This quote from Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek has stuck with me:
“You can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough […] The artists today that are making it realise that it’s about creating a continuous engagement with their fans. It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the album, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans.”
This doesn’t just apply to musicians does it?
It applies to pretty much every public figure. You can’t show up when it’s convenient for you, drop a new creation, and disappear. Today, people want a closer relationship. They want to feel part of the journey. The storytelling around the creation is what prompts people to buy it, engage with it, or share it.
This is community work in a different form. You need to bring members on a journey with you. You need to offer insider access and behind-the-scenes looks at what you’re doing. You need to answer questions like explain why you? Why this? Why now?
Aside: What often seems mundane to you in your day to day work and lives, is sometimes highly interesting to your followers, members, and community.
