people about your show and your stuff. That will increase your fan base, which in turn
over time, means more money in your bank account.
Promote Your Merchandise
In between songs or sets, don’t be afraid or ashamed to promote your merchandise.
Sure, you want to sing and play your heart out. You also want to make money. Your act,
as I’ve mentioned, is a business. Businesses that thrive promote their products and ser-
vices. It’s called marketing.
Be sure to mention your merch table, where it’s located and what you have on offer.As a matter of fact, mention it a few times during the show. Say something like, “Hey!
Check out our t-shirts. You can find them at the table near the entrance. Shirts are just
$25.99 and they’re killer! There’s also a bunch of other cool stuff out there and our latest
CD, so stop by before you take off. After the show, the band will be there for a meet and
greet.”
Promote your merchandise on your site as well. Add some banner ads that link to
your store with some great graphics and engaging words to tell them why they should
visit and buy something.
When the time comes to do a morning radio show interview, bring some doughnuts as
I mentioned earlier, but also bring some t-shirts or other merchandise for the radio staff
and some to give away on the show. “Caller seven will win a band t-shirt,” kind of thing.
Do the same for any interviews you’re invited to do. It’s important to keep these people
and your fans happy. Happy fans buy stuff like show tickets, CDs and merchandise and
promote your act. Happy radio people play your tunes and also help to promote your act.
It’s all about building quality, authentic relationships.