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Your Guide to a Successful Web3 Mint

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**Your guide to a successful web3 mint**

Congratulations! You’ve decided to launch an NFT collection. Now what?

Launching a web3 digital collectibles or NFT project is a powerful tool for creators looking to raise funds, build communities, and create markets for their work. By minting your own tokens on a Creator-focused platform, you can tap into the power of the blockchain and create new opportunities for yourself, your brand or your business.&nbsp;

**Don’t get tangled in web3 jargon**

A web3 mint and an e-commerce product launch are quite similar in that they both involve planning, execution, and engagement with a target audience to sell a product.&nbsp;

When a brand or entrepreneur launches a new product, they strategize the launch with design, marketing, communications and product teams to identify the best opportunities to engage with potential customers and generate interest and excitement. The goal (and the process!) is not much different for web3 Creators dropping a new NFT collection.&nbsp;

While navigating buzzwords like transaction hash and metadata can feel intimidating if you’re new to web3, visualizing your mint as if you’re launching a new product can help keep you on track and focused on maximizing your results. If you’re a veteran, our only advice here is to not get distracted by what’s taking over crypto twitter and stay focused on&nbsp; hitting your targets.

**Steps to Minting Success**

In this guide, we will provide you with the key steps and insights you need to plan and execute a successful web3 mint. We will cover topics such as identifying your goals and objectives, choosing the right platform, planning your minting strategy, engaging with the community, and being prepared for challenges.&nbsp;

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can execute a successful web3 mint that helps you to achieve your project’s goals and objectives.

So let’s start there:

**Identify your goals and objectives** Before you begin to plan a new project — it’s imperative to know what you want to achieve. Do you want to raise funds to scale your business? Do you want to build a community around a specific cause? Do you want to increase community engagement by incentivizing active participation? Identifying your goals and objectives will help you to focus your efforts to execute a successful mint. If you don’t have a clear objective yet, spend some time reviewing our list of the 10 most popular goals of NFT projects below

* Generate brand or project awareness by offering NFTs with high-value utility to garner interest
* Mobilize a web2 cause-based community into web3
* Provide unique, collectible or 1 of 1 items to your fans or supporters
* Offer rewards and/or incentives to your community for engagement
* Enable fans to access exclusive content or experiences
* Provide a way for supporters to show their support and affiliation with your brand
* Create a way for collectors to contribute to the development of the project&nbsp;
* Enable your community to own a piece of their favorite project
* Provide an innovative way for customers to connect their digital and physical brand experiences
* Monetize branded content by providing access tokens via NFTs

Note, a number of these goals work with pre-existing communities.

**Choose the right project type** Now that you have a clearly defined goal, it’s time to determine what kind of NFTs you want to create. This will largely be determined by your medium if you’re an artist. Brands and non-art based projects should choose an NFT type that can help them achieve the goals of their project without overcomplicating the process or experience for their target audience.&nbsp;

Here are a few examples of different NFT types and the projects and communities with which they are most compatible.

* **Collectibles** Digital collectibles are unique digital assets that can be collected and traded, similar to physical collectibles such as trading cards or stamps. These are great for projects involving gamification or social networking elements, intending to utilize Swap programs or who want to encourage community members to interact with each other.

* **Digital Art** Illustrators, animators, videographers, this one's for you. Physical artists have also experimented with creating digital representations of their sketch, painting and sculpture work and attaching them to NFTs. Digital Art NFTs are a great choice for artists looking to scale awareness for their work, connect directly with fans and as a revenue stream to support their creative processes — all while protecting their personal IP made possible by Aspen’s legal plug-in.

* **Generative Art** Do you work at the intersection of art and AI? Generative Art NFTs can be generated by using algorithms, machine learning models, or other computational processes to automatically generate art. This can be done by writing code that creates images, audio, or other forms of digital media based on certain inputs or rules. For example, an artist could create a program that generates a unique piece of music every time it is run, or a tool that creates an abstract image based on a user's input. Generative art is a powerful option for web3 artists looking to explore new creative possibilities and create unique, one-of-a-kind works of art. If you are an artist interested in finding out more about generative art, learn more [here.](/blog/how-to-create-generative-art-using-ai)

* **Gaming Items** If you don’t already have a game or gaming elements within your project or brand portfolio — we don’t recommend creating a game just to use gaming NFTs. That being said, if your project is gaming-centric, NFTs can be a great way to generate additional revenue while providing elevated gameplay opportunities for users.

* **Digital Ticket Stubs and Moments** Musicians, comedians and other live performance artists aren’t the only groups who can use NFTs as passes. Sports teams, theater groups, non-profits or other event-centric organizations can use NFTs to represent virtual tickets to live or recorded events or offer limited edition NFTs that unlock access to special experiences, such as backstage access, meet-and-greets or even drink tickets for a bar event. Recently, [Steinza](/blog/how-creators-like-steinza-turned-to-web3-to-generate-revenue-in-places-web2-can-t) used Aspen to grant his concert-goers an NFT that contained a digital version of his Nashville performance and granted them a spot on his allowlist for the concert memories mint.&nbsp;

* **Choose the right platform** Now that you have a clear project goal and format decided, it’s time to begin researching minting and marketplace platforms that can best support your team and project as you work to meet your targets.

There are a few key factors that any web3 Creator should consider when choosing which non-fungible token (NFT) platform to launch their project on. These include:

**Compatibility with the creator's desired blockchain** It's important to ensure that the NFT platform you select is compatible with the blockchain that you intend to use for your project. Some NFT platforms may only support certain blockchains, such as Ethereum, while others may support multiple blockchains. Aspen currently supports Ethereum, Polygon, Canton and Palm.

**Fees and Costs** It's important to understand the fees and costs associated with using different NFT platforms, as these can vary significantly. This includes transaction fees, listing fees, and other building or transacting costs that your project may incur based on collection size and minting phases. It's also worth considering whether the platform offers any discounts or incentives for creators.

**Ease of Use** Before deciding, contact your top three choices for a demo to understand the level of technical expertise needed to use each platform. Ask questions about the process of creating and selling NFTs as well as the options you have to customize and brand your project’s collection page. A platform that is easy to use and navigate will likely be more attractive to both creators and collectors.

**Creator Rights and Royalties** As many marketplaces move to zero or optional royalties, make sure you select a platform that supports Creator royalties and has policies in place that protect your ability to generate revenue from secondary sales. If you’re wondering, royalties will always be protected on Aspen — we’re where web3 Creators make money, because we know providing utility isn’t free. Most NFT platforms will have information about their royalty policies available on their websites, often in their terms of service or FAQ sections; research the platform's website to find an updated copy of their policies. After reviewing a platform’s Royalties Policy and any related social media posts or customer support articles, be sure to check online forums and communities and reach out to other creators directly to learn more about others’ experiences in navigating royalty payments and protections across different platforms.

**Contractual Obligations and Collection Terms and Conditions** Web3 collectibles are at a crucial intersection as they grow beyond the trading of NFT-driven profile pictures (PFPs) to solidifying their place as the technology powering next-generation digital asset ownership. To date, many Creators, musicians, brands and content houses have been limited in their ability to pursue commercial NFT opportunities due to a glaring roadblock: most NFT smart contracts are incapable of synthesizing real world documents and contracts with blockchain backed tokens in a way that provides all parties legal certainty. Aspen’s integrated, customizable and on-chain terms and conditions alleviate IP pain points for the ecosystem, unlocking unprecedented utility opportunities for the owners of legally protected IP. If you are interested in creating an NFT collection that involves protected IP, read about how [National Lampoon brought their famed IP into web3 with Aspen](/blog/national-lampoon-selects-aspen-to-power-nft-strategy).

**Community and Support** Consider the size and activity of the platform's community and transaction volume as well as the level of support available to new creator partners. A platform with a large and active community can help to drive awareness and sales of your collection, while reliable customer success is valuable if you are new to the process or are working with a distributed team who may have questions throughout the creation and minting processes.&nbsp;

**Marketability and visibility** Last but not least, consider the overall marketability and visibility of the platform — including the reach of the platform's marketing efforts and the platform's reputation within the web3 community. A platform with a strong market presence and reputation can help to drive sales and interest in your project while ensuring your audience does not encounter unnecessary difficulty during the mint.&nbsp;

There are many different platforms that you can use to create a web3 mint, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. It's important to choose a platform that is well-suited to your project and your individual or teams’ working style — so take the time to research and compare the different options before making a decision.

**Plan your minting strategy** You’re getting close! Now that you have decided on a platform, it's time to plan your minting strategy. This involves deciding on the total number of tokens you want to mint, the price of each token, the token utility and the timeline for the mint. To maximize your results, use your project goals and NFT types from Steps 1 and 2 to help inform your collection size, utility and pricing. While it can be tempting to launch a large collection or attach a high price tag to generate more revenue — it's important to strike the right balance between providing enough tokens to meet actual demand while also ensuring that each token has definitive value to its eventual holder. Before finalizing pricing, ensure your collection is priced reasonably for your target audience based on age, income and geographic location demographics.

**Engage with the community** We may have spent a lot of time hammering out the details but, a successful web3 mint is not just about nailing the technical and strategic aspects of minting — you also need to find a community for your project! Setting up a Discord, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook presence or trying to convert web2 fans into web3 customers can be overwhelming — even for large brands and projects supported by marketing agencies let alone for solopreneurs and small teams. Start by defining what community means to your project and how that community can benefit from purchasing an NFT in your collection. Once those ideas have crystallized, identify where your target audience lives and plays on and offline and brainstorm opportunities to meet them in the spaces they already frequent. Not every project needs to have a presence on every social media platform — in fact, we don’t recommend they do! Growing an audience across multiple platforms requires a huge time investment which may not be feasible for every project or Creator. Commit to being visible and active only on the platforms and forums that your community uses often and values most.

**Be prepared for challenges** As with any project, there may be challenges and obstacles along the way. Some common challenges include:

**Lack of awareness and visibility** It can be difficult to get the word out about a new NFT collection, especially if the creator is just starting out. This can make it challenging to attract buyers and drive sales. If you find yourself struggling to reach your audience, re-evaluate your community strategy and connect with other web3 creators to solicit feedback and insights about your project.

**Competition** There is a lot of competition in the NFT market, which can make it difficult for new collections to stand out and attract attention, especially if they are relying on organic discovery rather than paid advertising to drive awareness. Ensure that your collection’s utility is directly beneficial to your desired buyers to help cut through the noise.

**Technical challenges** There can be a multitude of technical challenges involved in creating and selling NFTs and navigating a new sales platform. Choose a platform partner with a reputable customer success team and a robust resources library to avoid launch delays and to maximize customer experience for your buyers.

**Setting the right price point** Pricing strategy can be difficult! If you’re almost to the finish line but have been waiting to launch because you’re stuck crunching numbers, we can help!

Be prepared to adapt and overcome these challenges, and be willing to seek out help and advice from others in the web3 community. By staying focused, persistent, and open to new ideas, you can overcome any challenges and create a successful web3 mint.

**Ready, Set, Mint**

Congratulations on taking the first step towards creating a successful web3 mint! This exciting journey requires careful planning and execution in order to reach your goals and make your mark in web3.&nbsp;

By identifying your objectives, choosing the right project type and platform, crafting a minting strategy, engaging with the community, and being prepared for challenges, you can set yourself up to meet your organizational and financial targets. Whether you're looking to raise funds, build a community, or monetize your brand — launching a web3 digital asset collection offers endless and empowering possibilities for creators.

Follow the steps outlined in this guide and let your creativity shine as you launch a web3 mint that truly stands out. Welcome to your web3 future.

Your guide to a successful web3 mint
Congratulations! You’ve decided to launch an NFT collection. Now what?
Launching a web3 digital collectibles or NFT project is a powerful tool for creators looking to raise funds, build communities, and create markets for their work. By minting your own tokens on a Creator-focused platform, you can tap into the power of the blockchain and create new opportunities for yourself, your brand or your business. 
Don’t get tangled in web3 jargon
A web3 mint and an e-commerce product launch are quite similar in that they both involve planning, execution, and engagement with a target audience to sell a product. 
When a brand or entrepreneur launches a new product, they strategize the launch with design, marketing, communications and product teams to identify the best opportunities to engage with potential customers and generate interest and excitement. The goal (and the process!) is not much different for web3 Creators dropping a new NFT collection. 
While navigating buzzwords like transaction hash and metadata can feel intimidating if you’re new to web3, visualizing your mint as if you’re launching a new product can help keep you on track and focused on maximizing your results. If you’re a veteran, our only advice here is to not get distracted by what’s taking over crypto twitter and stay focused on  hitting your targets.
Steps to Minting Success
In this guide, we will provide you with the key steps and insights you need to plan and execute a successful web3 mint. We will cover topics such as identifying your goals and objectives, choosing the right platform, planning your minting strategy, engaging with the community, and being prepared for challenges. 
By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can execute a successful web3 mint that helps you to achieve your project’s goals and objectives.
So let’s start there:
Identify your goals and objectives Before you begin to plan a new project — it’s imperative to know what you want to achieve. Do you want to raise funds to scale your business? Do you want to build a community around a specific cause? Do you want to increase community engagement by incentivizing active participation? Identifying your goals and objectives will help you to focus your efforts to execute a successful mint. If you don’t have a clear objective yet, spend some time reviewing our list of the 10 most popular goals of NFT projects below
<ul>
<li>Generate brand or project awareness by offering NFTs with high-value utility to garner interest</li>
<li>Mobilize a web2 cause-based community into web3</li>
<li>Provide unique, collectible or 1 of 1 items to your fans or supporters</li>
<li>Offer rewards and/or incentives to your community for engagement</li>
<li>Enable fans to access exclusive content or experiences</li>
<li>Provide a way for supporters to show their support and affiliation with your brand</li>
<li>Create a way for collectors to contribute to the development of the project </li>
<li>Enable your community to own a piece of their favorite project</li>
<li>Provide an innovative way for customers to connect their digital and physical brand experiences</li>
<li>Monetize branded content by providing access tokens via NFTs</li>
</ul>
Note, a number of these goals work with pre-existing communities.
Choose the right project type Now that you have a clearly defined goal, it’s time to determine what kind of NFTs you want to create. This will largely be determined by your medium if you’re an artist. Brands and non-art based projects should choose an NFT type that can help them achieve the goals of their project without overcomplicating the process or experience for their target audience. 
Here are a few examples of different NFT types and the projects and communities with which they are most compatible.
<ul>
<li>
Collectibles Digital collectibles are unique digital assets that can be collected and traded, similar to physical collectibles such as trading cards or stamps. These are great for projects involving gamification or social networking elements, intending to utilize Swap programs or who want to encourage community members to interact with each other.
</li>
<li>
Digital Art Illustrators, animators, videographers, this one's for you. Physical artists have also experimented with creating digital representations of their sketch, painting and sculpture work and attaching them to NFTs. Digital Art NFTs are a great choice for artists looking to scale awareness for their work, connect directly with fans and as a revenue stream to support their creative processes — all while protecting their personal IP made possible by Aspen’s legal plug-in.
</li>
<li>
Generative Art Do you work at the intersection of art and AI? Generative Art NFTs can be generated by using algorithms, machine learning models, or other computational processes to automatically generate art. This can be done by writing code that creates images, audio, or other forms of digital media based on certain inputs or rules. For example, an artist could create a program that generates a unique piece of music every time it is run, or a tool that creates an abstract image based on a user's input. Generative art is a powerful option for web3 artists looking to explore new creative possibilities and create unique, one-of-a-kind works of art. If you are an artist interested in finding out more about generative art, learn more <a href="/blog/how-to-create-generative-art-using-ai">here.</a>
</li>
<li>
Gaming Items If you don’t already have a game or gaming elements within your project or brand portfolio — we don’t recommend creating a game just to use gaming NFTs. That being said, if your project is gaming-centric, NFTs can be a great way to generate additional revenue while providing elevated gameplay opportunities for users.
</li>
<li>
Digital Ticket Stubs and Moments Musicians, comedians and other live performance artists aren’t the only groups who can use NFTs as passes. Sports teams, theater groups, non-profits or other event-centric organizations can use NFTs to represent virtual tickets to live or recorded events or offer limited edition NFTs that unlock access to special experiences, such as backstage access, meet-and-greets or even drink tickets for a bar event. Recently, <a href="/blog/how-creators-like-steinza-turned-to-web3-to-generate-revenue-in-places-web2-can-t">Steinza</a> used Aspen to grant his concert-goers an NFT that contained a digital version of his Nashville performance and granted them a spot on his allowlist for the concert memories mint. 
</li>
<li>
Choose the right platform Now that you have a clear project goal and format decided, it’s time to begin researching minting and marketplace platforms that can best support your team and project as you work to meet your targets.
</li>
</ul>
There are a few key factors that any web3 Creator should consider when choosing which non-fungible token (NFT) platform to launch their project on. These include:
Compatibility with the creator's desired blockchain It's important to ensure that the NFT platform you select is compatible with the blockchain that you intend to use for your project. Some NFT platforms may only support certain blockchains, such as Ethereum, while others may support multiple blockchains. Aspen currently supports Ethereum, Polygon, Canton and Palm.
Fees and Costs It's important to understand the fees and costs associated with using different NFT platforms, as these can vary significantly. This includes transaction fees, listing fees, and other building or transacting costs that your project may incur based on collection size and minting phases. It's also worth considering whether the platform offers any discounts or incentives for creators.
Ease of Use Before deciding, contact your top three choices for a demo to understand the level of technical expertise needed to use each platform. Ask questions about the process of creating and selling NFTs as well as the options you have to customize and brand your project’s collection page. A platform that is easy to use and navigate will likely be more attractive to both creators and collectors.
Creator Rights and Royalties As many marketplaces move to zero or optional royalties, make sure you select a platform that supports Creator royalties and has policies in place that protect your ability to generate revenue from secondary sales. If you’re wondering, royalties will always be protected on Aspen — we’re where web3 Creators make money, because we know providing utility isn’t free. Most NFT platforms will have information about their royalty policies available on their websites, often in their terms of service or FAQ sections; research the platform's website to find an updated copy of their policies. After reviewing a platform’s Royalties Policy and any related social media posts or customer support articles, be sure to check online forums and communities and reach out to other creators directly to learn more about others’ experiences in navigating royalty payments and protections across different platforms.
Contractual Obligations and Collection Terms and Conditions Web3 collectibles are at a crucial intersection as they grow beyond the trading of NFT-driven profile pictures (PFPs) to solidifying their place as the technology powering next-generation digital asset ownership. To date, many Creators, musicians, brands and content houses have been limited in their ability to pursue commercial NFT opportunities due to a glaring roadblock: most NFT smart contracts are incapable of synthesizing real world documents and contracts with blockchain backed tokens in a way that provides all parties legal certainty. Aspen’s integrated, customizable and on-chain terms and conditions alleviate IP pain points for the ecosystem, unlocking unprecedented utility opportunities for the owners of legally protected IP. If you are interested in creating an NFT collection that involves protected IP, read about how <a href="/blog/national-lampoon-selects-aspen-to-power-nft-strategy">National Lampoon brought their famed IP into web3 with Aspen</a>.
Community and Support Consider the size and activity of the platform's community and transaction volume as well as the level of support available to new creator partners. A platform with a large and active community can help to drive awareness and sales of your collection, while reliable customer success is valuable if you are new to the process or are working with a distributed team who may have questions throughout the creation and minting processes. 
Marketability and visibility Last but not least, consider the overall marketability and visibility of the platform — including the reach of the platform's marketing efforts and the platform's reputation within the web3 community. A platform with a strong market presence and reputation can help to drive sales and interest in your project while ensuring your audience does not encounter unnecessary difficulty during the mint. 
There are many different platforms that you can use to create a web3 mint, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. It's important to choose a platform that is well-suited to your project and your individual or teams’ working style — so take the time to research and compare the different options before making a decision.
Plan your minting strategy You’re getting close! Now that you have decided on a platform, it's time to plan your minting strategy. This involves deciding on the total number of tokens you want to mint, the price of each token, the token utility and the timeline for the mint. To maximize your results, use your project goals and NFT types from Steps 1 and 2 to help inform your collection size, utility and pricing. While it can be tempting to launch a large collection or attach a high price tag to generate more revenue — it's important to strike the right balance between providing enough tokens to meet actual demand while also ensuring that each token has definitive value to its eventual holder. Before finalizing pricing, ensure your collection is priced reasonably for your target audience based on age, income and geographic location demographics.
Engage with the community We may have spent a lot of time hammering out the details but, a successful web3 mint is not just about nailing the technical and strategic aspects of minting — you also need to find a community for your project! Setting up a Discord, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook presence or trying to convert web2 fans into web3 customers can be overwhelming — even for large brands and projects supported by marketing agencies let alone for solopreneurs and small teams. Start by defining what community means to your project and how that community can benefit from purchasing an NFT in your collection. Once those ideas have crystallized, identify where your target audience lives and plays on and offline and brainstorm opportunities to meet them in the spaces they already frequent. Not every project needs to have a presence on every social media platform — in fact, we don’t recommend they do! Growing an audience across multiple platforms requires a huge time investment which may not be feasible for every project or Creator. Commit to being visible and active only on the platforms and forums that your community uses often and values most.
Be prepared for challenges As with any project, there may be challenges and obstacles along the way. Some common challenges include:
Lack of awareness and visibility It can be difficult to get the word out about a new NFT collection, especially if the creator is just starting out. This can make it challenging to attract buyers and drive sales. If you find yourself struggling to reach your audience, re-evaluate your community strategy and connect with other web3 creators to solicit feedback and insights about your project.
Competition There is a lot of competition in the NFT market, which can make it difficult for new collections to stand out and attract attention, especially if they are relying on organic discovery rather than paid advertising to drive awareness. Ensure that your collection’s utility is directly beneficial to your desired buyers to help cut through the noise.
Technical challenges There can be a multitude of technical challenges involved in creating and selling NFTs and navigating a new sales platform. Choose a platform partner with a reputable customer success team and a robust resources library to avoid launch delays and to maximize customer experience for your buyers.
Setting the right price point Pricing strategy can be difficult! If you’re almost to the finish line but have been waiting to launch because you’re stuck crunching numbers, we can help!
Be prepared to adapt and overcome these challenges, and be willing to seek out help and advice from others in the web3 community. By staying focused, persistent, and open to new ideas, you can overcome any challenges and create a successful web3 mint.
Ready, Set, Mint
Congratulations on taking the first step towards creating a successful web3 mint! This exciting journey requires careful planning and execution in order to reach your goals and make your mark in web3. 
By identifying your objectives, choosing the right project type and platform, crafting a minting strategy, engaging with the community, and being prepared for challenges, you can set yourself up to meet your organizational and financial targets. Whether you're looking to raise funds, build a community, or monetize your brand — launching a web3 digital asset collection offers endless and empowering possibilities for creators.
Follow the steps outlined in this guide and let your creativity shine as you launch a web3 mint that truly stands out. Welcome to your web3 future.

How to

Your guide to a successful web3 mint

**Do's and Don'ts guide to building utility in web3**

Have you ever thought about the reason you *didn’t* buy something?&nbsp;

Think about the last t-shirt you tried on. There’s always the obvious reasons not to purchase, like:&nbsp;

* It didn’t fit
* You didn’t like the color
* It was sold out before you were able to purchase it

However, even when we **do** like something, it doesn’t always translate into making a purchase.&nbsp;

After passing the initial qualifiers of ‘do I like this’ and ‘can I buy it’ the goods you purchase everyday also undergo an internal value test — whether you’re aware of it or not. Let’s revisit that t-shirt, this process sounds like:

* Does the price of this&nbsp; t-shirt align with the quality and craftsmanship of the garment?
* Does it bring value to my wardrobe and is it something my wardrobe is missing?

Guess what? The same process exists for NFTs.&nbsp;

In a [January report](https://dibbs.io/science-behind-nft-communities) from Dibbs NFT, 64 percent of NFTs have two or more utilities, making up 73 percent of all trading volumes. This data signifies that NFT collections with multiple utilities trade at **higher values** and faster rates than collections with only one utility — which make up just 28 percent of trading volume.&nbsp;

The numbers don’t lie. Today’s collectors are looking for collectibles with meaningful utility and Creators must deliver to keep pace with competition.

Our Director of Creators, Megan Cornelius, put together a definitive (and easily digestible!) list to guide Creators through the utility building process.

Watch now to learn how to focus on your target audience, deliver delight to your community and how to avoid purchase-pausing roadblocks during your next mint.&nbsp;

<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="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"><div style="padding:0 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/802788320?h=fffbc7346e&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="Aspen | Do and Don&amp;rsquo;ts Guide to Building Utility in Web3"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

Do's and Don'ts guide to building utility in web3
Have you ever thought about the reason you didn’t buy something? 
Think about the last t-shirt you tried on. There’s always the obvious reasons not to purchase, like: 
<ul>
<li>It didn’t fit</li>
<li>You didn’t like the color</li>
<li>It was sold out before you were able to purchase it</li>
</ul>
However, even when we do like something, it doesn’t always translate into making a purchase. 
After passing the initial qualifiers of ‘do I like this’ and ‘can I buy it’ the goods you purchase everyday also undergo an internal value test — whether you’re aware of it or not. Let’s revisit that t-shirt, this process sounds like:
<ul>
<li>Does the price of this  t-shirt align with the quality and craftsmanship of the garment?</li>
<li>Does it bring value to my wardrobe and is it something my wardrobe is missing?</li>
</ul>
Guess what? The same process exists for NFTs. 
In a <a href="https://dibbs.io/science-behind-nft-communities">January report</a> from Dibbs NFT, 64 percent of NFTs have two or more utilities, making up 73 percent of all trading volumes. This data signifies that NFT collections with multiple utilities trade at higher values and faster rates than collections with only one utility — which make up just 28 percent of trading volume. 
The numbers don’t lie. Today’s collectors are looking for collectibles with meaningful utility and Creators must deliver to keep pace with competition.
Our Director of Creators, Megan Cornelius, put together a definitive (and easily digestible!) list to guide Creators through the utility building process.
Watch now to learn how to focus on your target audience, deliver delight to your community and how to avoid purchase-pausing roadblocks during your next mint. 
<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="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"><div style="padding:0 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/802788320?h=fffbc7346e&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="Aspen | Do and Don&amp;rsquo;ts Guide to Building Utility in Web3"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

Do's and Don'ts guide to building utility in web3

**Turn collections into a web3 career**

In 2022, more than one-third of Americans report having a side hustle. In a recent [survey from Zapier](https://zapier.com/blog/side-hustle-report-2022/), 40% of Americans reported having a side hustle. That's 2 out of 5 people in the U.S. earning multiple streams of income.&nbsp;

And despite what bear-market media coverage says, web3 and NFT collections are still an incredibly viable income opportunity for Creators. In fact, when leveraged correctly — your collections can open the door and help you unlock affiliate or advisory dues.&nbsp;

To help you get started, we’ve assembled the five essential steps to turning your collections into a full-blown web3 career.&nbsp;

Our tutorial covers how to select platforms with Creator-focused features to help scale your presence, developing a strong brand identity and digital presence, developing and executing a results-driven marketing strategy, fostering an engaged community and diversifying your revenue streams for income risk management. Watch now to beat the bear market blues and get moving on the road to revenue.&nbsp;

<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="PGRpdiBzdHlsZT0icGFkZGluZzowIDAgMCAwOyI+PGlmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnZpbWVvLmNvbS92aWRlby84MDEyMjI0OTQ/aD02ZDJiMTEyZDY3JmFtcDtiYWRnZT0wJmFtcDthdXRvcGF1c2U9MCZhbXA7cGxheWVyX2lkPTAmYW1wO2FwcF9pZD01ODQ3OSIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93PSJhdXRvcGxheTsgZnVsbHNjcmVlbjsgcGljdHVyZS1pbi1waWN0dXJlIiBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4gc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7IGhlaWdodDoxMDAlOyIgdGl0bGU9IkFzcGVuIHwgVHVybiBjb2xsZWN0aW9ucyBpbnRvIGEgd2ViMyBjYXJlZXIiPjwvaWZyYW1lPjwvZGl2PjxzY3JpcHQgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3BsYXllci52aW1lby5jb20vYXBpL3BsYXllci5qcyI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+"><div style="padding:0 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/801222494?h=6d2b112d67&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="Aspen | Turn collections into a web3 career"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

Turn collections into a web3 career
In 2022, more than one-third of Americans report having a side hustle. In a recent <a href="https://zapier.com/blog/side-hustle-report-2022/">survey from Zapier</a>, 40% of Americans reported having a side hustle. That's 2 out of 5 people in the U.S. earning multiple streams of income. 
And despite what bear-market media coverage says, web3 and NFT collections are still an incredibly viable income opportunity for Creators. In fact, when leveraged correctly — your collections can open the door and help you unlock affiliate or advisory dues. 
To help you get started, we’ve assembled the five essential steps to turning your collections into a full-blown web3 career. 
Our tutorial covers how to select platforms with Creator-focused features to help scale your presence, developing a strong brand identity and digital presence, developing and executing a results-driven marketing strategy, fostering an engaged community and diversifying your revenue streams for income risk management. Watch now to beat the bear market blues and get moving on the road to revenue. 
<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="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"><div style="padding:0 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/801222494?h=6d2b112d67&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="Aspen | Turn collections into a web3 career"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

**How to create generative art using AI**

Is it just us or is there a new AI tool popping up each week?

We’ve excitedly been monitoring the intersection of web3 and AI to keep our finger on the best emerging tools and resources for Creators.&nbsp;

Collections like [Art Blocks](https://www.artblocks.io/), [Autoglyphs](https://www.larvalabs.com/autoglyphs) or [Lost Poets](https://lostpoets.xyz/) are a part of the Generative Art NFT market which generated 2.57 billion dollars in 2021 — a serious increase from the $20 million it landed in 2020. Crypto winter or not, that type of upward trajectory is attractive to Creators and collectors alike, and may have you wondering how you can harness the power of AI to create your own generative collection.&nbsp;

We can help.

While AI is an incredibly capable and powerful tool, the best results are achieved by selecting the platform most capable to deliver your achieved results, understanding how language models operate and learning how to provide highly specific, actionable prompts to optimize outputs.&nbsp;

We sat down with AI-enthusiast and Aspen software engineer, Devon, and created an end-to-end guide for Creators interested in leveraging AI for next-generation artwork.

Watch now!&nbsp;

<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="PGRpdiBzdHlsZT0icGFkZGluZzo1JSAwIDAgMDsiPjxpZnJhbWUgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3BsYXllci52aW1lby5jb20vdmlkZW8vNzk5ODQ0NTU1P2g9MjFiZWJkYTJkYSZhbXA7YmFkZ2U9MCZhbXA7YXV0b3BhdXNlPTAmYW1wO3BsYXllcl9pZD0wJmFtcDthcHBfaWQ9NTg0NzkiIGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyPSIwIiBhbGxvdz0iYXV0b3BsYXk7IGZ1bGxzY3JlZW47IHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuIHN0eWxlPSJ3aWR0aDoxMDAlOyBoZWlnaHQ6MTAwJTsiIHRpdGxlPSJNTSAyLjEubXA0Ij48L2lmcmFtZT48L2Rpdj48c2NyaXB0IHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly9wbGF5ZXIudmltZW8uY29tL2FwaS9wbGF5ZXIuanMiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg=="><div style="padding:5% 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/799844555?h=21bebda2da&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="MM 2.1.mp4"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

How to create generative art using AI
Is it just us or is there a new AI tool popping up each week?
We’ve excitedly been monitoring the intersection of web3 and AI to keep our finger on the best emerging tools and resources for Creators. 
Collections like <a href="https://www.artblocks.io/">Art Blocks</a>, <a href="https://www.larvalabs.com/autoglyphs">Autoglyphs</a> or <a href="https://lostpoets.xyz/">Lost Poets</a> are a part of the Generative Art NFT market which generated 2.57 billion dollars in 2021 — a serious increase from the $20 million it landed in 2020. Crypto winter or not, that type of upward trajectory is attractive to Creators and collectors alike, and may have you wondering how you can harness the power of AI to create your own generative collection. 
We can help.
While AI is an incredibly capable and powerful tool, the best results are achieved by selecting the platform most capable to deliver your achieved results, understanding how language models operate and learning how to provide highly specific, actionable prompts to optimize outputs. 
We sat down with AI-enthusiast and Aspen software engineer, Devon, and created an end-to-end guide for Creators interested in leveraging AI for next-generation artwork.
Watch now! 
<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="PGRpdiBzdHlsZT0icGFkZGluZzo1JSAwIDAgMDsiPjxpZnJhbWUgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3BsYXllci52aW1lby5jb20vdmlkZW8vNzk5ODQ0NTU1P2g9MjFiZWJkYTJkYSZhbXA7YmFkZ2U9MCZhbXA7YXV0b3BhdXNlPTAmYW1wO3BsYXllcl9pZD0wJmFtcDthcHBfaWQ9NTg0NzkiIGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyPSIwIiBhbGxvdz0iYXV0b3BsYXk7IGZ1bGxzY3JlZW47IHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuIHN0eWxlPSJ3aWR0aDoxMDAlOyBoZWlnaHQ6MTAwJTsiIHRpdGxlPSJNTSAyLjEubXA0Ij48L2lmcmFtZT48L2Rpdj48c2NyaXB0IHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly9wbGF5ZXIudmltZW8uY29tL2FwaS9wbGF5ZXIuanMiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg=="><div style="padding:5% 0 0 0;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/799844555?h=21bebda2da&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="width:100%; height:100%;" title="MM 2.1.mp4"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script></div>

How to create generative art using AI

**How Creators like Steinza turned to web3 to generate revenue in places web2 can’t**

If you’re guilty of listening to the same songs over and over again (no shame!) you probably missed the news that 23-year-old singer/songwriter Zachary Stein — who has recently found his way onto Spotify’s <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXdS3lvGe1GrT?si=0567f8ccd7ba4de3">Fresh Finds</a> playlist — will be performing his first headline show this weekend at Nashville’s beloved East Room.

<img width="720" height="414" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza.png" />

Previously an opener for remix-rich Hallucinogenics artist, Matt Maeson, Stein (better known by stage name Steinza) has spent the last year living the aspiring musician’s dream: touring the country and meeting the fans that have propelled him to nearly a quarter of a million monthly listeners. Pretty good for someone who describes themselves as “just 23 trying to get to 24.”

While undoubtedly surreal for an artist only five years after his high school graduation — the reality remains that following your dreams (even if they land you on stage at sold-out shows) doesn’t necessarily equate to financial success.

This month, ZipRecruiter <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Touring-Musician-Salary#:~:text=How%20much%20does%20a%20Touring,%2Fweek%20or%20%244%2C092%2Fmonth.">released data</a> on the average annual pay in the U.S. for a touring musician coming in at an underwhelming $49,110 a year — or $23.61 an hour. On our way to catch Steinza’s show in Nashville, we realized he could be making the same amount if he had stayed in his hometown of Virginia Beach and snagged a job at In-N-Out Burger.

<img width="720" height="467" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza2.png" />

The recent onslaught of lawsuits against live music giants <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/ticketmaster-antitrust-fight-belongs-in-arbitration-1235325905/">Ticketmaster</a> and <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.billboard.com/pro/live-nation-beats-lawsuit-high-ticket-prices/">Live Nation </a>are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to difficulty faced by artists who were promised revenue streams and instead are looking at muddied creeks.

Sure, Taylor Swift certainly isn’t hurting for cash — but what about the independent artists like Steinza?

The dollars made from a show’s ticket sales have to first clear booking and processing fees along with taxes before even making their way to the artist’s accounts. From there, venue fees and show staffing have to be paid in addition to covering stage construction costs and liability insurance. After those deductions, artists have to split the remaining revenue with their management teams and also pay sound engineers, lighting technicians, transportation costs and cover rehearsal and travel expenses for themselves and their crew. Don’t even get us started on the recording and production costs they have to burden before they even land a touring gig.

Let’s be real: those definitely aren’t getting paid by modest merch table sales. So how do artists like Zach make playing their dreamy indie-pop for audiences worldwide a sustainable career in spite of those figures?

**Web3 Solutions to Web2 Problems**

Steinza’s advantage (outside of his lush vocals) is growing up in the social media age which ensured he was no stranger to the viral takeover of web3, gaining massive popularity among Creators over the last two years. Driven by taglines like “the internet you own” web3 offers enormous opportunity to the creator economy including (but certainly not limited to):

**1\.** Enabling Creators’ full ownership of their content, data, brand, and tools

**2\.** Eliminating unnecessary platforms and intermediaries between creators and their fanbase

**3\.** Transparent and direct revenue pathways based on creativity rather than ad deals, affiliates, and promotions

Considering recent statistics report that becoming a digital content creator is the <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://educationandemployers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DrawingTheFuture.pdf">fourth most popular career goal</a> for Gen Z, who make up <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/#:~:text=This%20data%20comes%20straight%20from,the%20largest%20generation%20of%20all.">60% of all TikTok users</a>, it’s no surprise that the question in Steinza’s head long before he met Aspen VP, Jeremy Williams, at a show in NYC was “how can I make web3 work for me?”

<img width="720" height="902" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza3.png" />

When the two connected backstage at Irving Plaza, the digital native was curious about how to find his footing in NFTs and began talking with Williams about the pressure of choosing between his dreams and establishing financial security at a time when cost of living is intimidatingly high.

While he’d heard of other artists releasing NFT collections, his main critique was that no NFT drop he’d seen had recognized the community built on a venue’s floor or captured the energy between a musician and their fans during a live performance.

Steinza wasn’t shy, either. He wasted no time before asking what creators everywhere are thinking: can NFTs *actually* deliver a mutually beneficial opportunity to increase earnings while delivering **real value** to fans — or is it all just crypto hype? And if there was a way, how the hell was he supposed to convert concert-goers into web3 wallet holders?

Williams came back to work after the weekend and Aspen took it from there.

**Steinza Stubs: Stein’s First NFT Collection**

For the very first time on Friday, February 17th, Steinza will be bringing his IRL audience online with an exclusive offer for his Nashville audience to claim *no-cost* NFTs granting them exclusive access to a virtual screening of the show and priority access to own multimedia memories from the concert.

Did we mention no crypto is required to claim? **<img width="600" height="600" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza.gif" /> Transforming Live Music Using Aspen’s NFT Distribution Tools**

Aspen’s creator-centric platform empowers users like Steinza to innovatively engage their audiences without overcomplicating the process for fans.

Let’s break down how it works.

**1\.** Concert-goers will be the only group with access to a custom QR code accessible from the East Room that takes them to Steinza’s Claim Pass mobile landing page.

**2\.** From there, visitors are asked to provide their email address to receive their Steinza Digital Ticket Stub

**3\.** Email Links to claim Steinza Stubs will be distributed Saturday, February 18th to prevent fans from missing any part of the show.

**4\.** The single-use link shared via email will direct ticket-holders to Steinza’s <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://app.aspenft.io/137/contract/0x6737402750c231A79df09a82d44b91a4aE449d47">Storefront</a> on Aspen where they can claim their **free** NFT, granting them *exclusive access* to a virtual screening of the show.

**5\.** Further, NFT holders will also receive **priority access** to mint additional, individual memories (in the form of multimedia snippets) from the show, produced by <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://nftytunes.xyz/">NFTYTunes</a>. More on that below.

**6\.** Once the Memories Mint goes live on Aspen, Steinza Stub holders will be the **first** to see the 125 multimedia NFTs available for sale and will have the opportunity to purchase them before the mint is opened to the public.

And just like that, Steinza’s fanbase has seamlessly made it through a complex web3 mint process with just a few clicks of a button and can revisit the spirit of his show whenever they want — at no additional cost to them.

<div><div><img width="720" height="405" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza4.png" /></div><div> </div></div>

**Creators Deserve Uncomplicated Revenue**

And what’s in it for Zach? After delivering free value to his Nashville audience, he’s inviting his entire fanbase to own show memories whether they made it to the Music City or not. The collection will include 125 multimedia NFTs broken into three tiers totaling a collection value of $1,750 USD, or the equivalent of what he could generate from a <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://soundcamps.com/spotify-royalties-calculator/">whopping 750,000 streams on Spotify.</a>

As of this publication, Steinza is racking up 210,000 monthly streams on Spotify. This collection, created by a show he’s already performing, offers him the ability to make in **one drop** what would otherwise take him *nearly four months* to earn.

Four months of income in one night. And what if he decided to do it for a whole leg of a tour? It would take him **less than one month** to make the annual income for a touring musician in the U.S.

**Not in 25 Cities a Month? Not a Problem**

While Aspen’s minting and marketing toolkits make a perfect pair for musicians on the road, they aren’t the only creators who can massively increase their monthly income via innovative NFT integrations. Our QR code and single use distribution links are easy-to-use solutions for standard or marketing-driven mints alike.

Here’s a few of our favorite ideas for existing web3 creators:

**1\.** Incorporate a QR code to a free NFT collection at your next art show or gallery opening to thank visitors for attending. Or maybe grant them a spot on your next paid collection’s allowlist to increase the type of revenue you don’t have to split with venues or show collaborators.

**2\.** Spin up a <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://wildposting.com/blog/how-to-do-a-wild-posting-campaign/">wheatpaste campaign</a> timed alongside large-scale NFT industry events with a QR code driving traffic to a Claim Link landing page to generate hype for your next mint or as a creative way to grant allowlist for an upcoming drop.

**3\.** Email Newsletter Creators, rejoice! You can bypass the QR code step and distribute single-use NFT claim links directly to some, any or all of your contacts for a web3-approved way to deliver members-only content or surprise your readers with a freebie.

To date, it’s been too complicated to make money in web3 — and wasn’t the whole point that it’d be easier? Aspen simplifies the process for Creators to design, build, and deliver experiences their customers, fans and communities love, regardless of their experience in crypto, NFTs or even ecommerce.

Whether you are a diehard degen or new to the space, our no-code, Creator-centric platform transforms previously complex processes into just a few simple steps to stand up your very own Web3-based business.

Note: our Minting and Marketing toolkits are currently only available with an Early Access Pass and are launching to the public this Spring.

If you’re reading this and are looking to get started now, <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/drjeremynft">get in touch.</a>

How Creators like Steinza turned to web3 to generate revenue in places web2 can’t
If you’re guilty of listening to the same songs over and over again (no shame!) you probably missed the news that 23-year-old singer/songwriter Zachary Stein — who has recently found his way onto Spotify’s <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXdS3lvGe1GrT?si=0567f8ccd7ba4de3">Fresh Finds</a> playlist — will be performing his first headline show this weekend at Nashville’s beloved East Room.
<img width="720" height="414" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza.png" />
Previously an opener for remix-rich Hallucinogenics artist, Matt Maeson, Stein (better known by stage name Steinza) has spent the last year living the aspiring musician’s dream: touring the country and meeting the fans that have propelled him to nearly a quarter of a million monthly listeners. Pretty good for someone who describes themselves as “just 23 trying to get to 24.”
While undoubtedly surreal for an artist only five years after his high school graduation — the reality remains that following your dreams (even if they land you on stage at sold-out shows) doesn’t necessarily equate to financial success.
This month, ZipRecruiter <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Touring-Musician-Salary#:~:text=How%20much%20does%20a%20Touring,%2Fweek%20or%20%244%2C092%2Fmonth.">released data</a> on the average annual pay in the U.S. for a touring musician coming in at an underwhelming $49,110 a year — or $23.61 an hour. On our way to catch Steinza’s show in Nashville, we realized he could be making the same amount if he had stayed in his hometown of Virginia Beach and snagged a job at In-N-Out Burger.
<img width="720" height="467" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza2.png" />
The recent onslaught of lawsuits against live music giants <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/ticketmaster-antitrust-fight-belongs-in-arbitration-1235325905/">Ticketmaster</a> and <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.billboard.com/pro/live-nation-beats-lawsuit-high-ticket-prices/">Live Nation </a>are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to difficulty faced by artists who were promised revenue streams and instead are looking at muddied creeks.
Sure, Taylor Swift certainly isn’t hurting for cash — but what about the independent artists like Steinza?
The dollars made from a show’s ticket sales have to first clear booking and processing fees along with taxes before even making their way to the artist’s accounts. From there, venue fees and show staffing have to be paid in addition to covering stage construction costs and liability insurance. After those deductions, artists have to split the remaining revenue with their management teams and also pay sound engineers, lighting technicians, transportation costs and cover rehearsal and travel expenses for themselves and their crew. Don’t even get us started on the recording and production costs they have to burden before they even land a touring gig.
Let’s be real: those definitely aren’t getting paid by modest merch table sales. So how do artists like Zach make playing their dreamy indie-pop for audiences worldwide a sustainable career in spite of those figures?
Web3 Solutions to Web2 Problems
Steinza’s advantage (outside of his lush vocals) is growing up in the social media age which ensured he was no stranger to the viral takeover of web3, gaining massive popularity among Creators over the last two years. Driven by taglines like “the internet you own” web3 offers enormous opportunity to the creator economy including (but certainly not limited to):
1. Enabling Creators’ full ownership of their content, data, brand, and tools
2. Eliminating unnecessary platforms and intermediaries between creators and their fanbase
3. Transparent and direct revenue pathways based on creativity rather than ad deals, affiliates, and promotions
Considering recent statistics report that becoming a digital content creator is the <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://educationandemployers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/DrawingTheFuture.pdf">fourth most popular career goal</a> for Gen Z, who make up <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/#:~:text=This%20data%20comes%20straight%20from,the%20largest%20generation%20of%20all.">60% of all TikTok users</a>, it’s no surprise that the question in Steinza’s head long before he met Aspen VP, Jeremy Williams, at a show in NYC was “how can I make web3 work for me?”
<img width="720" height="902" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza3.png" />
When the two connected backstage at Irving Plaza, the digital native was curious about how to find his footing in NFTs and began talking with Williams about the pressure of choosing between his dreams and establishing financial security at a time when cost of living is intimidatingly high.
While he’d heard of other artists releasing NFT collections, his main critique was that no NFT drop he’d seen had recognized the community built on a venue’s floor or captured the energy between a musician and their fans during a live performance.
Steinza wasn’t shy, either. He wasted no time before asking what creators everywhere are thinking: can NFTs actually deliver a mutually beneficial opportunity to increase earnings while delivering real value to fans — or is it all just crypto hype? And if there was a way, how the hell was he supposed to convert concert-goers into web3 wallet holders?
Williams came back to work after the weekend and Aspen took it from there.
Steinza Stubs: Stein’s First NFT Collection
For the very first time on Friday, February 17th, Steinza will be bringing his IRL audience online with an exclusive offer for his Nashville audience to claim no-cost NFTs granting them exclusive access to a virtual screening of the show and priority access to own multimedia memories from the concert.
Did we mention no crypto is required to claim? <img width="600" height="600" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza.gif" /> Transforming Live Music Using Aspen’s NFT Distribution Tools
Aspen’s creator-centric platform empowers users like Steinza to innovatively engage their audiences without overcomplicating the process for fans.
Let’s break down how it works.
1. Concert-goers will be the only group with access to a custom QR code accessible from the East Room that takes them to Steinza’s Claim Pass mobile landing page.
2. From there, visitors are asked to provide their email address to receive their Steinza Digital Ticket Stub
3. Email Links to claim Steinza Stubs will be distributed Saturday, February 18th to prevent fans from missing any part of the show.
4. The single-use link shared via email will direct ticket-holders to Steinza’s <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://app.aspenft.io/137/contract/0x6737402750c231A79df09a82d44b91a4aE449d47">Storefront</a> on Aspen where they can claim their free NFT, granting them exclusive access to a virtual screening of the show.
5. Further, NFT holders will also receive priority access to mint additional, individual memories (in the form of multimedia snippets) from the show, produced by <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://nftytunes.xyz/">NFTYTunes</a>. More on that below.
6. Once the Memories Mint goes live on Aspen, Steinza Stub holders will be the first to see the 125 multimedia NFTs available for sale and will have the opportunity to purchase them before the mint is opened to the public.
And just like that, Steinza’s fanbase has seamlessly made it through a complex web3 mint process with just a few clicks of a button and can revisit the spirit of his show whenever they want — at no additional cost to them.
<div><div><img width="720" height="405" src="/images/blog/blog2/Steinza4.png" /></div><div> </div></div>
Creators Deserve Uncomplicated Revenue
And what’s in it for Zach? After delivering free value to his Nashville audience, he’s inviting his entire fanbase to own show memories whether they made it to the Music City or not. The collection will include 125 multimedia NFTs broken into three tiers totaling a collection value of $1,750 USD, or the equivalent of what he could generate from a <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://soundcamps.com/spotify-royalties-calculator/">whopping 750,000 streams on Spotify.</a>
As of this publication, Steinza is racking up 210,000 monthly streams on Spotify. This collection, created by a show he’s already performing, offers him the ability to make in one drop what would otherwise take him nearly four months to earn.
Four months of income in one night. And what if he decided to do it for a whole leg of a tour? It would take him less than one month to make the annual income for a touring musician in the U.S.
Not in 25 Cities a Month? Not a Problem
While Aspen’s minting and marketing toolkits make a perfect pair for musicians on the road, they aren’t the only creators who can massively increase their monthly income via innovative NFT integrations. Our QR code and single use distribution links are easy-to-use solutions for standard or marketing-driven mints alike.
Here’s a few of our favorite ideas for existing web3 creators:
1. Incorporate a QR code to a free NFT collection at your next art show or gallery opening to thank visitors for attending. Or maybe grant them a spot on your next paid collection’s allowlist to increase the type of revenue you don’t have to split with venues or show collaborators.
2. Spin up a <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://wildposting.com/blog/how-to-do-a-wild-posting-campaign/">wheatpaste campaign</a> timed alongside large-scale NFT industry events with a QR code driving traffic to a Claim Link landing page to generate hype for your next mint or as a creative way to grant allowlist for an upcoming drop.
3. Email Newsletter Creators, rejoice! You can bypass the QR code step and distribute single-use NFT claim links directly to some, any or all of your contacts for a web3-approved way to deliver members-only content or surprise your readers with a freebie.
To date, it’s been too complicated to make money in web3 — and wasn’t the whole point that it’d be easier? Aspen simplifies the process for Creators to design, build, and deliver experiences their customers, fans and communities love, regardless of their experience in crypto, NFTs or even ecommerce.
Whether you are a diehard degen or new to the space, our no-code, Creator-centric platform transforms previously complex processes into just a few simple steps to stand up your very own Web3-based business.
Note: our Minting and Marketing toolkits are currently only available with an Early Access Pass and are launching to the public this Spring.
If you’re reading this and are looking to get started now, <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/drjeremynft">get in touch.</a>

**How to protect your IP rights as a web3 Creator**

As a creator working in the Web3 space, it's important to understand how to protect your intellectual property (IP) and ensure that you receive the appropriate recognition for your work. &nbsp; After all, your creative efforts are a valuable asset that deserve to be protected. But with the complexities of digital media and the challenges of enforcing your rights in the online world, it can be difficult to know where to start. &nbsp; Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safeguard your IP rights as a Web3 creator as well as platforms and resources available for Creators to utilize and ensure those protections are enforced.&nbsp;

**1\. Understand your rights:** The first step in protecting your IP is to understand what rights you have as a creator. In most cases, you have the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform your creative work. This means that others cannot use your work without your permission. If you discover that your work is being used without your permission, you should take action. This may involve contacting the party using the work and/or contacting the platform hosting the work and requesting its removal. You may also want to consider registering your work with the appropriate copyright office to establish your ownership and make it easier to enforce your rights, which we’ll cover in more detail in this article.&nbsp;

**2\. Attach terms and conditions:** Terms of Use or Terms and Conditions is a contract that specifies how others can use your work. For example, a customized terms and conditions document could outline that your work can only be used for a specific number of copies, for personal but not commercial use, for a limited time or in a specific geographic region. This specificity removes speculation about the use of your intellectual property and can help you control how your work is used — not to mention ensure that you receive appropriate royalties. Aspen gives creators the option to attach transferable, on-chain terms and conditions when they create their collection. Choose from a list of templates curated by industry leading legal experts or customise your own. These cover a wide variety of themes and have been carefully written by experts to match your business needs.&nbsp; Attaching terms means purchasers of the NFT are required to accept the terms prior to the NFT being transferred to their wallet. This provides Creators with a legal basis for protecting their work. To learn how National Lampoon used Customized Terms and Conditions for their recent ReCover mint, read more [HERE](/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3).

**3\. Register your work**\: In many cases, you can register your creative work with the appropriate copyright office to establish your ownership. While copyright and NFTs are still a thorny issue, registering the artwork or other IP used to generate your NFTs can be an important step in protecting your IP and enforcing your rights. To register your work with a copyright office, you will typically need to submit a completed application, along with a non-refundable filing fee and a copy of the work you want to register. The application process and requirements may vary depending on the country or region where you are located. In some cases, you may be able to register their work online through the copyright office's website. In other cases, you may need to submit a physical application and copy of the work by mail. It's important to carefully review the copyright office's requirements and follow their instructions to ensure that the application is completed correctly.

**4\. Mint and transact on platforms that enforce Creator Royalties:** Web3 collectibles are at a crucial intersection. They are quickly growing beyond the trading of NFT-driven profile pictures (PFPs) to solidifying their place as the home for next-generation storytelling with standardized digital property rights. To date, Creators have been limited in their ability to pursue royalties enforcement due to a glaring roadblock: current state NFTs are incapable of synthesizing real world documents and contracts with blockchain backed tokens in a way that provides all parties legal certainty. Aspen’s on-chain terms and conditions deliver creators the first legal basis to protecting their rights. Further, royalties will always be paid on Aspen, full stop.&nbsp;

Protecting your IP as a Web3 creator is important for the success of your creative efforts. By understanding your rights, embedding Terms and Conditions into your NFTs, registering your creative work and using platforms that enforce creator royalties — you can safeguard your IP and ensure that you are properly compensated for your work.&nbsp; &nbsp; While it may take some effort to put these measures in place, the benefits of protecting your IP and enforcing your rights are well worth it. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your creative work is valued and respected in the broader Web3 community.

How to protect your IP rights as a web3 Creator
As a creator working in the Web3 space, it's important to understand how to protect your intellectual property (IP) and ensure that you receive the appropriate recognition for your work.   After all, your creative efforts are a valuable asset that deserve to be protected. But with the complexities of digital media and the challenges of enforcing your rights in the online world, it can be difficult to know where to start.   Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safeguard your IP rights as a Web3 creator as well as platforms and resources available for Creators to utilize and ensure those protections are enforced. 
1. Understand your rights: The first step in protecting your IP is to understand what rights you have as a creator. In most cases, you have the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and publicly perform your creative work. This means that others cannot use your work without your permission. If you discover that your work is being used without your permission, you should take action. This may involve contacting the party using the work and/or contacting the platform hosting the work and requesting its removal. You may also want to consider registering your work with the appropriate copyright office to establish your ownership and make it easier to enforce your rights, which we’ll cover in more detail in this article. 
2. Attach terms and conditions: Terms of Use or Terms and Conditions is a contract that specifies how others can use your work. For example, a customized terms and conditions document could outline that your work can only be used for a specific number of copies, for personal but not commercial use, for a limited time or in a specific geographic region. This specificity removes speculation about the use of your intellectual property and can help you control how your work is used — not to mention ensure that you receive appropriate royalties. Aspen gives creators the option to attach transferable, on-chain terms and conditions when they create their collection. Choose from a list of templates curated by industry leading legal experts or customise your own. These cover a wide variety of themes and have been carefully written by experts to match your business needs.  Attaching terms means purchasers of the NFT are required to accept the terms prior to the NFT being transferred to their wallet. This provides Creators with a legal basis for protecting their work. To learn how National Lampoon used Customized Terms and Conditions for their recent ReCover mint, read more <a href="/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3">HERE</a>.
3. Register your work: In many cases, you can register your creative work with the appropriate copyright office to establish your ownership. While copyright and NFTs are still a thorny issue, registering the artwork or other IP used to generate your NFTs can be an important step in protecting your IP and enforcing your rights. To register your work with a copyright office, you will typically need to submit a completed application, along with a non-refundable filing fee and a copy of the work you want to register. The application process and requirements may vary depending on the country or region where you are located. In some cases, you may be able to register their work online through the copyright office's website. In other cases, you may need to submit a physical application and copy of the work by mail. It's important to carefully review the copyright office's requirements and follow their instructions to ensure that the application is completed correctly.
4. Mint and transact on platforms that enforce Creator Royalties: Web3 collectibles are at a crucial intersection. They are quickly growing beyond the trading of NFT-driven profile pictures (PFPs) to solidifying their place as the home for next-generation storytelling with standardized digital property rights. To date, Creators have been limited in their ability to pursue royalties enforcement due to a glaring roadblock: current state NFTs are incapable of synthesizing real world documents and contracts with blockchain backed tokens in a way that provides all parties legal certainty. Aspen’s on-chain terms and conditions deliver creators the first legal basis to protecting their rights. Further, royalties will always be paid on Aspen, full stop. 
Protecting your IP as a Web3 creator is important for the success of your creative efforts. By understanding your rights, embedding Terms and Conditions into your NFTs, registering your creative work and using platforms that enforce creator royalties — you can safeguard your IP and ensure that you are properly compensated for your work.    While it may take some effort to put these measures in place, the benefits of protecting your IP and enforcing your rights are well worth it. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your creative work is valued and respected in the broader Web3 community.

Understand how to protect your intellectual property

How to protect your IP rights as a web3 Creator

**15 things not to forget after your initial mint date**

Congratulations on successfully minting your NFT collection! Take a moment to celebrate the milestone and then get ready to roll up your sleeves (again) because the work isn’t done quite yet.&nbsp; &nbsp; In order to reach new potential collectors, maximize your sales and build a strong community — there are several things to keep in mind after your initial mint date. Our Director of Creators and Director of Growth got together to build this must-read checklist of 15 things **not to forget** as you continue to promote and grow your NFT collection.

**1\. Perform Market Analysis:** Continuously monitor the performance and trends of your NFTs on the market, and compare it with your peers, competitors and industry standards. This will give you insights on how to adjust your strategy and pricing for future mints, and identify potential new markets or opportunities. We love sites like [Dune](https://dune.com/browse/dashboards), and [Footprint](https://www.footprint.network/dashboards).

**2\. Dive into Collection Analytics:** Digging into your collection’s performance and identifying number of unique holders, average holding and the like can provide good intel on your collection’s distribution and reach.

**3\. Maximize Platform Perks:** Ensure you’re taking advantage of all promotional opportunities your platform offers to their Creators. Find ways to be featured on their Discovery pages or in their social media content to reach new audiences. This would be prime time to set up your Storefront on Aspen if you haven’t already.

**4\. Talk About Your Differences:** Clearly communicate the unique attributes and/or rarity of your NFT collection. This will help potential buyers understand the value of your NFTs and why they should buy them.

**5\. Leverage Social Media:** Utilize social media and online communities to promote your NFTs and build a fanbase. Structure your social posts to focus on collector benefits and prioritize entertainment over sales. Social is a place to connect, which drives organic sales. Don’t forget to welcome new holders via social media as well!

**6\. Incentivize Early Adopters:** Offer discounts or bonuses for early adopters or bulk purchases. This simultaneously rewards your new community members while incentivizing more collectors to join the ranks. That’s what we call a win-win!

**7\. Optimize your Storefront:** Collections on Aspen gain access to feature-rich storefronts, complete with customizable CTAs and branding and marketing collateral — eliminating the need to maintain an additional website.

**8\. Start an Email Newsletter:** Email marketing helps you reach your audience directly — without having to worry about social media algorithms. Aspen offers Creators direct email capture on their Storefront with the ability to export contacts to upload directly to your email platform of choice.

**9\. Storytelling:** Use storytelling and immersive experiences to enhance the value and appeal of your NFTs. This will help potential buyers connect with your NFTs on a deeper level.

**10\. Collaborate With Others:** Initiate and build relationships with other Web3 creators, artists, and advocates. Collaborating with others can bring new ideas to the surface and can be an effective sales driver by expanding your audience.

**11\. Offer Exclusive Content:** Offer exclusive content or bonus content to holders of your NFTs to welcome them to your growing community. This provides an additional incentive to mint and begins to build connections between you and your new collectors.

**12\. Maintain New Releases:** Keep content coming! Continuously releasing new content or updates to existing collections helps your audience maintain interest and excitement. An engaged audience is imperative to both sales and community growth.

**13\. Explore Cross-Promotion:** Consider teaming up with other creators or brands to identify cross-audience synergy and build an exclusive package or promotion. Be sure to look for partners who have a similar audience size to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.

**14\. Prioritize Community Engagement:** Host events or competitions to engage your community and drive sales. Challenge yourself to center these initiatives around common themes or causes your community cares about, rather than just your NFTs. This will help build community strength which results in more organic sales over time.

**15\. Make Room for Transparency:** Be transparent and responsive to your community, and be open to feedback. Take the time to respond thoughtfully to comments and DMs and be proactive about any bugs or hiccups the collection may experience. This will help build trust and loyalty among your audience, and make them more likely to buy future collections.

It’s no secret that after minting your NFT collection, it’s time to focus on sales and community growth. By following the above tips, you’re now equipped with effective tools that answer the ‘but how?’ question we see so frequently among Web3 creator groups. &nbsp; Remember — the NFT market is constantly evolving and it's important to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments to find opportunities to update your collection or marketing materials. &nbsp; Building a successful NFT collection takes time, patience, and effort. It's not a one-time event but a continuous process. Keep in mind that the key to success is to be consistent and persistent in your efforts. Be open to feedback, take risks and be willing to adapt your strategy as needed. &nbsp; Finally, don't be discouraged by setbacks or initial lack of success, this is an emerging and rapidly growing market, there is a lot of potential to achieve success in different ways. Keep pushing and experimenting, and you will find the way (or ways!) that works best for you, your collection, and your community.

15 things not to forget after your initial mint date
Congratulations on successfully minting your NFT collection! Take a moment to celebrate the milestone and then get ready to roll up your sleeves (again) because the work isn’t done quite yet.    In order to reach new potential collectors, maximize your sales and build a strong community — there are several things to keep in mind after your initial mint date. Our Director of Creators and Director of Growth got together to build this must-read checklist of 15 things not to forget as you continue to promote and grow your NFT collection.
1. Perform Market Analysis: Continuously monitor the performance and trends of your NFTs on the market, and compare it with your peers, competitors and industry standards. This will give you insights on how to adjust your strategy and pricing for future mints, and identify potential new markets or opportunities. We love sites like <a href="https://dune.com/browse/dashboards">Dune</a>, and <a href="https://www.footprint.network/dashboards">Footprint</a>.
2. Dive into Collection Analytics: Digging into your collection’s performance and identifying number of unique holders, average holding and the like can provide good intel on your collection’s distribution and reach.
3. Maximize Platform Perks: Ensure you’re taking advantage of all promotional opportunities your platform offers to their Creators. Find ways to be featured on their Discovery pages or in their social media content to reach new audiences. This would be prime time to set up your Storefront on Aspen if you haven’t already.
4. Talk About Your Differences: Clearly communicate the unique attributes and/or rarity of your NFT collection. This will help potential buyers understand the value of your NFTs and why they should buy them.
5. Leverage Social Media: Utilize social media and online communities to promote your NFTs and build a fanbase. Structure your social posts to focus on collector benefits and prioritize entertainment over sales. Social is a place to connect, which drives organic sales. Don’t forget to welcome new holders via social media as well!
6. Incentivize Early Adopters: Offer discounts or bonuses for early adopters or bulk purchases. This simultaneously rewards your new community members while incentivizing more collectors to join the ranks. That’s what we call a win-win!
7. Optimize your Storefront: Collections on Aspen gain access to feature-rich storefronts, complete with customizable CTAs and branding and marketing collateral — eliminating the need to maintain an additional website.
8. Start an Email Newsletter: Email marketing helps you reach your audience directly — without having to worry about social media algorithms. Aspen offers Creators direct email capture on their Storefront with the ability to export contacts to upload directly to your email platform of choice.
9. Storytelling: Use storytelling and immersive experiences to enhance the value and appeal of your NFTs. This will help potential buyers connect with your NFTs on a deeper level.
10. Collaborate With Others: Initiate and build relationships with other Web3 creators, artists, and advocates. Collaborating with others can bring new ideas to the surface and can be an effective sales driver by expanding your audience.
11. Offer Exclusive Content: Offer exclusive content or bonus content to holders of your NFTs to welcome them to your growing community. This provides an additional incentive to mint and begins to build connections between you and your new collectors.
12. Maintain New Releases: Keep content coming! Continuously releasing new content or updates to existing collections helps your audience maintain interest and excitement. An engaged audience is imperative to both sales and community growth.
13. Explore Cross-Promotion: Consider teaming up with other creators or brands to identify cross-audience synergy and build an exclusive package or promotion. Be sure to look for partners who have a similar audience size to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.
14. Prioritize Community Engagement: Host events or competitions to engage your community and drive sales. Challenge yourself to center these initiatives around common themes or causes your community cares about, rather than just your NFTs. This will help build community strength which results in more organic sales over time.
15. Make Room for Transparency: Be transparent and responsive to your community, and be open to feedback. Take the time to respond thoughtfully to comments and DMs and be proactive about any bugs or hiccups the collection may experience. This will help build trust and loyalty among your audience, and make them more likely to buy future collections.
It’s no secret that after minting your NFT collection, it’s time to focus on sales and community growth. By following the above tips, you’re now equipped with effective tools that answer the ‘but how?’ question we see so frequently among Web3 creator groups.   Remember — the NFT market is constantly evolving and it's important to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments to find opportunities to update your collection or marketing materials.   Building a successful NFT collection takes time, patience, and effort. It's not a one-time event but a continuous process. Keep in mind that the key to success is to be consistent and persistent in your efforts. Be open to feedback, take risks and be willing to adapt your strategy as needed.   Finally, don't be discouraged by setbacks or initial lack of success, this is an emerging and rapidly growing market, there is a lot of potential to achieve success in different ways. Keep pushing and experimenting, and you will find the way (or ways!) that works best for you, your collection, and your community.

15 things not to forget after your initial mint date

**Definitive Gift Guide for Degens**

We’ve read all the gift guides this year suggesting Dogecoin socks as stocking stuffers and surprising a loved one with the Metavertu and — while neither of those ideas don’t work — they feel a lot like normie presents adapted for a brother-in-law you heard was ‘into crypto.’

To avoid more socks this season, we got to work assembling a by-degen, for-degen gift guide to help you out this holiday season. The best part? We’ve adapted it for year-round utility to include those who don’t celebrate western holidays.

For those of us on the proverbial holiday clock, we know it’s ticking. Let’s dive in! <img width="1920" height="1080" src="/images/blog/Gift-Guide.png" />

**For the Normie Looking to Gift the Degen in Their Life ⬇️**

We know we know, no more Bitcoin Bar Lights or books on doing your taxes. If you’re looking for degen-approved gifts that don’t require a crypto wallet to purchase, you’re in the right place! Here’s our top picks for how to celebrate a special day with your NFT-obsessed loved one that doesn’t end up in googling USD to ETH conversation rates:

Hardware Wallet

A hardware wallet is a perfect gift for any NFT degen who takes their crypto security seriously. These physical devices offer a secure way to store and manage cryptocurrency and NFT assets, protecting them from online threats like hacking and phishing attacks.

Plus, hardware wallets are portable and easy to use, making them a convenient and practical gift for any crypto enthusiast. So consider giving the gift of security and peace of mind with a hardware wallet this holiday season.

💲 Affordable: [Safepal](https://www.safepal.com/)

💲💲 Advanced Security Features: [Tezor](https://trezor.io/)

💲💲💲 Most Popular: [Ledger](https://www.ledger.com/)

CoinVoucher

If you’re not well-versed in the world of crypto — consider this a crypto gift card! These prepaid cards allow the recipient to easily redeem them for a variety of popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more, all without the need for a crypto wallet. 💳

They’re a convenient and secure way for normies to cover their loved ones’ next purchase (or gas fees), making them a perfect gift for the NFT degen in your life.

➡️ [Get Started](https://cryptovoucher.io/)

Noise Canceling Headphones

Got a gamer on your hands? Give the gift of distraction-free gaming! Noise canceling headphones make a great gift for any degen gamer looking to immerse themselves in their favorite games without distractions. These headphones use advanced technology to cancel out external noise, allowing the wearer to focus on their gameplay without intrusion from outside surroundings. They’re also comfortable to wear and offer excellent sound quality, making them a practical and enjoyable gift for any degen gamer.

💲 Affordable: [Razer Kraken V3 Headset](https://www.razer.com/gaming-headsets/razer-kraken-v3-x)

💲💲 Wired: [Razer Blackshark V2 Headset](https://www.razer.com/gaming-headsets/razer-blackshark-v2)

💲💲💲 Wireless: [HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Headset](https://hyperx.com/products/hyperx-cloud-alpha-wireless?variant=42135502422173&amp;currency=USD&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA14WdBhD8ARIsANao07hboZDoL-l4Yhd1n0Mh_3L1dozBqSjLUqOyVYZuO2yZOxHeWkU4SPQaAg0pEALw_wcB)

No-Crypto Required Digital Display

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the art-loving, tech-savvy degen in your life? Consider the Meural Smart WiFi Photo Frame! This sleek and modern digital picture frame not only displays traditional digital photos, but also allows the recipient to showcase their prized NFT collection. The best part? No need to purchase cryptocurrency or go through the hassle of uploading NFTs during checkout. Simply connect the frame to the internet via WiFi and control it all through a convenient smartphone app!

➡️ Find the Frame [HERE](https://www.netgear.com/home/digital-art-canvas/photoframe/)

While you’re at it, pick up a copy of [The NFT Handbook](https://www.amazon.com/NFT-Handbook-Course-Non-Fungible-Revealed-ebook/dp/B09PPRGHSZ?crid=FD4ZOUPJW5BY&amp;keywords=nft+book&amp;qid=1643621560&amp;refinements=p_n_publication_date:1250226011&amp;rnid=1250225011&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=nft+book,aps,458&amp;sr=1-2&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=andzol-20&amp;linkId=69708d2debf62fae366e14ef61fe421d&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl) or [NFTs For Dummies](https://www.amazon.com/NFTs-Dummies-Tiana-Laurence/dp/1119843316?crid=3HQZVKRIMRCC5&amp;keywords=nft+book&amp;qid=1662553579&amp;sprefix=nft+boo,aps,161&amp;sr=8-10&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=andzol-20&amp;linkId=d7dbf7a7a3690a81d059628b2a6bfe38&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl) for yourself to learn a little bit about your loved one’s vibrant online world.

**Our Top Picks for Degen to Degen Gifting ⬇️**

Some of your closest crypto confidants might live oceans away — we get it. This comprehensive list covers everything from your neighborhood crew, to your group chat where you complain about gas fees — all the way to the connections you may only have a Twitter handle, Discord username or wallet address for.

Bring Digital To Life with a Physical Display — Degen Style

Turn a friend’s favorite NFT into a tangible treasure with Infinite Objects or Flexy! These companies offer the ability to create physical copies of digital NFTs, allowing you to bring a loved one’s favorite collectibles to life. Give the gift of a physical NFT to the degen in your life and watch their face light up as they unwrap a one-of-a-kind collectible made with durable, high-quality materials.

➡️ [Explore Infinite Objects](https://infiniteobjects.com/)

➡️ [Explore Flexy](https://flexynfts.io/)

Looking for something more wallet-friendly? (no pun intended) Turn their NFTs into a piece of custom merch using [Pixels](https://pixels.com/printnfts)! Just be sure you’re not violating any usage rights before you get started. Learn more about NFTs with Terms and Conditions [HERE](/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3)

Delight Art Collectors with a Tender Pass

The perfect gift for the art collector in your life! A Tender Pass unlocks access to unique collaborations with up-and-coming artists, novel curation tools, collector insights and engaging community channels. On top of the utility perks, every Pass helps grow the Tender ecosystem and supports the entire generative art lifecycle from creation to collection.

➡️ Learn more or mint pass [HERE](https://tender.art/pass)

Make memories and meet them at your nearest NFT conference!

Whether you’re headed to [NFT Paris](https://www.nftparis.xyz/), [Expoverse](https://goexpoverse.com/), or [Consensus 2023](https://consensus.coindesk.com/), snagging an extra ticket for another degen in your life makes a great gift!

Attending an NFT conference is a great opportunity to network with other crypto enthusiasts and learn about the latest developments in the NFT space. Conference passes often come with access to exclusive events and parties, giving your friend the chance to meet with industry leaders and VIPs

➡️ Stay up to date on 2023 events and access event registration pages [HERE](https://influencermarketinghub.com/nft-events/)

Mint personalized holiday cards using a no-code platform!

Skip snail mail this year and create a personalized holiday card collection to drop to friends for a degen-approved way to send holiday cheer.

For an easy lift, select a no-code NFT platform that allows you to create and mint your own NFTs, like [Aspen](https://aspenft.io/).

Once you’ve chosen a platform, you’ll need to create an account and follow the steps to mint your own NFT. This will typically involve uploading an image or design for your holiday card, as well as adding any additional details or information you’d like to include. Once you’ve finished creating your NFT holiday card, you can then send it to your friends as a special holiday gift.

Recipients will be able to view and collect the NFT holiday card using a wallet that is compatible with the platform you used to mint the NFT.

Make it easy, buy them an NFT

Shopping online just got easier — you don’t even have to splurge for expedited shipping if you’re running a bit behind! Buying an NFT from a friend’s favorite collection is a great way to personalize your gift giving while simultaneously supporting independent creators. Once you’ve purchased the NFT you’d like to give, make sure you double check the recipient’s wallet address to ensure you’re transferring to the correct wallet and confirm the transaction.

So easy you could (and should) do it again.

Host a Virtual Holiday Party

Put your virtual land to festive use! Throwing a holiday party in Decentraland or Sandbox is an amazing way to celebrate the season with your international NFT friends! Invite your entire degen network to join the party by sharing the coordinates of your land with them and deck the virtual halls with holiday-themed NFTs and other festive decorations. Keep guests entertained by hosting an NFT gift exchange or a virtual snowball fight. Don’t forget to add some holiday cheer with a playlist of festive music!

Hint: You can even use our Personalized Holiday Cards idea as invitations

Snag a Subscription to an NFT Newsletter

We’re big fans of subscription based gifts. One of our fave newsletters, The Defiant, would make a great holiday gift for a friend who is interested in the world of decentralized technology and crypto. The Defiant offers daily news and analysis on the latest developments in the web3 space, as well as in-depth articles and interviews with industry leaders.

With a subscription, your fellow degen will have access to valuable content, stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the world of decentralized technology and support independent journalism to ensure that The Defiant can continue to produce high-quality content for the web3 community.

➡️ Check out subscription options [HERE](https://thedefiant.io/go-premium)

**A Few Ideas for Creators Looking to Thank Their Collectors ⬇️**

Whether it’s because you’ve found a little holiday spirit, you’re looking to celebrate a collection anniversary, or you’re just looking for a way to say ‘Thank You’ to the collectors who supported you along the way, we’ve got you covered.

Send Collectors Physical Prints

[Beyond Print](https://beyondprint.eu/) and [GEMIT](https://gemit.io/) offer NFT printing services that specialize in producing high-quality prints from digital files. Both platforms offer a range of print materials and sizes, and can help the artist create stunning prints that are perfect for gift-giving during the holiday (or any) season.

If you’re working at a smaller scale and are looking to incorporate a more personal touch, you could even create physical versions of your own work yourself, using specialized printing equipment and materials. This is definitely a more hands-on approach — but allows you to have more control over the final product and potentially save on costs. Plus, creating the prints themselves can be a fun and festive way to connect with your growing community.

If you have a larger following than hand-made copies will allow, consider opening up a commissions request list for top collectors — offering IRL works such as canvas paintings, murals, art installations, home décor, and other tangible household items.

We Heard Santa Does Airdrops Now

Airdropping free NFTs to engaged collectors is a great way for web3 creators to show their appreciation and thank their most loyal fans. This not only incentivizes collectors to remain engaged with your work, but also provides a special surprise and unexpected gift.

Airdropping no-cost NFTs can also be a great way to showcase work that never made it to market or draft work that you didn’t include in a previous collection. With Aspen’s marketing toolkit — your distribution options expand further! Use QR code or email claim links to connect rewarding your collectors with new or existing marketing campaigns.

Whichever way you go about it, airdropping NFTs is a thoughtful and generous gesture that is sure to be appreciated by collectors.

Say Thank You in Crypto

Reimbursing gas fees paid by collectors who minted can be a great way to show your appreciation and thank your community this holiday season. Gas fees can be a significant expense for collectors, especially if they are minting multiple NFTs. By reimbursing these fees, you can demonstrate your gratitude and help offset some of the costs associated with collecting your NFTs during the time of year where everybody could use a little more in their wallet.

Release Collector-Only Content

Say thanks to collectors this holiday season (or any time of year) by giving them access to exclusive, collectors-only content! This could include behind-the-scenes footage or photos from the creation process, early drafts or sketches of the NFTs, or exclusive interviews and Q&A sessions with you and your team.

This unique experience will make them feel appreciated and foster a sense of community around your work to help you jingle all the way into next holiday season.

Grant Allowlist Spots for Your Next Release

Looking for a low-cost, low-effort way to share your gratitude? Add previous collectors to your next collection’s allowlist! For our newer creators, an allowlist is a list of collectors who are given priority access to purchase NFTs from a new collection before it is released to the general public.

By granting your previous collectors allowlist spots, you can show your appreciation for their support and engagement with your work while simultaneously building anticipation and excitement for your next release.

**We Can’t Forget Collectors Looking to Give Back to the Creators Supplying the Ecosystem with Incredible Work ⬇️**

Show your support for your favorite Creators this holiday season (and every season!) by helping them find new community members and increasing their online visibility!

It can be difficult for creators to manage their entire business and grow their online presence at the same time. Creating and promoting their work requires a significant amount of time and energy, and it can be challenging to balance these tasks with the day-to-day responsibilities of running a project.

As a result, many creators struggle to get their work seen by a wider audience and increase their visibility online. This is where collectors can step in and help. By taking the initiative to promote a creator’s work and help them grow their online presence, collectors can make a big impact on a creator’s success. This not only helps the creator, but it also gives collectors the opportunity to support and engage with the art community in a meaningful way.

Here’s two ways to get started

➡️ Feature the Creator in your Digital Galleries!

Whether you create a folder on [Aspen](https://aspenft.io/) and share your Gallery Link or feature the Creator’s work in a Gallery, Collection or Square on [deca.art](https://deca.art/), virtual community platforms are a great place to give some of your favorite creators an end of the year shout-out.

➡️ Post on Social Media

Creators are constantly looking to expand their audience and chances are, if you love their work — someone you know might love it too! By writing and posting a Twitter thread, sharing their work on your Instagram Stories or retweeting the Creator’s original posts to increase their amplification, it can go a long way!

**One last note from us and we’ll let you get to work!**

If you’re struggling to find something your degen loved one will love to open this season — remember that NFT aficionados come in all shapes and sizes, and have a wide range of interests and passions.

Don’t settle for a generic NFT gift that doesn’t speak to their interests. Use this guide and take the time to find something that they will truly love and appreciate. 💜

Whether you‘re shopping for a tech-savvy art lover, an immersive gamer, or a crypto security expert, go the extra mile and find something that will truly delight your degen this holiday season. 🎁

Time to get degenerous!

Definitive Gift Guide for Degens
We’ve read all the gift guides this year suggesting Dogecoin socks as stocking stuffers and surprising a loved one with the Metavertu and — while neither of those ideas don’t work — they feel a lot like normie presents adapted for a brother-in-law you heard was ‘into crypto.’
To avoid more socks this season, we got to work assembling a by-degen, for-degen gift guide to help you out this holiday season. The best part? We’ve adapted it for year-round utility to include those who don’t celebrate western holidays.
For those of us on the proverbial holiday clock, we know it’s ticking. Let’s dive in! <img width="1920" height="1080" src="/images/blog/Gift-Guide.png" />
For the Normie Looking to Gift the Degen in Their Life ⬇️
We know we know, no more Bitcoin Bar Lights or books on doing your taxes. If you’re looking for degen-approved gifts that don’t require a crypto wallet to purchase, you’re in the right place! Here’s our top picks for how to celebrate a special day with your NFT-obsessed loved one that doesn’t end up in googling USD to ETH conversation rates:
Hardware Wallet
A hardware wallet is a perfect gift for any NFT degen who takes their crypto security seriously. These physical devices offer a secure way to store and manage cryptocurrency and NFT assets, protecting them from online threats like hacking and phishing attacks.
Plus, hardware wallets are portable and easy to use, making them a convenient and practical gift for any crypto enthusiast. So consider giving the gift of security and peace of mind with a hardware wallet this holiday season.
💲 Affordable: <a href="https://www.safepal.com/">Safepal</a>
💲💲 Advanced Security Features: <a href="https://trezor.io/">Tezor</a>
💲💲💲 Most Popular: <a href="https://www.ledger.com/">Ledger</a>
CoinVoucher
If you’re not well-versed in the world of crypto — consider this a crypto gift card! These prepaid cards allow the recipient to easily redeem them for a variety of popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more, all without the need for a crypto wallet. 💳
They’re a convenient and secure way for normies to cover their loved ones’ next purchase (or gas fees), making them a perfect gift for the NFT degen in your life.
➡️ <a href="https://cryptovoucher.io/">Get Started</a>
Noise Canceling Headphones
Got a gamer on your hands? Give the gift of distraction-free gaming! Noise canceling headphones make a great gift for any degen gamer looking to immerse themselves in their favorite games without distractions. These headphones use advanced technology to cancel out external noise, allowing the wearer to focus on their gameplay without intrusion from outside surroundings. They’re also comfortable to wear and offer excellent sound quality, making them a practical and enjoyable gift for any degen gamer.
💲 Affordable: <a href="https://www.razer.com/gaming-headsets/razer-kraken-v3-x">Razer Kraken V3 Headset</a>
💲💲 Wired: <a href="https://www.razer.com/gaming-headsets/razer-blackshark-v2">Razer Blackshark V2 Headset</a>
💲💲💲 Wireless: <a href="https://hyperx.com/products/hyperx-cloud-alpha-wireless?variant=42135502422173&amp;currency=USD&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA14WdBhD8ARIsANao07hboZDoL-l4Yhd1n0Mh_3L1dozBqSjLUqOyVYZuO2yZOxHeWkU4SPQaAg0pEALw_wcB">HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Headset</a>
No-Crypto Required Digital Display
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the art-loving, tech-savvy degen in your life? Consider the Meural Smart WiFi Photo Frame! This sleek and modern digital picture frame not only displays traditional digital photos, but also allows the recipient to showcase their prized NFT collection. The best part? No need to purchase cryptocurrency or go through the hassle of uploading NFTs during checkout. Simply connect the frame to the internet via WiFi and control it all through a convenient smartphone app!
➡️ Find the Frame <a href="https://www.netgear.com/home/digital-art-canvas/photoframe/">HERE</a>
While you’re at it, pick up a copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/NFT-Handbook-Course-Non-Fungible-Revealed-ebook/dp/B09PPRGHSZ?crid=FD4ZOUPJW5BY&amp;keywords=nft+book&amp;qid=1643621560&amp;refinements=p_n_publication_date:1250226011&amp;rnid=1250225011&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=nft+book,aps,458&amp;sr=1-2&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=andzol-20&amp;linkId=69708d2debf62fae366e14ef61fe421d&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl">The NFT Handbook</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/NFTs-Dummies-Tiana-Laurence/dp/1119843316?crid=3HQZVKRIMRCC5&amp;keywords=nft+book&amp;qid=1662553579&amp;sprefix=nft+boo,aps,161&amp;sr=8-10&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=andzol-20&amp;linkId=d7dbf7a7a3690a81d059628b2a6bfe38&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl">NFTs For Dummies</a> for yourself to learn a little bit about your loved one’s vibrant online world.
Our Top Picks for Degen to Degen Gifting ⬇️
Some of your closest crypto confidants might live oceans away — we get it. This comprehensive list covers everything from your neighborhood crew, to your group chat where you complain about gas fees — all the way to the connections you may only have a Twitter handle, Discord username or wallet address for.
Bring Digital To Life with a Physical Display — Degen Style
Turn a friend’s favorite NFT into a tangible treasure with Infinite Objects or Flexy! These companies offer the ability to create physical copies of digital NFTs, allowing you to bring a loved one’s favorite collectibles to life. Give the gift of a physical NFT to the degen in your life and watch their face light up as they unwrap a one-of-a-kind collectible made with durable, high-quality materials.
➡️ <a href="https://infiniteobjects.com/">Explore Infinite Objects</a>
➡️ <a href="https://flexynfts.io/">Explore Flexy</a>
Looking for something more wallet-friendly? (no pun intended) Turn their NFTs into a piece of custom merch using <a href="https://pixels.com/printnfts">Pixels</a>! Just be sure you’re not violating any usage rights before you get started. Learn more about NFTs with Terms and Conditions <a href="/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3">HERE</a>
Delight Art Collectors with a Tender Pass
The perfect gift for the art collector in your life! A Tender Pass unlocks access to unique collaborations with up-and-coming artists, novel curation tools, collector insights and engaging community channels. On top of the utility perks, every Pass helps grow the Tender ecosystem and supports the entire generative art lifecycle from creation to collection.
➡️ Learn more or mint pass <a href="https://tender.art/pass">HERE</a>
Make memories and meet them at your nearest NFT conference!
Whether you’re headed to <a href="https://www.nftparis.xyz/">NFT Paris</a>, <a href="https://goexpoverse.com/">Expoverse</a>, or <a href="https://consensus.coindesk.com/">Consensus 2023</a>, snagging an extra ticket for another degen in your life makes a great gift!
Attending an NFT conference is a great opportunity to network with other crypto enthusiasts and learn about the latest developments in the NFT space. Conference passes often come with access to exclusive events and parties, giving your friend the chance to meet with industry leaders and VIPs
➡️ Stay up to date on 2023 events and access event registration pages <a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/nft-events/">HERE</a>
Mint personalized holiday cards using a no-code platform!
Skip snail mail this year and create a personalized holiday card collection to drop to friends for a degen-approved way to send holiday cheer.
For an easy lift, select a no-code NFT platform that allows you to create and mint your own NFTs, like <a href="https://aspenft.io/">Aspen</a>.
Once you’ve chosen a platform, you’ll need to create an account and follow the steps to mint your own NFT. This will typically involve uploading an image or design for your holiday card, as well as adding any additional details or information you’d like to include. Once you’ve finished creating your NFT holiday card, you can then send it to your friends as a special holiday gift.
Recipients will be able to view and collect the NFT holiday card using a wallet that is compatible with the platform you used to mint the NFT.
Make it easy, buy them an NFT
Shopping online just got easier — you don’t even have to splurge for expedited shipping if you’re running a bit behind! Buying an NFT from a friend’s favorite collection is a great way to personalize your gift giving while simultaneously supporting independent creators. Once you’ve purchased the NFT you’d like to give, make sure you double check the recipient’s wallet address to ensure you’re transferring to the correct wallet and confirm the transaction.
So easy you could (and should) do it again.
Host a Virtual Holiday Party
Put your virtual land to festive use! Throwing a holiday party in Decentraland or Sandbox is an amazing way to celebrate the season with your international NFT friends! Invite your entire degen network to join the party by sharing the coordinates of your land with them and deck the virtual halls with holiday-themed NFTs and other festive decorations. Keep guests entertained by hosting an NFT gift exchange or a virtual snowball fight. Don’t forget to add some holiday cheer with a playlist of festive music!
Hint: You can even use our Personalized Holiday Cards idea as invitations
Snag a Subscription to an NFT Newsletter
We’re big fans of subscription based gifts. One of our fave newsletters, The Defiant, would make a great holiday gift for a friend who is interested in the world of decentralized technology and crypto. The Defiant offers daily news and analysis on the latest developments in the web3 space, as well as in-depth articles and interviews with industry leaders.
With a subscription, your fellow degen will have access to valuable content, stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the world of decentralized technology and support independent journalism to ensure that The Defiant can continue to produce high-quality content for the web3 community.
➡️ Check out subscription options <a href="https://thedefiant.io/go-premium">HERE</a>
A Few Ideas for Creators Looking to Thank Their Collectors ⬇️
Whether it’s because you’ve found a little holiday spirit, you’re looking to celebrate a collection anniversary, or you’re just looking for a way to say ‘Thank You’ to the collectors who supported you along the way, we’ve got you covered.
Send Collectors Physical Prints
<a href="https://beyondprint.eu/">Beyond Print</a> and <a href="https://gemit.io/">GEMIT</a> offer NFT printing services that specialize in producing high-quality prints from digital files. Both platforms offer a range of print materials and sizes, and can help the artist create stunning prints that are perfect for gift-giving during the holiday (or any) season.
If you’re working at a smaller scale and are looking to incorporate a more personal touch, you could even create physical versions of your own work yourself, using specialized printing equipment and materials. This is definitely a more hands-on approach — but allows you to have more control over the final product and potentially save on costs. Plus, creating the prints themselves can be a fun and festive way to connect with your growing community.
If you have a larger following than hand-made copies will allow, consider opening up a commissions request list for top collectors — offering IRL works such as canvas paintings, murals, art installations, home décor, and other tangible household items.
We Heard Santa Does Airdrops Now
Airdropping free NFTs to engaged collectors is a great way for web3 creators to show their appreciation and thank their most loyal fans. This not only incentivizes collectors to remain engaged with your work, but also provides a special surprise and unexpected gift.
Airdropping no-cost NFTs can also be a great way to showcase work that never made it to market or draft work that you didn’t include in a previous collection. With Aspen’s marketing toolkit — your distribution options expand further! Use QR code or email claim links to connect rewarding your collectors with new or existing marketing campaigns.
Whichever way you go about it, airdropping NFTs is a thoughtful and generous gesture that is sure to be appreciated by collectors.
Say Thank You in Crypto
Reimbursing gas fees paid by collectors who minted can be a great way to show your appreciation and thank your community this holiday season. Gas fees can be a significant expense for collectors, especially if they are minting multiple NFTs. By reimbursing these fees, you can demonstrate your gratitude and help offset some of the costs associated with collecting your NFTs during the time of year where everybody could use a little more in their wallet.
Release Collector-Only Content
Say thanks to collectors this holiday season (or any time of year) by giving them access to exclusive, collectors-only content! This could include behind-the-scenes footage or photos from the creation process, early drafts or sketches of the NFTs, or exclusive interviews and Q&amp;A sessions with you and your team.
This unique experience will make them feel appreciated and foster a sense of community around your work to help you jingle all the way into next holiday season.
Grant Allowlist Spots for Your Next Release
Looking for a low-cost, low-effort way to share your gratitude? Add previous collectors to your next collection’s allowlist! For our newer creators, an allowlist is a list of collectors who are given priority access to purchase NFTs from a new collection before it is released to the general public.
By granting your previous collectors allowlist spots, you can show your appreciation for their support and engagement with your work while simultaneously building anticipation and excitement for your next release.
We Can’t Forget Collectors Looking to Give Back to the Creators Supplying the Ecosystem with Incredible Work ⬇️
Show your support for your favorite Creators this holiday season (and every season!) by helping them find new community members and increasing their online visibility!
It can be difficult for creators to manage their entire business and grow their online presence at the same time. Creating and promoting their work requires a significant amount of time and energy, and it can be challenging to balance these tasks with the day-to-day responsibilities of running a project.
As a result, many creators struggle to get their work seen by a wider audience and increase their visibility online. This is where collectors can step in and help. By taking the initiative to promote a creator’s work and help them grow their online presence, collectors can make a big impact on a creator’s success. This not only helps the creator, but it also gives collectors the opportunity to support and engage with the art community in a meaningful way.
Here’s two ways to get started
➡️ Feature the Creator in your Digital Galleries!
Whether you create a folder on <a href="https://aspenft.io/">Aspen</a> and share your Gallery Link or feature the Creator’s work in a Gallery, Collection or Square on <a href="https://deca.art/">deca.art</a>, virtual community platforms are a great place to give some of your favorite creators an end of the year shout-out.
➡️ Post on Social Media
Creators are constantly looking to expand their audience and chances are, if you love their work — someone you know might love it too! By writing and posting a Twitter thread, sharing their work on your Instagram Stories or retweeting the Creator’s original posts to increase their amplification, it can go a long way!
One last note from us and we’ll let you get to work!
If you’re struggling to find something your degen loved one will love to open this season — remember that NFT aficionados come in all shapes and sizes, and have a wide range of interests and passions.
Don’t settle for a generic NFT gift that doesn’t speak to their interests. Use this guide and take the time to find something that they will truly love and appreciate. 💜
Whether you‘re shopping for a tech-savvy art lover, an immersive gamer, or a crypto security expert, go the extra mile and find something that will truly delight your degen this holiday season. 🎁
Time to get degenerous!

The perfect gift for the Degen in your life

Definitive gift guide for Degens

**The bear market isn’t barren: The best time to build a web3 business is now**

When Sun Tzu published ‘The Art of War’ he may not have had the modern day Web3 entrepreneur in mind, but there’s no denying that they’ve certainly heeded his advice.

Historically, economic recessions are marked by vast increases in entrepreneurial activity. 57% of today’s Fortune 500 companies were founded during a recession and over 4.4 million new businesses were created in the U.S. in 2020 — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s no secret that the crypto bear market has roughened the road for organizations and individuals looking to use NFT tools to build new businesses. Our recent conversations with Creators across music, art, and film have been filled with numerous questions like:

➡️ “What types of Web3 tools do I need to create and build my business?”

➡️ “How do I make sure that I get paid when my NFTs are sold and resold?”

➡️ “What do I need to do to protect my rights and the rights of my collectors?”

From our perspective, the burst of the NFT trading bubble forces greater innovation and provides the real builders with the opportunity to bring Web3 back to its creative roots — hopefully without so many Twitter shill-bots and the relentless focus on pumping bags.

Are the days of cranking out a low-quality PFP project, jumping on a few Twitter spaces, paying for a few influencer endorsements and seeing your social followings soar into the hundreds of thousands over? God, we hope.

But that’s not how you build a business anyway, it’s how you build a bubble. And we all know what happens to bubbles.

The end of this bubble, however, doesn’t mark the end of its underlying technology. Remember the dot.com crash? It didn’t lead to the demise of online business. In fact, it was just the opposite. The number of websites grew from over 2000 in 1994 to over 2 million in 1998 to almost 2 billion today.

Sun Tzu is right — this is a tremendous opportunity.

While the world watched Bored Apes break six-figure transaction records and Jack Dorsey sell his first tweet, we’ve been focused on solving numerous pain points preventing greater adoption. Aspen’s minting and marketing toolkits deploy intuitive and accessible tools into the ecosystem, empowering and equipping entrepreneurs with the resources they need to make money in Web3.

**Another Milestone Mint: Introducing Degen Dance Club** <img width="1200" height="675" src="/images/blog/DDC-Social.png" />

Last quarter we introduced the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://medium.com/@aspenft/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3-delivers-worlds-first-commercial-nft-with-on-chain-terms-and-5d9a142e287c">first NFTs with integrated terms and conditions</a> in collaboration with National Lampoon. Despite current market conditions, the collection sold out in 150 seconds, highlighting the very real demand to innovative Creators who have access or want to create IP that is not CC0.

This month, Aspen is celebrating another minting milestone: the first music album NFT with transferable on-chain terms and conditions and programmatically split royalties for collaborators on primary and secondary sales. And, it’s got AI-generated remixed content to boot.

More simply: another way for Creators to generate more revenue in web3.

Degen Dance Club — founded by multi-platinum musician Michael Antoniou — moves into its genesis mint shortly, introducing a revolutionary, music ownership opportunity designed to elevate music creation tools and resources using web3.

Michael began his career as a session guitarist in 2009 working with a number of breakthrough UK artists. In 2012, he was the guitarist and writer on Rihanna’s single ‘What Now’, featured on her Grammy Award winning album ‘Unapologetic’.

By 2016, he had started attracting major label and publishing interest, however, was unable to reach mutually agreeable terms. Unfazed by music industry politics, Michael decided it was best to continue forward independently; he launched his own record label ‘Deep Stack Records.’

Fast forward to today, Michael has partnered with Mintwerx, Delphos and Nameflick to launch the Magnetism EP. The 4,000 NFT collection is made up of 4 original songs available for public mint soon.

**How can you start a business (or a movement) from four songs?**

Each Magnetism mint is accompanied by a generative PFP along with the opportunity to mint a unique AI-generated remix of the original song. Minters will own the original or ‘masters’ to the one-of-a-kind remix for their own music creation purposes or to utilize commercially.

Following the Magnetism drop, holders will receive exclusive access to a second collection powered by Degen Dance Club’s generative music platform. Minters will again own exclusive rights to the masters of the songs they mint made possible through Aspen.

It gets better.

V2 Generative Collection Holders will also be able to mint the musical <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/blog/what-are-stems-in-music-production/">stems</a> (or, audio file that breaks a track into individual mixes) that their NFT was made with. Stem NFTs will be individually tradable and holders will be granted a license (again, through Aspen’s terms capabilities) to use them within their own compositions and Degen Dance Club’s Creator Platform.

Their Creator Platform (coming soon) delivers easy-to-use music creation tools to their community, democratizing music production and eliminating the need to own expensive equipment. Holders will be able to use the platform to integrate the stems in their wallet into DDC’s AI-powered soundworld to generate their own compositions, and turn them into NFTs.

From four tracks to a fully-formed business model — all powered by Aspen.

**How can I find my footing in Web3?**

Aspen provides a platform for Creators to design, build, and deliver experiences their customers, fans and communities love, regardless of their experience in crypto, NFTs or even ecommerce.

Whether you are an existing business, new startup, or have found yourself going it alone — Aspen’s no-code, minting and marketing toolkits transform previously complex processes into just a few simple steps to stand up your very own Web3-based business.

The bear market isn’t barren: The best time to build a web3 business is now
When Sun Tzu published ‘The Art of War’ he may not have had the modern day Web3 entrepreneur in mind, but there’s no denying that they’ve certainly heeded his advice.
Historically, economic recessions are marked by vast increases in entrepreneurial activity. 57% of today’s Fortune 500 companies were founded during a recession and over 4.4 million new businesses were created in the U.S. in 2020 — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s no secret that the crypto bear market has roughened the road for organizations and individuals looking to use NFT tools to build new businesses. Our recent conversations with Creators across music, art, and film have been filled with numerous questions like:
➡️ “What types of Web3 tools do I need to create and build my business?”
➡️ “How do I make sure that I get paid when my NFTs are sold and resold?”
➡️ “What do I need to do to protect my rights and the rights of my collectors?”
From our perspective, the burst of the NFT trading bubble forces greater innovation and provides the real builders with the opportunity to bring Web3 back to its creative roots — hopefully without so many Twitter shill-bots and the relentless focus on pumping bags.
Are the days of cranking out a low-quality PFP project, jumping on a few Twitter spaces, paying for a few influencer endorsements and seeing your social followings soar into the hundreds of thousands over? God, we hope.
But that’s not how you build a business anyway, it’s how you build a bubble. And we all know what happens to bubbles.
The end of this bubble, however, doesn’t mark the end of its underlying technology. Remember the dot.com crash? It didn’t lead to the demise of online business. In fact, it was just the opposite. The number of websites grew from over 2000 in 1994 to over 2 million in 1998 to almost 2 billion today.
Sun Tzu is right — this is a tremendous opportunity.
While the world watched Bored Apes break six-figure transaction records and Jack Dorsey sell his first tweet, we’ve been focused on solving numerous pain points preventing greater adoption. Aspen’s minting and marketing toolkits deploy intuitive and accessible tools into the ecosystem, empowering and equipping entrepreneurs with the resources they need to make money in Web3.
Another Milestone Mint: Introducing Degen Dance Club <img width="1200" height="675" src="/images/blog/DDC-Social.png" />
Last quarter we introduced the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://medium.com/@aspenft/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3-delivers-worlds-first-commercial-nft-with-on-chain-terms-and-5d9a142e287c">first NFTs with integrated terms and conditions</a> in collaboration with National Lampoon. Despite current market conditions, the collection sold out in 150 seconds, highlighting the very real demand to innovative Creators who have access or want to create IP that is not CC0.
This month, Aspen is celebrating another minting milestone: the first music album NFT with transferable on-chain terms and conditions and programmatically split royalties for collaborators on primary and secondary sales. And, it’s got AI-generated remixed content to boot.
More simply: another way for Creators to generate more revenue in web3.
Degen Dance Club — founded by multi-platinum musician Michael Antoniou — moves into its genesis mint shortly, introducing a revolutionary, music ownership opportunity designed to elevate music creation tools and resources using web3.
Michael began his career as a session guitarist in 2009 working with a number of breakthrough UK artists. In 2012, he was the guitarist and writer on Rihanna’s single ‘What Now’, featured on her Grammy Award winning album ‘Unapologetic’.
By 2016, he had started attracting major label and publishing interest, however, was unable to reach mutually agreeable terms. Unfazed by music industry politics, Michael decided it was best to continue forward independently; he launched his own record label ‘Deep Stack Records.’
Fast forward to today, Michael has partnered with Mintwerx, Delphos and Nameflick to launch the Magnetism EP. The 4,000 NFT collection is made up of 4 original songs available for public mint soon.
How can you start a business (or a movement) from four songs?
Each Magnetism mint is accompanied by a generative PFP along with the opportunity to mint a unique AI-generated remix of the original song. Minters will own the original or ‘masters’ to the one-of-a-kind remix for their own music creation purposes or to utilize commercially.
Following the Magnetism drop, holders will receive exclusive access to a second collection powered by Degen Dance Club’s generative music platform. Minters will again own exclusive rights to the masters of the songs they mint made possible through Aspen.
It gets better.
V2 Generative Collection Holders will also be able to mint the musical <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/blog/what-are-stems-in-music-production/">stems</a> (or, audio file that breaks a track into individual mixes) that their NFT was made with. Stem NFTs will be individually tradable and holders will be granted a license (again, through Aspen’s terms capabilities) to use them within their own compositions and Degen Dance Club’s Creator Platform.
Their Creator Platform (coming soon) delivers easy-to-use music creation tools to their community, democratizing music production and eliminating the need to own expensive equipment. Holders will be able to use the platform to integrate the stems in their wallet into DDC’s AI-powered soundworld to generate their own compositions, and turn them into NFTs.
From four tracks to a fully-formed business model — all powered by Aspen.
How can I find my footing in Web3?
Aspen provides a platform for Creators to design, build, and deliver experiences their customers, fans and communities love, regardless of their experience in crypto, NFTs or even ecommerce.
Whether you are an existing business, new startup, or have found yourself going it alone — Aspen’s no-code, minting and marketing toolkits transform previously complex processes into just a few simple steps to stand up your very own Web3-based business.

“In the midst of chaos, there is always opportunity.”

The best time to build a web3 business is now

**Aspen solves for legal in web3: Delivers world’s first commercial NFT with on-chain Terms and Conditions in a fight for Creators’ rights against optional royalties**

<img width="1200" height="675" src="/images/blog/NL-Recover.png" /> Terms and conditions, cue eye-roll.

They’re pages we scroll past, close out of, and associate more with being a roadblock than a revolution. But what if they were just the thing we needed to catalyze a better solution for Creator Royalties?

What are terms and conditions anyway? T&Cs are nothing other than a contract in which the owner clarifies the conditions of use of its good or service through a document governing the contractual relationship between the provider of the good or service and its user. They are the green check we click everyday.

So what’s the hitch? There are already numerous examples of NFTs with terms and conditions right? — Well, yes, but the problem is those terms and conditions are not integrated into the NFT acquisition process. Ultimately they may not be legally binding, as clearly demonstrated by lack of royalty payment by marketplaces.

That’s quite problematic if you are trying to make a living in Web3.

**Enter Optional Royalties.**

What’s happening here is Creators deploy smart contracts that say they’re due 5% of royalties and write up nice neat terms and conditions reiterating this and drop them on their websites. However, when it comes to collecting, the marketplaces say no, and pass their royalties on to their real customers — traders — in pursuit of increased user acquisition and volume.

But wait, say the Creators, we had a smart contract and terms on our site, WTF!

Unfortunately, what Creators now understand is that because the new buyer/trader never ever contractually agreed to pay you, you have no legal basis to take action. In other words, you’re S.O.L.

And from where we sit, that’s just not ok.

So, as people who have sat at the intersection of blockchain and legal tech for nearly a decade, we saw this day coming and have spent the last year building the first stepping stone to a better solution.

Introducing the World’s First Commercial NFT with Terms and Conditions powered by Aspen.

We have partnered with cult-classic [National Lampoon](https://www.nlstudios.io/), in collaboration with [soulcurryart](https://twitter.com/soulcurryart?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and [TAYL0RWTF,](https://twitter.com/TAYL0RWTF) for a historic NFT drop at the intersection of creator royalties, NFT terms and conditions, and digital asset licensing agreements. This drop ensures Creators of any size can gain legal leverage on parties who take advantage of their digital property rights, such as the payment of royalties.

The collection, the first in the ReCover Series, delivers reimagined works of the iconic [National Lampoon October 1973 Banana Issue featuring Vincent Van Gogh](https://www.marksverylarge.com/issue-index/1973-10/), transformed into NFTs, which can only be minted after the new owner agrees to the NFT’s terms and conditions.

Further, those terms and conditions must be agreed to by every subsequent buyer at each acquisition event following the initial mint on any marketplace that lists ETH-based NFTs.

This is possible via the smart contract National Lampoon created on Aspen which has disabled the transfer function until the new acquiring wallet signals on-chain that it accepts the collection’s T&Cs.

How do you accept the terms on-chain? For this particular mint, new owners will click the ‘Accept Terms’ button on [TAYL0R.WTF](https://app.aspenft.io/1/contract/0x8f211F2572f985cf26A59df72Fd199649f5eFa66) and [SoulCurry’s](https://app.aspenft.io/1/contract/0x72D800A274dAFFeEBb97a46907850CEBACcc7A67) storefronts.

Importantly, National Lampoon (or any marketplace for that matter) can join the party by adding an ‘accept terms’ button on their site via connecting to NL’s smart contract. We do this every day for all other digital purchases in the US, do we really think it will be any different with NFTs?

**ReCover: The Intersection of Terms and Conditions, IP Protection, and NFT Royalties**

While we’re firmly against marketplaces moving to optional and/or zero royalties, how can we expect said marketplaces to enforce creator royalties when there is no [legal basis](https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeorshimron/2022/10/24/nft-creators-are-suddenly-losing-a-major-source-of-income/?sh=7e5de54c3063) for them to do so?&nbsp;

Before they can do better, there needs to be better tools and better technology available to build better experiences for all market participants.

That’s where we come in.

Aspen’s minting toolkit introduces *integrated legal contracting*, allowing brands and creators to synthesize real-world documents — like existing usage rights, commercial rights, and distribution rights — into their smart contracts supplemented with customizable terms attached to the associated NFTs.

The result?

New monetization opportunities for the owners of historical IP, innovative collaborations between IP owners and artists, and an opportunity for media forms regulated by strict terms of use (music, film, live-action, art, you name it) to enter web3 without violating their contractual obligations.

The NFTs in the ReCover series also have royalties specifications outlined in — you guessed it — the terms and conditions. They will be the first commercial NFTs minted where a purchaser will agree to the NFTs terms in a legally binding way — providing Creators with the world’s first legal basis to claim unpaid royalties.

Let us say it another way: If your NFTs show up on a marketplace that won’t pay you royalties, now you can actually do something about it: they either pay up or take them down. This seems like a much better option then the unilateral [greenlisting approach](https://www.theblock.co/post/183010/immutablex-solution-enforce-royalties-ethereum) recently implemented by OpenSea and Immutable which, in our view, needlessly fractures the NFT ecosystem.

There’s a lot of exciting work to be done here, and there are more legal superpowers left to inject into NFTs (like [zero knowledge proofs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof)), but the reality is nothing can be built on a framework that doesn’t have a legal basis. This is why our first commercial service offers minting capabilities with (or without) terms and conditions.

**Introducing Programmatic Multi-Wallet Payments for Primary Sales and Secondary Royalties**

Here’s the encore.

If the world’s first NFT with integrated terms and conditions wasn’t an exciting enough headline for you — there’s more.

In addition to demonstrating integrated terms, National Lampoon’s ReCover Collection will also be the first NFT drop where *all portions of the primary sale and all subsequent royalties* will be automatically split and programmatically sent to each person’s wallet that’s associated with the creation of this collection.

National Lampoon will not take custody of the project’s revenues and/or royalties — their smart contract will handle this.

TAYL0RWTF and soulcurryart can call the contract directly to be paid programmatically without requiring National Lampoon to allocate from their wallet — something many Creators have learned is not possible with existing NFT minting tools and launchpads. Aspen allows unlimited wallets for multi-wallet payment distribution for both primary and secondary sales.

\#CreatorRights also needs \#CreatorPayments.

**Minting ReCover NFTs: A Milestone Opportunity at the Intersection of Art, Comedy, and IP**

The first mint from National Lampoon, the ReCover project is social proof of the brand’s ability to merge legacy IP with modern artists generating attractive creative and economic opportunities for all project participants.

National Lampoon’s second collection, [The Poison Pill](https://hypemoon.com/2022/9/national-lampoon-nft-debut), is an all-access membership to the brand’s revival of bold, renegade comedy and media in the modern age. The digital collectible will be the first phase in their strategy to build a platform that gives the freedom and reach for the public and creators/comedians to share and express ideas through content

Interested in having your very own smart contract with or without terms and multi-wallet payouts? Find out more about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://aspenft.io/">Aspen</a> today!

Aspen solves for legal in web3: Delivers world’s first commercial NFT with on-chain Terms and Conditions in a fight for Creators’ rights against optional royalties
<img width="1200" height="675" src="/images/blog/NL-Recover.png" /> Terms and conditions, cue eye-roll.
They’re pages we scroll past, close out of, and associate more with being a roadblock than a revolution. But what if they were just the thing we needed to catalyze a better solution for Creator Royalties?
What are terms and conditions anyway? T&amp;Cs are nothing other than a contract in which the owner clarifies the conditions of use of its good or service through a document governing the contractual relationship between the provider of the good or service and its user. They are the green check we click everyday.
So what’s the hitch? There are already numerous examples of NFTs with terms and conditions right? — Well, yes, but the problem is those terms and conditions are not integrated into the NFT acquisition process. Ultimately they may not be legally binding, as clearly demonstrated by lack of royalty payment by marketplaces.
That’s quite problematic if you are trying to make a living in Web3.
Enter Optional Royalties.
What’s happening here is Creators deploy smart contracts that say they’re due 5% of royalties and write up nice neat terms and conditions reiterating this and drop them on their websites. However, when it comes to collecting, the marketplaces say no, and pass their royalties on to their real customers — traders — in pursuit of increased user acquisition and volume.
But wait, say the Creators, we had a smart contract and terms on our site, WTF!
Unfortunately, what Creators now understand is that because the new buyer/trader never ever contractually agreed to pay you, you have no legal basis to take action. In other words, you’re S.O.L.
And from where we sit, that’s just not ok.
So, as people who have sat at the intersection of blockchain and legal tech for nearly a decade, we saw this day coming and have spent the last year building the first stepping stone to a better solution.
Introducing the World’s First Commercial NFT with Terms and Conditions powered by Aspen.
We have partnered with cult-classic <a href="https://www.nlstudios.io/">National Lampoon</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://twitter.com/soulcurryart?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">soulcurryart</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TAYL0RWTF">TAYL0RWTF,</a> for a historic NFT drop at the intersection of creator royalties, NFT terms and conditions, and digital asset licensing agreements. This drop ensures Creators of any size can gain legal leverage on parties who take advantage of their digital property rights, such as the payment of royalties.
The collection, the first in the ReCover Series, delivers reimagined works of the iconic <a href="https://www.marksverylarge.com/issue-index/1973-10/">National Lampoon October 1973 Banana Issue featuring Vincent Van Gogh</a>, transformed into NFTs, which can only be minted after the new owner agrees to the NFT’s terms and conditions.
Further, those terms and conditions must be agreed to by every subsequent buyer at each acquisition event following the initial mint on any marketplace that lists ETH-based NFTs.
This is possible via the smart contract National Lampoon created on Aspen which has disabled the transfer function until the new acquiring wallet signals on-chain that it accepts the collection’s T&amp;Cs.
How do you accept the terms on-chain? For this particular mint, new owners will click the ‘Accept Terms’ button on <a href="https://app.aspenft.io/1/contract/0x8f211F2572f985cf26A59df72Fd199649f5eFa66">TAYL0R.WTF</a> and <a href="https://app.aspenft.io/1/contract/0x72D800A274dAFFeEBb97a46907850CEBACcc7A67">SoulCurry’s</a> storefronts.
Importantly, National Lampoon (or any marketplace for that matter) can join the party by adding an ‘accept terms’ button on their site via connecting to NL’s smart contract. We do this every day for all other digital purchases in the US, do we really think it will be any different with NFTs?
ReCover: The Intersection of Terms and Conditions, IP Protection, and NFT Royalties
While we’re firmly against marketplaces moving to optional and/or zero royalties, how can we expect said marketplaces to enforce creator royalties when there is no <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeorshimron/2022/10/24/nft-creators-are-suddenly-losing-a-major-source-of-income/?sh=7e5de54c3063">legal basis</a> for them to do so? 
Before they can do better, there needs to be better tools and better technology available to build better experiences for all market participants.
That’s where we come in.
Aspen’s minting toolkit introduces integrated legal contracting, allowing brands and creators to synthesize real-world documents — like existing usage rights, commercial rights, and distribution rights — into their smart contracts supplemented with customizable terms attached to the associated NFTs.
The result?
New monetization opportunities for the owners of historical IP, innovative collaborations between IP owners and artists, and an opportunity for media forms regulated by strict terms of use (music, film, live-action, art, you name it) to enter web3 without violating their contractual obligations.
The NFTs in the ReCover series also have royalties specifications outlined in — you guessed it — the terms and conditions. They will be the first commercial NFTs minted where a purchaser will agree to the NFTs terms in a legally binding way — providing Creators with the world’s first legal basis to claim unpaid royalties.
Let us say it another way: If your NFTs show up on a marketplace that won’t pay you royalties, now you can actually do something about it: they either pay up or take them down. This seems like a much better option then the unilateral <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/183010/immutablex-solution-enforce-royalties-ethereum">greenlisting approach</a> recently implemented by OpenSea and Immutable which, in our view, needlessly fractures the NFT ecosystem.
There’s a lot of exciting work to be done here, and there are more legal superpowers left to inject into NFTs (like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-knowledge_proof">zero knowledge proofs</a>), but the reality is nothing can be built on a framework that doesn’t have a legal basis. This is why our first commercial service offers minting capabilities with (or without) terms and conditions.
Introducing Programmatic Multi-Wallet Payments for Primary Sales and Secondary Royalties
Here’s the encore.
If the world’s first NFT with integrated terms and conditions wasn’t an exciting enough headline for you — there’s more.
In addition to demonstrating integrated terms, National Lampoon’s ReCover Collection will also be the first NFT drop where all portions of the primary sale and all subsequent royalties will be automatically split and programmatically sent to each person’s wallet that’s associated with the creation of this collection.
National Lampoon will not take custody of the project’s revenues and/or royalties — their smart contract will handle this.
TAYL0RWTF and soulcurryart can call the contract directly to be paid programmatically without requiring National Lampoon to allocate from their wallet — something many Creators have learned is not possible with existing NFT minting tools and launchpads. Aspen allows unlimited wallets for multi-wallet payment distribution for both primary and secondary sales.
#CreatorRights also needs #CreatorPayments.
Minting ReCover NFTs: A Milestone Opportunity at the Intersection of Art, Comedy, and IP
The first mint from National Lampoon, the ReCover project is social proof of the brand’s ability to merge legacy IP with modern artists generating attractive creative and economic opportunities for all project participants.
National Lampoon’s second collection, <a href="https://hypemoon.com/2022/9/national-lampoon-nft-debut">The Poison Pill</a>, is an all-access membership to the brand’s revival of bold, renegade comedy and media in the modern age. The digital collectible will be the first phase in their strategy to build a platform that gives the freedom and reach for the public and creators/comedians to share and express ideas through content
Interested in having your very own smart contract with or without terms and multi-wallet payouts? Find out more about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://aspenft.io/">Aspen</a> today!

Delivers world’s first commercial NFT with on-chain Terms and Conditions in a fight for Creators’ rights against optional royalties

Aspen solves for legal in web3

**National Lampoon Selects Aspen to Power NFT Strategy Creating a New Home for Comedy in Web3**

National Lampoon, the comedy institution first launched as a magazine spinoff of Harvard University’s Harvard Lampoon, has selected NFT platform, Aspen, to power their newly announced web3 initiative, marking the cult classic comedy house’s entrance into web3.

Earlier this month, National Lampoon publicized its partnership with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/national-lampoon-nfts-1235195205/">Non Fungible Films</a>, piquing interest around soon-to-be-released NFTs and other web3 focused projects based on the famed Lampoon’s IP.

Aspen’s powerful minting and marketing toolkits enable National Lampoon to merge their existing legal contracts — inclusive of copyright, trademark and royalties considerations — with NFT smart contracts, unlocking their rich historical IP library and providing new pathways to revive their irreverent classics for old and new audiences alike.

“National Lampoon is focused on being as disruptive today as it was in its early years, and that’s why we’re democratizing comedy using Web3. Connecting artists and fans through our creative hub is critical to our success, which is now possible thanks to our collaboration with Aspen. Working with the team at Monax Labs and their NFT Platform, Aspen, we will be able to leverage everything National Lampoon stands for — from then and now — into new IP investments and fan support, empowering our creators to become the foremost comedians in web3,” said Harsharn Singh of National Lampoon NFT.

To date, the entertainment industry has struggled to execute compelling and profitable web3 initiatives due to various ownership constraints such as the inability to incorporate terms of use and service directly into NFTs and the associated transactions.&nbsp;

As a result, fans and consumers are left with little to be excited about as studios and content houses are unable to provide memorable or differentiating media experiences linked to protected IP, leaving them sidelined while consumer brands like Gucci and Tiffany <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-03/luxury-brands-gucci-tiffany-co-dive-into-nfts-despite-slump">create new NFT-driven revenue streams.</a>

Aspen’s robust technology synthesizes National Lampoon’s existing IP agreements with blockchain-based tokens to produce NFTs with or without customizable terms and conditions. Further, Aspen’s transactional platform prompts purchasers to accept the terms and conditions for each acquisition event — ensuring those terms are enforceable throughout the life of the NFT.

“National Lampoon’s brand is legendary. We are excited to work together so consumers can experience their new and existing titles via NFTs while addressing IP and royalty requirements.” said Casey Kuhlman, CEO of Monax Labs. “NFT format represents the first real opportunity for brands to package and sell digital content and experiences as a consumer product, our partnership will showcase the value of media ownership via NFTs.”

National Lampoon’s digital revival is positioned to reinvigorate their reputation for rebellion and create a new home for comedy in web3. Their genesis collection, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://hypemoon.com/2022/9/national-lampoon-nft-debut">Poison Pill</a>, is an &nbsp;all-access membership to National Lampoon’s revival of bold, renegade comedy and media for the modern age. The digital collectible is the first phase in their pathway to providing creators and comedians a platform to share and express ideas through content.

National Lampoon Selects Aspen to Power NFT Strategy Creating a New Home for Comedy in Web3
National Lampoon, the comedy institution first launched as a magazine spinoff of Harvard University’s Harvard Lampoon, has selected NFT platform, Aspen, to power their newly announced web3 initiative, marking the cult classic comedy house’s entrance into web3.
Earlier this month, National Lampoon publicized its partnership with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/national-lampoon-nfts-1235195205/">Non Fungible Films</a>, piquing interest around soon-to-be-released NFTs and other web3 focused projects based on the famed Lampoon’s IP.
Aspen’s powerful minting and marketing toolkits enable National Lampoon to merge their existing legal contracts — inclusive of copyright, trademark and royalties considerations — with NFT smart contracts, unlocking their rich historical IP library and providing new pathways to revive their irreverent classics for old and new audiences alike.
“National Lampoon is focused on being as disruptive today as it was in its early years, and that’s why we’re democratizing comedy using Web3. Connecting artists and fans through our creative hub is critical to our success, which is now possible thanks to our collaboration with Aspen. Working with the team at Monax Labs and their NFT Platform, Aspen, we will be able to leverage everything National Lampoon stands for — from then and now — into new IP investments and fan support, empowering our creators to become the foremost comedians in web3,” said Harsharn Singh of National Lampoon NFT.
To date, the entertainment industry has struggled to execute compelling and profitable web3 initiatives due to various ownership constraints such as the inability to incorporate terms of use and service directly into NFTs and the associated transactions. 
As a result, fans and consumers are left with little to be excited about as studios and content houses are unable to provide memorable or differentiating media experiences linked to protected IP, leaving them sidelined while consumer brands like Gucci and Tiffany <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-03/luxury-brands-gucci-tiffany-co-dive-into-nfts-despite-slump">create new NFT-driven revenue streams.</a>
Aspen’s robust technology synthesizes National Lampoon’s existing IP agreements with blockchain-based tokens to produce NFTs with or without customizable terms and conditions. Further, Aspen’s transactional platform prompts purchasers to accept the terms and conditions for each acquisition event — ensuring those terms are enforceable throughout the life of the NFT.
“National Lampoon’s brand is legendary. We are excited to work together so consumers can experience their new and existing titles via NFTs while addressing IP and royalty requirements.” said Casey Kuhlman, CEO of Monax Labs. “NFT format represents the first real opportunity for brands to package and sell digital content and experiences as a consumer product, our partnership will showcase the value of media ownership via NFTs.”
National Lampoon’s digital revival is positioned to reinvigorate their reputation for rebellion and create a new home for comedy in web3. Their genesis collection, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://hypemoon.com/2022/9/national-lampoon-nft-debut">Poison Pill</a>, is an  all-access membership to National Lampoon’s revival of bold, renegade comedy and media for the modern age. The digital collectible is the first phase in their pathway to providing creators and comedians a platform to share and express ideas through content.

Creating a New Home for Comedy in Web3

National Lampoon selects Aspen for NFT strategy

**Welcome to the Swap Shop**

* 3 Ways to Set Up a Swap Program 🧰
* 6 Swap Events LIVE on Aspen 🎪
* 9 Projects with Upcoming Swap Launches 📅

<img width="540" height="540" src="/images/blog/blog2/Aspen-Swaps.gif" />

**SWAP MEET**

Or should we say, meet our Swap Team?

Our VP of Community and Community Manager have been grinding to help onboard 30+ projects onto Aspen Swaps! The most common questions they receive when talking with interested project leaders are ‘*what are my options*’ and ‘*what’s best for my community?*’ Here’s a quick breakdown:

👦🏽🤝🏽👦 P2P Swaps are great for Projects:

* Interested in implementing security features
* Looking for a low-effort feature plug-in

💎💎💎Rarity Vault Swaps are great for Projects:

* Seeking increased engagement
* With already established rarity strategies

💸💸💸Flat Fee Vault Swaps are great for Projects:

* Looking to generate excitement around an upcoming initiative
* That do not have rarity or tiered utility functions in their roadmap

Interested in exploring ways to reward your community with a custom Swap Program? <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://moonzhq0d2w.typeform.com/aspen-swaps?utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+8%2F11%2F22&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io&amp;typeform-source=fly.customer.io">Talk to our Swap Team!</a>

**SWAP TIL YOU DROP**

Get started with Aspen Swaps with our first 6 Swap Partners 🔄

🔓 Search Swap Vaults for:

* Prosocialites
* ETHWalkers
* Flooding Factory
* Elven

↔️ Execute P2P Swaps with:

* The Toons
* Women’s Creative Collective

<a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://app.aspenft.io/swap?utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+8%2F11%2F22&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io">Start Swapping Now</a> to make the <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AspenSwaps">Swap Bot</a> go brrrrr

Welcome to the Swap Shop
<ul>
<li>3 Ways to Set Up a Swap Program 🧰</li>
<li>6 Swap Events LIVE on Aspen 🎪</li>
<li>9 Projects with Upcoming Swap Launches 📅</li>
</ul>
<img width="540" height="540" src="/images/blog/blog2/Aspen-Swaps.gif" />
SWAP MEET
Or should we say, meet our Swap Team?
Our VP of Community and Community Manager have been grinding to help onboard 30+ projects onto Aspen Swaps! The most common questions they receive when talking with interested project leaders are ‘what are my options’ and ‘what’s best for my community?’ Here’s a quick breakdown:
👦🏽🤝🏽👦 P2P Swaps are great for Projects:
<ul>
<li>Interested in implementing security features</li>
<li>Looking for a low-effort feature plug-in</li>
</ul>
💎💎💎Rarity Vault Swaps are great for Projects:
<ul>
<li>Seeking increased engagement</li>
<li>With already established rarity strategies</li>
</ul>
💸💸💸Flat Fee Vault Swaps are great for Projects:
<ul>
<li>Looking to generate excitement around an upcoming initiative</li>
<li>That do not have rarity or tiered utility functions in their roadmap</li>
</ul>
Interested in exploring ways to reward your community with a custom Swap Program? <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://moonzhq0d2w.typeform.com/aspen-swaps?utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+8%2F11%2F22&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io&amp;typeform-source=fly.customer.io">Talk to our Swap Team!</a>
SWAP TIL YOU DROP
Get started with Aspen Swaps with our first 6 Swap Partners 🔄
🔓 Search Swap Vaults for:
<ul>
<li>Prosocialites</li>
<li>ETHWalkers</li>
<li>Flooding Factory</li>
<li>Elven</li>
</ul>
↔️ Execute P2P Swaps with:
<ul>
<li>The Toons</li>
<li>Women’s Creative Collective</li>
</ul>
<a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://app.aspenft.io/swap?utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+8%2F11%2F22&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io">Start Swapping Now</a> to make the <a rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AspenSwaps">Swap Bot</a> go brrrrr

Welcome to the Aspen Swap Shop

**Introducing: Counteroffers on Aspen** Did you get a swap offer but would like to counter? We’ve got a button for that.&nbsp;

Counter offers allow users to easily counter to incoming swap requests in a couple of clicks. You can add/remove NFTs and WETH/USDC/DAI to the counter offer.

Once a counteroffer has been created, the counterparty will receive an Activity Notification allowing them to either accept the counteroffer — or create one of their own.

Check out our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95btex2Y_TE&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+9%2F1%2F2022&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io">Counteroffer Tutorial</a> to start swapping smart👇🏽

<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9lbWJlZC85NWJ0ZXgyWV9URSIgdGl0bGU9IllvdVR1YmUgdmlkZW8gcGxheWVyIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3c9ImFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXI7IGF1dG9wbGF5OyBjbGlwYm9hcmQtd3JpdGU7IGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYTsgZ3lyb3Njb3BlOyBwaWN0dXJlLWluLXBpY3R1cmU7IHdlYi1zaGFyZSIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuPjwvaWZyYW1lPg=="><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/95btex2Y_TE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Improving Swap Security with Counteroffers 🔐

If you’re following us on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.twitter.com/aspenft">Twitter</a> — you know we can’t tell you enough times that nothing good goes down in the DMs. As we continue to build flexible tools to help you make money in web3, we are keeping safety and security top of mind for our community.

Not only are counteroffers convenient — they also offer a few security perks to your transactions flows. We’ve outlined our top three below 👇🏽

🔐 You can keep negotiations in-platform

Were you hoping for a bit more in that offer? Create a Counteroffer directly in-app without any additional communications or using multiple platforms

🔐 You don’t have to provide additional personal information

No need to swap Discord usernames or Twitter handles with Swap counterparties to discuss transaction details

🔐 Verify the authenticity of assets with Verified Collection Badges

Ensure the legitimacy of NFTs included in original and counteroffers with the help of our Verified Collection Badges to avoid accepting offers with counterfeit assets.

Click <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://app.aspenft.io/swap">here</a> to get started!

Introducing: Counteroffers on Aspen Did you get a swap offer but would like to counter? We’ve got a button for that. 
Counter offers allow users to easily counter to incoming swap requests in a couple of clicks. You can add/remove NFTs and WETH/USDC/DAI to the counter offer.
Once a counteroffer has been created, the counterparty will receive an Activity Notification allowing them to either accept the counteroffer — or create one of their own.
Check out our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95btex2Y_TE&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;utm_campaign=The+Weekly+Download+%7C+9%2F1%2F2022&amp;utm_content=Aspen+Weekly+Email+Blast+001&amp;utm_medium=email_action&amp;utm_source=customer.io">Counteroffer Tutorial</a> to start swapping smart👇🏽
<div class="cms-embed" data-cms-embed="PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9lbWJlZC85NWJ0ZXgyWV9URSIgdGl0bGU9IllvdVR1YmUgdmlkZW8gcGxheWVyIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3c9ImFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXI7IGF1dG9wbGF5OyBjbGlwYm9hcmQtd3JpdGU7IGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYTsgZ3lyb3Njb3BlOyBwaWN0dXJlLWluLXBpY3R1cmU7IHdlYi1zaGFyZSIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuPjwvaWZyYW1lPg=="><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/95btex2Y_TE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
Improving Swap Security with Counteroffers 🔐
If you’re following us on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.twitter.com/aspenft">Twitter</a> — you know we can’t tell you enough times that nothing good goes down in the DMs. As we continue to build flexible tools to help you make money in web3, we are keeping safety and security top of mind for our community.
Not only are counteroffers convenient — they also offer a few security perks to your transactions flows. We’ve outlined our top three below 👇🏽
🔐 You can keep negotiations in-platform
Were you hoping for a bit more in that offer? Create a Counteroffer directly in-app without any additional communications or using multiple platforms
🔐 You don’t have to provide additional personal information
No need to swap Discord usernames or Twitter handles with Swap counterparties to discuss transaction details
🔐 Verify the authenticity of assets with Verified Collection Badges
Ensure the legitimacy of NFTs included in original and counteroffers with the help of our Verified Collection Badges to avoid accepting offers with counterfeit assets.
Click <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://app.aspenft.io/swap">here</a> to get started!

Introducing: Counteroffers on Aspen

**Succeed as a web3 Creator during a crypto bear market** As an NFT artist, it can be challenging to succeed during a crypto bear market. With prices for cryptocurrencies and NFTs enduring volatility, it can be difficult to generate interest and sales for your work. However, with the right strategies and mindset, you can still thrive as a Web3 creator even during a bear market.&nbsp;

<img width="720" height="388" src="/uploads/rectangle-350.png" />

In fact, economic recessions are actually marked by vast *increases* in entrepreneurial activity. 57% of today’s Fortune 500 companies were founded during a recession and over 4.4 million new businesses were created in the U.S. in 2020 — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the burst of the NFT trading bubble requires Creators to do more than set up a Discord server and wait for the sales to roll in&nbsp; — it also forces greater innovation and provides the real builders with the opportunity to bring Web3 back to its creative roots — hopefully without so many Twitter shill-bots and the relentless focus on pumping bags.

Here are some concrete tips to help you succeed as an NFT artist during a crypto bear market:

1. **Focus on the** ***quality*** **of your work:** During a bear market, it's more important than ever to focus on creating high-quality, unique, and valuable NFTs. This will help you stand out from the competition and attract the attention of collectors who are looking for value-add NFTs to add to their portfolios.Instead of following bull market trends, develop a project that resonates with your personal interests. For example, if you are passionate about environmental conservation, you could create NFTs that are designed to raise awareness about climate issues. An artist looking to make Web3 more inclusive may generate an NFT collection that incorporates features such as alternative text and audio descriptions to make their NFTs accessible to people with visual or auditory impairments. By personalizing your work you increase your project’s ability to stand out in a saturated market while simultaneously increasing your ability to build an authentic community — both of which are imperative to support the sales process.

2. **Include audience-specific utility for purchasers of your NFTs:** Another way to support sales throughout a bear market is to incorporate additional features or functionality into the NFT itself. These additional features, often referred to as ‘utility’ can help increase the value and appeal of the NFT, and give collectors a reason to hold and use the NFT beyond its collectible value. For example, an NFT could be designed to grant the holder access to exclusive content, such as a virtual gallery tour or a behind-the-scenes look at your creative process. An NFT could also be used as a unique and collectible item, such as a limited edition print or a digital art book. It's important to note the utility of any particular NFT should be specifically designed for its target audience because this can help increase the value and appeal of the NFT to that audience.&nbsp; When an NFT has utility that is relevant and appealing to its target audience, it can help generate interest in the project, you as the creator, expand your community and support sales performance. Additionally, by tailoring the utility of the NFT to a target audience, you can show that you understand and are catering to the needs and interests of that audience, which can help build consumer trust and loyalty.

3. **Build a strong online presence:** A strong online presence is crucial for Web3 entrepreneurs, but it's especially important during a bear market. Use social media and other online platforms to showcase your work, connect with potential buyers, and build a loyal following. This will help you reach a wider audience and generate interest in your work. While it may feel intimidating to start from zero, don’t look for ‘hacks’ or ‘quick growth’ tactics to inflate your social media following or engagement — it does more harm than good! Instead, focus on growing your online presence authentically. Here’s a few tips to help you get started: **Be yourself:** Don't try to be someone you're not online. Instead, be authentic and genuine in your online interactions, and show your personality and unique perspective. This will help you connect with your audience on a more personal and meaningful level. **Share valuable and interesting content**\: Make sure you are provide value to your audience. Share content that is interesting, informative, or entertaining, and that resonates. This will help you build a loyal following and increase engagement with your content. **Engage with your audience:** To grow your online presence authentically, you need to engage with your audience and respond to their comments and questions. This will help you build a relationship with your followers and make them feel more connected to you and your content.

4. **Network with other NFT creators and collectors:** Building connections with other NFT creators and Web3 innovators can be a valuable way to promote your work and find potential buyers during a bear market. Join online forums and communities, attend NFT-related events and conferences, and reach out to other artists and collectors on social media to share your work and learn from their experiences. Before hitting ‘send’ on those Twitter DMs, run through this short checklist to ensure your outreach is well-received and provides others an equal opportunity to gain value from the interaction or budding relationship. **Be considerate**\: When reaching out to others to share your work, always be respectful of their time and attention. Don't spam them with multiple messages or requests, and don't pressure them to share or promote your work. **Provide value**\: Instead of just promoting your own work, try to provide value to the person you are reaching out to. This could include sharing interesting or useful information, offering to collaborate or partner on a project, or providing support or resources. **Be genuine**\: To avoid coming off as overly promotional, be genuine in your interactions and connections. Show a genuine interest in the person you are reaching out to and their work, and be authentic and sincere in your communication. **Offer something in return**\: Instead of just asking for help in promoting your work, consider offering something in return. This could include promoting the person's work in your own online channels, providing valuable feedback or advice, or offering to help with a project or event. **Manage your own expectations**\: If you are brand new to Web3, you may want to consider starting your outreach with others like yourself instead of directing your communications to well-established creators who already have extensive networks. If you’re launching a new NFT music project, a retweet from [@CoopahTroopa](https://twitter.com/Cooopahtroopa?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) may feel like winning a gold medal — but your efforts may be better spent building relationships that have the opportunity for an equal exchange of value.&nbsp;

5. **Offer unique and limited editions:** During a bear market, collectors may be more inclined to invest in unique and limited edition NFTs that have a higher potential resale value or provide the collector an opportunity to be a part of a select group.&nbsp; Consider offering special editions of your NFTs, such as one-of-a-kind pieces or limited-time releases, to generate interest and increase the value of your work. National Lampoon’s genesis ReCover mint launched on Aspen in the heart of the bear market and sold out in under 180 seconds. Read about their mint [HERE](/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3)[.&nbsp;](__notset__)

6. **Diversify your income streams:** As an NFT artist, it's important to diversify your income streams to protect yourself from market fluctuations. In addition to selling your NFTs, consider offering other services, such as consulting, education, or mentoring, to generate additional revenue. The end of the frenzied NFT trading bubble does not mark the end of Web3 — in fact, it’s only the beginning. Legacy brands are continuing to enter the ecosystem daily which opens up a prime opportunity for experienced Web3 artists and creators to earn additional income. Many Web2 marketing teams are seeking crypto-native consulting support to help inform their organization’s digital strategies. If you are interested in finding freelance or contract positions within larger, more traditional brands, try applying the same social media tactics outlined above and setting up a LinkedIn profile to meet project partners on a more work-centric platform.

Bear markets are a natural part of the crypto cycle, and they will pass. Remember that you are early, your work is valuable, important, and has the ability to meaningfully impact the growth and development of the Web3 ecosystem. Stay focused on your goals and continue to create and innovate even during challenging market conditions. By remaining resilient, determined and consistent — we can all weather the bear market storm and continue to build toward the success of Web3.&nbsp;

Succeed as a web3 Creator during a crypto bear market As an NFT artist, it can be challenging to succeed during a crypto bear market. With prices for cryptocurrencies and NFTs enduring volatility, it can be difficult to generate interest and sales for your work. However, with the right strategies and mindset, you can still thrive as a Web3 creator even during a bear market. 
<img width="720" height="388" src="/uploads/rectangle-350.png" />
In fact, economic recessions are actually marked by vast increases in entrepreneurial activity. 57% of today’s Fortune 500 companies were founded during a recession and over 4.4 million new businesses were created in the U.S. in 2020 — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the burst of the NFT trading bubble requires Creators to do more than set up a Discord server and wait for the sales to roll in  — it also forces greater innovation and provides the real builders with the opportunity to bring Web3 back to its creative roots — hopefully without so many Twitter shill-bots and the relentless focus on pumping bags.
Here are some concrete tips to help you succeed as an NFT artist during a crypto bear market:
<ol>
<li>
Focus on the quality of your work: During a bear market, it's more important than ever to focus on creating high-quality, unique, and valuable NFTs. This will help you stand out from the competition and attract the attention of collectors who are looking for value-add NFTs to add to their portfolios.Instead of following bull market trends, develop a project that resonates with your personal interests. For example, if you are passionate about environmental conservation, you could create NFTs that are designed to raise awareness about climate issues. An artist looking to make Web3 more inclusive may generate an NFT collection that incorporates features such as alternative text and audio descriptions to make their NFTs accessible to people with visual or auditory impairments. By personalizing your work you increase your project’s ability to stand out in a saturated market while simultaneously increasing your ability to build an authentic community — both of which are imperative to support the sales process.
</li>
<li>
Include audience-specific utility for purchasers of your NFTs: Another way to support sales throughout a bear market is to incorporate additional features or functionality into the NFT itself. These additional features, often referred to as ‘utility’ can help increase the value and appeal of the NFT, and give collectors a reason to hold and use the NFT beyond its collectible value. For example, an NFT could be designed to grant the holder access to exclusive content, such as a virtual gallery tour or a behind-the-scenes look at your creative process. An NFT could also be used as a unique and collectible item, such as a limited edition print or a digital art book. It's important to note the utility of any particular NFT should be specifically designed for its target audience because this can help increase the value and appeal of the NFT to that audience.  When an NFT has utility that is relevant and appealing to its target audience, it can help generate interest in the project, you as the creator, expand your community and support sales performance. Additionally, by tailoring the utility of the NFT to a target audience, you can show that you understand and are catering to the needs and interests of that audience, which can help build consumer trust and loyalty.
</li>
<li>
Build a strong online presence: A strong online presence is crucial for Web3 entrepreneurs, but it's especially important during a bear market. Use social media and other online platforms to showcase your work, connect with potential buyers, and build a loyal following. This will help you reach a wider audience and generate interest in your work. While it may feel intimidating to start from zero, don’t look for ‘hacks’ or ‘quick growth’ tactics to inflate your social media following or engagement — it does more harm than good! Instead, focus on growing your online presence authentically. Here’s a few tips to help you get started: Be yourself: Don't try to be someone you're not online. Instead, be authentic and genuine in your online interactions, and show your personality and unique perspective. This will help you connect with your audience on a more personal and meaningful level. Share valuable and interesting content: Make sure you are provide value to your audience. Share content that is interesting, informative, or entertaining, and that resonates. This will help you build a loyal following and increase engagement with your content. Engage with your audience: To grow your online presence authentically, you need to engage with your audience and respond to their comments and questions. This will help you build a relationship with your followers and make them feel more connected to you and your content.
</li>
<li>
Network with other NFT creators and collectors: Building connections with other NFT creators and Web3 innovators can be a valuable way to promote your work and find potential buyers during a bear market. Join online forums and communities, attend NFT-related events and conferences, and reach out to other artists and collectors on social media to share your work and learn from their experiences. Before hitting ‘send’ on those Twitter DMs, run through this short checklist to ensure your outreach is well-received and provides others an equal opportunity to gain value from the interaction or budding relationship. Be considerate: When reaching out to others to share your work, always be respectful of their time and attention. Don't spam them with multiple messages or requests, and don't pressure them to share or promote your work. Provide value: Instead of just promoting your own work, try to provide value to the person you are reaching out to. This could include sharing interesting or useful information, offering to collaborate or partner on a project, or providing support or resources. Be genuine: To avoid coming off as overly promotional, be genuine in your interactions and connections. Show a genuine interest in the person you are reaching out to and their work, and be authentic and sincere in your communication. Offer something in return: Instead of just asking for help in promoting your work, consider offering something in return. This could include promoting the person's work in your own online channels, providing valuable feedback or advice, or offering to help with a project or event. Manage your own expectations: If you are brand new to Web3, you may want to consider starting your outreach with others like yourself instead of directing your communications to well-established creators who already have extensive networks. If you’re launching a new NFT music project, a retweet from <a href="https://twitter.com/Cooopahtroopa?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@CoopahTroopa</a> may feel like winning a gold medal — but your efforts may be better spent building relationships that have the opportunity for an equal exchange of value. 
</li>
<li>
Offer unique and limited editions: During a bear market, collectors may be more inclined to invest in unique and limited edition NFTs that have a higher potential resale value or provide the collector an opportunity to be a part of a select group.  Consider offering special editions of your NFTs, such as one-of-a-kind pieces or limited-time releases, to generate interest and increase the value of your work. National Lampoon’s genesis ReCover mint launched on Aspen in the heart of the bear market and sold out in under 180 seconds. Read about their mint <a href="/blog/aspen-solves-for-legal-in-web3">HERE</a><a href="__notset__">. </a>
</li>
<li>
Diversify your income streams: As an NFT artist, it's important to diversify your income streams to protect yourself from market fluctuations. In addition to selling your NFTs, consider offering other services, such as consulting, education, or mentoring, to generate additional revenue. The end of the frenzied NFT trading bubble does not mark the end of Web3 — in fact, it’s only the beginning. Legacy brands are continuing to enter the ecosystem daily which opens up a prime opportunity for experienced Web3 artists and creators to earn additional income. Many Web2 marketing teams are seeking crypto-native consulting support to help inform their organization’s digital strategies. If you are interested in finding freelance or contract positions within larger, more traditional brands, try applying the same social media tactics outlined above and setting up a LinkedIn profile to meet project partners on a more work-centric platform.
</li>
</ol>
Bear markets are a natural part of the crypto cycle, and they will pass. Remember that you are early, your work is valuable, important, and has the ability to meaningfully impact the growth and development of the Web3 ecosystem. Stay focused on your goals and continue to create and innovate even during challenging market conditions. By remaining resilient, determined and consistent — we can all weather the bear market storm and continue to build toward the success of Web3.

Succeed as a web3 Creator during a bear market

**Where did all the money go? 2022 web3 in review**

The non-fungible token (NFT) industry had a wild ride in 2022. At the beginning of the year, when the crypto market was red hot, it was tough to keep up with all the exciting developments in the NFT space.&nbsp; &nbsp; As could have been predicted, a massive influx of new collections and marketplaces, combined with easy money, created the perfect storm for fraudulent activity. We’ll spare you the recap of the wash trading, fake marketplaces, and questionable collection leaderboards. &nbsp; Instead, we’re focused on the positives. There were multitudes of truly innovative NFT collections in 2022 that showed the world the potential of digital, non-fungible art. And while there were small, grassroots collections in some corners of the industry, there was also consolidation — with the birth of the first NFT megacorp, Yuga Labs. &nbsp; As we look back on 2022, we’ve rounded up key statistics to help inform your Web3 journey in 2023 and beyond.&nbsp; &nbsp; <img width="1080" height="3127" src="/images/blog/Aspen-2022-A-Year-In-Review.png" />

Where did all the money go? 2022 web3 in review
The non-fungible token (NFT) industry had a wild ride in 2022. At the beginning of the year, when the crypto market was red hot, it was tough to keep up with all the exciting developments in the NFT space.    As could have been predicted, a massive influx of new collections and marketplaces, combined with easy money, created the perfect storm for fraudulent activity. We’ll spare you the recap of the wash trading, fake marketplaces, and questionable collection leaderboards.   Instead, we’re focused on the positives. There were multitudes of truly innovative NFT collections in 2022 that showed the world the potential of digital, non-fungible art. And while there were small, grassroots collections in some corners of the industry, there was also consolidation — with the birth of the first NFT megacorp, Yuga Labs.   As we look back on 2022, we’ve rounded up key statistics to help inform your Web3 journey in 2023 and beyond.    <img width="1080" height="3127" src="/images/blog/Aspen-2022-A-Year-In-Review.png" />

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