5 virtual platforms for your next meet & greet
Even as some live concerts begin to make a comeback, a face-to-face meet and greet remains off the table for the time being. Fortunately, there are a number of virtual platforms available to help replicate some version of the experience.
Guest post by Randi Zimmerman of the Symphonic Blog
One thing the pandemic has taken away from touring musicians is the ability to meet and greet with fans. Meeting the people who support you the most is one of the best parts of the job, and losing that has created virtual alternatives to fill that void. We miss meet and greets, and I’m sure you do too! Here are 5 virtual platforms to host your next meet and greet safely from home…
Virtual Platforms For Your Next Meet and Greet
Mandolin
With the added bonus of a mobile app, Mandolin is a great meet and greet app that fosters a VIP experience for fans looking to connect with their favorite artists (like you, of course). Whether you’re in a venue or on the couch in your living room, Mandolin is a great option connect with fans and make some extra cash in the process.
Mandolin offers two options:
- VIP: One //”One is ideal for artists wanting to host one-on-one events with superfans. Perfect for getting to know your fans more intimately, it’s just like Facetime, but with a host to help manage a queue of those waiting to meet you. And, at the end of it all, each fan walks away with a photo of them and their favorite artists; commemorating the experience.”
- VIP: Party // “Party is great if you want to conduct VIP experiences with large groups and don’t have time to meet with each fan individually. It’s perfect for hosting exclusive soundchecks, cocktail hours, and larger Q&As—the possibilities are endless. Here, you can create video rooms with up to 475 fans—where attendees can raise their hands to chat personally with the artist.”
Ready to get started? Check it out right here.
Patron
Industry cult classic, Patron lets you host meet and greets with features like live celebrity chats, interactive waiting rooms, personalized videos, autograph requests, and more. With it, you can control who attends your virtual meet & greets by providing every customer with a unique access code for their session. During your meet and greet, you can even sell limited edition merchandise, autographs, and other physical keepsakes along the way.
Chatalyze
Another great platform to consider is Chatalyze. With this one you can create a queue that organizes your attendees into a virtual line, keeping you on schedule with ease. Along with a virtual photo booth and digital autograph feature, you can customize the experience to coincide with your branding by adding a logo and custom background skin, embed pre-roll content for fans to view in the waiting room, and more.
Want to check it out? Visit their website and request a demo here.
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Sharpen your skills with these additional resources…
5 Tricks To Get More Out Of Your Livestreams
Ideas For Utilizing User-Generated Content as a Musician
Text Marketing Tips for Independent Musicians
7 Useful Productivity Tools For Independent Musicians
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Looped
Another great platform to consider is Looped. With the Looped app, fans can take a photo with the host using the on-screen camera button and receive a video recording of their call to keep and share. All your fans have to do is purchase a ticket on their website, download the Looped app for free, log-in, and get ready for their one-on-one chat with you.
To learn more, check out the FAQ here.
Cameo
You’ve probably already heard of Cameo for its popular pre-recorded video feature, but did you know they’ve added live calls to the app? The Cameo Calls page has a full list of who is available for conversations and how much it costs for a certain amount of their time. Cameo says that calls can last up to 15 minutes and that the average price for a call is $31 (which of course varies depending on popularity).
As an artist, you can apply to join Cameo as talent right here.
In Conclusion…
What’re you waiting for? It’s time to get back in the game and bring meet and greets back to life. Your fans will thank you for it, and you can get back to connecting one-on-one like the good ole days.
