How Musicians Can Maximize Merch Sales At In Person Shows

By Merch,Music Business No Comments

You’ve put a lot of thought intocreating the right designsfor merch based on your brand and music. With those designs, you decided on thebest way to get those items made. Now, it’s time to sell!

对于许多独立的艺术家,现场表演不come as frequently so you want to make sure you’re maximizing these opportunities to sell when you’re performing live.

In this blog, we’ll go over all of the basics that you should keep in mind for selling merch in person and some tips to maximize your efforts.

Please Note:This blog contains affiliate links to Amazon, meaning that I get a small commission when you purchase any of the items I recommend. This is a great way to support all the work that went into this blog at no extra cost to you. Read my full affiliate link disclosurehere.

Offer various payment options.


By default, you should at least be able to accept credit cards.Squareis the most commonly used payment service and they offer a free basic card reader when you sign up that attaches to your smartphone.

In case you want a backup or you lose it, you can also just order aSquare Reader on Amazon for about $10.

If you want to invest in abetter Square card reader, the next level up that costs around $50 to $60 dollars.

If you want aportable Square terminalthat you don’t need to connect to your SmartPhone, you can get the Square Terminal.

Cash is ideal but you’ll need to have a change available.If so, it would be smart toinvest in a cash boxand have enough change before each show. You don’t really need anything big or fancy. Even asmall cash bagwill work fine.

You may also want to price items strategically to minimize the change you need, like selling items in increments of $5, $10 and $20 so you don’t need $1 bills. $200 in change should be enough.

Venmo,PayPal,ZelleandCashAppare also very useful payment options to have. To make transactions quick, I would print out a sheet of QR codes for each payment option you have set up along with your usernames. That way, customers can have their app out and ready to pay.

Here’s how to find the QR codes for each of the digital payment options:

Ask the venue beforehand about where merch is sold.


You want to make sure you know where the merch area is and what supplies are available to you. Do you need tobring your own tableor racks to hang items up? How is the lighting? Is there actually good foot traffic or can you set up somewhere else?

Chances are the music venue will have a designated merch area that is optimal for selling. In case you’re performing somewhere that is not typically for music, try finding any space closer to the entrance/exit where foot traffic is forced to go.

Most of the time, music venues should have tables available for you to set up on. If not or you’re performing, here’s a great6ft folding table optionand ablack table cloth.

Stick around after your live performance.


这是一个巨大的机遇为你建立德eper relationships with your fans and potentially sell merch. Whether it’s to chat, take a photo with you or have something signed, you want to stay around your merch table for your fans as long as you can after your set. When talking about building your brand, making yourself available physically for fans is one of the best things you can do. It’s not scalable but it’s important especially for emerging artists. Just be sure to let people know you’re doing it and where after your set.

Have someone sell merch for you.


Your priority after performing is to spend time interacting and engaging with fans. Having someone handle all of the merch transactions will free up time for you to focus on those who support you. Try to see if you can have a friend offer a couple of hours to sell merch for you at the table.

Otherwise, some venues might have someone available to sell merch for you, but they’ll charge you and take a small cut of your sales. Depending on the venue, they may only take a cut of soft sales (shirts, hats, sweaters) as opposed to hard sales (CD, Vinyl). Some may take a percentage of both. Make sure to ask ahead of time so you’re clear on their policies and maybe try to negotiate better terms.

Mention you have merch for sale during your set.


Not everyone is going to know that you have a merch table set up so be sure to mention it sometime during your live performance. You can even point it out if it’s in view. To remind yourself, make a note of it in your set list or do it at the end, especially if you’ll head to the table after your performance.

Have prices, sizes and color options visible.


Have a tag or label next to the item with a price and any other details. You can also have a printed price list that is visible. This is particularly important if you’re by yourself at the merch table. You don’t want to waste any time having to answer any questions about prices when you might have a line of people wanting to get your attention to talk or get a photo.

If you’re printing something out, be sure tolaminate itto prolong the use of it.

Give away something free at your merch table.


Leave some free stickers, mini prints, posters or pins at the merch table to give a reason for people to stop by. Be sure to have a sign or note to let people know it’s free.

Stickers are relatively cheap to make. There are tons of companies that do them but here are two popular options:

Presentation matters.


No one likes to shop in a messy, unorganized shop so you need to make sure your table and setup is inviting. Bring somenice hangersto hang up shirts and hoodies on agrid wall panel displayso they aren’t wrinkled. Some venues may have display racks for you to use so ask first since they’re a bit pricey.

Make sure the area is well lit so bringbattery powered or rechargeable lampsfor the table. If there’s a display rack, using aclampable reading lightcan help shine a light on the merch and make it more visible.

In addition to your table, you should also keep your products organized and inprotective storage bins. It’ll make your life easier and keep your inventory protected.

Offer a discount or free item for email sign ups.


A live show is a great opportunity to collect emails for your mailing list. You can incentivise fans by offering a discount or a free item like stickers, poster or even a CD for signing up.

This can be done with a sign up sheet you printed out (just make sure they write legibly) oruse a tablet like an iPadthat has a digital sign up page set up. This can be done in email apps like MailChimp.

You can also create aQR codethat goes to your email sign up page.

Bring Permanent Markers (Sharpies).


One of the perks of attending a show from a fan perspective is having the chance to talk to the artist, get a photo and have things signed. Not everyone will bring things with them to the show so having products to sell and Sharpies already at the table will make it more likely for people to buy something.

The default for autographs is ablack fine point Sharpie, but it really depends on what’s being signed and the type of surface. Typically, you’ll most likely be signing the jacket sleeve of a vinyl record, a CD cover or a poster so Sharpies will work fine. If the surface is a bit glossy or metallic, you may need to be more careful. Make sure to let it dry and not to smear your autograph.

Blue fine point Sharpieswork well too and are generally considered better for autographs because black is more prone to fading.

If the merch you have contains dark colored surfaces, you may consider havingsilver or gold fine point metallic Sharpieson hand.

Offer bundle packages or 2-for-1 discounts.


We all love a good deal. If you have multiple items for sale, like a shirt, hat and CD, offer it together for a little cheaper.

Another type of discount is offering 2-for-1 or “buy one, get one free.” This can be useful for something like CDs. The original idea is that if someone buys 2, they’ll likely give the other one away to a friend. Unfortunately, that tactic isn’t as effective in the streaming era since the majority of people don’t use CDs to listen to music but it’s something to consider if your demographic still uses them.

Make sure you have a sign that advertises your deals.

Check your internet connection.


In order to process card transactions, you’ll need to be connected to the internet. Your typical music venue or small business should have Wi-Fi so be sure to get access. For festivals or outdoor gigs, make sure you have good enough reception or Wi-Fi to take credit card payments.

Don’t offer too many design options.


Chances are you’re not going to have a ton of different items to sell in early stages of your career so this is nothing to really worry about. But in general, you don’t want to offer too many design options and give fans “choice overload.” You want to keep it relatively simple so fans don’t get overwhelmed and distracted by too many choices.

For example, 3 – 5 different shirt designs is more than enough. Of course, if you have multiple physical music releases, make sure to have them all on display.

Have an inventory and sales tracking system.


Before the show, do inventory to count how many of each item you’re bringing with you and quantities for each size. It will help a lot of you set up a spreadsheet and keep a log of sales for each show.

By the end of the night, count to make sure the sales totals at the end match up with the amounts you sold and how many of each item did you sell. This is helpful to let you know what sizes do you need more of in the future and what are the big money makers.

From my experience with the artists I work with, we notice that L and XL sell the best and that black is the preferred color when there are other color options.

Some apps like Square will allow you to track all of this.

For more advanced merch tracking apps, look into:

Conclusion


In this next and final blog of the series, I’ll be covering how musicians can maximize merch sales online.

20+ Tactics for Musicians to Beat Social Media Algorithms in 2023

By Facebook,88yabo88 ,Social Media,Twitter No Comments

The one thing that never fails to piss off creators and artists are social media algorithms!

The days of free organic reach have been well behind us. Basically, ancient history at this point. Although the perception of how TikTok serves content to users seems to be more favorable, the complaints have more so been with Instagram and Facebook (both owned by Meta of course). To be fair, the YouTube algorithm doesn’t share your new video uploads to all of your subscribers either.

What can musicians do to overcome this challenge with algorithms? Or is it even the source of the problem in the first place? In this blog, we’ll explore that and cover a list of tactics for you to try and “beat” the algorithm.Read More

社交媒体算法故意压制吗ing Sales Posts To Screw Over Artists?

By Facebook,88yabo88 ,Social Media,Twitter No Comments

Note:This is an option blog piece that is a bit different from what I usually publish. It is meant to be a complementary piece to go with myTactics For Musicians To Beat Social Media Algorithmsblog.

当一个音乐家upco关于门票ming show or new merch, there can be a noticeable dip in engagement and organic reach compared to other types of posts. I’ve seen it happen firsthand many times. Does this always happen? No. Have I seen sales types of posts do really well organically? Yes.

The commonly held belief is that social media platforms will intentionally suppress the organic reach of any posts that involve trying to sell something to force creators to buy ads to reach their followers.

I hear about it all the time within my circles. I’m no stranger to conspiracy theories myself but I also strive to be objective as a mediator-type personality and a professional in the industry.

Although this line of thinking makes a lot of sense and it’s hard to argue against this belief considering that’s their major source of income, there is also another major factor at play.Read More

初学者指南为音乐家AI: Artificia亚博全站l Intelligence Can Boost Your Music Career Now

By AI (Artificial Intelligence) No Comments

Parts of the blog were written with the assistance of ChatGPT. All images used in the blog, including the header, were generated using MidJourney.

Not too long ago, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) were all the rage in 2021. But more recently, AI has been the buzzword coming into 2023. Aspects of AI, like the infamous social media algorithms, have been the musician’s archenemy over the past several years with sharp declines in organic reach, but will AI become the final boss or the hero to save the day?

With the rise of artificial intelligence, AI stories have been taking over more and more headlines, newsfeeds and conversations. There’s no way that the mention of AI and all of the headlines it has made hasn’t come across you on social media or within your social network.

The big question is what does this mean for artists, creatives and musicians? Is AI’s rise a blessing or a curse? Can AI replicate human creativity? Who owns the copyright to what AI produces?

In this blog, I explore the good and the bad (mostly good) with AI as it relates to independent musicians. If you’re new to AI, this beginner’s guide is a great place to start. I also share 25+ AI tools you should consider trying. Because many of these AI tools are free to use or have a free plan, I highly encourage you to give them a shot and start experimenting with the technology.
Read More

5 FREE Live Performance Discovery Platforms For Musicians To Apply

By Discovery,Live Performance,Video One Comment

Getting noticed as an emerging, independent artist is not easy.Thankfully, there are opportunities for you to get exposure to be discovered and potentially grow your fan base.The best part is it’sFREEto apply!

In this blog, I share 5 live performance discovery platforms that basically any musician can apply for a chance to get featured in front of new potential fans.
Read More

Beginners Guide for Filing Taxes as a Musician – Part 2: 5 Tips To Get Started

By Music Business No Comments

Please Note:I am not a financial advisor or tax consultant. The contents of this blog is for educational purposes only. Nothing contained here is financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. Be sure to talk with a professional tax consultant or accountant if you’re unsure about filing taxes as a musician. The information contained is specifically for those who live and work in the United States.

Have you started bringing in income from music and you’re unsure of how to prepare for taxes?

Being able to earn money as a musician is the first key step from something just being a hobby to becoming a full-time professional. Unfortunately, this is also where income taxes kick in and things can get complicated quickly.

In this blog, which is part 2 of my beginners guide for filing taxes, I’ll cover 5 fundamental tips on how independent artists should get started with accounting for their music business. Also, I share a list of expenses you may be able to write-off as a musician.Read More

Beginners Guide for Filing Taxes as a Musician – Part 1: Frequently Asked Questions

By Music Business No Comments

Please Note:I am not a financial advisor or tax consultant. The contents of this blog is for educational purposes only. Nothing contained here is financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. Be sure to talk with a professional tax consultant or accountant if you’re unsure about filing taxes as a musician. The information contained is specifically for those who live and work in the United States.

As gratifying as it may be to make a living off your art, the tough reality of being an independent artist is that you’re required to handle not only the creative side, but all aspects of the business. This includes filing tax returns with the good folks at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Whether you’re just starting out or on the path to pursue a full-time career as a professional musician, you want to make sure you educate yourself with the basics around filing taxes and creating an accounting system for your finances related to the business. Even though tax returns are due in April, it’s never too early to learn, especially if you want to take this music thing more seriously.

In this blog, I’ll cover common questions newer artists pursuing music professionally may have about filing taxes as a self-employed musician.Read More

Are NFTs the Future or a SCAM? My First Experiences Buying into Music NFT Projects

By NFTs,Web3 No Comments

This is the first part of a series on Web3 / NFTs for music artists. In this introductory blog, I explain why so many think that NFTs are a scam and cover the very basics of NFTs and the blockchain.

My hope is musicians will rethink this narrative and keep an open mind because there is a lot of good potential for the music industry as this Web3 space continues to develop. As someone new to this space, I share my experiences with buying into some NFT projects to see if they really are scams.

Within the past 3 years or so, there has been a lot of chatter around NFTs in headlines and various social spaces. On top of that, you also had the buzz words “metaverse” and “web3” constantly being tossed around.

Withheadlines of record breaking sales, NFTs gained a lot of attention in the music community.In 2021 alone, musician-related NFT projects generated over86 million dollars in revenueaccording to research fromWater & Music.About two-thirds (64%) of those NFT project sales came from independent artists while one-third (36%) came from major label artists.

Then you have artists likeSnoop Dogg,Eminemand evenMadonnamaking headlines for buying NFTs by the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the secondary market for what many confused outsiders perceive as “expensive JPEGs.” What is up with all this NFT hype?Read More

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By yabo2022vip手机版 ,Music Promotion yabo2020官方网站

This is a guest post by Mackenzie Leighton fromGroover.

As an independent musician, good media coverage is the key to growing your fanbase and establishing notoriety. It can be overwhelming to find music blogs to submit music to when there are endless options to choose from. Some artists may choose to work with public relations agents that do this work for them, while others prefer to get media coverage on their own. If you want to send your music to blogs with guaranteed feedback, check outGroover: a platform that connects artists directly with influencers in the music industry.

Here are the best strategies to find music blogs so that you can successfully pitch your music to the right people and get media coverage.
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How NOT to Pitch to Music Industry People: Avoid These 10 Common Email Mistakes!

By Music Business No Comments

Have you ever tried pitching yourself or your music to someone in the music industry but rarely ever hear back?

Many of us are busy and yes, we get a lot of emails. At least for me, I actually read most of the emails I get from my website, but I only respond to maybe 5% of them. Why is that? Many artists are making the same common mistakes when it comes to email.

One of the most fundamental skills any emerging independent artist needs is to know how to communicate to music industry people professionally.So if you want to improve the chances of getting something you want, whether it’s pitching for a playlist, receiving coverage on a blog, performing at a venue, getting help with your career, you need to know the proper way to email someone.

Some of you may be thinking this sounds so basic, why dedicate a whole blog on this topic? Unfortunately, I still see a lot of these mistakes in my own inbox way too often so clearly this isn’t common sense.Read More

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