Selling More CD's

Be very proactive when it comes to selling. While many bands will setup a table and tell people to "go to our table and buy our CDs", you should take it a step further by sending some of your pretty girlfriends and lady friends to do the selling to your fans. Does that sound exploitive, well maybe so, but it works, and the name of the game is to do what it takes, as long as it is ethical and legal.

When you begin playing music, have your sales team start by dancing to the music. They should then pick up their baskets of CDs, grab a couple, hold them high, while your band invites the audience to, "Go buy our CDs." Then they should walk through the aisles for the rest of the your performance.

This technique varies in different parts of the country, for instance in places like Texas or California, this direct approach works magic. Then again, in Florida or Georgia, an audience might get angry if sales people disturb their show. The key here is to realize that your sales team is a PART of the show!

Don't just stand up there silently holding up CDs, integrate your sales people into your show. Get them to dance in the isles, clap their hands, sing-a-long. If they do, the audience will follow their lead. This will help them to attract attention to the CDs, and you will sell more. Don't wait for your fans to come to you, or they may never, be proactive. If you go to them, you'll sell more CDs, and make more fans in the process.

When bands and artists play their music, it definitely is the biggest factor in their sales. When the music is exciting, and everyone is having a good time, the sales are usually pretty good. If the band is doing their job (making great music), it makes selling a lot easier. Your sales team have to be available and approachable to people and look like they are part of the show for people to feel comfortable.

Start from the very beginning employing the use of a roaming basket. It is very effective and other groups have successfully copied this approach. Sellers should walk around holding up the product so people can see them, and try to blend in with the show and not be pushy, just visible.

I personally enjoy interacting with the crowd, adlibbing from what is being said on the stage and telling jokes to make the audience laugh. And I will talk and be nice to everyone, even if they don't buy a CD simply because I enjoy people and I am trying to be an ambassador for the band. They may not buy today, but chances are they will think about it and buy a CD at another time.

A great performance and an interactive sales crew is just the start to selling more CDs at gigs. Some sellers work off of a commission, with bonuses built in when an individual's sales total reaches a certain amount. Giving a salesperson a commission motivates them to sell more than just giving them a flat rate. Have a minimum pay for a nights work when the sales arenot good. In that case the band can pay as an example $40 show, or a 10% commission of the sales total,whichever is greater.

At some venues, such as festivals, I have found that having a sales table is an extremely successful way to increase sales, especially in combination with a roaming salesperson, when using both are appropriate. At pub or bar gigs, you should probably only have a sales table. Having someone roam in a tight space like a bar might be seen as aggressive or invasive, which I do not encourage. Friendly competition between two or more sellers is fine as long as there is a feeling of team spirit. Sellers should help each other out when one needs change or more stock.

The larger the crowds, the more sales people are needed. The sheer size of the crowd has a tremendous impact on sales. When you get that many people standing or sitting that close together and they are all excited about the music, it is like a ripple effect--once the sales start flowing, everyone seems to jump on the buying wagon.

Where the crowd is huge, your sellers may not be able to maximize the full sales potential. A good indication of not being able to tap the sales potential is when you are standing in one spot and have not moved out of it the entire show, or can't move.

Try to find what is called a "sweet spot" when people come up to you already wanting to buy a CD. Just as soon as you finish one sale, another person comes up to buy a CD, that's Sweet! Always try to point out the fact that they can order more CDs through your website or mail order. You do have a website, Right????.

Your sales team should always be trying to promote the band, and ask them to take business cards from people who want to hire the band for potential gigs and direct them to the business manager.

So lets review what it takes to sell merchandise.

1. Great music
2. Great live performance
3. Roaming sales people with baskets of CDs
4. Sellers hold up product DURING the show
5. Sellers blend in an interact with the show
6. Reward sales people with commission
7. Set up sales table for venues
8. Encourage friendly sales competition
9. More people to sell for larger crowds, enjoy 'ripple effect'
10. Take business cards to gigs and hand out at every opportunity.

This is one approuch, later in this series I will talk about the use of schwag, you know that free stuff that is given away at shows. You will be surprised what free goodies can do to help your band become popular about town! Till then, Good Luck!