The Authentic Road to Building a Loyal Fanbase as a Touring Musician

In today’s music industry, building a loyal fanbase is about more than just viral content and playing to the algorithm. For touring musicians, it’s about authenticity, connection, and adding real value to your listeners’ lives. If you're tired of chasing fleeting attention and ready to cultivate genuine fans who will stick around for the long haul, here are strategies to help you stand out and build a community that lasts.

1. Sell What You Believe In

First things first: authenticity is everything. Your music, merch, and even your social media presence need to reflect what you genuinely care about. Fans can tell when you're being real versus when you're selling something just for the paycheck. Promote and create products that you’re proud of. If you're excited about a new track, let that passion shine through. If you believe in a piece of merch, talk about why it's meaningful to you. Authenticity builds trust, and trust turns casual listeners into dedicated fans.

2. Focus on Connection Over Reach

It’s easy to get caught up in numbers: likes, views, follows. But true fan loyalty isn't measured in metrics. Instead of trying to reach millions with every post, focus on creating meaningful connections with the people already engaging with you.

One powerful tactic is to personalize your outreach. If someone comments on your post or sends you a DM, take the time to reply thoughtfully. Consider going a step further by sending personalized videos or voice messages to new followers or top supporters. This simple act of recognition can turn a casual fan into a dedicated advocate who shares your music with their friends and followers.

3. Give More Than You Take

Fans appreciate artists who give back. Think about how you can offer exclusive or unique experiences that go beyond the norm. For example:

  • Exclusive Content: Share unreleased songs with your most engaged fans or your mailing list first.

  • Merch Giveaways: Send a free piece of merch to a fan who has been consistently supporting you.

  • VIP Experiences: At your shows, consider offering meet-and-greet opportunities or exclusive acoustic sets for your top fans.

These actions might feel small, but they create big emotional impacts. Fans who feel valued are more likely to promote your music and stick with you through your career.

4. Use Live Streams to Create Community

Live streaming is an underused tool for many touring musicians. Go beyond just performing songs. Use live streams to share stories from the road, talk about the meaning behind your music, or even have casual Q&A sessions. This creates a sense of intimacy and community with your audience.

Invite your fans into your world. Show them behind-the-scenes moments that make them feel like they’re part of your journey. When fans feel connected to your story, they become more invested in your success.

5. Don’t Overlook the Power of "One"

While it’s tempting to focus on scaling up and reaching thousands, never underestimate the power of winning over one fan at a time. Personal outreach, small acts of gratitude, and even just remembering a fan’s name can make a lasting impression.

Imagine giving a dedicated fan early access to a song or personally inviting them to a show. These gestures can turn one-time listeners into lifelong fans who tell others about you. When one fan feels valued, they're likely to bring others into your orbit.

6. Leverage Your Tours for Deeper Engagement

While touring, create moments that deepen your bond with fans. This can be as simple as hanging out after a show to chat, signing merchandise, or hosting an impromptu acoustic set in a local park. Not only will this leave a lasting impression, but it will also make fans more likely to share their experiences, growing your reach through word-of-mouth. Remember when you first started out, and every invitation to your shows was one to one. It started with friends, family, classmates, co-workers, and eventually someone they brought along that really liked your music, and then you started to invite that person. 

7. Embrace a Long-Term Vision

Building a loyal fanbase is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires consistent effort and a genuine desire to connect. Focus on creating music and experiences that resonate deeply, and be willing to adapt and grow with your audience over time.

It's easy to look for shortcuts or quick wins, but the most successful touring musicians are those who invest in their community. They’re the ones who show up, who listen, and who care.

Final Thoughts

If you're ready to go beyond algorithms and vanity metrics, it’s time to double down on connection. Be authentic, be generous, and focus on the power of one-to-one relationships. Build trust by showing that you care, and you'll not only grow your fanbase but create a loyal community that stays with you through every stage of your musical journey.

Remember: It's not about reaching everyone. It's about reaching the right ones, and treating them like gold when you do.

Learn about the business side of touring, and come join us at Making It Academy: https://www.patreon.com/c/makingitacademy

Rodney Hazard - Creating Beautiful Artistic Content and Building Powerful Relationships with Fellow Collaborators Through Social Media

Ep.075 Cover Rodeny Hazard.jpg

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Rodney Hazard is an Art Director, Producer, and DJ based in Brooklyn, NY. On February 23, 2018, he released his second album, Sain or Savage, which premiered on Noisey.com. Rodney was first introduced on the podcast by Mark Schaefer on Episode #073, where Mark spoke of Rodney as an example of creating very creative and exciting content with his videos and music on Instagram. Rodney has created many amazing projects to which he has contributed as a director, music producer, videographer, photographer, graphic designer, or a combo of them all. He’s someone that’s a great example of a musician expanding his creative talents, and applying them to create beautiful and powerful content, with very talented collaborators. In this episode, we discuss the value of collaborating with others, how Rodney reaches out to complete strangers via Instagram or Twitter DM for collaboration projects, and much more.

To learn more about Rodney, visit http://rodneyhazard.com/ and make sure to follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rodneyhazard/.  

Highlights from this Episode
[3:24] Collaboration with Chasing Rooftops
[5:05] Where Rodney’s collaborations come from
[5:39] Meeting Mark Schaefer
[6:52] About Rodney Hazard
[8:05] What he looks for in potential collaborators
[9:12] Reaching out to people on social media
[11:45] What to say when reaching out to people on social media
[13:58] Overcoming being a perfectionist and start putting out content
[16:08] Putting out content
[18:10] Rodney’s process of creating content
[19:30] Getting someone’s attention on Instagram
[20:55] Rodney’s Team and workflow process
[22:51] Finding management and what to look for in a manager
[24:28] Approaching a manger
[25:20] Best practices for Soundcloud and Spotify
[26:52] The journey of Rodney Hazard
[31:52] Nvr Sleep - A Party for the Creative Class
[34:11] Lessons learned from collaborations and Heavy D.
[38:22] Booking and opening for other artists
[40:08] Equalizing Music Project
[43:27] Getting started in Film Scoring
[47:57] Expectations when reaching out to potential collaborators
[48:26] New Album - Saint or Savage
[52:47] Preview of 2018 for Rodney Hazard
[53:47] Philosophy on Touring for Hip-Hop and Producers
[56:12] A live performance that stands out and turning an audience into fans
[58:52] Getting to know Rodney Hazard

Quotes from Rodney Hazard
“Don’t be afraid to break rules and make noise.”
“How can we help each other push forward?”
“Always thank people for their time.”
“Art is never finished.”
“You’re always going to look at your old self, and cringe.”
“You have to see how people react to what you’re doing.”
“Let the world see it, let the world hear it.”
“You should always be creating.”
“If you’re practicing all the time, and doing things all the time, you’re going to get as great as you want to be.”
“All of things get flipped on its head. Why not be the first one to start that wave?”
“You should choose your manager, it shouldn’t be the other way around.”
“Sitting around and waiting for somebody isn’t the right way to go about it.”
“It’s all about creating a new conversation.”
“There is always something to learn, as long as you look at the craft as, I’m forever a student.”
“You can’t expect everyone to do what you want to do.”
“You should constantly be doing shows.”
“You have to be able to perform whether it’s a small crowd or big crowd.”
“You have to get on stage and bring something a little different.”
“Be willing to create a conversation with the crowd.”
“Making the music is the fun part.”
“I want people to feel something when the hear it.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Chasing Rooftops
Mark Schaefer
AZ
Heavy D.
Halley Hiatt
Saint or Savage Premiere on Noisey
Sundance Film Festival
Questlove
The Roots
Method Man
Joe Budden
Nvr Sleep
GioDee
Bipolar Sunshine
TED Talk with Matt Goldman of Blue Man Group
Snoop Dogg
The Game
Jesse Draxler
Altered Carbon
Marvin Gaye
Prince
Tupac
[BOOKS]
Theory by Kenneth Goldsmith

Rodney Hazard’s Definition of Making It:
http://rodneyhazard.com/  
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

Get in touch with Rodney Hazard
“Traveling the world, sustaining a good life, and doing what you love to do.”

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Herb Gonzalez - Telling a Visual Story with Photography

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud

In this podcast episode we dive into the world of photography and content creation with photographer, Herb Gonzalez, also known as Lion the Lion.

Herb Gonzalez is a musician that has played in bands in Central Florida. He’s currently studying at Full Sail University in the Music Business Program. Herb is one of the directors for the artist development organization at Full Sail, 3300 and Climbing. While at Full Sail he rediscovered his passion for photography and in less than a year people are taking notice of his work. Not only does he take great photos, but he’s also developed the chops to edit photos to make them look natural and as he says “make them look beautiful.” Herb is still in the early stages of his career, but understands the importance of great content as I talked about in the lesson for last week. There is so much we can learn from him to take better pictures and put out better content. Here is my interview with Herb Gonzalez – the Lion.

Get in touch with Herb:
Website - www.lionthelion.com
Instagram / Twitter

Herb’s definition of Making It:
"Getting recognized for what you’re doing, and being happy."