Internet Music Business Models + Logos

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Hi!

Thanks for the great discussions in the Marketing Free Music thread...
Very enlightening! I tried to pick up all the input I could get and
distil it into something useful.

These ideas are a product of the discussion (the way I understood it),
my imagination, and a lot of thinking. They are not tested, not
finished, not the last word, just a few ideas! I should also mention by
most standards I am considered anything from a little wacky to
completely smack-whacking insane. Maybe you think this is a good thing.

In any case :) I am coming to the conclusion that 'Free' as Richard
Stallman and these folks understand it refers to the absence of outside
control (as through schools, universities, corporations, asylums,
governments, or prisons).

Quite simple. 'Free' means: Not reporting to anyone.

I have found there are three useful levels of freedom in distributing
your digital art over the web, each completely free in the free speech
sense, and a variety of freedoms in the monetary sense. (Of course there
are any amount you can make up, these three are simply those I happened
to think of).

1. The Small Business Entrepreneur
You create art with whatever tools you have available and sell your
content over the internet.

2. The Cyber-Street Musician
You create art and distribute it free of charge, with the understanding
you appreciate donations and even rely on them.

3. The Angel
You create art and distribute it free of charge. You do not accept
donations. Either you are very trusting your needs will be met or you
have some other source of income.

MARKETING TACTICS

We all need marketing. In its best sense, it simply means that there are
no obstacles people need to get around to get to your music. Clean up
the dog poo in front of your store. Sure it's flattering to see to what
lengths people will go to get your product, but maybe that length could
be reduced to one: How much will they pay?

1. For the first business model I was thinking of selling music on an
'All Rights Reserved' basis, but with FULL RESALE RIGHTS. In other
words, people are allowed to distribute your work for free if they want
to, but there is a little incentive not to, because they can also sell
it to their friends. This is very empowering to people since it
encourages them to create additional sources of income for themselves
except their jobs. To give you a little leverage, some exclusive content
for people who buy direct (liner notes, additional artwork, exlusive
bonus tracks, anything bonus really) on the site appears a  good idea.

2. For the street musician the most important thing appears to be some
way of reminding people to please donate if they like your music. People
are happily minding their own business every day while you are counting
your food coupons, even if they are in principle willing and able to
donate. That's not evil, it's just human nature. Sometimes it takes a
little knocking on our door to get our attention. 'Oh right, that music,
yeah I've been enjoying it, I'll give him a couple bucks.' Actually,
perhaps it would be a good idea to find some way of getting people to
donate before they close your web site. Or, alternatively, some way of
keeping them coming back (new content! new content! new content! online
community! Whatever.)

3. Well not much marketing needed here I guess, unless perhaps in terms
of 'number of downloads'. I guess 'Make a Nice Web Site' would be sound
in any case and also here, right along with 'make downloads clearly
visible'.

LOGOS

In order for people to know what is expected of them I have created a
set of logos (SVG, http://shelljam.sourceforge.net/musicstream.svg). For
a little familiarity value I created a 'free' brand (anyone can use it)
called 'Musicstream'. If anyone has a better idea for the name please
post; I like this because it is broad (music can be sold or given away,
it is clear we are talking about music over the web but not CDs, while
everyone is free to offer CDs AND musicstreams, and it has that 'new and
cool' twang magazine editors who don't know what they're talking about
but are hip will probably pick up on.)

Lemme know what'cha think guys (and girls, and hermaphrodites, and
non-sexuals)!

Of course, the most important thing is... Let's all actually make some
GOOD music and everything I wrote here will probably be pretty much
irrelevant... or at best the Sake that goes with the Sushi.

;)

Lemme know!

Carlo

PS: The ideas of 'Made with Free Software' and 'Geek is Cool and Sexy'
have not been forgotten, but as far as I can see should be launched as
seperate campaigns so non-Geeks and Propellerheads users can be part of
the Phun as well!


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