Rad Omen the startup band - Using the product as marketing.

This is the first band that I can remember using this model, and it hooked me. I think there might be some useful lessons here for startups, but I'm speaking here totally as a consumer.

I'm a typical music listener, I expect. I have the bands I got interested in when I was a kid, and slowly over time I've been exposed to new music happenstance.

That is to say, I am NOT hard core. I don't go seeking out music. Must customers probably aren't out looking for your product, either.

Awhile back, someone linked to this bands video for a single they released called "Rad Anthem".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfwEH8Ds4pg

The video was hilarious and really engaging, along with the song.

They let you download the single for the low, low price of your email address.

Months pass. And today I discover I got an email- they have released their new album. This interests me, and even more, I can get this album for the low low cost of giving up my email address.

This I then do.

Now I'm a fan. I'd never heard of them. I liked the one song, but wouldn't have bought this album, probably, because I've been burned by one-hit wonder type bands in the past.

But when their next album comes out-- I'll know it, because I know they'll email me. And I'm happy to have them do so, because in all these months, since Rad Anthem came out, I've not gotten a single email from them. no spam. Just the notice when the album came out.

And I can promise you I will buy. I'm not hardcore, but having listened to the album, I really like it, and I'll happily buy their next one.

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I just thought it might be illustrative, entertaining or useful to hear my experience being marketed to and how it was successful. I spend so much of my time thinking about how to market to people, when I see it happening to me successfully, I want to take note.

Now, did Rad Omen give up their product? Yes and No, but they did not undermine their long term value.

The greatest risk facing startups is obscurity... they helped get over that by giving up their first album for free.... and I think they will do well with follow on releases as a result.

They also got ahead of the crowd here. Finding free singles is probably not that rare (though this is the first one I've seen) but free albums? That has special value.

And this from someone who knows jamendo (which has lots of free albums, but it is more needle drop quality, I think.)