1. A system for marketing and funding one or more projects of an artist comprising a server having applications programs operable from a remote site for:
- providing software tools to an artist or Account Manager to manage at least one project, the project comprising at least one creative work;
- receiving information from the artist or Account Manager regarding at least one Sales Container associated with the at least one project, each Sales Container including at least one of a product, a service, and a patronage, while the artist retains outright ownership of the project and the creative work;
- transmitting offer data from a server to a client via a network, the offer data comprising an offer to Fans concerning the at least one Sales Container associated with at least one project, wherein the offer is for a Sales Container at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project;
- receiving at the client such offer data and presenting the offer to the Fan;
- transmitting acceptance data back to the server from the client accepting the offer;
- processing the acceptance data by the server;
- registering contact and marketing information regarding Patrons in a database; and
- providing the artist or Account Manager software tools to manage communications, through said Patron database, to Patrons regarding the sales and marketing of one or more projects.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the funds are used to finance the project.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the project is an incomplete project or a completed project.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the level of patronage comprises a particular sales container containing at least one entitlement for delivery to the interested party.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the funds are provided at a predetermined time.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the sales container containing at least one entitlement is provided to the interested party at a predetermined time.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the project is selected from the group consisting of: music/audio projects, film projects, printed/written projects, services project, visual art projects, multimedia projects, syndicated content projects and any creative work or service and any combination of the foregoing.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the offer is presented in at least one of the following manners: an auction, a point of sale, a subscription, a license, a pre-sale of the creative work, and a sponsorship.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the acceptance data comprises an acceptance to the offer at a level of participation among a plurality of levels.
10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the project upon completion is forwarded to the interested party via at least one of streaming media, at least one downloadable file, mail order, in person and/or by telephone.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for allowing Patrons to demonstrate interest in one or more projects prior to, during, and after creation and publication of the artist's completed project.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the software program allowing Patrons to demonstrate interest in one or more projects specifies one or more sales containers which offer to Patrons the opportunity to be involved in the artist's creative work process.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the opportunity to be involved in the artist's creative work process may include at least one of access to rough mixes, photos or videos from recording sessions or outtakes, invitations to recording sessions, and access to sheet music accompanying the work.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein sales containers are comprised of inventory items including access to downloadable songs, sheet music or scores, music lessons, custom song writing, personal interaction between artist and Patron, or digital and/or physical access to the creative work process of a work not yet created, partially created, or fully created.
15. A system for an artist to fund and market one or more projects comprising:
- processing means for providing software tools to an artist or Account Manager to manage at least one project, the project comprising at least one creative work;
- receiving means for receiving information from the artist or Account Manager regarding at least one Sales Container associated with the at least one project, each Sales Container including at least one of a product, a service, and a patronage, while the artist retains outright ownership of the project and the creative work;
- transmitting means for transmitting offer data from a server to a client via a network, the offer data comprising an offer to Fans, wherein the offer is for a Sales Container at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project;
- receiving means for receiving at the client such offer data and presenting the offer to at least one of Fans and Patrons;
- transmitting means for transmitting acceptance data back to the server from the client accepting the offer;
- processing means for processing the acceptance data by the server;
- transmitting means for transmitting to the artist or Account Manager information pertaining to the acceptance data and Patrons; and
- communication means for receiving from the artist or Account Manager at least one communication regarding the creative work process and directing said communication to at least one Patron,
- wherein the entitlement allows the interested party to participate in the project by receiving physical and/or digital content relating to the project.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein said communication means includes data base records pertaining to Patrons, said data base records being managed by the system.
17. A system for raising funds for and marketing one or more of an artist's projects to Patrons through the internet, without the necessity of a recording contract with a recording company and without the necessity of a production company, comprising a server having application programs operable from a remote site for:
- allowing Patrons to demonstrate interest in one or more projects prior to, during, and after creation and publication of the project's artistic work;
- registering contact information regarding interested Patrons in a searchable database;
- providing to the artist or Account Manager software tools to design, create, and implement an artist-specific web page for the purpose of marketing said artist's projects to existing and new Patrons without the necessity of a contract with a recording company and without the necessity of a production company;
- managing communications, through said patron database, from the artist or Account Manager to Patrons regarding sales and marketing of one or more projects; and
- managing and viewing financial and marketing information relative to projects supported through the system.
18. System for funding and marketing at least one project of an artist comprising:
- a server having application programs operable for:
- receiving data from an artist or Account Manager regarding at least one project by an Artist;
- providing tools for the artist or Account Manager to present the at least one project to at least one of Fans and Patrons;
- receiving data from the artist or Account Manager regarding at least one entitlement associated with at least one of the Artist and the project, said entitlement including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage, but not ownership in the project;
- transmitting offer data to said Fans or Patrons, the offer data comprising an offer for said at least one entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project, the project comprising at least one creative work; and
- receiving acceptance data for an entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage from a Patron.
19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the project is an incomplete project or a completed project.
20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the level of patronage comprises a particular sales container containing at least one entitlement for delivery to the interested party.
21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for receiving funds from a Patron.
22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the accepted entitlement is made available to the Patron at or after the time of receiving funds from the Patron.
23. The system according to claim 18, wherein the project is selected from the group consisting of: music/audio projects, film projects, printed/written projects, services project, visual art projects, multimedia projects, syndicated content projects and any creative work or service and any combination of the foregoing.
24. The system according to claim 18, wherein the offer is presented in at least one of the following manners: an auction, a point of sale, a subscription, a license, a pre-sale of the creative work, and a sponsorship.
25. The system according to claim 18, wherein the acceptance data comprises an acceptance to the offer at a level of participation among a plurality of levels.
26. The system according to claim 18, wherein the project upon completion is forwarded to the interested party via at least one of streaming media, at least one downloadable file, mail order, in person, and by telephone.
27. The system according to claim 18, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for registering contact and marketing information regarding Fans and/or Patrons in a database.
28. The system according to claim 18, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for transmitting data regarding at least one of the Artist and the project to at least one of Fans and Patrons.
29. The system according to claim 18, wherein the step of providing tools includes providing content management software accessible by the Account Manager.
30. The system according to claim 18, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for receiving an artist's completed project.
31. The system according to claim 18, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for receiving at least one entitlement associated with at least one of the project and artist.
32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the server further includes at least one application program operable from a remote site for converting the received entitlement into a digital format so as to be accessible by at least one Patron.
33. The system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one entitlement comprises at least one product associated with the artist's creative work process of the project.
34. The system according to claim 18, further comprising:
- registering contact and marketing information regarding Patrons in a database; and
- providing the artist or Account Manager software tools to manage communications directly to Patrons regarding the sales and marketing of one or more projects.
35. System for funding and marketing at least one project of an artist comprising:
- a server having application programs operable for:
- receiving data from an artist or Account Manager regarding at least one project by an Artist;
- providing tools for the artist or Account Manager, without the necessity of a recording company and without the necessity of a production company, to present the at least one project to at least one of Fans and Patrons;
- receiving data from the artist or Account Manager regarding entitlements associated with at least one of the Artist and the project;
- transmitting offer data to said Fans and/or Patrons, the offer data comprising an offer for at least one entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project, the project comprising at least one creative work; and
- receiving acceptance data for an entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage from a Patron.
36. System for funding and marketing a plurality of projects of an artist, the system comprising:
- a server having application programs operable for:
- receiving data from an artist or Account Manager regarding a first project by an Artist;
- providing tools for the artist or Account Manager to present the first project to Fans of the artist;
- receiving data from the artist or Account Manager regarding at least one entitlement associated with the first project, said entitlement including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage;
- transmitting offer data to said Fans, the offer data comprising an offer for said at least one entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project, the project comprising at least one creative work;
- receiving acceptance data from a Fan for an entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage;
- registering the Fan as a Patron in a Patron database and storing contact information regarding the Patron; and
- managing communications, through said Patron database, from the artist or Account Manager to Patrons regarding sales and marketing of one or more additional projects.
37. System according to claim 36, further comprising:
- receiving data from an artist or Account Manager regarding a second project by the Artist;
- providing tools for the artist or Account Manager to present the second project to Fans of the artist;
- receiving data from the artist or Account Manager regarding at least one entitlement associated with the second project, said entitlement including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage; and
- transmitting offer data to said Fans and/or Patrons, the offer data comprising an offer for said at least one entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the project, the project comprising at least one creative work.
