If You’re Selling CDs, Tell People, The Right Way

Posted by Ken McGuire on Monday, February 8th, 2010

IF YOU’RE selling CDs at gigs and live shows, don’t forget to tell people you’re doing so. More importantly, when you’re telling people you’re selling CDs at live shows, don’t under any circumstances represent your recording as being negative, or something you’re not bothered about someone taking home.

Case #1

I was at a gig before Christmas, a double-header which featured two acts who had recentlt released new albums. The first act performs a selection of new material, all of which is available on the new album, finishes the set and waits for the next act to get up. Just before the second act gets up, the first act realises they forgot to tell people that the new album is available in the venue, cheaper than in the shops and asks the second act to do some plugging for him. That’s a fail in my books.

Case #2

This one in particular I find with a lot of younger bands coming up through the ranks. They put the time and money into the fun of recording, have their launch gig, and then when they’re pitching their CD they’ll tell people right at the very end of their set that “our new CD is available, here, somewhere, only a tenner, sure it might be good for a coaster or something”.

Pitch Your CD The Right Way

You’re the sales man/woman, you’re the spokesperson for the band, you’re trying to push your recording into the hands of as many people as possible so why on earth would you undersell both yourself and your recording?

If you’re selling your CD at gigs, you’ve got to pitch the CD to the audience. Tell them you’ve got the new recording, that a selection of tracks from your set (and maybe more) are available on the disc, that it would mean a great deal for them to take one away with you. If they don’t like the price, don’t be afraid to barter or agree to a haggle to get the sale, but don’t pitch it so flippantly or treat it like a coaster.

When you think about it, how many hours did you have to put into the recording? How many others worked on the recording? How much did it cost you to get the disc printed? How much for the venue, the PA, the support act, the engineer? Why would you undersell yourself if you’re trying to recoup your costs? You could be guaranteed that if you were pitching the CD as a festival application or venue application you wouldn’t be selling yourself short.

When it comes to the venu itself, don’t forget the in-house advertising. Gig sales can be very much a DIY job, even if you’ve got someone looking after a merch stand for you. Bring the blutac, the printed signs with your band name, CD name and price, and get them up around the venue. On the off chance that people ask at the bar on the way out, have a couple of copies there too as well but people are only going to be asking if you’ve genuinely encouraged them to go and buy your CD.