Posted: Aug 31, 2020
Category: Merch
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**Guest post written by Conor Farrell of Solid Merch, a comprehensive source for independent artists and record labels to stock their merch tables and web stores, and engage with their fans and communities.
"One of the factors contributing to vinyl’s renewal has been creators’ focus on unique releases that become collectible works of art on their own, distinct from the creativity contained in the grooves. While black vinyl has been the standard option for much of vinyl history, most pressing plants have expanded in recent years to include more color choices, and some even have the ability to combine multiple colors into eye-popping designs."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jun 8, 2020
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Bug Hunter, a "thoughtful, self-reflective pop" singer-songwriter out of Seattle.
"It started as a plan to play a couple East Coast shows while attending our old drummer’s wedding in North Carolina. Eventually our radius got so big that we just decided: “Hey, let’s just drive out there and play a show every night along the way”. So we packed up the minivan in Seattle and drove for 15 days, playing 14 shows without any prior experience in the markets we were visiting (save for Seattle and Portland)."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 20, 2020
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Jordan Gates, of Megaphone Agency.
"This isn’t the first time [the music industry] has been forced to adapt to tremendous change and adversity. No one is immune to the threats of disruption, volatility, and hyper competition that exist in this industry. Despite the fickle nature, there are things artists can do to set themselves up for success in the long run. Here are some thoughts on how to weather the storms and come out on top..."
Posted: Apr 6, 2020
Category: Tips & Tricks
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**Guest post by Kristen Ford, Nashville based indie rock act with a passion for music business and a book on DIY touring in the works.
Seeing as so many gigs are canceled, with business as usual impossible due to coronavirus social distancing, I am trying to make the most of this unfortunate situation. If you are a musician like me, whether you are self employed, have a small business with a few employees or just do music part time and are still missing some of your income due to Coronavirus cancelations, I hope some of these resources will be helpful...
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 28, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Ari Herstand. This is an excerpt from his book How to Make It in the New Music Business (second edition). This post was originally published on Music Connection.
"Before you release your next single or album, make sure you set it up for the best chance of success. Don’t forget to do these 26 things before the release..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 24, 2019
Category: Marketing
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**This post originally appeared on the Disc Makers Blog for indie musicians by Randy Chertkow & Jason Feehan of MakingMoneyWithMusic.com. Reprinted with permission.
"Your best social media strategy is to entertain your fans throughout the year rather than just drop an album and disappear. Create a strategy to make your fans anticipate your every release — music, videos, merch, and more — and attract new fans in the process."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 9, 2019
Category: The Lefsetz Letter
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**Guest post by Bob Lefsetz of The Lefsetz Letter.
"Don't wait for help, do it yourself. Just like you can record and distribute yourself, you can promote too. If you're waiting for a manager to start, don't...Decide who you want to be. A hobbyist, a touring musician or a superstar. This affects your path..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Sep 3, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Jake Shane, an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who resides in Spain. He makes his living as an independent artist by touring around Europe. His fourth album will be released in October, 2019.
"A recent article by Larry Fitzmaurice titled “17 Indie Artists on Their Oddest Odd Jobs That Pay the Bills When Music Doesn’t” is by turns comforting and deflating to the indie musician...Contrastingly to me, none of those artists makes their living exclusively from music, and many of them actually lose money touring. So, what does this mean for musicians in general, and me specifically? Well, a variety of things, but I’ll limit myself to three important factors..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Apr 1, 2019
Category: Merch
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**Guest post written by Imri Merritt aka M, originally featured on the Rush Order Tees Blog.
"In this post, I’ll go over some of the tried and tested band merch, explain what they are, and why they are popular. This should give you some ideas for creating customized swag that will excite your fans and bring in some bucks. They asked me to list 10, but I’m turning it up to 11."
View Full ArticlePosted: Feb 19, 2019
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Donna Maurer, a contributor on multiple music blogs and lover of creating helpful articles for her fellow musicians and music lovers.
"If you want to be successful as a musician today, you must learn to diversify your income streams. That way, when the live gigs and album sales slow down, you’ll still have money coming in from other areas to keep you going until things pick up...Here are some unique and creative ways to make money when your career hits a lull."
Posted: Jan 14, 2019
Category: Music Streaming
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"As an indie musician, I love Spotify even more [than as a listener/fan]. I can release music on a platform where millions of music lovers are. I recently dove into all the things we can do with Spotify as an indie musician. Now, I will show you how to get the most out of Spotify."
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 1, 2018
Category: Merch
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**Guest post written by Ari Herstand, the author of How To Make It in the New Music Business. It originally appeared on Ari's Take.
"When you’re on tour, merch can be your number-one income generator. Believe it. Bands stress over their guarantees, door splits and turnouts. If you want to survive financially with your music, you must understand the importance of merch sales..." View Full Article
Posted: Sep 11, 2018
Category: Fans
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**Guest post written by Ariel Hyatt, originally featured on the Cyber PR Blog.
"This post focuses on how to energize and connect with Community 2 – Engaged Fans. These fans are your Active Online Audience...They know who you are but they may not know you very well (yet)...In Community 2 contribution is critical but engagement is even more vital." View Full Article
Posted: Jul 23, 2018
Category: Digital vs. Physical
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**Guest post written by Sylvia of Vinyl Price Comparison Search, previously featured on MusicGoat.com.
"Vinyl is back on the (turn)table as a means for new artists to get their musical message out there. And vinyl record shops and online stores are even making a revival. But if you’re an up ‘n comer is it worth putting your needle on the groove, when there are cheaper and easier options at your fingertips? Let’s take a spin around this complex issue…."
Posted: Apr 16, 2018
Category: The Musician Business
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"Most people don’t even carry cash and never use checks for anything. Your band, which is your small business, needs to change with the times and accept credit cards. Don’t worry, it is very simple to do."
Posted: Jan 29, 2018
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Scott Aumann, originally featured on The Legit Musician blog.
"Find out what your fans want by asking them. I learned this little tip by following online guru Michael Hyatt. He does a reader survey every year, and he learns how to run his business from the results. Don’t be afraid to ask your fans what they want. Most of the time, they will be excited to share this info with you. It will make them feel more connected to you as well."
Posted: Dec 18, 2017
Category: Merch
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**Guest post written by Glen Perry of Audio Mastered. He's been a musician for over 15 years and has done everything the hard way so you don't have to. You can find more advice and buying guides, such as the best Bluetooth transmitters, over at AudioMastered.com.
"A common mistake bands and artists make is not paying attention to the economics of their merch table. Unfortunately, some bands shy away from a data-driven approach and only sell a few cliché merch items - think T-shirts. By taking a closer look at less expensive, but more profitable items, bands can add fresh additions to their revenue streams..." View Full Article
Posted: Dec 11, 2017
Category: Show Booking
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**Guest post written by Adam Young, CEO and founder of Event Tickets Center, a marketplace for tickets to sports, concert and Broadway events.
"Playing a concert takes a ton of preparation, especially when it’s your band’s first time on stage...But when it’s finally time to make your debut, it’s important plan for the venue—and it’s hard to know what to expect until you start going to performances at a wide range of bars, clubs and concert halls in any town. When you do, here are a few things to keep an eye out for..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Nov 20, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.
"When you’re strapped for cash on the road, it can be a relief to have a bandmate in the passenger seat, lifting your spirits and holding things together. At the same time, splitting $42 in tips and then going out to drink every night can make turning a profit feel like a luxury you can’t afford. Here are some of the pros and cons to touring alone versus with your friends."
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 23, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.
"I’ve made $44,917.42 in revenue in the past 18 months exclusively as an independent touring musician without a fan base. Over that time I played 249 shows, taught 91 lessons, and did other musical jobs for cash. There’s nothing particularly glamorous about my financials, but enough people have asked me to help them through theirs that I thought I’d publish my strategies. Here are some tips to keep your finances in order so you can tour profitably." View Full Article
Posted: Oct 10, 2017
Category: Touring
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**Guest post written by Andrew Tufano, Nashville based Acoustic Pop Singer-Songwriter.
"When you’re touring full-time, every cubic inch in the back of your van counts. You can’t be a hoarder and tour efficiently, but fitting your daily necessities into a suitcase-shaped hole isn’t easy. Here are some strategies I learned on the road to help you consolidate your life into your car so you can comfortably tour for a living."
View Full ArticlePosted: Jul 24, 2017
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Allison Stafford, lead singer and acoustic rhythm guitarist for the Southern Country band No Deceit.
"We all know as musicians that the Merch Sales and Tips can be the saving grace of a show! You may not make a lot of money from the venue that you’re playing, or anything for that matter, but sometimes, you can make more in a tip jar or in merch sales than you would from the venue anyway! How do you get people directed toward your mech and tip bucket?"
View Full ArticlePosted: May 15, 2017
Category: Online Presence
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**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey of Bandzoogle.
"...when someone gets to your band’s page, you want to be sure to grab their attention right away...You want to make sure they find the most important information. Their eyes will gravitate towards text and a button. With this in mind, make it count by adding a call-to-action." View Full Article
Posted: Dec 5, 2016
Category: Marketing
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**Guest post written by Wade Sutton of Rocket to the Stars.
"What I am going to talk about in this article is rooted so deeply in common sense yet so few bands actually do it. Your live show will ALWAYS be your most powerful tool when it comes to marketing your music, your merchandise, your music brand, and getting people to sign up for your e-mail or text lists..."
View Full ArticlePosted: Oct 3, 2016
Category: Online Presence
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**Guest post written by Melanie Kealey of Bandzoogle.com.
"What is key to a great music website? An engaging, easy to scan, music page, with lots of songs to listen to. It should reflect who you are as a musician, and offer lots of options for your listeners in an organized way." View Full Article