How To Get Your First 100 Genuine Music Fans On Facebook

Getting 100 “likes” on your Facebook fan page is relatively easy. Getting 100 genuine music fans on the other hand… well, that's a different matter entirely.

Here's what happens with most bands and artists. They invite all of their friends and family members to “like” their page. Pretty soon, they have 100 “likes” on their page if not more. Then they rest on their laurels thinking they accomplished something significant.

But are your friends and your family really your fans? They support you, they humor you, and they might even buy every album you put out, but if push comes to shove, there are only a few people in that group you could call genuine fans.

So how do you hit that 100 mark and do it with flying colors? Read on.

Practice Until You're Undeniably Good, THEN Get Facebook Fans

To implement and succeed with any of the strategies I'm about to talk about, your music actually has to be good. Yes, undeniably good.

I know that might be a sore spot, especially if you're just getting started, or you know for a fact that your lead singer “isn't the strongest.”

Well, guess what? That's going to make it really hard to make genuine fans out of anybody.

So make sure to practice your craft. Film, record, watch and listen to yourself if you have to. Pay attention to everything, including your stage presence, the image you're projecting, and how you're sounding as an artist or group.

Don't be easy on yourself – scrutinize every detail. Then, have friends you trust do the same. Don't be like the worst American Idol contestants – people that are delusional about their own abilities because no one has the courage to tell them how awful they are. Believe me – it's better to know if you suck earlier rather than later.

Play Out, Have Fun, & Collect Email Addresses Everywhere You Go – Then Direct To Facebook

If you want to make fans, get out there and perform. If you don't have much live experience behind you yet, then take every gig you can and play absolutely everywhere. Don't worry about the money just yet.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “live performance is the best practice”? Well it just so happens that it's true. You will get better a lot faster if you play out frequently and consistently.

And guess what? If you're enjoying yourself onstage, pretty soon people will start to enjoy themselves at your concerts too. Don't get me wrong – you can expect to play to your fair share of empty coffeehouses, lukewarm crowds, and competitors watching you like a hawk. But that's a sacrifice every artist has to make.

If you keep at it, and focus on having fun, you'll begin to attract that too. If people seem to be getting into your music, go and talk to them. Collect as many email addresses as you possibly can. If you've got a tablet, try using an app like SignUpAnywhere so you'll look like a pro.

Some people won't turn into genuine fans, but you're far more likely to walk away with a ripe crop if you put your focus on creating connections.

Here's a bonus tip – prepare a banner or a PowerPoint slide with your name, website address and social media URLs on it. Display it behind or beside you at every show you play. You can also prepare business cards with the same information and hand them out to people as you interact with them.

Connect With Your Fans Through Email & Social Media

Just assume no one is going to take any actions without first being prompted. People have a lot of stuff going on in their life, and there a lot of distractions online.

So once you feel you have the raw material you need to work with – a good number of social media followers, email subscribers and other connections – it's time to start build a relationship with them.

Let your email subscribers know about your Facebook fan page, and invite them to connect with you on it. Make sure to give them an incentive for following through.

Tell your Twitter followers about your Facebook page too. If you have a presence on sites like Google+, Instagram, Tumblr and other social networks, you can also let them know about your Facebook page.

I shouldn't even have to tell you that you should also have links to your social profiles on your website, but I will mention it here just in case. Your visitors are going to expect you to have this information on your site, so don't disappoint.

Then, continue to connect with your fans on every channel. Many of them will be genuine fans already, but if you continue to entertain, educate, and engage them, you'll have fans for life.

Take It Over The Top With Facebook Advertising

If you want to really supercharge your efforts, film a great video and promote it using Facebook ads. If you don't have much of a budget, skip this step, but otherwise it can be a great way to enhance the legwork you're already doing.

The video is a tool for captivating and engaging audiences. Make sure to target specific people who are likely to enjoy your style or genre.

Then, as people see your video, more of them will be inclined to click that “like button or go to your page to check it out.

But if your page is dead, they're going to leave, and that's why the previous step is so crucial. If you want to attract more fans, you have to make sure there's something happening on your page.

Final Thoughts

Anyone can amass 100 genuine music fans on Facebook using the strategies outlined above. The rare exception is when you aren't any good as a musician, which is why I suggest getting undeniably good before expecting any kind of attention.

But don't forget – consistency is key. You have to play out often, connect with the people at the venues, take the conversation to social media, keep your social profiles updated, delight your fans, and repeat this process until you have a real following.

Once you have genuine fans, they will help you spread the word. But they have to love the music you make and the experience you deliver every time you perform.