Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks

Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks.

In my previous blog “More Tips and Tricks for Touring Indie Artists”, I have written about things to keep in mind while choosing lodging and commuting options during the tour. In this blog I am going to cover some miscellaneous points to be remembered by indie artists and indie bands while touring. These crucial tips and nuances of touring will help you in making the best out of your music tour.

Merch

Merch or merchandise is certainly a profitable part of touring. While going for a tour, keep a set of CDs of your music. As I have written in my blog “Music Festivals”, carry CDs of your work to the festivals and tours, to sell to those who are awed by your performance. Add information for them to connect with you online. Get a website made for yourself or the band.

If you don’t know anything about making and maintaining a website, there are companies like Hyper Effects that can help you connect with your target audience efficiently. Hyper Effects is one stop for your website, marketing and cyber development requirements. It helps you to create a website to display your talent or sell your indie music or indie art. Their websites are easy to navigate.

Don’t worry about the money that goes into the CDs and website. You will sell them and make a considerable profit. It makes sense to have the take-home product available for fans, when you are touring, performing your music and selling it. Print shirts with the name of your band, your logo or your own name if you are solo. If the audience likes you and your music, they will surely want something physical to connect to; you will then regret not having t-shirts printed. Let them listen to your music, remember you and promote you. Make them remember you enough to go home and download your music.

A very important bit of free merch available to all the artists is their face and their body language. Not all of us are gifted with good looks, but your style can woo your fans and keep them thinking about you long after the event. Pay attention to the young crowd, especially the opposite gender and don’t forget to dedicate a line or two to some of them. They will get you a gang of college going fans.

It’s All About Business

Serious business, eh? Absolutely! This is your business. The only difference is that an indie artist has to be involved in a lot of roles in his business. You will be the CEO, model, navigator, driver, social media guru, musician and many more such. The important thing to remember here is that you cannot be an expert at all the roles. So, if you don’t know how to do something, don’t be discouraged. You can either learn or get help. If you take help, try to find someone who knows the rules of the trade. Look-up on the web. You will find answers to almost anything that you want to know.

If you plan to get someone on board, make sure you have enough money to pay them for 3-6 months, without letting it affect your own budget. Indie artists and bands often find a friend to help, which is great, but again, this is serious business. Do not compromise on quality. Keep learning and creating. Be relentless and bold.

Good to Know

Important expenditures: food, vehicle, fuel, vehicle maintenance, road tolls, accommodation, merch, cards, flyers and unforeseen mishaps.

Unforeseen Mishaps

These are going to be different for everyone, because life likes to throw in some surprises that are beyond imagination. That is how it manages to be interestingly beautiful and educational. Imagine your ex who is the source of inspiration in your songs because you still love her, contacts you and tells you that she is marrying her current boyfriend. Meanwhile, the bartender at the show you are playing at calls in sick. He was supposed to be collecting money for the show. You are left with no one to collect the money for you and an upset audience to entertain.

Or your vehicle gets broken into during a rainstorm, your laptop and other items missing and a car full of glass and water. Oh, and your items do not necessarily have to be visible for thieves to steal them. Some of them have an incredible criminal sense. Imagine. In such times you realise that you don’t have money saved for such events. But when they happen, they will leave you emotionally broke. This, my friends, is where your saving will help you. In the unforeseen events. You better have savings or a rich father to make a phone call to. You might have a good support system that can aid you through the mess and get you back on track, yet it is always good to have immediately available savings for these situations.

Problems are inevitable. Knowing how to deal with them and come out unscathed is critical. These setbacks get you in line to have a memorable experience. I hope your tour is wonderful and filled with beautiful encounters.

You are not alone. You are a visionary entrepreneur who can be an inspiration to others who are not confident enough to pursue their dream. Please share your stories for my next article. They are my inspiration.