The Wiggly Tendrils For Real

Conor and Gabe are talking about ideas for the Wiggly Tendrils going forward. Here are notes from our discussions.

Current To-Do

• Conor:
  • clear out song request log (three more to go!)
  • think about new payment model (notes below)
  • prepare communication for site/email about new model (to do)
    • timing of communication/change: end of august after we're settled in CA
• Gabe:
  • prepare greeting card ideas/templates
  • talk to Megan about online payment options

Three Main Areas of Focus

1. Gift Songs
   • Birthday & Event
   • Love Songs
     • Wedding ("indie brides")
2. Pet Songs
3. Jingles
   • Podcast themes

Things people need songs for

Pricing Ideas

• Free Song Request
  • Not guaranteed to be written
  • Interesting ideas, broad appeal
• Simple Requests
  • $48/48hours flat rate for ukulele song
  • Paid up front with request
• Complex requests
  • Request for quote
  • $100-$200/song minute
• Song downloads
  • $1.00 per track
  • Albums pay what you like $10.00 minimum

Funding Ideas

• Kickstarter
• Grants?

Marketing Ideas

• Create main page for blog
  • who we are
  • what we do
  • connection info
• Post frequency
  • put news and normal blogish posts in the feed?
  • refer people to bandcamp to hear/download the songs?
• Social media connections (friends, followers)
  • Facebook Fan Page: 200ish
  • Facebook Freinds: 140ish
  • Twitter account: 100ish
  • YouTube? Videos?
    • sock puppets?
    • video songs?
    • user-made videos?
• Contact Niche Thought Leaders (food, pets, local)
  • Niche twitter accounts (presidents)
• image or logo?
  • t-shirts
  • stickers

Inspiration

• Pomplamoose
  • http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic
• Songs to Wear Pants To and Gunnarolla
  • http://www.songstowearpantsto.com/
  • http://www.youtube.com/user/gunnarolla
• Jonathan Mann (aka Rock Cookie Bottom, aka Songadaymann, aka Songatron)
  • http://songatron.com
  • http://www.youtube.com/user/therockcookiebottom
• Jonathan Coultaon
  • http://www.jonathancoulton.com
  • http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/05/14/136279162/an-internet-rock-star-tells-all
• Michael Masnick (NIN case study)
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njuo1puB1lg

Parallel Projects

1. Current Events/Trending Topics Songs
   • need to find smaller trends, the big ones tend to be dull/negative
2. Periodic Table Project
   • Potential Kickstarter Project
3. QRuxpin.
   • like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSkAzU5Q2fg and this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kc2HvjO8z4
4. Demons Book: Thought experiments
   • Potential Kickstarter Project
5. Greeting Cards
6. Compilations
   • Advent Calendar
   • NYE Countdown
   • Recipe Songbooks