Whether you’ve just started out or are on the rise, there are lots of ways in which musicians can benefit from making merchandise. Whether it’s t-shirts or special edition CDs, if people love your music, they’ll want to buy your stuff, and here are some reasons why you should give the people what they want and start selling merchandise.
Raise some much-needed cash
Unless you have a big record deal, as a musician, you’re likely to struggle financially at times. While the average musician earns about $35k a year, most of them will earn the bulk of their cash from a day job, not their musical output. Merchandise is a good way to make some money that goes directly to you, and if you make your own merch, you get a higher profit margin.
It’s not as hard as you might think
Many items of merchandise can be made pretty easily using printing services or even your own crafting skills. For example, click here and you’ll see some of the t-shirts and hoodies you can buy in bulk, which can then easily be customized with your band name or logo.
There are many companies that make things like stickers or pins, if you want to stick to smaller items, and if you buy in bulk then you make a better profit margin.
You can advertise your band or act
People in band t-shirts or other clothing items are basically walking billboards, so it’s a good way to get your name out there. There are lots of types of selling merchandise that also double up as advertisements, such as:
- Hoodies
- Patches
- Baseball caps
- Knitted hats
- Pins
Some other types of merchandise that tend to get attention include:
- Guitar picks
- Keyrings
- Stickers
- Limited edition CDs
In the early days of a band, some musicians give away free merchandise because they know it’s a good way to spread the word and reward loyal fans.
It builds relationships with fans
The fans that you meet in your early days could potentially follow you throughout your career, and they’ll be excited for any new music you bring out. In-between albums, things like special releases and colored vinyl ensure they have something to look forward to and they help you build a relationship with fans. It also gives you something to post about on social media and is a good way to build some hype when things are slow.
You can make up for low-paid gigs
Being a musician isn’t always the most glamorous of jobs, and most gigs are poorly paid, making it hard for performers to cover their costs. By setting up a stand that sells t-shirts or other merch, you can recoup some of the cost of travel and your time, meaning you aren’t out of pocket at the end of the night.
Band merchandise isn’t just for big names. Fans love to buy merch from small, indie performers, so make sure you offer some both on your official website and when you are at gigs.
Photo by Sidney Pearce on Unsplash
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