Resources
Wearable Technology – iWatch and Wait
Formally known as “The Apple Watch,” Apple again forces us all to ask one existential question: What is it? Is it a bird? A plane? A watch, computer, bracelet, phone, or tablet? Now, you might be saying: Smart watches aren’t a new idea. But, in the end, Apple really does just do everything better. Jon Ivey, Senior VP of design at Apple declares, in the iWatch film, “It’s driven Apple from the beginning, this compulsion to take incredibly powerful technology and making it accessible, relevant and ultimately, deeplyl personal.”
In the iWatch, it seems like Apple has done just that; bringing recognizable Apple design and technology to a smaller, wearable, more personal scale. Whereas other smart watches look just like that; a smart watch. The “iWatch” is a completely different beast. To begin with, it’s a beautiful watch. It’s a classy analog, stainless steel time piece. It’s also a colorful, dynamic, fit exercise partner. Or, it’s a relaxed fit, leather bound daily personal assistant.
Imagine taking the iPad and shrinking it down. Or perhaps take the iPhone plus, shrink it down; now you have the iPad mini, shrink that down, shrink it down again, and again, and throw it on your wrist. It has your favorite application capabilities, from your music, to messages, to fitness monitor, and email. You know all the ways you can customize your iPad? With Apple smart cases and covers? Well, the iWatch offers over two million combinations of watch display from analog to digital and landscape mode, to varying selections regarding band.
Possibly the coolest feature of the iWatch, however, is its most subtle dynamic: a digital touch function. Basically, you can get a friend’s attention, who also has an iWatch, by just tapping, or writing on your iWatch. They sync and your written message appears on your friends display. Anything from, a quick reminder to pick up milk, to a simple, “Hello,” is easily captured with an easy, fast touch of the wrist. Now that’s cool.
So while Apple has been raving about their new release of the iPhone 6, basically joining Samsung in the phablet craze, (and when it comes to that particular product, they remind us that The Next Big Thing has actually been here for quite some time), I’ll just sit back and wait for the next LITTLE Thing, and it’s release in “early 2015.”
THIS is the ultimate in wearable computing – done in the ultimate best way. Steve Jobs would definitely be proud.
Kelli Richards,
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC.
The Ultimate Guide to Delegating (for Entrepreneurs Who Hate Delegating)
October 17, 2014,
Inc.
The Secret Weapon of Billionaire CEOs and Other Wildly Successful People
October 10, 2014,
Inc.
9 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression at Your First Conference
October 3, 2014,
Inc.
Peter Hoddie
The Super Connector’s Guide to Making Powerful Business Introductions
September 26, 2014,
Inc.
Elaine Dennis
3 Essential Steps to Creating a Successful Personal Growth Plan
September 19, 2014,
Inc.
Music and Your Brand: Five Ways to Tune Your Demographic In With the Right Band
Attention is a scarce resource—and that means it’s a costly one. In a world of hundreds of competing voices, art and music have become a powerful way to bring a brand back into the spotlight. The perfect example? The “marriage” of Alicia Keys and Blackberry.
Blackberry didn’t just bring Keys in as a spokesperson, either; it made her its creative director. That wasn’t just some made-up title to give the “Girl on Fire” credibility; Keys has brought in some stellar ideas to create user (and fan) engagement.
For her first act, Keys shot videos in every location of her tour, and she invited local fans and residents of those locales to send their own photos to include in the video clips. Photos chosen went on Alicia Keys’ on-stage video projection.
Now that is a huge win around user experience—one of the fastest ways to turn engagement into ROI.
Make It Relevant
Right now, consumer brands are marketing more and more with music and entertainment. In fact, it’s become so important that some major brands have started their own record labels—including Red Bull, Scion, Mountain Dew, and Converse.
Why? Music is a powerful way to create a cultural connection and engage with an audience while drawing your product even closer to your demographic’s lifestyle.
Being hip, cool, relevant, and present as a brand is important, but the more important issue can be the cost to your image if you resist popular trends. (Just one example: Levi’s missed the hip-hop boom, and it cost the company $1 billion in sales—in one year.)
Tuning in isn’t just a smart way to connect with your audience; it can be vital to your brand’s survival.
The New ‘A&R’
Brands are becoming a trusted source for breaking hip underground artists to the mainstream media. The iTunes team at Apple (my alma mater) chose specific, obscure artists to create buzz around the launch of iTunes.
That curating practice was really a form of Artist and Repertoire (or A&R), which used to be the domain of a record company. An “A&R” role—which I once did for EMI Music prior to launching the music vertical at Apple—was responsible for cultivating new talent for a label. Now, brands are performing that role themselves.
By partnering with artists who fit your audience, you can create the perfect exposure for your brand to the right people. Here are a few ways to start:
- Find the right sound. If you don’t know which artists may make sense for your brand, hire people who do, or spend time online and on social media networks researching what your audience is listening to. Just ask and explore; they’ll tell you which artists you’ll want to pursue further.
- Target your age group. Brands vying for the attention of younger audiences—especially those 13-25—must be tuned into the entertainment world, especially when tie-ins between brands and bands are core to success. By partnering with exactly the right artistic act, you’ll net far more attention—and credibility—with your target audience.
- Get in touch. Many brands are approaching artists directly. If the artist is signed, the label may be involved, but it’s best to start with the artist’s manager (if an established band) or the artist directly (when a rising indie artist).
- Go where your audience is. Music festivals create the perfect audience for a brand. You’ll place yourself in front of thousands of viewers and kindle a shared passion with your artists’ fans. There are lots of music festivals catering to diverse audiences; find your niche.
- Unify and balance. Merging the needs of artists, brands, and fans can create powerful results. When an artist has a song that ties into the theme of a brand campaign, it resonates with the audience and is doubly powerful.
Behind the Music
There’s nothing quite like a smart, well-executed match between a brand and an artist. When Rihanna debuted her clothing line for River Island during London Fashion Week, she helped generate buzz and boost awareness in the United States around the UK-based clothing brand.
When Panic at the Disco partnered with Honda Civic for the Honda Civic Tour in 2008, the group created an original, exclusive song for Honda’s Civic commercial. The band reached a much broader audience, which resulted in higher CD and ticket sales, and Honda was on the cutting edge with a new kind of branded content.
Apple’s commercial for the launch of the MacBook Air featured a soundtrack from a little-known artist, Yael Naim. “New Song,” which was recorded in Naim’s Paris apartment, jumped up the charts and subsequently led to a wildly popular US tour—and critical success.
Those are just a few examples; dozens of artistically interesting campaigns have benefited from the touch of a complementary musical act. That creative matchmaking is different every time, and it brings a new, fresh twist to a brand’s perception.
The reason is simple: By its nature, music is both emotional and powerful. That’s why fans gather around their favorite artists, creating strong, tightly knit subcultures. Tuning into those communities can be the difference between becoming “white noise” and making a truly engaged connection—and that’s every advertising campaign’s goal.
This post was originally published on Marketing Profs.
How to Make Money By Talking to Cool People
September 5, 2014,
Inc.
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Kick-Finishing: The Next Big Thing in Promotion
June 29, 2014,
LinkedIn Articles
It’s no surprise that artists and entrepreneurs alike frequently turn to crowdfunding — it works.
John Holland
How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Mentor?
There is nothing more valuable for your personal and professional growth than finding the right mentor to guide and challenge you. But working with a mentor is not a transaction; it is a relationship, and as with any relationship it can be easily destroyed if you don’t take good care of it. Here are 8 things you can do to build a strong and productive foundation with your mentor:
1. Develop clarity around WHY you want a mentor. Before you meet with your mentor, ask yourself what type of help you are seeking and what qualities you hope to find in a mentor. Are you looking for someone with an entirely different skill set from yours? Someone who will call it like it is, even if it hurts? Knowing your own reasons for seeking a mentor will help you establish meaningful goals together.
2. Be OPEN and TRANSPARENT. You must be completely honest with your mentor about every aspect of your career – your hopes and fears, your strengths and weaknesses, your ideas, goals and highest aspirations. Your mentor will be able to have meaningful insights to enable him or her to propel you forward.
3. Set SMART goals. When creating goals, make sure they’re SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Review your goals every so often to make sure you are on the right track. If not, revisit and realign.
4. Decide when and how you will COMMUNICATE. Meeting regularly and face-to-face, or communicating mainly through phone and e-mail; once you’ve established what form of communication will take, don’t forget to discuss duration and frequency.
5. Be PREPARED for your sessions. It means coming to the conversation with a specific focus and a list of key questions. Be punctual, well organized, and ready to give a brief update on recent progress. Don’t hesitate to propose an agenda for the conversation.
6. Build TRUST and RESPECT. Mentoring is a sacrifice for both parties, but especially for the mentor. Be respectful of their time, boundaries and other priorities in life. Do everything you can to avoid trust-breaking behaviors.
7. Be RECEPTIVE to criticism. Your collaboration is mostly for your benefit, so it is vital that you never take it for granted. Be open and receptive to feedback as well as criticism.
Finally, keep in mind that your mentor is likely to give a lot more than you do in the relationship. Focus on the relationship, not the results, and always make sure to express often that you value and appreciate your mentor’s guidance.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor should also have the right CONNECTIONS to move you forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisorship, possible collaboration and even funding.
Why Apple’s Beats Acquisition May Be Its Smartest Move Yet
The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Apple now owns Beats Electronics (the makers of the headphones and speakers) and Beats Music, a streaming service similar to Pandora and Spotify. Apple has also added Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine to its executive roster, though their roles have not yet been clarified publicly.
To read the rest of this article on my LinkedIn Influencers Page, please go to: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140609013728-9638-why-apple-s-beats-acquisition-may-be-its-smartest-move-yet?trk=prof-post
Tune in for my powerful interview with Brent Bourgeois
Brent Bourgeois is a long-time colleague and notable American rock musician, songwriter, and producer who most recently worked with Julian Lennon on their single ‘The High Road‘ off of his New Album ‘Don’t Look Back’ (with sales supporting Julian’s White Feather Foundation).
Brent was co-leader of the band Bourgeois Tagg with Larry Tagg, whose second album, “YoYo”, was recorded with esteemed producer Todd Rundgren (long-time collaborator of mine). I tried to sign them to EMI during my tenure in A&R there but Island got them instead. Brent then went on to do several solo albums, and then to serve as the Vice President of A&R at Word Records in Nashville from 1997-2001. He just distributed his first solo album in twenty years entitled “Don’t Look Back” through a new paradigm called “kick-finishing” empowering fans as a street-team of sorts to help market and evangelize this amazing new CD. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration based on long-term relationships with trusted artist colleagues, and the songs on this CD are exceptional; pure bliss.
You can hear my entire interview with Brent by signing up for Coffee & Connections.
Why Apple’s Beats Acquisition May Be Its Smartest Move Yet
June 9, 2014,
LinkedIn Articles
The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Eventual Millionaire Interview: How to Network With Celebrities and Thought Leaders like Steve Jobs, with Kelli Richards
To hear my entire interview with Jaime Tardy of Eventual Millionaire, please go to https://eventualmillionaire.com/kelli-richards/#sthash.xLzTDmWm.dpuf
How Your Brand Can Rock the Socks Off A Music Festival
Summer music festivals are full of sunshine, fun, and community, but they’re also packed with thousands of potential customers and brand advocates. Advertising at these events is nothing new, but startups that can find a way to become part of the festival can reap significant benefits.
People love music festivals because they feel like they’re getting more value by paying one price to see several great bands. The music and the atmosphere can produce strong feelings of belonging and elation that are memorable and often affect attendees deeply. Having people associate your brand with that feeling is priceless.
We’re not talking about putting up a banner and handing out T-shirts; we’re talking about actually becoming an integrated part of the experience.
Rocking a Unique Approach to Brand Awareness
Music festivals provide unique marketing opportunities for startups — if they can just follow the music.
If your brand shares a target audience with a given music festival, you should attend and actively engage festival goers so you are visible and associated with their memories. Not only can your brand gain access to content that can be leveraged on its website, social media, apps, advertising, and marketing campaigns, but — if leveraged correctly — music festivals can provide a brand with:
- Awareness. Having your app deployed at a major music festival provides priceless visibility, exposure, and reach a startup could never afford to pay for otherwise. You can build your audience through mobile apps and social media initiatives by implementing social functions into your ads, making it easy for fans to share with their network.
- Research. Music festival audiences are typically very receptive (and it’s a captive group in terms of mindshare). The opportunity to deploy your technology to this group gives you access to potential focus groups and case studies.
- Networking. Working with a music festival gives you a chance to build relationships with artists, festival organizers, and other brands that can generate referrals and repeat engagements.
- Word-of-mouth advertising. This is invaluable because it’s authentic, and consumers are more likely to respond to someone they know and feel good about. If you do a great job and offer value at the festival, attendees can become powerful brand advocates.
Ben & Jerry’s takes advantage of the vibrant atmosphere. The company, which over the years has made ice creams in conjunction with musicians like Jerry Garcia, Phish, and Dave Matthews Band, is a celebrated regular at the Bonnaroo festival and even gives out free scoops of Bonnaroo Buzz ice cream. The company also operates a tent in the festival’s Planet Roo eco-village, where nonprofits and other organizations promote environmental and social activism. These approaches lead to positive and loyal responses from music and ice cream fans alike.
- Revenue. If your tech startup is new and unproven and you’re working with an event organizer for the first time, you may choose to reduce or waive the fees completely to gain the invaluable benefits listed above. However, if you’re more established or offering something truly unique and valuable, you can charge the festival organizers, artists, brands, and even the fans if there’s sufficient value.
How to Become Part of the Experience
Forever 21 helped launch the 2014 festival season with an epic “Party in the Sky” at Coachella in Palm Springs, Calif. The party featured performances by artists like Azealia Banks and included two gifting suites, the premiere of Forever 21’s “Summer 2014” fashion film, and a 20-foot party pod suspended above the main event.
If you want to gain brand recognition by becoming part of the music festival experience, it’s time to get creative. The goal is to authentically integrate your startup into the experience beyond just being a sponsor. Provide something tangible that endears your product or service to fans. When leveraging a music festival to enhance brand awareness, there are three approaches you can take:
Deepen and enhance the fan experience.
Use your technology as a tool for making the music festival experience better for attendees. FanFootage, for example, crowdsources fans’ videos and syncs them with high-quality audio of the show from the mixing console at the venue to preserve memories with optimal fidelity. You can also deploy a mobile app or social media campaign that’s contextually relevant and delivers value. Give fans a game to play or a chance to win prizes to make them want to share it with their friends.
Deploy “festival support” technology.
Festival goers aren’t the only people you could target; you can also develop tools geared toward artists, event organizers, and promoters. BeatSwitch is a relatively new event planning platform that helps streamline scheduling in fast-paced concert or festival environments.
Deploy “fan support” technology.
You can use your technology to ensure fans don’t miss a band they want to see or an event they want to attend. Songkick allows you to track your favorite artists to ensure you never miss them when they come to town. You can also achieve this on a smaller scale and allow fans to schedule reminders for specific sets or events during a given music fest.
Another great way to support fans is by appealing to their ancillary needs. What else do they need besides festival tickets and food when they’re at a live event? WaterIn is an app that reminds users to drink water, and Wi-Fi sponsors setting up stations at remote locations become heroes. Pamper festival attendees by giving them something of value, possibly offering special discounts and coupons that are available at the airport or hotel when they arrive in town for the festival.
If you’re on a budget, you don’t have to compete at really big events. Smaller local events still pull in large crowds and can sometimes provide better opportunities to increase brand awareness. Whether you’re headed to Bonnaroo or to the local blues festival, take advantage of these unique opportunities to get your name out there and demonstrate your value to all the parties in the festival ecosystem.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisor ship, possible collaboration and even funding.
How Your Brand Can Rock the Socks Off A Music Festival
May 21, 2014,
LinkedIn Articles
The most talked-about “secret” of 2014 was Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats. Although it wasn’t officially announced until May 28, rumors swirled around the Internet for weeks.
Nancy Duarte
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Kelli is “In the Hot Seat”
“In The Hot Seat” with Larry LeBlanc for CelebrityAccess. “In the Hot Seat” profiles entertainment leaders from around the world in a Q&A form. It was very exciting, and AAG invites you to click over and read the interview today!
This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Kelli Richards, CEO and president, The All Access Group.
Today, as president and CEO of The All Access Group based in Cupertino, California in the heart of Silicon Valley and host of All Access Radio, Richards strives to create alliances between large content and technology companies, major artists, and consumer brands.
Richards guides her clients through the maze of leading-edge technologies and connections in order to get their products to more people. According to this savvy, fast-talking entrepreneur, her focus is on “strategic rainmaking, and creating opportunities between innovative technologies for digital distribution, and branded entertainment content.”
Digital Music East, Justin Timberlake, MySpace TV, and Where it’s All Headed
MySpace TV will still encompass the site’s library of 42 million songs and 100,000 music videos, and it will enable instant communication and huge search-ability around them between friends.
Who knows where MySpace TV will go from there? “As the plot of your favorite drama unfolds the joke of your favorite SNL character plays or even the last-second shot of your favorite team swishes the net, we’re giving you the opportunity to connect your friends to your moments as they’re actually occurring. This is the evolution of one of our greatest inventions, the television,” said Timberlake.
Thousand-Mile View of Life
One of my highlights for 2011 was a thousand-mile-high ride on a Zeppelin. Yes, one of those huge dirigibles that float over concerts and sporting events. Riding in a Zeppelin is a rare opportunity – in fact, there are only two airships in circulation for passengers – one in Germany and one in Silicon Valley. Rumor has it that the reason there was a free seat for me was because Mark Zuckerberg’s sister backed out at the last moment. I literally had only moments to make the decision and clear my calendar (no easy feat).
A Fireside Chat with Jack Buser, Director of PlayStation Home
I recently interviewed my good friend Jack Buser on my weekly online radio show. Jack Buser is the Director of PlayStation Home, which is a 3D virtual world and social game platform on the PS3. Home recently underwent a major redesign, and we were eager to hear about the new benefits and features. PlayStation Home is filled with hundreds of games – everything from pool tables and dart boards to full-on space shooters like Novus Prime: Escalation and massive online racing games like Sodium 2: Project Velocity. With Jack Buser at the helm, Home is leading the virtual world in community based user experiences, and doing an amazing job of it!
Fankix: The New Wave in Social Entertainment
I am thrilled to share that I’m now the VP of Artists & Brands for Fankix. Fankix delivers music to fans around the world with a unique social experience, deeper interaction with musicians and first-rate authentic content at no cost.
Cool or Not Cool? Bandzoogle and it’s Cool Connection to Direct-to-Fan
I recently inteviewed Dave Cool, the “voice” of Bandzoogle. Dave Cool writes the Bandzoogles blog, well known for inspiring and supporting Bandzoogle’s #1 mission: To make Direct-to-Fan a very real accomplishment for artists and bands everywhere. You can get a complimentary digital copy of “What is INDIE?” when you sign up for Dave’s mailing list at: https://bit.ly/hs4uk6
VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club, San Jose, CA
I’m thrilled to invite you to join me for a VIP Breakfast for Apple Alumni at the Silicon Valley Capital Club in San Jose, CA on Thursday, December 8th, from 7-8am. I look forward to hosting an intimate breakfast and discussion exclusively for present and former Apple employees. This 1-hour Power Breakfast is about re-connecting & networking with Apple colleagues. We will explore how to take our businesses and our lives to a whole new level of success in the next year by building on the synergy of Apple alliances. The focus of this breakfast club will be my forthcoming eBook “The Magic & Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View”. VIP Breakfast and a copy of the eBook (valued at $37) are limited to the first 12 people who respond.
A Fantastic Freebie from Fanatic.FM
To celebrate Fanatic.FM and their great contribution to DIY brand building for artists, Fanatic.FM is offering a special bonus for Kelli’s tribe. Click here for a free subscription to The Fanatic and enter to win a 1-hour session with the Fanatic.FM social media tune-up experts. Deadline: December 5.
We did it! #1 on Amazon in Music!!!
A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the Amazon Launch for “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry” – an eBook that raises the bar and demystifies social media marketing, helping musicians, agents and anyone in our industry to THRIVE. Not only did we spend all of last weekend at #1, as I write this, we’re STILL top ten!
Hypebot Promotes “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud”
I’ll write a separate blog about how my eBook went all the way to #1 on Amazon this weekend, but I wanted to take a moment and offer a special thanks to Bruce Houghton – a powerful voice in the music industry – who writes for HypeBot. He made an exception to his SOP to review the book, and his observations are spot on and very important to me. Because of the holiday weekend, I made the executive choice to leave the eBook at the launch price just until mid-week, giving all of the artists out there a chance to grab it (and use it!). MANY thanks to Bruce and to everyone who supported our effort to offer a hands-on, simple, DIY look at social media for the music industry. ~ Kelli Richards
11/11/11 eBook Launch! Help me hit #1 on Amazon!
Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever. Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd This eBook raises the bar and demystifies the social media process. It will help you THRIVE in this tough economy and transform your online presence and your marketing mindset. It provides an overview of the top 10 online spaces and gives a brief look at how to maximize your social media presence to build and keep your audience – and turn them into your own personal sales force. MORE FANS! The ultimate end-game! BRAND TRANSFORMATION! (Yes, trust me, you are a brand!) MORE MONEY! That’s an easy one, more fans + more content = more sales. SIMPLE! Written in easy-to-follow language with easy-to-implement instructions. FAST! You’ll learn about 8 no cost Resources to build your brand and your fan base! STOP WORRYING! No more worrying about missing the opp for social media success. No Cost Online Business Tools and List Building Tools worth 10X’s the cost of the book. FR EE DOM! How about turning your work into a business that does not depend on a label, a manager or ANYONE. Do what you WHAT you want, WHEN you want, and WHERE you want… You can set your own hours… You can live anywhere… All you need is an internet connection… The sky is the limit. Kelli Richards’ new eBook, “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – SOCIAL MEDIA for the Music Industry,” teaches you to run your content, your revenue, your merch and your fan base ANY WAY YOU WANT TO. It’s easily the best eBook on Social Media for Musicians, ever. Today is the ONLY day you can get the book on Amazon at $3.99. https://amzn.to/eBook-Crowd.
A Digital Insider Scoffs at Townshend
As an industry insider – on way more than one level – it’s hard to take Pete Townshend’s comments as anything more than another great artist railing at the system. Look, in the end, we all have to admit that the system is broken. That’s one thing that Townshend got right in that interview. After that? Well, it’s all up for debate. But the fact that the debate was called to the floor again, that’s a good thing.
The Future of Content, by Futurist, Gerd Leonhard
Gerd Leonhard’s intent to publish this eBook via Amazon Kindle, exclusively, at this very low price, is to make these ideas and concepts as widely available as possible while still trying to be an example of what digital, paperless distribution can look like, going forward. Definitely a GREAT investment at $2.99.
The Pandora Box of Mobile – The Sky’s the Limit
If you were at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco last week, you probably heard Pandora Founder Tim Westergren share that SEVENTY PERCENT of their usage is through mobile venues. Yes. 70%. And having created a super-successful digital space for themselves, Pandora doesn’t see Spotify, iTunes, or any other competition eating their lunch any time soon.
Celebrity Wrangling.
When it comes to celebrity wrangling, helping a corporate client or event organizer secure the right celebrity to support their event or product campaign is definitely more art than science. The most important part of the process is bringing my 25 years of listening and experience to a discussion about the objectives of the client. Is it a company celebration? Is the event or campaign about supporting their employees (internal) or their brand (customers)? Is it to thank their sales team? Or perhaps an industry conference with VIPs?
Billboard.Biz – “Music-Industry Characters You Need To Follow”
In our recent one-on-one chat, thought leader Thomas Reemer shares about the application (and implication) of watermarks and how they effect digital distribution. (For those who don’t know, Thomas Reemer is the CEO of 88tc88.com – an online service that, among other things, translates western titles and artists, enabling access for Western Music to the vast Chinese mobile market.
Complimentary Access to NARM Webinar Thursday 9/22
I will be offering a 45 minute presentation with NARM this Thursday 9/22 at 1pm PST.
The team at NARM has graciously given me 15 free “seats” at the Webinar to share with my followers and colleagues. The topic will be “Taking The Crowd to The Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry,” which was the focus of my recent eBook.
An Intimate Fireside Chat with Video Music Director and Producer, Robby Starbuck
This month’s Fireside Chat is an informal Q&A with Music Video Director and Producer, Robby Starbuck. Robby Starbuck is an artist who’s willing to take huge risks to walk the walk and paint his unique voice on his own private canvas — film. He’s directed music videos for such amazing artists as: Snoop Dogg, Smashing Pumpkins, Escape The Fate, Metric The Sounds, Pierce The Veil and dozens of others and has, to date, almost 28 million views on his YouTube channel.
An Intimate Fireside Chat with Thomas Dolby and Kelli Richards
Best known for his hit, “She Blinded Me with Science,” Thomas Dolby is much more than a recording artist. In fact, he’s STILL leading the tech revolution with his interactive game, Floating City, which reacts to player contributions, eventually granting access to Thomas’ newest music. This is digital technology meeting music at its best!
The Gifts of the Digital Age – Remember 9/11
Because of the advances in digital technology, we are able to keep alive the memories of those who lost loved ones on this day, ten years ago – and even more, to broadcast those memories to our nation and to our world. They do not remain locked in a vault somewhere, for eternity, they are instead broadcast to the far corners of the universe through social media.
VIP Breakfast at Digital Music West – Redefining Social Media for the Music Industry
I’m fortunate to lead a complimentary VIP breakfast kicking off the start of Day 2. This is an informal roundtable discussion focused on my newest eBook “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry” on Friday, October 7th, from 8:00-9:00am. The VIP Breakfast includes a vibrant discussion, great company, and a printed copy of my eBook, for the first 20 people who reserve their seat by Tuesday, October 4th (to do so, contact my team at sandy@allaccessgroup.com). The breakfast will coincide with the formal Amazon publication launch of my eBook on 11/11/11.
VizLingo – The Newest Gadget for Gen Z
Yes, the tech revolution has produced an endless stream of new gizmos, gadgets and tools. Some of these are vital to our day-to-day existence, like email, and some are simply a fun and entertaining distraction (Angry Birds anyone?)…
Not long ago, entrepreneurs Todd Younggren and Azeo Fables created hatched the idea to use the latest revolution in tech, mobile, to create a new way to communicate, and VizLingo was born.
Big Brother has Landed, and his name is Foursquare
Kelli Richards, technology futurist and consultant and CEO of the All Access Group shares her thoughts about Foursqure and their recent alliance with Groupon, BuyWithMe, Zozi, Gilt City, Living Social and AT&T Interactive — as well as finance giant, American Express.
CEO of All Access Group Invited to be in Alan’s Gang
Kelli Richards, a thought leader in digital music and entertainment, and one of only a few select members of Alan Weiss’ Master Mentor Program and Thought Leadership Summit, has recently been invited to participate both Weiss’ new Summit Global Network and also in the collaborative “Alan & the Gang.”
Alan & the Gang is an online destination where both aspiring and veteran entrepreneurs and business people can access thought leaders from around the globe. Kelli Richards joins a limited group of elite international experts in both process and content who contribute their intellectual property and expertise.
Chatting with Brenden Mulligan, Founder of OneSheet, the One Stop Solution for Artists
For a long time now, artists have been asked to create profiles on all of these different services, and one problem I felt was there was that there wasn’t necessarily an easy way to weave these together. What I wanted to do was make it incredibly easy for an artist to create a maintenance free web presence, something that would take them only a few minutes to do and be totally affordable.
Legacy and Celebrity Wrangling
One of the most important aspects of my career has been creating high impact collaborations between artists, celebrities and corporations, and sometimes between artists and charities. I call this celebrity wrangling. There’s no shortage of passion in the world surrounding celebrities and musicians; in fact, it’s rare to find one that doesn’t crave the opportunity to create lasting change and global/societal impact. Connecting the right artist for the right purpose – or simply being part of event production as a talent producer for award shows & charity events involving great artist/celeb talent, well, those are definitely career high points.
Kelli Richards Hosts a VIP Breakfast at the Bandwidth Music | Technology Conference
On Tuesday, August 16th, at 8am, industry thought-leaders, Kelli Richards, CEO of the All Access Group, will host an intimate breakfast and discussion to kick off day two of the annual Bandwidth Music | Technology Conference. The focus of this “breakfast club” will be Kelli Richards’ newest eBook “Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry.” VIP Breakfast and a printed copy of the eBook (valued at $37) will be available to the first 20 people who respond. Please RVSP to reserve your VIP seat at the event. sandy@allaccessgroup.com
Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry
My new eBook, Taking the Crowd to the Cloud – Social Media for the Music Industry, is an insider’s view on how it all comes together. It raises the bar and demystifies social media marketing, helping musicians, agents and anyone in our industry THRIVE – it empowers and transforms the marketing mindset.
Is Mobile Advertising Over Before it Began? One or Two Standouts Still in the Game
In the end, this forum also demands a new level of creativity, collaboration and UE, user experience. If Angry Birds can become a phrase and experience that 78% of mobile users know and have participated with, then Angry Birds who drink Dr. Pepper makes perfect sense.
Tech + Media – The Honeymoon Between GoogleTV and Logitech Ends, but the Marriage Continues
The marriage of tech and media is definitely a rocky one at times, and Web TV is no exception. The latest tech / media couple in trouble appears to be Logitech and Google. With the rocky start to Google TV, Logitech is also hung up in every way possible. Why? They supply the tech end of GTV with the Revue Google TV set-top box.
Spotify ….Finally
Spotify ….Finally. Well, after all this time, what’s left to be said??? Except let’s give credit to the artist. Tallulah by Tobias Norberg
Social Media Wars – How Wide Do We Open the Kimono? Google+, Facebook, Etc.
It is very easy to see why they don’t want to do battle with megalith Google over anything more than ad sales. One has to wonder, however, where the users come into play. Although diligently trying to evolve every single day, there’s absolutely NO guarantee that Facebook will not become the MySpace of tomorrow. (Meaning that they become a great neighborhood that nobody lives in or even visits any more – sort of the Three-Mile Island of Social Networks.) Simply building walls and creating friction will not protect them.
3 Best Practices for Working with a Coach
This is an easy task to throw out there and probably one of the toughest decisions we can make at any given time. The notion that the right teacher will show up at the right time in our lives is only partly true. We have to actively participate in our search with a clear picture of what we want in order to attract the right people, no matter what role they are to play in our lives – and also to be open to them when they appear. Having a crystal clear image of what you need in a coach – what their area of expertise is, how they resonate with who you are & your vision, and how they work with their clients are all vital ingredients in your process.
An Intimate “Fireside Chat” with Million-Dollar Coach and Author, Alan Cohen
Alan Cohen: I love coaching because it’s a really fast way to make progress. When I work with coaches, I find that each one has a unique passion, talent, interest and vision. Half of the game of becoming a coach is telling the truth and getting in touch with where your unique path lives… for you, you’re an expert and master in connecting people and in the media – nobody else does that like you.
Facebook + Skype = Hyper-Connectivity …. Or Virtual Un-Reality?
What does it mean that Facebook has partnered with Skype to offer video calling? Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, has focused on the “social infrastructure” that’s been created by the Facebook team (and other social networks) and the Orwellian openness that’s become our lives (which he calls sharing). Is he right? Is he wrong?
Data is the new Oil – By My Colleague, Media Futurist, Gerd Leonhard
Data is the new Oil: paying with attention is the future of media View more presentations from Gerd Leonhard
Best Practices for the New World of Live Music
But if you’re playing in Rhode Island or Flint, Michigan, you have to seriously consider what the market can bear. A lower ticket price doesn’t have to mean you’re eating PB&J for a week either, it means you have to get creative, so that those who want more contact or have more expendable income, can choose to participate on a higher level. Consider a paid meet & greet before you go onstage, or an after party with some free merch to go with the separate ticket price.
An Intimate “Fireside Chat” with Hollywood Producer, Gary Goldstein
An excerpt of Kelli’s Q&A with Hollywood Producer, Gary Goldstein, an inspiring voice in the film and music industries. Gary Goldstein produced one of the most iconic cultural expressions of the last generation: Pretty Woman. He has gone on to mentor many of the leading creative voices in music and film. He is an accomplished film producer, an author, a speaker, an innovator, a philanthropist, and a great guy.
Connectivity – A Vision of the Future
Digital goes far beyond songs and iTunes and singles and lockers, it goes past movies and downloadable books and content, it’s way bigger than anything we could have imagined five years ago, and I have no doubt that five years from now will showcase something else that’s beyond what we might imagine today.
Cloudy Weather at Apple, Then and Now
It will come as no surprise to anyone that Apple’s stock will rise the moment Steve Jobs takes the stage later today. By any estimate, Apple is worth billions – with or without Steve Jobs – but like it or not, apple is not a democracy. It is an autocracy. It is a company carrying out the vision and changing the world, all according to the dictates of its leader, Steve Jobs.
Join Me in June for a “Fireside Chat” with the Leading Minds in Branding, Coaching and
I’m pleased to share with all of you that my weekly “All Access Radio” Show has developed a strong and loyal following! Over 20,000 downloads in just a few months. I’ve been graced to interview some of the top digital visionaries and leading voices in the music and technology industries, as well as some great voices in the music and entertainment industries.
Can MySpace Save itself by Porting into Facebook? Social Media & Digital Music.
Yes folks, Myspace Music has finally brought in an app that will let artists transfer their content from Myspace into Facebook under a new “Music” tab. You can check out the program here.
God Only Knows. Minefields and Memories…
Adopt-a-Minefield benefit concert given by Sir Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson, where they joined together and sang, “God Only Knows.”
The concert and the song definitely live in my mind as one of the most moving and inspiring events that I ever participated in. Although there isn’t any video from the event to really speak of, there is a snippet of it in an Access Hollywood interview, speaking with Sir Paul and host, Jay Leno, about the event.
Karma-Chameleon. The Fast-Changing Metrics of Digital Music
The changes in the digital music world continue to inspire a lot more than fear – they’re creating connections on every level, minute by minute. It’s great to see the Billboard Music Awards getting so much attention on traditional media, but the truth is that their rankings simply don’t mean what they used to. Long recognized as the industry standard, it’s no secret that the on-demand player and purveyor of music (and ranking) is now YouTube.
Personalizing Lyrics – One Amazing, Creative Way to Personally Rock The Fan Base
As a true lover of technology, as well as a coach in both the business world and in the digital music space, when I come across a tech solution that changes the course of a musician’s business and revenue stream, and builds a better fan base – well, let’s just say it’s always a reason to celebrate. As the music industry has been pummeled over the last decade, hit with punches from outside and inside of itself, creativity has turned out to be the number one solution to surviving – and thriving – the ever changing landscape.
Google’s Music Locker … All it’s Cracked up to be? Or Just Cracked?
Music Beta by Google went live with more details about licensing and features on May 10th of this week. VentureBeat’s review said it was, “a web of confusing programs without a lot of instruction as to how to actually get to the music you want to hear.”
3 Best Practices for Digital Distribution & Audience Building in an Ever Evolving Online World
Over the last decade, the shift from physical media to digital distribution is a trend explored literally in front of us every single day. From the music industry, videos and movies, to information and gaming, television and radio, there’s no aspect of the media world that has not been completely transformed.
Michael Robertson Talks about DAR.fm, MP3tunes, Amazon and the Cloud Music Industry…
Excerpt of Kelli Richards’ Q&A with Michael Robertson, the Bad Boy of the Digital Music Industry. Michael Robertson is a longtime provocateur of the music business and the founder and former CEO of MP3.com, one of the most popular Internet music sites ever. His newest startup, DAR.fm, is a centralized Web-based TiVo for radio. Users can search the programming schedules of over 600 music and talk-radio stations and schedule DAR.fm to record up to 4 hours of any broadcast.
Peter Rafelson – A New Chapter in a Long Hollywood Legacy
Growing up surrounded by Hollywood royalty, like Jack Nicholson, The Beatles and Bob Dillon, and being immersed in the renegade, independent film business of the 1960’s, Rafelson was blessed with a myriad of artistic role models. He shared this thought with me in a recent interview, “Growing up in that environment, it was very
Google kills SEO – Stay Alive with Social Media
I don’t know how many of you saw the news, but Google is changing how SEO is formulated. What? Yes, they’re tossing the algorithm out the window and writing a new recipe for how page ranking works. While some of the formula will remain as it is, a huge new piece will be based on what they’re calling a “social media grid.” What that means is if …
Join Me for a “Fireside Chat” with the Leading Minds in Tech and Digital Music / Media
Please join me each Monday evening at 5pm Pacific Time, as I host an intimate “fireside chat” with some of the leading minds in technology and digital music and media. You can find my entire library of recordings on my website as well as some personal interviews where I share about my own experiences over a twenty plus career in music and tech.
Making a Mark at Digital Hollywood Spring
I’m very excited to share with everyone that I will be moderating a panel session at Digital Hollywood Spring at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday May 4th. Here are the details on my panel, and some more information on the event itself.
Jeff Brandstetter – Thought Leader in Digital Music and Entertainment
Jeff Brandstetter is a digital music and entertainment lawyer with over 20 years of experience in film, TV, music, literary, new media and entertainment financing matters. He is also the co-author of the highly acclaimed book “The Music Business Explained in Plain English.” He appears frequently as a speaker and moderator on entertainment law matters and Is also the Co-Founder and CEO of IndiePlaya, a revolutionary online film distribution platform optimizing the marketing and distribution of independent films.
The Futures Agency
I was recently invited to be part of The Futures Agency by my good friend and colleague, Gerd Leonhard. For those of you who do not know, The Futures Agency is the name of Gerd’s company, but he’s also created an online industry think-tank of friends and colleagues. I’m super excited to be part of this think-tank and elite group of leaders in the digital industry.
An Interview with Dave Kusek, of the Berklee School of Music, and the Co-Author of “The Future of Music”
I recently interviewed Dave Kusek, of the Berklee School of Music, and the Co-Author of “The Future of Music.” Dave Kusek is a digital music executive and is responsible for helping to create the market for digital music as an entity. He created a hugely successful online music school berkleemusic.com for the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Berkleemusic has become the world’s largest music school teaching over 15,000 students a year globally.
Duran Duran – All You Need is Now
Highly collaborative and innovative, Duran Duran has spent thirty years fusing pop music with art, fashion and technology, bringing music videos from a marketing tool in the 80’s to one of the music industry’s most valued creative assets.
6 Ways to Build Your Brand and Grab Your Audience
In today’s world, the connection to your customer is your number one asset. The path to communicating most effectively to your “fans” literally becomes the yellow brick road. If you’re not giving your fan or client a myriad of choices through which to connect, you are missing out not only on revenues, but also on building your army of loyal brand advocates. Here are 6 best practices to implement immediately to forge a solid, long-standing relationship with your best audiences and clients.
An Intimate Q&A with Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment
Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment and the Force Behind the New Music Seminar Speaks with Kelli about where the Music Industry is Headed. Tom Silverman, CEO of Tommy Boy Entertainment and the Force Behind the New Music Seminar Speaks with Kelli about where the Music Industry is Headed.
Here are a few excerpts of my interview with Tom Silverman on my All Access Radio Show. To hear the entire interview, please visit my website at https://allaccessgroup.com.
Hot Stuff from Hot Caramel – Excerpts from my Interview with Irene Cara
Being able to support great artists and entrepreneurs as they break away from past successes in their lives and embark on the new is one of life’s biggest highs for me. Few performers have had the amazing success and influence of Irene Cara – I had the chance to interview Irene recently and to hear about her new group, “Hot Caramel.”
Gregg Allman – Somehow You’re Still on the Run
Gregg Allman has always been a guy who colors outside the lines, in my opinion. There’s no question that The Allman Brothers Band has serious staying power. Probably best known for “Sweet Melissa,” Allman is a bluesy, jam-band pioneer who practically invented Southern Rock. As most followers of Allman Brothers music probably know …
Remembering John Lennon – 30 Years Later
It’s honestly hard to believe that thirty years have passed since he was taken from us in a single moment’s insanity. In fact, most of the time, it’s hard to believe that John’s really gone at all. His was far more than the voice of a generation – it was often the voice of our hearts and our conscience.
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