A Plan for Something New: SMS for Real Fan Engagement

*This post is inspired by an email conversation with a piloting musician Sarey Savy. Go follow them on all platforms (more links at the bottom of the page). *

I’ve been thinking a lot about how artists actually connect with their fans — and where all the current tools fall short. Email lists get ignored. Socials are noisy. DMs are chaotic. There’s no clean way for artists to see which fans are really showing up.

So here’s my plan: A lightweight SMS-based platform for real fan engagement — not mass-blasting updates, but listening to fans as they take action and letting that shape how you connect with them.

This doesn’t fully exist yet. I’m building it. And I’m looking for a few artists — maybe you — to help pilot it and shape what it becomes.

The Concept

You get a dedicated phone number. You give that number to your fans — post it, text it, mention it on stage. Then you prompt them:

“Bought a ticket to my show? Text me a screenshot.” “Voted for me in the radio contest? Send proof and get 100 points.” “Posted about my new song? Show me!”

The system tracks these moments of fan action and gives you a dashboard of who’s actually showing up. Not just liking posts — doing things that matter.

Why SMS?

Because it’s direct, personal, and lightweight. No apps to install. No new logins to remember. Fans already know how to text.

This isn’t meant to be a broadcast tool like email or Instagram. This is a reverse broadcast — a way for fans to reach you, show you they’re part of it, and get acknowledged or rewarded for it.

The Goal

I want to help artists identify their strong nodes — the 10% of fans who drive the most engagement and influence.

Inspired by The Tipping Point, the platform will eventually surface those people for you. Then you can spend your time and energy on the folks who actually amplify your work — and find creative ways to reward them.

Imagine this becoming more like:

“Be one of my top supporters and unlock exclusive stuff.” Instead of: “Pay me $5/month for general access.”

How We’ll Build It

I’m starting small — just SMS. I’ll build a custom number for each artist, using Twilio on the backend. My code will monitor incoming texts, log activity, assign points, and match messages to your fanbase.

You’ll eventually get a dashboard:

• Send and schedule texts
• Segment fans by engagement
• See who’s earned what
• Track growth over time

But we’ll build it together. If you’re one of the first few pilot artists, you’ll help shape what gets built first and how it works.

Pricing Plan

Right now? Free for pilot artists. I want to prove it works first.

Long term, it’ll probably be a freemium model — maybe the first 25 fans are free, and then a low monthly subscription after that. Discounts for yearly billing. Nothing wild. Just sustainable.

Privacy, Spam, Fraud

• No one sees real phone numbers — ever.
• You’ll always have one official number.
• Fans can verify it publicly if needed.
• If spam becomes a thing, I’ll handle it. Not your problem.

Who’s Building This?

Just me. I’m a professional software engineer pivoting into something I care deeply about: music, community, and building tools that actually help people. I’ve got a solid dev network if I need it, but I’m keeping it lean and focused.

If this plan resonates with you, and you’d like to help shape it, I’d love to chat. I’m looking for a few thoughtful artists who are down to experiment, co-create, and explore what fan engagement could look like.

Let me know.

– Nate

ps. here as Sarey Savy’s platform links.

Website: https://sareymusic.com

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/sareymusic

YouTube: https://Youtube.com/SareySavy

Facebook: https://Facebook.com/SareySavy

Twitter/X: https://X.com/SareySavy

TikTok: https://Tiktok.com/@sareymusic