Creator Hangouts Talks Tunes, Tours, and Tips for Musicians

Our Music team is getting ready to pack their bags and head to SXSW, where they’ll be speaking on panels, talking to musicians, and attending screenings and concerts. But even when they’re not out on the road, they spend lots of their time talking to creators.

Just last week, Hayley Rosenblum, our Music Outreach Lead, traded some expert tips on running a music project with producers Robert Fagan and Maria Aceves, right here from Kickstarter HQ. Robert and Maria are partners at Blue Hats Creative, and they’re also the team behind L7: Pretend We’re Dead. Here’s what they had to say about running a campaign with the “fierce, funny, and feminist pioneers of American grunge punk.”

Robert, Maria, and Hayley talked about everything from engaging with fans to building an online presence, but here are three tips on handling rewards that stood out:

• Plan your rewards based upon what you know you can deliver and what you’re comfortable delivering.
• Think about your project timeline and how things like being on tour might cause delays.
• Keep a personal touch! All of your rewards should connect back to what you’re making.

In the mood for more music tips? Musicians Rob Moose, Unwoman, and Jenn de la Vega have all joined Creator Hangouts and talked to us about making music and getting closer with their fans.

Unwoman breaks her own rules.

12-time project creator (yes, 12!) Unwoman spoke to us just as she was launching her 12th campaign. She mentioned teaming up with her mom to ship rewards and breaking some of her own rules when it comes to running a project. Also, it sounds like she’ll never attempt to ship liquids overseas again. Lesson learned!

“Definitely have a digital, completely non-physical reward…It’s a thing that you don’t have to mail!” @UNW♀MⒶN

Rob Moose gets the whole group involved.

Two-time project creator Rob Moose and his sextet yMusic have collaborated to make music with bands such as The National, Ra Ra Riot, and the Dirty Projectors. During this Creator Hangout, Rob discussed the value that each individual member of the group brings to yMusic, and how they each pitched in to help with the campaigns.

“If it feels less like work for us, then maybe it’ll be a valuable experience for the audience.” @mooseofrob

Jenn de la Vega shares her social media cocktail.

Musician, chef, and Creator Basics star Jenn de la Vega shared some pretty solid pointers on building community during her chat with us. We love what she had to say about using social media in a way that you feel comfortable with (and that respects your fans!). And by the way, check out Jenn’s Instagram for lots of delicious, expertly-photographed foods.

“Present yourself fully…engage with people in a genuine way, and don’t spam them!” @Jenn de la Vega

If you’re feeling inspired and want to drop in on our next Creator Hangout, subscribe to our Facebook page to be the first to know who we’re talking to next. We’ll also be sharing lots of music tips on Twitter @KickstarterTips during SXSW. 🎶