Let's Talk: What makes you like or dislike a record label?

Well, you've got your information hierarchy right - your records, your artists, where to find you elsewhere, contact information and about your label right at the top. The "partners" section seems a little out of place at the top navigation - it may be better in a footer rather than taking up the same position of importance as the other top-level sections, but there may be reasons for that having to do with the degree of partnership that I'm not aware of.

The biggest thing that strikes me about the site is that it doesn't "say" anything. It feels like a flyer, just showing the latest releases and videos with no context, no explanation about the "why." Now, I'm not saying that you should write essays and fill the site with text, but a little context would be helpful.

All the links on your top-level navigation lead to other sites, which is a lost opportunity for branding. It also makes the site feel paper-thin. Rather than just linking to your artists' sites, I'd have a landing page about each one where you gather their photo, links to all their albums, and a bit about why the label chose to sign that artist. It's an appropriate place for the brand to speak about the music earnestly. Each album, artist, and the About and Contact sections should live within your domain, then link out to external sites.

Overall, other than art choices (which, in all honesty feel a little amateur, but that isn't necessarily a big strike against a small indie label) your brand has no discernable voice. Here are some tips on how to develop a stronger brand voice. Then, once you know "who" 7-Sided Records is, you'll know how 7-Sided Records speaks to people.

Terms

First let's talk about terminology. People often mix up these three concepts. While they're related, they are separate ideas.

  • A brand is the perceived emotional corporate image as a whole.
  • A brand identity is the visual aspect that form part of the overall brand.
  • A brand voice is how the brand "speaks" in writing, which is intrinsically related to the brand identity. Think of how Apple designs its products and websites, and how it writes about its products on its website. The visual and linguistic aesthetics match.
  • A brand logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon.

Developing a Brand Voice

Personify the Brand

The best way to think of a brand is as a person. If your label was a living, breathing human, what would that person be like? How would s/he dress? Where would s/he live? What would his/her voice sound like? What sorts of things would s/he say in conversation? By personifying a brand, it becomes easier to discover its "personality."

Let's start with the fundamental questions:

What does your brand do?

Remember this is not their corporate 'About' page. Instead, this should be on the lines of their elevator pitch. If they had just 30 seconds to explain their product to a customer, what would they say?

What problem do you solve for your customers?

What is the purpose of their existence, other than to make money? If a business is not solving a problem or fulfilling a need for customers, then it’s not worth while.

Who is your competition?

Think about the labels similar to yours. What do you like about your competitors? Think about the things they do, how they present themselves. Also think about what you dislike about their brand identity. It pays to know who else is in your space and what the industry norms are. Know them, learn from them, but don’t ape them. Do your own thing.

What makes your brand special?

How do you distinguish yourself from other labels like you? Why should your people buy your records or engage with you? Listeners today are spoiled for choice. If you can't describe in a sentence or two what your unique position is, and effectively communicate that to your listeners, it'll be hard to capture attention. This is likely an area where you need development.

What's your Narrative?

Is there a unique story behind your business or business name or logo? People connect through stories. Storytelling is an effective way to create and sell a brand image. Find out what are the stories behind the business, the products, and the customers. The story creates the customer.

What Adjectives Describe Your Brand?

Develop a list, maybe five adjectives or words that best describe your label. Choosing these words will help you uncover a lot of meaning about how you see your label, or how you want to be perceived.

Figure Out Your Audience

Now that you've identified things about your label's brand, you can use similar exercises to figure out who your listeners are. Yes, that's right, your listeners don't choose you, you choose them. It may seem counterintuitive, but it's true. The most successful brands choose who their customers are based on how they position themselves.

Describe your ideal listener.

Create a demographic and psychographic profile of your "ideal customer." There are lots of resources online for figuring out how to do this. Once you know what your desired market looks like, you'll know how to speak to them more effectively.

What is the primary message do want to convey to your listener?

This does not have to be just a verbal message. This is about how they want people to feel each time they interact with the label, whether it's browsing your site or attending your shows. Think about how people feel about their iPhones. There's a message delivered there that brand advocates have deeply internalized.

Do the Adjective Exercise for your Ideal Listener

Do you know your customers well enough to be able to describe them in a few short words? If not, you're going to have to figure that out better.

/r/LetsTalkMusic Thread Parent