Whether you remember those days or not, if you were into hip hop in the mid 90s, you either repped the west coast or the east coast. Southern hip hop burst through with the likes of Outkast and Scarface but they were seen as a niche.
Master P was among the people who changed this for good. As the head of No Limit Records, he flooded the music market with southern rap and from that point, the south could not be ignored.
P was not the best rapper even within his own label. Many of us then wrote him off for that reason but didn’t realize he wasn’t trying to be that. He was on a different plan.
The way he grew his company and brand can be its own textbook for business students. And if you’re running a small business, this textbook is for you.
Let’s take a look at some of the key tactics that helped Master P when launching No Limit and beyond.
Know Your Audience
While Master P started in music, he was running a business and looking for growth. The music he and other No Limit artists made was inspired by the interests and desires of their target audience.
Hip hop fans in New Orleans were looking for music they could dance and bounce to. At the time, west and east coast hip hop was moving toward slow flows.
This has to be one of your top tasks when you set out to promote your business. Identify your target audience and get to know their interests, motivations, behaviors, needs, and challenges.
Next, identify where your target audience hangs out. These are the channels you want to be in with content that addresses their challenges, gets their pain, and speaks their language.
Start with the Problem
Master P knew the key to developing the right product is to start with the problem.
In his audience, he realized hip hop fans in the south wanted a voice, they wanted to be heard and accepted for having something to say. He set out to give them that voice.
In distribution, P realized most music stores then didn’t have a lot of space and CDs were easy to get lost in the racks. To solve this, he invested in packaging and gave No Limit CDs the glossy, diamond-like finish that became the trademark of No Limit albums.
As the person responsible for getting the word of your business out, you too must identify the problem. Start with your audience and figure out what challenges your potential customers face. Then, deliver a product that is the tool they will use to solve this problem.
On the marketing side, what is it you can do that others are not? If you simply make the same content and run the same ads your competitors do, you’re bound to get lost. Figure out your shimmering packaging so your customers always find you.
Think Product Line
At its peak in 1998, No Limit Records released 23 albums. When the average hip hop record label was putting out perhaps three, that is an unbelievable number.
Why did Master P push for so many releases? Because in the days of the CD, even the biggest No Limit fan would have no reason to buy an album more than once.
On the other hand, if you put out a new album every other week, you’re giving your supporters a new reason to buy.
Even as a service company, you can’t rely on a single product. You have to figure out options and bundles in order to give your loyal supporters reasons to come back.
Build Relationships
Master P doesn’t back away from meeting somebody new. No person is too small or too big to have a conversation with.
In behaving this way, he gets to speak to customers, prospects, other entrepreneurs, competitors, and possible investors.
Many years ago, one of my mentors told me, “Speak to everyone with respect. You never really know who you’re speaking to.”
Get to know the people that keep your business going. Build real relationships with your neighbors, investors, vendors, employees, and customers. They will become their own marketing channel.
It Takes Consistency and Time
For the most part, there are no overnight successes. The public may feel that way but internally, the success is a result of lots of work done in the dark, before anybody knows you.
Everything we’ve discussed, from knowing your audience to developing product, was planned long before No Limit blew up. P had to find talent behind the microphone as well as producers capable of cranking out beats.
Why would you expect your business to blow up overnight? Work every day to get your name out there and develop a better product offering. Think of your growth over years instead of days or months.
Last Thoughts
The next time you’re listening to your favorite tunes and wondering how to help your business grow, think of Master P. Consider the steps he took to build No Limit Records and continue to grow his own brand.
If you need additional content marketing help, contact me today to set up an introductory call.
Your friend,
JC
