Have an established fanbase

On average you’d expect about 1% of your largest social media following to subscribe, focus on building real fans on your primary platform first, don’t premature launch a Patreon.

Think outside email marketing

Anyone can be on a mailing list and social media, those paying want a more personal touch. For example why not try text updates and direct messages. 

Start simple

Keep your tiers and rewards simple. Be clear and concise in your messaging. It’s easier to pitch to fans without worrying about confusing them with too many details. You can always add new tiers and rewards later. 

Give fans what they want

For some guidance, take into consideration what Patreon has found to be the most popular benefits across all creators:

Exclusive content: Unreleased music, demos, remixes, behind the scenes

Early access: New music before it goes public, music video previews, merch drops.

Physical goods: Tees, hoodies, signed posters, pins.

Acknowledgement / Shoutouts: Social media posts, music video end credits, album credits

Don’t get discouraged!

Keep promoting. Even with the right strategy and game plan, growing on a new platform is going to take time and patience. There’s a lot of challenges involved so it’s something you must commit to if you want to be successful.