MP3 of the Day!

Summary
Wouldn’t you enjoy receiving an email with an MP3 song everyday (download or stream), along with a story from the songwriter or some historical information about the song? You could define what kind of songs you would like to receive, maybe a different style for a different day of the week… who knows… and you would receive a customized service to your tastes. I mean, even if wasn’t customized at first, I would love to take 3-5 minutes each day to discover a new song/artist!

Bootstrap This Concept!

• Choose a style, genre, niche, place to start such as folk music, or songs that tell a story.
• Then handpick 365 songs for 1 full year, and start researching the songs, and writing up a small description about the song… whatever is interesting about the song, such as the first blues song known, or whatever.
• Then find or write a script that will (randomly?) choose one of the songs, and send it. It will be important to keep a flat database of the songs already sent, so you don’t t send a duplicate.
• Setup a simple web site where people can sign up for the mailing list, and let viral marketing grow it. Just make sure the content (the 365 songs and stories) is compelling. It would be great to make it like VH1’s Storytellers, where you get some background on the song, since so many songs go unexplained.

Purposes

• Indie-Promo Tool - This could be a great indie-promotional tool as well, where you could link to the bands web site to here more, buy the CD, etc…
• A&R Tool - This could also be a great A&R promotional tool, where A&R reps can sign up to here a new unsigned bands song each day, and they can customize what they are looking for.

Research
I’m sure there are plenty of people employing this idea out there, I’ve found a few here:

• http://guitar.about.com/library/blmp30412.htm?terms=mp3+of+the+day
• http://www.neotope.com/?2000-11

VideoLectures.com

5 years ago I ran projections, wrote a business plan, marketing plan, etc.. for this one, and I still think it is a kick ass idea.

Basically the quick blurb on this one is that you have a one stop shop on the internet to LEARN! There are a TON of ways to spin this sucker.

• #1 Teacher of the Year! — fly around the world and get the universities permission to promote them by video taping their Teacher of the Year, doing their best lecture. The full video will be available on the web site, along with a quick plug for the school/teacher. Teachers love this, as they really want to preserve their knowledge for future students, past their time… and most great lectures are done later in a teachers career, when they know they don’t have a lot of time left.
• DVD Sales — The lectures can be purchased on DVD.
• MP3.com-ish Commerce Services — In addition to certified teachers, hobbyists could upload their lectures for sale on how to build a model airplane, compose hip hop beats, varnish a cabinet, etc..

Moral Slogan: This concept can actually educate the world, and help those who can’t afford school. I’m not convinced yet that it would ever fully replace schoool, but one could come up with a kick ass slogan, such as The Ivy League To Which No One Is Denied! (ok, you’d have to be accredited as an Ivy League, but you know where I am going with this one.)

Name Your Price

This is my buddy “Sonny’s” concept…

I can’t explain is as best as he can, so I’ll keep it brief, but the whole idea is to cut out the middle man who sells your lead to vendors. For instance, you go the mall and sign up to win a Jeep Wrangler, and they are actually collecting consumers info and selling the leads to companies for anywhere from $5 to $100 a lead. The same thing occurs on AutoWeb.com and web sites where you register to get information.

Now to the idea… basically you create an eBay/CraigsList type site of buyers who post what they are interested in paying for a product (I believe this works best for higher end sales). The buyer must contractually obligate themselves to buy the product if their terms are met (such as offer presented meeting price in certain time period). NOW — the trick… basically the site offers the buyer an additional 1 - 10% savings by selling their lead directly to the seller.

For example:

Joe is a buyer and he wants a 2005 Jeep Wrangler. Joe has researched the Jeep and has learned he will be getting a good deal if he finds a seller who will sell him the Jeep for $28k with everything he wants. In addition, Joe understands that the seller will not only have to meet his price, but also “buy his lead” for an additional, lets say, 2% value. Therefore, Joe will be listed on the web site as a qualified buyer who WILL buy the Jeep TODAY for $28k… no wasting time for hours on the showroom floor selling this guy… he is ready to buy! However, he wants a good deal, and wants you to pay for the time he is saving you on the showroom floor, etc… CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN PEOPLE!

CLOSING: This “Want Ads” idea could already be out there, but my buddy “Sonny” has researched it, and is quite sure it has not been solved in this particular manner.

KeyCount Card - Get the 10th Free!

I hate it when I go places like Subway, and they offer me the 10th Sub free, if I keep this cheap piece of cardboard and remember to present it to them every time I return, so they can punch it with a little Subway Puncher, which doesn’t make a perfect circle.. but instead a hole that actually looks like a sub! (ok they don’t do that last part, but you get my point).

Introducing, the discount keychain — KeyCount! This little device stores your count of purchases at every vendor which uses the system. Basically you start at one place, like Subway, and on your 10th Sub, you get this KeyCount device FREE. You can also buy the thing for $10 or something, and it keeps track of your purchases everywhere you go. No more keeping track of your Subway Discount Card, and the 15 others that you are offered in your life… they are all stored on this digital KeyCount keychain thing!

Consumers love it, as it keeps track of their purchases, retailers/marketing departments love it, as it downloads all of their purchasing info everytime they use it, and the whole world is happy!