Bands That Take Selling Seriously
from the don't-forget-the-merch dept
We recently wrote about how bands are (successfully) experimenting with different models to sell more merchandise at shows, and Ian Rogers of Topspin (who I also -- finally -- got to meet at the Leadership Music Digital Summit) writes about two bands he recently saw who clearly understand the value of selling (and, as he notes, neither band is using Topspin, so he's not promoting his own partners here) by actually realizing that selling merchandise is part of their job. He describes how one band, Halestorm, was opening for another band, but rather than being just a typical opening band that fades into the background, they made sure that people knew about them, first by putting on a great show and then by making it clear that (a) they have affordable merchandise for sale and (b) the band itself will be hanging out with the crowd and wants to meet everyone. From Ian's post:- Lzzy starts solo with a guitar around her neck and a mic, just singing acapella. Long notes, killer voice. She has people cheering for her before the rest of the band even walks out on stage. Before her voice gets hidden behind the rock, she lets 'em know she can sing and you can see people are impressed straight away.
- The rest of the band appears and they tear through a few songs. It's straight-ahead rock, on the heavy side but ready for pop radio. Everyone in the band is high-energy and engaging, even Lzzy's brother Arejay on drums is standing up for parts of the songs and just generally being a showman.
- Mid-way through the set Lzzy announces they have a new record coming out in a few weeks but you can buy a pre-release of it now for $5 at the merch stand.
- There's a drum solo-y part that doesn't go on long and ends with the entire band at the front of the stage playing drums and the crowd cheering as they go crazy with it.
- During the last song Lzzy reminds them that they have their own merch stand upstairs and CDs for only $5. She also says the whole band is going to be up there after their set and that she wants to meet everyone.
- I head over to the merch stand after the show and watch their tour manager relieve the woman who runs the merch table so she can disappear into the crowd below with a box of CDs with "Halestorm CDs $5" written on it.
- The merch stand is mobbed. It's surrounded by people and they are selling merch literally as fast as their tour manager can manage.
- The band appears (after breaking down their own stage setup) and meets and talks to as many people as possible, while helping to sell their merch.
- Free stickers list their MySpace page, etc.
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Filed Under: bands, merchandise, music
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They're devaluing their merch!!
You're all in gradeschool.
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nothing new
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Re: nothing new
This story is a def waste of time. What's next, a story telling us how water is wet?!?!
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Re: Re: nothing new
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Re: Re: nothing new
But if $5 CDs are flying off the shelves at these concerts, without any help from promoters, it certainly indicates that promotion is easier and more valuable than labels would have you think.
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Re: nothing new
The general concept isn't all that new, but actually making a true effort to connect with the fans? That's pretty rare...
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Re: Re: nothing new
We've already been told by lots of folks that bands hate merchandising. Yet, when we find a band that does it well, suddenly everyone complains that it's nothing new?
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that's the only way
but hey - if u can make a living with being musician it is fantastic!
Today's musicians have to be open for new strategies.
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Who cares if its an old trick? If a band can work it into a contemporary strategy that helps build them as a brand, it works.
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Good Shows
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Not new, but still good
I think most bands understand that putting on a good show is good for business, but many simply lack the skills of showmanship. On the other hand, you have bands like the Phenomenauts who never mention their merch (it would be out of character), but sell TONS because almost everyone who attends their shows is a fan at the end. Plus, they have an image that promotes togetherness, which is a hard thing to pull off in a punk scene that tends to promote NOT looking like everyone else. If nothing else, I can't think of another band that can convince fans of punk music to pay $100+ for a fancy jacket, but they sell their custom jackets out almost immediately after they produce a batch.
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grammer correction
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Live shows
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Halestorm
If they don't sound like every other faux metal band.
Flash the sign of the horns doods!
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Musicians
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clueless
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