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Being a tech guy, I deal mostly with the nuts and bolts of daily internet life. I've always been the sarcastic IT guy in the corner, never focused on internet marketing.
That was until I came on board at Hubspot a year ago. Spending every day at the epicenter of inbound marketing, I quickly realized the importance of social media, and Facebook in particular.
But as much as I've learned at HubSpot, it was an experience with one of my favorite musicians that made me a true inbound marketing convert.
Here's the story: I began posting links to my favorite music videos from YouTube in my status updates. (Yes I'm that guy). One of my favorite YouTube video's is "If Heartaches Were Nickels" by my favorite Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa.
A week wouldn't go by where I wasn't posting another video of Joe on my Wall or referencing some lyrics in my status. I became a fan of his page, and joined any groups I came across pertaining to him, even following his tweets @jbonamassa.
After a few months of continued posting, I received a message from a member of Joe's Management team. The message thanked me for my support by posting all of the videos, and exposing so many people to Joe.
At first I was surprised. I hadn't done anything but post my favorite videos and hope other people would enjoy them as much as I had. After conversing back and forth for a few messages, they offered to set me up with a meet and greet with Joe before his upcoming show as a thanks for being a loyal fan.
I was shocked and couldn't wait to be able to meet someone that had just finished playing with Eric Clapton at a sold out night at the Holy Grail of venues The Royal Albert Hall in London.
The Show of a Lifetime
From the moment I arrived at the show, Joe and his management gave me the red carpet treatment. They treated me to a first class, once-in-a-lifetime night that any music fanatic would appreciate.
I arrived to Joe eating dinner with his crew and was able to sit and talk with them before they had sound check. Joe's manager Roy took me to the sound check and I watched as the band worked through songs and jammed -- just me and Roy standing there in a big room watching Joe shred on guitar right in front was unreal.
After the sound check we went and checked out the tour bus and what life on the road was like. I got to check out the equipment trailer, which was by far the best part, as we got to talking about all of the guitars, and gear, that Joe has had over the years and the stories behind them.
We made our way back to the tour bus and caught some Sportscenter on the TV while the band got ready for the show. It was surreal to be surrounded by them before the show and I couldn't believe what was happening.
I went in, caught the show and watched as he brought the house down with his guitar playing. After the show I met up with Joe and Roy backstage to thank them again for the unbelievable experience they showed me. We hung out and talked a few minutes before they had to board the bus for a gig in Pennsylvania the next day.
This was by far one of the coolest experiences ever. I came back and couldn't believe the kindness and generosity of Joe and his team. He is the best kept secret in music and is still working to grow his following.
Joe's Grassroots Music Movement
The evening also made the power social media clear to me. Without the help of a major label, Joe and his team have been quietly growing a huge following throughout the world. Such an impressive feat for an independent label run by a small group. They have been using experiences like mine, along with social media, to help create a grassroots movement big enough to project his last three albums to the number one spot on the Billboard Blues chart.
Joe's personal touch is still an integral part of the Bonamassa movement. Roy told me that in a way, Joe began his career with "social media" in its rawest form, by meeting the fans.
This relationship with all of his fans has been fostered since his early days playing with B.B. King. By staying after shows, signing autographs and taking pictures until there was nobody left. Sometimes two or three hours after the show had ended.
Soon, he was not just their "favorite musician", he was one of them. In this mindset, they supported and actively promoted his music within their social circles of family, friends and co-workers. Just in the ways I had, and that is why they valued it.
Who would have known all this was made possible by plugging my favorite lesser-known musician on Facebook!
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