Krystalan Chryssomallis, CMO at Yanni Entertainment and Forbes Communications Council Member.

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The music industry has always been built and sustained on relationships, especially the connections between artists and their fans. Devising effective business strategies in an industry that hinges on emotions has always been tough, but todays evolving technology consistently necessitates new and creative ways to engage fans.

Popular social media platforms have the power to connect fans with the click of a button and yet, ironically, they can also dilute the personal connections that are the heart of the music industry. Social media raises the expectation for fan engagement, but its easy to scale such interactions to a point where theyre less manageable, less meaningful or both.

At the same time, digital music streaming, sharing and discovery platforms like Spotify have completely changed the way artists make money. Before music streaming, most artists relied on album sales to generate the bulk of their revenue. Today, however, artists depend on touring for the overwhelming majority of their income. According to Billboards Money Makers list of 2018s most lucrative music acts, Taylor Swift made $99.6 million that year $90.5 million of which came from touring alone.

While decreasing the amount of money artists receive from album sales, streaming and other digital technologies empower artists to reach more fans, dramatically increasing the price and number of concert tickets sold. As this touring economy grows, more musicians are offering custom VIP fan experiences, such as exclusive shows in intimate venues and backstage meet-and-greets.

Forbes Communications Council member Krystaln Chryssomallis is the CMO of Yanni Entertainment, with over a decade of experience branding, marketing and producing music events in over 60 countries around the world. She says that while digital technology has the potential to alienate people, it can and should be harnessed to foster stronger real-life connections. For this reason, shes devoted her career to using digital tools as a means to enhance the music industrys human touch, recruiting long-lasting, committed and loyal fans.

Overseeing the design, strategy and implementation of digital marketing campaigns alongside major music productions, Chryssomallis says her focus whether shes marketing for an event, branding a client or pulling off productions for major media broadcasts is to make fans feel like family. In her experience, the key to modern-day marketing is using digital tools to forge relationships in real life. I strive to create a space where people connect online but ultimately develop those connections offline. Offline experiences help shape the longevity of a brand and the message behind it, which is cemented by lifelong friendships and enduring fan groups around the world, she said.

Through this approach, Chryssomallis has helped create some of the most passionate and proactive groups of fans throughout the world. By establishing online communities and then converting them to organized offline groups called international affiliates for bands, shes spurring new, organic grassroots marketing campaigns. For example, in Mexico, supporting fans organized to place over 5,000 posters before a concert; in China, one fan group created its own 19-piece cover band.

Even though todays artists depend on ticket sales, Chryssomallis believes community-building not ticket sales should be the focus of musicians marketing campaigns. Digital marketing isnt just about selling something; its about creating a place where like-minded individuals can connect over something they love. If we simply focus on selling tickets, our lack of purpose will show, and the consumers will know, she said.

Ultimately, Chryssomallis says establishing meaningful, real-life human connection is the only path to longevity in virtually any industry, now and into the future. Our desire to be connected to each other is something that will never go away. Focus on why you are doing what you are doing, so your messaging really connects with your client base. People support things they believe in, and if you are able to fulfill your clients needs, they will continue to come back.

In order to fulfill peoples needs, you have to first understand their needs. Because technology has globalized nearly every industry, Chryssomallis emphasized how being curious and perceptive about different cultures around the world has played an essential role in her success. Her advice to other marketing professionals is to adopt the same frame of mind: Dive in and learn more about your followers and your customers. The more you know and understand them, the stronger and more compelling the messaging and programming you can offer will be.

For more information, check out Krystaln Chryssomalliss executive profile here. To learn more about Forbes Communications Council and see if you qualify for membership, click here.

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How One CMO Is Using Digital Technology To Connect International Music Fans In Real Life - Forbes