Live Show Music Marketing

Think about your last live performance. Now ask your self these questions, be truthful:

• How many CDs or T-shirts did you sell?
• How many people did you get to sign up for your newsletter?
• How many gigs did you book after walking through the crowd meeting your fans?
• After talking with your fans, what part of your live show needs improvement?
• How many other artists or groups did you network with?

Live shows are the best place to gain new fans, sell merchandise, network and market your music. They offer a captivated base of potential fans that are looking for something new, exciting, and fresh. Unfortunately, many up and coming artists and groups rarely take advantage of the live show marketing opportunity and walk away with little more than their pay. Are you taking advantage of the best and cheapest music marketing opportunity available to you?

When you book a live show it’s time to activate your music marketing team. It doesn’t matter if you are a team of one or a team of one hundred. If you and/or your team consider each live show as a chance to gain new fans, sell more merchandise, and build a stronger network, rather than just another chance to perform in front of actual people, you can and will further your music marketing efforts considerably. The number one reason up and coming artists and groups fail at live show marketing is because they never take the time to come up with a marketing plan and activate that plan before the night of the live show. They simply think that the music will sell itself or that they will look stupid since no other “local” artists or groups are actively marketing their music during live shows. If this is you, ask yourself this question; Why are the “local” artists or groups, that perform all over town, still only performing in that town? The answer is obvious; they are unwilling or do not know how to actively market their music to their fan base in their own home town.

Music does not sell itself.
This is a huge error in thinking among up and coming artists and groups. Yes, good music makes potential fans want to learn more. But it does not tell them where to go to learn more, buy merchandise, or check schedules for future live shows. Only marketing can do this.  

Marketing your music does not make you look stupid.
Artists and groups that use live show marketing strategies look professional in the eyes of fans. It gives potential fans the sense of professionalism and that an artist or group “has it together.” This is important. Fans have to invest time, effort, and money into new music. They want to know that an artist or group is going to be around for a while before making any type of investment. The only artists or groups that “hate” or make fun of other groups that are actively marketing their music are the ones that are not doing it themselves.
How to Market Your Music At Live Shows
Live show music marketing is not hard or labor intensive. It requires very little money or people to carry out the duties. Here is a list of people and items you will need to market your music during live shows:

• 2 People
• 2 Clip Boards
• 2 Pens
• Folding Table
• Cloth to Cover Table
• Merchandise
• Banner (optional)

“Location, Location, Location!”
Set up your merchandise table as close to the restroom as you can. Almost every person drinking at the venue will have to visit the restroom at least one time through out the show. This is the most visible place in a venue and it will get the most people passing by your merchandise. IF there is not room close to the restroom then the next best place is near the bar. However, if you set up your table to close to the bar no one will be able to see your merchandise as the bar will get busy! To make your merchandise table appear more professional cover it with a table cloth or other piece of fabric.  Then set your CDs, t-shirts, fliers, and  newsletter sign-up clip board on top of the table in an orderly manor.

Personality Counts!
The two people you select to help with marketing duties need to be outgoing, fun, and talkative. In most cases females work better than males. This is because females will talk with guys or girls they do not know and guys will generally not start talking with a guy they do not know.

The Action Plan
The goal of your two marketing reps is to interact with potential fans. They are not sales people. They are not to be pushy or rude if people do not want to buy merchandise. They are simply their to answer questions, get people to sign up for your free newsletter, and help people buy merchandise when they are ready. You need to make an announcement from stage after your first song that you have merchandise available and that their will be someone from your team walking around with a clipboard throughout the show to capture email addresses so they can start receiving your free newsletter. You will need to continue announcing these things throughout you entire show. Do not make it a long drawn out speech, a simple reminder works great!

Have one of your team members stay at the table to watch the merchandise and collect email address while the second person roams the crowd. Remember, your team is most likely the first point of contact a potential fan will have with you or your music. Make sure your team members are wearing you or your groups t-shirt, is outgoing, and most importantly not drunk! The last thing you want while marketing your music is an obnoxious drunk person upsetting potential fans.

If you or your group takes breaks between sets you and/or the group needs to roam the crowd talking to potential fans. Do not simply go to the back of the room, or worse, out to your car. Your number one job after you step off stage is to meet and greet each and every person who attended your show. Shake their hand, thank them, and remind them to sign up for your free newsletter. You have to remember, your music is your business. Getting drunk, only wanting to party, or ignoring your fans is not good business. You have to stay on your toes and always present the best image you can. You never know, the A&R guy from Universal Records might be with friends at the venue you happen to be performing at. Image is everything!

Give-A-Way to Get!
One of the best methods to get potential fans to sign up for your newsletter is to have a drawing. Announce that everyone who signs up for the newsletter also is entered into the drawing for free stuff. Have tickets or pieces of paper so that when a potential fans signs up for your newsletter they can drop the ticket or piece of paper in a hat or jar to enter to win your free cd or merchandise. Have the drawing toward the end of your show and make the contest where the winner must be present to win. This way anyone who the crowd will stay for the entire show!

Conclusion
As you can see, none of the techniques discussed are hard or make you look stupid. If you do these things you will sell more CDs, merchandise, build a larger email list, and create a stronger awareness for your music with potential fans. Marketing your music during live shows is good business. It makes you look professional, it puts more money in your pocket, and it creates buzz!

Peace,
Jai
“Love the Music in Yourself, Not Yourself in the Music!”
©2009 Jai Hutcherson. All Rights Reserved.