How To Promote and Market Your Band

Chapter 4 Grow Your Market (I haven't written chapters 1 - 3 yet)

First, a quick review of economics 101. Supply and demand. Increasing the supply decreases the cost to the consumer. In the music world, technology has increased the supply of recorded music and the price of recorded music is dropping like Brittney Spears chances of winning a mother of the year award.

The flip side of the supply and demand equation is that as demand increases, prices of goods goes up. In the music world a musicians live show is limited resource. So, it would make sense for musicians to use their recorded music to leverage greater demand for their live shows. So, how come I'm paying less than $20 to go see The Hold Steady?

I think part of the answer lies in the fact that the percentage of people who are able or willing to go to a show on a week night is incredibly small. Apparently, musicians and concert promoters are completely unaware of the fact that almost all people over the age of 21 have a job and that those jobs require you to be at work before noon.

I go to a lot of shows on week nights. I rave about them to my friends and family, but none of my working friends and family are willing to go with me. But, I am an anomaly. I'm willing to go out on week nights to see a great show and pay for it the the next day with the lack of sleep. Everybody I know (and I do mean everybody) has expressed and interest in going with me to a concert. But, when I give them the time frame, doors open at 8:00, the first band will go on at 9:00, the headliner will go on at 10:30 (if there is just one band opening), so you'll be home by 1:00 am. Their eyes glaze over, decline, and ask how do I do it.

So, bands and singer songwriters here's a suggestion. Start your shows EARLIER! Headliner goes on at 8:00 and I'm in bed by 11:00.

In review, earlier shows increases your potential customer base. More customers equals more demand for tickets. More demand means more money for musicians.

An ancillary benefit of having working people attend your concerts is that they actually have money to buy your merchandise (the subject of chapter 5).