After roaming the social media networks and web as a whole over the course of the past five to ten years, I have noticed many failed attempts by brands and personas at engaging their audience using the technology and social media tools available. Many just have set up a profile on the “in” network at the time and just assumed that they would gain an audience. Others have decided to be less personal or merely ignored or removed negative comments that came their way. I’m sure you all have come across a few of these examples. Yet, while many have failed to understand and implement social media to brighten their reach and fan engagement, a select few have excelled at it. For these people and brands, using social media is second nature; they’ve added great value to and connected on a personal level with numerous loyal fans, potential customers, and casual onlookers. As a result, they lead the pack and show us all why they are truly superstars in every sense of the word! So, to kick off this new series of posts, I must introduce you (or remind you) of this highly-talented, highly-personable, and extremely creative musician named Kina Grannis.
Who is Kina Grannis?
Kina is awesome. Her biography on her website notes the follow:
In 2007, after four years at USC (where she recorded and self-released three EPs) and a brief move to Austin, TX, Kina joined YouTube, made a music video and entered herself into Doritos’ Crash The Super Bowl contest. In the months that followed, Kina began to accrue followers, lots of them, making herself right at home in front of her computer. Her Two Weeks For Kina site traded daily videos in exchange for votes, and while her votes piled up her following grew exponentially. A few months later, her video for “Message From Your Heart” aired during the Super Bowl and its 97-million viewers and Kina had a YouTube following, a Twitter following, a #1 video on Digg.com, a street team and, for a short time, a record deal.
But, Kina is much more than that! She has a passion for what she does, and she loves sharing it with others. You see, she does not shove her material down your throat (or into your ears and eyes); no, she shares, she cares, and she listens to those who follow. In fact, her genuine heart won her a massive following and many volunteer members known as her street team. Kina gets it; she is not fake nor has a staff of people acting as her online! As David Kerpen would probably say, Kina is likeable!!
Why Kina Grannis Rocks?
Okay, so Kina gets all of this grassroots-type success, and she lets it get to her head, right? WRONG! Kina keeps it real and continues to appreciate her fans. Plus, she gives back. She finds creative ways to interact and engage her fan base. When at concerts, she does a meet-and-greet at the end of nearly every show; she loves to connect directly with her fans – it is extremely important to her. Then, she finds ways to give away tickets to one of her concerts or merely gives away music online. Also, have you ever watched one of her YouTube covers? Well, fans send in requests to her, and she covers many of those songs. At the end of these awesome, personable videos, she sends shout-outs to her fans – like great, cool birthday shout-outs, among other things! She does not wait for others in the industry to tell her what to do, for she creates her own path and follows her vision and numerous aspirations! Here is a great example that is highlighted by many and also mentioned on her website:
Exchanging creative control for independence, Kina forfeited her record label, determined to record and release the songs she’d been writing for years. In true DIY form, Kina self-funded and independently-released Stairwells in early 2010. The album debuted on Billboard’s Top 200 and #5 on iTunes Pop Chart, and The New York Times and WNYC Soundcheck recognized Kina as one of the top Asian-Americans making an impact in the pop music world (she’s half-Japanese). She released a music video for her single “Valentine,” which has been featured on Yahoo! Music and has accrued more than 10-million views on YouTube. The track would later propel Kina to win Sirius Radio’s Coffee House Singer/Songwriter Discovery of 2010.
What? Yes, you read that correctly! Kina is a leader with a vision, and she did not want to sacrifice her creative control and overall musical independence in exchange for having some short-term success in the industry doing something that she couldn’t put her whole self into. Grannis knew what she wanted to do, and she knew the stories she wanted to tell, so she turned down that record deal with Interscope to pursue recording her own material that she already had ready for an album.
What Kina Grannis Teaches Us?
Kina teaches us to go with our heart and fulfill our dreams. As people and brands looking to engage online, she teaches us that it is important to show your personality and admit a few flaws. Being personable and human is what makes a huge difference. Also, Grannis teaches us to be real and take a chance every now and then, especially when that decision is backed by great thought and insightful feedback! All of us can be superstars online, but it is not just a 9 to 5 job nor can it always be as easy as having others handle every aspect of your online presence. Hence, we go back to the whole concept of being yourself and letting your personality shine online just as you do in person! Kina treats her fans with great respect, and your brand should too – and don’t just fake it because your customers will see right through you and leave you for your competition. Lastly, Kina reminds us that a little creativity goes a long way. Just look at the video clip below (and the behind the scenes video below it); how many other musicians would take 22 months to complete a music video? Not many! But, Kina is different, and that is important to remember!
So, be a superstar in life. It takes some hard work, but you can do it! Learn from Kina and let your personality shine! P.S. In the meantime, let’s persuade Kina to engage her fans on foursquare – those great LBS opportunities are endless!!
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