| The rewards of creating music range from
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| | to potential fans is just as important.
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| the deep satisfaction of writing a new
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| | Arming your current fan base with a
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| song to the glowing pride of a successful
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| | fashionable marketing tool will only help
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| performance. These feelings bolster our
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| | to promote your band and raise your
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| confidence, but do little to compensate
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| | profile. To this end, musicians should
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| for the financial investment often tied
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| | take great care in creating logos and
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| to making music. While selling your music
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| | images that accurately reflects their
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| via CDs and downloads is a good start,
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| | sound and image while appealing to
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| you should also consider investing in
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| | consumers. For inspiration, turn to for a
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| band merchandise to promote your band and
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| | wide range of arresting designs. If you
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| cover the cost of instruments, rehearsal
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| | don't have the skills to create the
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| spaces, recording equipment and more.
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| | design, try cutting costs by recruiting a
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| In a Rolling Stone article (7/04),
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| | graphic arts student to handle the
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| Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba
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| | project for you.
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| spoke about the importance of
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| | Once the perfect design is approved,
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| merchandise: "Merch sales are what kept
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| | identify the medium that will give you
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| us going. Even now, we're still not
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| | the greatest return. A quick Google
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| making our living from playing the shows.
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| | search found a wealth of companies
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| Merch is where we make our profit." In
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| | dedicated to meeting the merchandise
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| that same story, John Mayer commented on
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| | needs of independent artists. Here are
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| merchandise sales and the current state
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| | just a few of the deals out there:
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| of the recording industry: "You're not
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| | 100 printed t shirts: $405 at 500 1"
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| making that much money off records
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| | buttons: $100 at BusyBeaver.net
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| anymore, so until people can figure out
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| | 250 5.5" x 1.42" stickers: $25 at 100
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| how to make a re-writable Hanes Beefy-T,
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| | posters: $175 at Selling your band
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| merch is one of the last bastions of
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| | merchandise can be done at live shows or
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| individuality, commerce and style that an
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| | online via your web site. Create links at
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| artist has left."
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| | social music sites like to draw more
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| Echoing those sentiments, Amanda Palmer
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| | traffic and use secure payment services,
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| of The Dresden Dolls told NPR (1/17/07):
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| | such as PayPal, to handle the monetary
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| "We make almost no money off our
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| | transactions. Email fan club members when
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| recordings themselves." To earn a steady
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| | new products become available and try
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| income, NPR interviewer Chris Arnold
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| | offering special packages, bundling your
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| noted that "The Dresden Dolls can take in
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| | CDs or downloads with t shirts, buttons
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| more than $1,000 a night selling
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| | and/or stickers to drive sales and spread
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| merchandise, which makes the 'merch
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| | the word about your music.
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| table' a major source of income why
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| | You shouldn't let expenses drain your
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| they're on the road."
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| | passion for music. Put your music to work
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| While generating money is the most
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| | for you with your own merchandise and
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| obvious benefit of band merchandise, the
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| | keep making the music you love.
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| valuable impressions made from exposure
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|
