration flow
in token lines suggesting rhythm
that will not forsake me
till my tale is told and done

While the firelight's aglow
strange shadows in the flames will grow
till things we've never seen
will seem familiar

Shadows of a sailor forming
winds both foul and fair all swarm
down in Carlisle he loved a lady
many years ago

Here beside him stands a man
a soldier by the looks of him
who came through many fights
but lost at love

While the storyteller speaks
a door within the fire creaks
suddenly flies open
and a girl is standing there

Eyes alight with glowing hair
all that fancy paints as fair
she takes her fan and throws it
in the lion's den

"Which of you to gain me, tell
will risk uncertain pains of Hell?
I will not forgive you
if you will not take the chance"

The sailor gave at least a try
the soldier being much too wise
strategy was his strength
and not disaster

The sailor coming out again
the lady fairly lept at him
that's how it stands today
you decide if he was wise

The storyteller makes no choice
soon you will not hear his voice
his job is to shed light
and not to master

Since the end is never told
we pay the teller off in gold
in hopes he will come back
but he cannot be bought or sold

TERRAPIN STATION

Inspiration, move me brightly
light the song with sense and color,
hold away despair
More than this I will not ask
faced with mysteries dark and vast
statements just seem vain at last
some rise, some fall, some climb
to get to Terrapin

Counting stars by candlelight
all are dim but one is bright:
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shining best,
From the northwest corner
of a brand-new crescent moon
crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune

Terrapin Station
in the shadow of the moon
Terrapin Station
and I know we'll be there soon

Terrapin - I can't figure out
Terrapin - if it's an end or the beginning
Terrapin - but the train's got its brakes on
and the whistle is screaming: TERRAPIN

AT A SIDING

While you were gone
these spaces filled with darkness
The obvious was hidden
With nothing to believe in
the compass always points to Terrapin

The sullen wings of fortune beat like rain
You're back in Terrapin for good or ill again
For good or ill again

Oh, and in regards to "Waldo"... 3rd pic. ;)

Waldo needs a lei.