Harmonizing Success: The Art of Marketing Storytelling in the Music Industry

We all have a story to tell, but there’s magic in how we do it.

Hans Christian Andersen, the father of the modern fairy tale, once said: “Where Words Fail, Music Speaks.” If we take a moment to analyze and think about the meaning behind that phrase, we conclude that music often expresses feelings we all understand. Behind a story, there’s a powerful message - one we all want to spread into the world. It is vital that your message is clear and that your audience receives it in the way it was intended. It must also convey your image.

Your story must play a beautiful melody.

As marketers, we must ensure that our stories are being told genuinely and that we paint a beautiful story for our audience to interpret and understand. Our mission is to provide our messages come across clearly and convey emotion.

CEO and founder of The Win Woman, Yanyn San Luis, highlights the importance of integrating Storytelling into Integrated Marketing Communications. “The key is identifying what words and imagery speak to them [our audience].” She adds the need to use “storytelling as a narrative to communicate those messages by making the recipient feel something and then be inspired to act on that feeling.” Artists are creative beings. They turn poetry into lyrics, melodies into harmonies, and songs into anthems. They encourage audiences to emote the songs they sing.

Developing Musical Intelligence

Remembering your brand as you develop the relationship cycle with your fan base is essential, as your brand can either make or break you. Entrepreneur and altMBA founder Seth Godin reveals in the Behind The Brand with Bryan Elliot podcast that “brand marketing is how you tell a story of who you are.” By becoming a brand [in this case, an artist], you are making a promise to people. Now they have expectations of who you are.”

Crafting an Icon as a brand

Let’s, for example, take any artist at the top of the charts and solely look at them as a brand: Taylor Swift—having started her career as a songwriter in 2009 to now taking her brand as a new persona. Decades later, she now has perfume and merchandise brands, limited product releases, exclusive fan experiences, and sold-out world tours year after year. People no longer look at Swift as a songwriter but as a brand. She meticulously crafted her storytelling and turned herself into one of the biggest brands in the world.

“The beauty of brand marketing is “starting with people who believe in what you believe and want what you want,” Gordon adds. The brand and the audience (or fanbase) can collectively begin a relationship cycle. This will be a cycle that artists adopt and develop throughout their careers. The relationship with their fanbase also needs to be cherished and cultivated. If left unattended, it could end your career.

Remember why you started

It is vital to remember your why. Don’t forget the meaning behind your story. Market it in a way that keeps your audience engaged. Keep your image and branding intact, and don’t sway away from your story. Always ensure your audience is riding along this trajectory with you. Always leave people wanting more. With the right messaging and plan, you will constantly keep them involved, and the marriage between your branding, your storytelling, and your communication will intertwine beautifully to launch a career you have been dreaming of all along.