Hi Michael,

I like the general look and feel of the page and the image. I think it conveys what you are going for.

However, even after reading your explanation and the copy on the page, I'm not clear what the USP is. I don't see those words on the page.

If your USP is "Inspiring. There is perhaps no word that better describes X: THC" then I think that needs work.

One of the biggest criticisms a writer can get is saying "words can't describe". You are pretty much saying exactly that. Words NEED to describe what is unique about your music, and the experience that it offers.

When I read the copy on your page, and in your potential headlines/ad copy, I don't get much of a sense of what I should expect. While you do use a fair number of adjectives, those adjectives are fairly broad, and don't point to a specific experience that relates to New Wave, at least for me.

I like your thought process, I just don't think you're there yet.

For example, your explanation of your audience believing that they don't make music like they used to is a great insight. However, instead of just mirroring that sentiment, I think you would do better to describe how your music will deliver that long lost spirit/type of music.

For example, "X THC's hypnotic postmodern new wave sound will instantly transport you to a smokey, 1980s London goth club"...

... or something like that, might do a better job of painting an appealing visual picture for your audience.

Keep in mind, I am not a New Wave guy, and I don't know the genre that well, so my example may be off. I'm just trying to illustrate a difference in a approach.

I also personally think that your references to songs might be a little to obscured . But I could be wrong. You know your audience better than me.

And one final note... I wouldn't hesitate to get out there and start testing. The numbers will tell you what is working and what isn't much more accurately than I ever could.

Hope that helps though...

Hi Michael,

What I wrote was really just an example of the kind of approach I'd take. You would know much better than I about what is appropriate for you guys. I wasn't suggesting it would be right for you. But the approach I outlined demonstrates how it is important to convey the specific experience that an audience is seeking.

It is not uncommon for artists to feel that their music is so diverse that it can't fit into any genre. But there will still be a core experience that your music offers, and that will overlap with something that other artists/genres also offers. 

This is why it is so important to hone in on your USP. Once you have done that, describing the experience is fairly easy.

Hi Michael,

So the headline you have up at the moment reads...

DOES THE MUSIC THAT THEY CONSTANTLY PLAY SAY NOTHING TO YOU ABOUT YOUR LIFE?

GET POSITIVELY INSPIRED BY THE HYPNOTIC / ELECTRONIC / NEW WAVE / TRIP-HOP MASHUP WITH A MESSAGE … X: THC”

For me, that is not connecting. I'm not personally clear what the first half of that actually means. I gather it is in relation to the Smiths song you mentioned before, but it's just not clicking for me at all, and I think that even if some people get it, too many won't.

The second pat does not strike me as very different from what you had before. 

My advice is the same. I want t very clearly get a sense of the experience your music offers. Right now, and at least for me, the words that are clear are fairly broad and not that specific. The rest of it is not clear.

I personally still think it's lacking anything truly unique, that I can sink my teeth into, or use to get an instant understanding of what your music is like.

But I am just one person, with one opinion.

I guess I'm still struggling with really clicking with what it is that your music is, and what experience I'll have when I listen to it. 

Right now it says...

“NEED SOME POSITIVITY RIGHT NOW?

GET INSPIRED BY THE HYPNOTIC / ELECTRONIC / NEW WAVE / TRIP-HOP MASHUP WITH A MESSAGE … X: THC”

Do you really feel that what modern new wave (or electronic/Trip Hop) fans are consciously seeking is positivity? Do you feel that they are walking around thinking to themselves, I wish I could find some positive New Wave music out there...

Because that is what has to be the case for this to work.

I really think that you'll struggle a bit until you nail the USP.

Even the quotes you have would work much better in my opinion, because they describe the experience...

IE...

X: THC is a modern electronic / New Wave duo whose latest single "will take you on a hypnotic and chilling journey that examines the complexities of human nature”... or something along those lines.

That latter invites me into a world. What you have does not.

My apologies if any of that is too blunt. Just trying to shoot straight.

Michael N said
thank you for this John. I appreciate the bluntness, and I think you are inspiring me to think in a different way...

My pleasure. Glad to hear you are taking what I'm saying as it's intended.

So focusing on the USP, we have two directions we can go in. I was trying to balance both of them together, and maybe that's not possible.

One of the USP points is non-genre specific. That we write inspiring songs, which is something that I think people need right now. BUT not airy fairy fluff songs. They are serious explorations of the human condition, inspiring people to overcome adversity WITHOUT cheesiness.

You can have a USP with or without mentioning genre. What is important is communicating what you do, and what is special about you over others that are in the same space. Genre is usually the simplest way to do that. But it is not a requirement. The problem with words like inspiring and hypnotic is that they can mean so many things. Meditation music, trance, and Native American flute music are all hypnotic, but needless to say very different. If you tell me it's hypnotic electronic music then it really helps me, as a potential listener.

I think saying that your songs are serious explorations of the human condition will matter to the right person. But its a big and specific claim, so it's just really important that you deliver on that promise 100%, in my opinion.

The second selling point IS genre specific -  HYPNOTIC / ELECTRONIC / NEW WAVE / TRIP-HOP MASHUP, but with the state of the world as it is today, my guess is that people really want to hear more uplifting inspiring music then they want to hear a specific genre.

here's the single: https://s.disco.ac/vwrkvfvytjiv

Again, I personally think that HYPNOTIC / ELECTRONIC / NEW WAVE / TRIP-HOP MASHUP is too broad, and you may be too close to it to be able to see the more immediate impact your sound has on people. It may be 100% true, but I think it over complicates it in a way that is detrimental. 

I listened to the track and to me, it sounds like modern New Wave. Sure, I can hear other things in it. But if I was going to describe it to someone right now, I would say modern new wave. I also think that is an appropriate, clear, and concise way to introduce your music to people. That doesn't mean that you can't be a modern new wave artist who has all kinds of influences, but I think that's a pretty accurate umbrella to hold up over what you are doing (from what I've heard at least).

The  video contains submissions we received from all over the world inspiring people to overcome the pandemic. We think it has a chance to go viral.

SO what if we COMPLETELY IGNORED the genre and marketed the video and the music to fans of Facebook pages like goalcast: https://www.facebook.com/goalcast/

these are people who are looking for positive and uplifting experiences. And if we show them our video, it's more than likely that they will like the positive and uplifting experience, and hopefully buy the music.

have any of your clients tried something like that?

Thanks  

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at on the FB page. I didn't see anything but a header video.

You know your music and your goals better than I do, so if your gut tells you something, you shouldn't listen to me and you should follow your gut. But if you want my honest advise, I think you are very close to the project and you are seeing all of the layers with every glance. But most people won't. I believe it will take people many impressions, and time, to get to see all of those qualities an experiences that you are striving to create.

If I had to come up with a USP right now, based on the little amount of content I have seen, I would describe you as modern new wave with a message. That's how it's striking me anyway. Maybe it will strike others differently. But a USP like that gives you tons of room to add on, while still being very clear on what you ultimately are.

Hope that helps. Feel free to go a different way.

That's all great feedback!

You don't ABSOLUTELY need to mention a genre. But it's almost always something worth testing. The point of the ad copy and headline on your squeeze page is to create an instant shortcut to the mind of your prospect. They need to believe they know exactly what you are within a few seconds. In reality, there may be many more layers, but for targeting to be effective, and the ROI to be as high as you need it to be, you want to try and pre-qualify your traffic, so everyone that clicks is clicking for a very specific reason, and whatever that reason is, it aligns with  their pre-existing passions and interests. Genre is one easy way to do that.

With your example, I would definitely at least test some copy that mentioned genre.

I'd probably test lines like

This Christian Pop Duo will move you to the point of tears with their new single. Click to listen...

but I would also test it without the genre. With something like...

The new single from King and Country has moved millions of people to the point of tears. Click to find out why...

My guess would be that the second one would get more clicks but less conversions, because tit would attract too broad of an audience, many of which would click away once they realized it was not a genre they liked.

But as I always say, there are exceptions to every rule and all you can do is test.

Thanks Michael,

Really glad to hear you like the new design!

I think trying out your idea is a fine approach. I personally have my doubts about it being the best path, because it requires too many people to be too attuned. However, I could certainly be wrong, and because you have a vision, I think you need to try it and see what happens. It really doesn't take much money before you know if something is working or not.

To answer your questions...

1. I don't like the full width layout. It's breaking the formatting and making it hard to read. The opt in form is also gone entirely. The headline is still subtle, but as I say, try it and see what happens.

2. Yes, mixing to narrow down is a very viable and established approach.

3. Yes, creating audience specific landing pages also makes sense.

That said, my personally goal is to always try and and create landing pages that will work for as broad of an audience as possible, simply because the audiences will be bigger. But narrowing down and niching out like that is completely reasonable.

Let me know how it goes.

Hi Michael,

It's actually all pretty simple.

To clone the page you could either just copy and paste the code from one page to another and create a duplicate squeeze page. You could also use a "duplicate post" plugin. The only thing you need to change is the sign up form, and to do that you just go into aweber and click "copy" on the original sign up form and give it a new name and an additional tag so you can always know which page each sub came from). You would use the same list.

That make sense?