When I tell other musicians that I watch American Idol, they usually say something like, “Really? You watch that crap?” Or they say, 
“I tried watching it once and I couldn’t stand the way they criticize those kids. And Simon was such a nasty creep!”
Most serious musicians love to hate American Idol… for any number of reasons. They hate the competition aspect or the stupidity of the judges. Or they hate the backstage drama and the tear-jerker personal stories. Or they hate the genre of music that predominates the show.
American Idol: the show musicians love to hate.
But if musicians were smart, they would get over their artistic preciousness and pay attention. Because American Idol has created a music marketing model that is working. This show has millions and millions of people glued to their TV, cheering on their favorite singer and eager to pay to vote for that favorite. Hate it if you must, but American Idol creates passionate, loyal fans who pay to participate and pay for single downloads on iTunes.
So, let’s take a look, shall we, at what lerssons American Idol might be able to teach all of us about building a loyal, raving fan base.
They Know Their Audience… and it’s a Big One
One of the reasons American Idol is so hugely popular is that the producers know their audience and they gives that audience what it wants. American Idol is a family show with a wide demographic. Young and old and even older can watch this show together, talk about their favorite singer or argue with what the judges say. And even if Grandma doesn’t like the music, she gets drawn in by the talent show aspect or the backstage gossip.
American Idol is smart enough to realize that the people who vote at the end of the show may be very young teenagers but those teenagers aren’t the only ones watching. If that were the case, the show wouldn’t be the most watched show every Tuesday and Wednesday night.
They Know How to Sell the Dream
Americans love stories of personal triumph, of victory against all odds. They love it when the underdog wins. Americans love that good old American dream where everyone, no matter their race, income, background or innate talent, has a chance to make it big, to win the big prize, to transform their life. This is the dream that American Idol delivers in spades to a public hungry for the chance to experience this story, vicariously or directly, of personal triumph.
Again, these producers know their audience, and they give them what they are hungry for. They appeal to the viewers on personal desire to succeed, to become the favorite, to do something grand and be recognized for it.
American Idol Lesson #1:
Do you know your audience, your clients, your fans? Who are they? What do they want? What are they hungry for… deep down inside? What keeps them coming back for more?
When you can answer these questions, you will have a dependable guideline to follow any time you are creating a new offering, writing a promotional email or editing your website, because you will know how you can best serve your clients and fans by giving them what they really want and need. If you don’t know who they are and what they really want, how can you connect with them, talk to them in a language they understand, or inspire them to work with you?
They Engage and Involve Their Audience
One of the smartest things American Idol does is put the winning results into the hands of their audience. Now, granted, as a result, the wrong people always win. Almost every year, the real talent gets sent home while some mediocre singer gets showered in money, opportunity and confetti. This year, in particular, the American public has really dropped the ball and let the best contestants go home and elevated two of the weakest performers into the finals.
But by giving their audience the power to vote and decide, they get that audience involved and personally invested. The audience is not just a bunch of passive listeners; they are participants in the show! Randy, Steve and Jennifer may be the judges, but the audience knows that they are the real judges who have the final say in who goes home and who stays.
In this way, American Idol has created a big community of loyal fans who feel they are a part of something huge, something they couldn’t create on their own. By participating, young teenagers have a say in something larger, more suspenseful and popular than going to school and getting a B+ in math. They are part of a national community.
American Idol Lesson #2:
How can you involve your audience of fans and clients so they feel they aren’t just passive receivers but part of your team, part of your community? How can you let them know they are not alone, that they are an essential part of something larger than their day to day chores and responsibilities? How can you let them know that they matter?
They Pull Back the Curtain
Some of the most interesting parts on American Idol are the behind-the-scenes segments where the contestants are in the studio, or rehearsing with a vocal coach or working with the celebrity coach, like Sheryl Crow or Beyonce. I’m not sure how popular American Idol would be if they limited the show to just the performances, like a traditional talent show. Their audience wants more. They want to know who these contestants are really are… onstage and off.
By getting to watch these kids as they go through the preparation and performance process, and by viewing those heart-wrenching montages of each contestant’s story (you know, the ones that include interviews with teary-eyed parents, past teachers and the contestant telling his or her story), the audience becomes even more invested in how each of these contestants will do in performance. They feel personally bonded to their favorites and addicted to knowing how it’s all going to turn out.
American Idol Lesson #3:
Audiences want to know their idols as people, not just as artists. So, how can you reveal more of yourself as a person when communicating with your audience? How can you pull back the curtain and give them a backstage view? The more you can share who you are off-stage or out of the office, the more your fans will feel invested and connected to you.
They Turn Their Audience Into Fans AND Customers
American Idol sells music. At time when most musicians are struggling to get people to buy recorded music, American Idol is getting people to go to iTunes and buy.
Almost every song performed on the show is available on iTunes the day after the broadcast, so if you fall in love with your favorite idol’s rendition of Whole Lot of Love or My Funny Valentine, you can buy it, download it and have it on your iPod forever. The show creates a feeling of urgency and exclusivity around these singles because fans get to buy something brand new and just released that may never again be recorded by their favorite idol. Plus, those singles are only available for the duration of that particular season, so they better grab it now!
But I honestly feel that one of the reasons American Idol is good as selling music is because they are good at the previous points mentioned above. They know their audience and they know how to give that audience what they want. They know how to engage that audience, get them personally involved and invested and give them the power to participate in something larger than their every day life.
When someone buys one of those American Idol singles, they aren’t just buying a song. They are buying a way to relive their experience of watching the show. They are buying a symbol of the enchantment they felt when they saw their favorite idol shine on stage. They are investing in the dream: the dream of what is possible, for the contestants and themselves.
American Idol Lesson #4:
How can you create feeling of urgency and exclusivity around your offerings? How can your products, programs and services give people a piece of their dream, whether it is the dream of business success, the dream of love or personal happiness, or the dream of healing an ongoing issue or problem?
How can you apply the previous American Idol lessons by getting to know what your audience really, really wants? How can you acknowledge and speak to their deepest desires? What can you do to engage them to the degree that they feel personally invested in you and what you are offering?
And to All You Musical Snobs Out There…
Aside from all the dream selling and backstage drama and celebrity judges, American Idol is a show that showcases songs… mostly really good songs with interesting arrangements, performed well by professional musicians and very talented amateur singers. This show gets people to listen, rally, and cheer for singers and musicians. Every week. Millions of people. And some of those millions are not just listening, they are buying.
So go ahead. Turn up your nose at American Idol. But take really good notes before you do, because they are marketing and selling music in a way that works.
Wouldn’t you love to be able to get your audience to do the same?