The rise and fall of CD sales have brought about a realization that even with success, your band’s revenue cannot be taken for granted. From a high of 943 million units in 2000 to an expected 52 million in 2018, CD sales in the US have dived. So, how do you monetize your success?

Custom band merch can help your band win new fans and grow revenue. Read on for 7 reasons why band merchandise is necessary for up-and-coming bands.

1. The Changing Music Market

There was a time when having a hit record was the aim of many a budding band. The dream was that sales of that recording would finance a rock star lifestyle. Vinyl gave way to CD’s but the revenues still kept rolling in.

Downloads began the demise of the CD market and now streaming has replaced downloads. There’s a return to vinyl for certain music genres but it’s expensive and not for everyone. What’s certain is that for up-and-coming bands the holy grail of massive CD sales is a pipe dream.

Disruption in the recording industry means up and coming bands have been forced to supplement their earnings from performing. Taking band merchandise seriously is one of the ways that your band can respond to this changing landscape.

2. Raise Awareness

The music business is just that, a business. You may be highly creative and you may want to put the music at the center of what you do. That’s fine but to be successful it can be helpful to think of this as a business project.

Start with your customer or audience. Getting your brand known can be helped along by getting visibility for your brand. Having enthusiastic fans wearing your T-shirt helps achieve that.

3. Engage with Your Audience

Fans love to connect with the bands they love. Listening to the band’s music is one dimension of this. Seeing the band is another.

Owning an object that represents the band is a concrete way of creating a connection between the band and the fans. Whether it’s a T-shirt, a bag or a cap the merchandise says something about the owner. It’s a way for them to communicate something about their taste and identity.

4. Build a Brand

Band merchandise communicates the band’s brand. The design of the logo and the merchandise itself help communicate what the band is about. This helps fans who identify with those messages to connect with the band, their music and their performance too.

5. Extend Your Fan Base

The band may be an expression of creativity in music but merchandise can provide for creative opportunity. Design and fashion are also rewarding creative opportunities. They can give you access to a fan base that is broader than just the music.

On-line sales of band merchandise are a viable addition to the traditional table at the back of the gig. This sales channel increases your potential market for the merchandise. It also introduces you to a whole new source of potential music fans.

6. More Opportunities

Don’t limit your thinking to T-shirts. Selling merchandise that communicates your brand means you get the sales and the promotion in one. It’s about getting your name and your brand out there on any merchandise that works for you.

Merchandising can include customized pens, cool stickers or reusable water bottles. Anything that your fans might use, that can have a logo printed on it and that has longevity has potential as band merchandise.

7. Sales Revenue

Supplementing your band’s earnings is the key benefit of band merch. You may earn money from a performance or from recording but don’t ignore the revenue from sales of merchandise. These can be achieved at gigs or even online.

Custom Band Merch

An up-and-coming band has expenses to cover. Equipment, travel and other expenses can mount up. It’s important at the early stages of a band’s development to make sure that it is financially viable and custom band merch can help achieve this.

Learn more about promo products here.