Think about the last time you saw a pledge drive on PBS. They would always have special gifts for donating at a certain level and there was usually an amount they were trying to reach in a certain time frame. What if this is the next way for bands to raise money for albums, tours and anything else. With paypal and credit cards becoming easier and easier to integrate into sites, and building up trust with online consumers, then this is something that wasn’t a familiar option 5-10 years ago.
I came across a site today named www.kickstarter.com and this site can basically turn anything into a PBS-like pledge drive, not just music. There is a goal amount, time limit and prizes for donating at certain levels. Also there is one extra feature that makes donating promising and fulfilling. Kickstarter will only charge the donators if the full goal amount is reached in the given time frame. Personally I think that this feature makes the whole site worth it because nothing is worse than throwing money into something that might not get off the ground. This feature makes it rewarding for both parties. One of the videos I watched today said that they would include everyone that donated in the liner notes of the CD and if I ever put up a campaign I would do the same thing.
If someone was a fan and going to buy your next record anyways then personally I think this way of giving money is more interactive and rewarding than just paying for a CD or digital download.
What if also in the liner notes was the saying “This album was brought to you by……” This would give the main donator advertising and also credibility. Maybe even a small logo or a logo that is designed into the album artwork would give the sponsor a more cultured and unique appearance. Or even one step farther and the CD/digital download can include a coupon or special offer for the sponsor?
The great thing about this way of funding is that this doesn’t have to just apply to music. This can be for pretty much anything.
