Make More Money With Your Music

Just because your band isn’t selling thousands of CD’s doesn’t mean that you have to run out and get a job flipping burgers. There are lots of other ways to generate income from your band or music that can help supplement your income until the CD sells take off. Even after you’re selling millions of CD’s, don’t abandon other income streams. Most bands make a killing from merchandise sales alone. Not to mention licensing deals, advertising and sponsorship deals. Don’t make the mistake in thinking that these types of opportunities are just for the Rolling Stones or Britney Spears. Check out some of these ideas:

Do you have a website for your band or music? Remember that a popular website is just like a billboard on the highway and space on it is worth money. Try to sell advertising spots to businesses that would be of interest to your visitors. Don’t rule out local or small businesses. They are often the ones who are in most need of advertising are willing to spend the money. Even one or two ads that bring in an additional $40-$50 per month are helpful. If you’re not into selling ads directly, join one of the website advertising services like Google Adsense. I mention this program as it is one that I use on my websites and am most familiar with it. As before, you probably won’t get rich with this program, but it might just pay for your monthly hosting bill with a little left over. I’ve heard of bands that have a heavily visited website who have made good money with Adsense, but I can’t confirm that.
Merchandise is always a great way to supplement and even generate some additional CD sales. A great t-shirt or sticker design is usually very popular with fans that are looking to connect with their favorite band. Also try putting your logo on stuff like mouse pads, keychains, bottle openers, or coffee mugs. You might be surprised what people will buy. I’ve known bands that sold more merch than CD’s because they had a great logo or design. Each shirt and sticker had their website address on it, so not only did they make money but they also got some free advertising. Since production of these types of items can sometimes be costly, I prefer to use one of the ‘one off’ varieties of services. My favorite is Cafepress.com. You can link to them via the following button:
These types of companies will keep your design on hand and then print individual items as they are purchased. This way, you don’t have to shell out money for 100 t-shirts and then carry them around until someone buys them.
Find a local charity or group that needs something to sell for their fundraising event. Offer to sell them your CD’s at $3-$4 each, which they can then sell for $10 at their event. This is a great deal for the group and can often make you some easy money. Now, I know what you’re about to say. “I usually sell my CD’s for $15 at gigs, why would I sell them for $4?”. I’m sure that you do, but like me and most other musicians, you’re probably sitting on a few hundred extra copies that are taking up space in your bedroom or kitchen. Wouldn’t it be better to sell these for $4 each than to let them sit there and collect dust while you try to sell them at gigs? It’s just a thought and I’m sure that your wife/girlfriend will appreciate the extra space for her shoes.