An odd question, right?  But as a band, you may be missing out on money-making opportunities from your live show by not having a table–a merchandise table.

There’s more to the music industry than just music.  Much of the music industry is also in your image as a band, and, perhaps more importantly, how marketable that image is.  Extending beyond CD sales, a band has other lucrative avenues to explore.  Here are a few examples:

  1. CD’s
  2. Glossy photos for autographs
  3. Posters
  4. Stickers and decals
  5. Buttons and pins
  6. T-Shirts
  7. Hats

Taking the merch booth one step further, it’s also a hub of post-show activity.  It’s a place to meet and greet your adoring fans, sign autographs, take pictures, etc.  It can also act as in information kiosk, where you include a sign-up sheet for your mailing list, order forms for other merch, registrations for contests and drawings, flyers, bios, and so on.  The ideas and opportunities to solidify fans and make more money  with a merch booth are virtually limitless.

As a general rule of thumb, always negotiate with a venue to have a merchandise table or booth on-site when you play.  This rule is particularly significant if you are playing for free.  Most venues, clubs, or events won’t mind if you have a table, but beware of the ones that won’t allow you to have one.  They’re making money off of you for virtually nothing in return, and that’s always a shady deal.

So, in closing, don’t forget to set up your merchandise booth at your gigs.  They can be a real income booster for your gigs.  In fact, there were times when my old band would make as much (or more) from merchandise than our performance fee.  Double your money is always a great deal!

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