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What’s the Secret to Selling to Superfans? Ask the Grateful Dead — Or a K-Pop Act
Everyone wants to figure out the secret behind selling to superfans. But the Grateful Dead, and the K-pop industry, have lessons to share.
K-pop acts tend to focus on selling merchandise, and given the declining number of CD players, many young fans probably see CDs as more of a souvenir than a way to listen to music. (The Dead’s business, which is still overseen by Warner Music’s Rhino, also shows that many superfans don’t fade away — I saw a few concerts in 1991, and I plan to buy the next vinyl box set, too.) Most important, that it’s both possible and potentially difficult to monetize superfans — they’re willing to spend money, but only on the right items; BTS live recordings might not do as well as an expanded clothing line.
Or read this on Billboard