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