Customer Story:
Within Temptation

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a Dutch rock band that has been internationally active for over 25 years. The band gained fame with hits like "Mother Earth" and "Ice Queen" (frequently played on TV channels like The Box and TMF) and has won several awards, including the TMF Awards and Edison Awards. With various albums, the band has achieved platinum and gold statuses. Fast forward 25 years, and they are still at the top: in 2022, they did the long-awaited co-headline "Worlds Collide" arena tour with Evanescence, selling 200,000 tickets. In 2023, their eighth studio album was released.

All for the Loyal Fans

Caroline Westendorp, Product & Marketing Manager at Within Temptation, shares more about the band's relationship with its fans. "The relationship is highly personal, as Within Temptation is a niche band with a loyal core fanbase. Making fans feel seen is crucial for the band. Personal contact with loyal fans involves conversational marketing, engaging in personal conversations with fans to provide a unique and interactive experience, making them feel closer to the band."

And what is important when you want to establish personal contact with loyal fans? Ensuring that these fans feel seen! Every fan is an individual who wants to be personally involved with their favorite band. With conversational marketing, you can engage in conversations with fans on a personal level and provide them with a unique experience. It makes the contact more playful and interactive, giving fans the feeling that they are more closely connected to the band.

The biggest challenge is to remain top of mind for fans amidst the release frenzy on Spotify. There are so many releases weekly that getting noticed can be quite difficult at times.

For a rock band with a busy schedule full of releases and tours, finding time for personal and individual contact with fans can be a challenge. You can automate many contact moments, but it can be tricky to find the fine line between keeping your fans informed and spamming them. You want to be able to announce new songs, albums, and tours, but be mindful not to send the same impersonal message every time. A marketing strategy for the ultimate fan experience requires some finesse, and Within Temptation has found the right balance in this regard.

Targeted Conversational Marketing

To engage followers personally with the band, Within Temptation has teamed up with the solutions provided by CM.com. Email Campaigns are utilized to inform and keep fans updated about the band, tour dates, and new developments. Through Instagram Messaging, WhatsApp Business Platform, and their own app, the band also offers exclusive content such as previews of new songs (music snippets), pre-sale announcements, personal (yet automated) messages from band leader Sharon van Adel, and backstage photos and videos. True fans are the first to know about these, contributing to a unique and personal experience that immediately enhances their connection with the band. Additionally, based on data, Within Temptation can increasingly personalize the various channels for different target audiences. In summary, Within Temptation's conversational marketing strategy is a smart move to create and maintain a loyal fanbase.

Increased Conversion and Streaming Numbers

Within Temptation is a pioneer in fan engagement through data. The band had a large social media following, but conversions were lacking. Collaborating with CM.com, the band set ambitious goals: reducing dependence on external data sources, expanding their Customer Data Platform (CDP) information by 50% annually, and increasing the band's monthly listeners by 20% per release. Understanding and engaging fans personally is a key goal. By identifying who their fans are, Within Temptation can offer a more personalized, specific, and relevant fan experience, ultimately achieving their conversion goals.

Thanks to CM.com, Within Temptation can reach more fans directly, leading to higher streaming numbers and album sales per release. WhatsApp proves effective for CD sales conversion. In the first year, the CDP expanded by nearly 400%, focusing on gathering phone numbers and email addresses.

Within Temptation's successful approach serves as a valuable example in a time of decreasing organic reach on social media, emphasizing that investing in personal interaction with the fanbase is essential for cultivating and retaining loyalty, as well as increasing conversions in the digital landscape.

Is It a Hit?

The results above already suggest it, but fans are responding very positively to Within Temptation's new marketing approach.

Fans really enjoy it - they particularly like the conversational aspect a lot. I frequently come across posts from fans talking about chatting with the 'Sharon-bot' (they are well aware that it's a 'bot'). But above all, the personal interaction and the fact that Within Temptation is more present at the fan's doorstep (through WhatsApp) are consistently well-received.

What Does the Team Think?

Within Temptation's marketing team is pleased with the CM.com products. They find the platform user-friendly, and implementation was easy after getting used to it. The team appreciates the constant support from CM.com, which has helped in creating innovative marketing flows and campaigns for fans.

I never expected such a significant impact, and it has been very well received! The support and collaboration with CM.com have been excellent! The team is always ready to answer questions and check marketing strategies. Additionally, I've learned that personal and direct contact really works for sales. It costs a bit, but it's worth it.

Future Plans

The next step and challenge for Within Temptation involve expanding their database, differentiating channels, and gaining more personal insights into their fans. They may also consider adding more channels in the future.