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Tips To Travel Light

posted July 18, 2018

On The Road: 5 Tips To Help Your Band Travel Light When On Tour
Emma Sturgis for musicthinktank.com

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Getting your band's name out there is not simple. One thing you might have to do is plan tours and commit to being on the road. One of the hardest things about being on the road is carrying a heavy load but you actually do not have to. The following are five tips for traveling light.

Light on Clothes

One thing you can do is stop traveling with all those outfits. All you really need is a pair of pants and a few shirts. You just have to make sure you wash your items every so often to make sure your clothes are clean by the time you are on stage again.

Localize Needs

Some people travel with shampoos or grooming devices to achieve the look they want. You do not have to since most hotels already come with shampoos and soaps. You can also buy these in local stores if needed. Those with grooming needs should simply visit a barber from time to time.

Use Movers

Part of what makes traveling as a band hard is all your equipment, which can be pretty heavy. The good news is that you do not have to lug these things around if you hire professional movers. These guys should handle your stuff carefully, and you can even insure your equipment just in case. Those with multiple stops can create a moving plan to get your stuff where it needs to be on time.

Read more!

How to Get Website Traffic

posted June 20, 2018

How to Get Traffic to Your Artist Website
Clint Watson for Artsyshark.com

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First off, while it's commonly phrased this way, I hate using the word "traffic" in conjunction with marketing art.

It's so impersonal and doesn't, as a concept, capture what you actually need. You don't need tons of "traffic" to sell art. You need the right, targeted potential buyers.

How to Get Traffic to Your Artist Website

Many artists have the idea that "setting up a new website" is pretty much all they need to do to "market their art." They think that potential customers will magically appear at their website once it's online. Or, perhaps they think that somehow their web host will be doing the bulk of their marketing for them.

That's simply not the case, and it's a recipe for disappointment.Some artists do understand that they need to entice people to their websites. But, they think that getting their site listed in Google will bring them buyers. That's not true either. It's perfectly possible to have your site indexed by Google and never have anyone search for you. Search engines don't create new demand. Search engines harvest existing demand. Guess who has to create demand for your art – you do!

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Don't Let Trendy Ingredients Rule

posted June 20, 2018

Don't Let Trendy Ingredients Rule Your Menu
Richard Myrick for Mobile-cuisine.com

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You know what I and many other food concession diners don't want to see any more? Salted Caramel. We will even toss in Sriracha for that matter. Don't get me wrong, both of these are great ingredients that I enjoy tasting in dishes. But the constant food media overhyping of these ingredients has weakened their appeal for many. Which begs the question: What is the point of saturation for trendy ingredients and when do they begin to lose their market appeal?

On the other side of the argument, when does an ingredient have enough pull to attract curious consumers to your food service window?

Food Vendor News

When To Use Trendy Ingredients

Adding the latest trendy ingredients to your menu before your competitors can give you the edge to stand out from the crowd. Not only will you win the business of trend following customers, but you'll also be able to charge higher premium prices.

So what are the items we've seen on food concession menus that we wish more would include? Which ingredients and menu items do we want more accessible across the country? And which ingredients don't we want to see as part of a differentiation statement; even if we don't mind them showing up on menus?

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Beautifully Designed Event Websites

posted June 20, 2018

9 Principles for Building a Beautiful Event Websites
Siobhan Becker for Bizzaboo.com

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You just know when you see a good event website, it’s attractive, easy to navigate and displays properly across all platforms. You may not have been born to design websites, but that doesn’t mean you can’t! Here are some basics for creating a compelling event website.

1. Know your audience
Identifying your audience may actually be the easy part - the people visiting your website are there to find out more about your event. Your job is to put yourself in their shoes. What kind of information would you be looking for if you were attending the event? How would you like it presented to you?

2. Keep your branding front and...left.


You want people to recognize your brand just by looking at your homepage. Uniformity is the key. Use your company’s colors and fonts. And, several studies show people first look at the top left of a screen and read in a horizontal "F" shape movement from there. So, your logo should go in the top left corner.

3. Keep it simple
You may be eager to show off your event, but busy images and dense text can be overwhelming. Give visitors the information they need without putting everything they need to know on the first page. Instead, create dedicated pages for the venue, vendor info & apps, schedule, sponsors, ticket prices, etc.

Read more!

12 Ways to Get More Facebook Likes

posted June 19, 2018

12 Ways To Get More Facebook Likes (and Engagement) For Your Musician Page
Ari for Ari's Take

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Everyone knows Likes can be bought and you look foolish if your engagement is well below the number of Likes you have. But more importantly, buying Likes will reduce your actual organic reach. Here are 12 quick and simple ways to drastically improve your Facebooking.

1) Upload Videos To Facebook

Facebook now has 4 billion video views A DAY. FB prioritizes a Facebook-uploaded video over a YouTube embedded video (not to mention that Facebook videos automatically play in the newsfeed). And, now that Facebook is starting to roll out video monetization at the same payment rate YouTube offers (55%), you can start making some moola on your viral videos.


2) Post Photos of YOU, Often

The reason Instagram has exploded is not because of their video feature. It's because of the high quality photo offerings. Feel free to link your Instagram to your Facebook Page. Because Facebook owns Instagram they make this sharing seamless. (Do NOT, however, link your Twitter to Facebook or vice versa.) Definitely post photos giving your fans a peek 'behind the scenes', but make sure YOU are in the photo.

3) Feature A Video

One of the most underutilized features is the FB Featured Video. Once you have videos uploaded you can select one to feature. It will then show up on your profile on the left hand side directly below About. It will be the first thing people see when visiting your Page. And most people will click this first - so feature a music video, live performance video or your EPK. Watching a high quality video is the easiest way for someone to be introduced to your music. So, make sure you have high quality videos made!

Read more!

How to Get Booked

posted May 23, 2018

How to Get Booked at Music Festivals
D Cumming for Music Think Tank

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Do your homework

Before sending an app or bio to a music promoter, find out what the festival is all about. Secondly, know who it is you're sending your submission to. Irrespective of how talented your rock band is, sending your bio or submission to perform at a jazz festival will be a waste of your and the promoters time. Also, research the number of performers the festival accommodates. Equally important is knowing your fan base vis-à-vis the festival's target audience. If your fan base is comprised mainly of young adults, then it is wise to look for a festival whose target audience is young adults.


Start small/local

Big music festivals are extremely competitive. As an up and coming musician, it is very likely that your submission will be rejected in favor of a more established artist. So, it's wise to start with local festivals where you have a higher chance of getting accepted. And, starting small will help you prepare for the large events. Sure there is a possibility that you will not be paid for your first performance, however, performing at small festivals gives you exposure. This exposure will be instrumental in catapulting you from small festivals to the glamor of large music events.

Read more!

Beat the Heat this Summer

posted May 22, 2018

10 Ways Food Truck or Trailer Owners Can Beat The Summer Heat
by Mobile-cuisine.com

 

Protecting Yourself

Timing is key. Whether you're negotiating a new stop or planning a special event, always try to limit activities during the hottest part of the day. Since lunch is typically the busiest time for food trucks, you may not be able to avoid the summer heat. Make slight adjustments to your start time and the length of your shift. This can make a big difference when temperatures begin to soar.

Park strategically. Be sure to discuss the parking location with property owners and event planners beforehand. If you are given the opportunity, select a location where you will not be parking in direct sunlight, and make sure that there are shaded areas nearby where you and your customers can eat and rest.

Dress appropriately. It may be tempting to break out the tanks, shorts, and flip-flops. But, if your equipment has pilot lights or open flames or if you're working near hot liquids, choose clothing which protects your body from heat, splatters, and spills. Ideally, it should be light-colored and made from breathable, lightweight fabrics, such as cotton and other natural fibers, to keep cool. Loose-fitting attire is not recommended when working near open flames, nor are items made from synthetic fabrics, as they can stifle air circulation and have a tendency to be more flammable. Closed-toe shoes with skid-resistant soles are suggested to protect again these and other hazards, such as slips, trips, and falls. Don't forget the sunblock!

Food Vendor News
Important

Stay hydrated. In order to avoid heat stress, it is important to take preventive measures to hydrate your body during the hours leading up to your shift and replenish lost fluids by drinking approximately 1 cup of water every 15 minutes. Since the heat may cause changes in your metabolism, be sure to consult with your doctor before consuming sports drinks or energy drinks which may contain sugars, caffeine, and other stimulants. Some of these may actually cause a rise in body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, or changes in blood sugar that may pose risks to your health.

Take a break. Whenever possible, take intermittent breaks to cool off in the shade or find shelter nearby. When sweating and replenishing with cold fluids isn't enough to cool you down, you may begin to experience weakness, headaches, dizziness, confusion, fainting, or you may even begin to vomit. All of these are signs of heat exhaustion, which may lead to heat stroke or death if you do not take immediate action to remove yourself from the situation. If you suspect that your or a member of your crew may be suffering from heat-related illness, call 911 immediately.

Read more!

Impression, Impact, Interest!

posted April 19, 2018

Impression, Impact, Interest!
By FestivalNet's Dynamic Duo Marisa & Julie

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That's what we want to help you create with someone's very first look at your listing! While it may be trite, it's also true: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And, your event listing reaches thousands of your potential audience every day with 1,000,000+ views of FestivalNet each month!


So, we're sprucing things up with an exciting website improvement. The size of every single event image, everywhere on the site will be increased next week. If you've already uploaded an event photo, great! It will have even more impact now.

Events with no photo will be assigned a default image. We've spent hours handpicking good shots for this project, but a great photo from your specific event would be even better! While your event logo is fine, a picture of activities, performers, artists, crafters, vendors or attendees enjoying your festival has a greater impact.


Some tips for getting great shots, even if you're a beginner:
  • Shoot non-stop from set-up to pack-up and even what was left behind. Capture entertainers and their audience's reactions. Shoot the parades, the crowds, the landscape. Consider how the mood changes from day to night and get some evening shots.

Read more!

Before Committing to the Show

posted April 18, 2018

5 Aspects to Consider Before Signing on to an Art Festival
Niki Hilsabeck in Art Business Advice

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While sharing your art with festival-goers can bring great rewards, it's also an investment of time, money, and energy. Here is a list of factors to consider before signing on to an upcoming festival.

1. Cost

The first thing I look at when signing up for a festival is cost. In addition to the fee to participate, I know that I'm going to be spending money on gas, food, frames, and any other packaging and display items to bring to the event.

Some events will offer perks for artists, such as a meal, snacks, or drinks, which helps. And, keep in mind that if your artwork isn't priced appropriately for high-end festivals, the cost to attend the festival might mean that you're going to lose money.

Likewise, if your artwork is priced too high for a low-end festival, you may have trouble finding customers and will end up wasting money to attend (and, more importantly, time which also translates to money for many of us).

Before signing up to an event, take out your calculator and tally up your costs (don't forget to leave a cushion for money you might end up spending on small emergencies that often happen en route to or during the event).

With those costs in mind, determine how much art you would need to sell to recover your costs, and decide whether or not you feel comfortable spending the money to attend.

Art Fair

2. Setup stress

A festival that provides a smooth setup process (especially with event helpers to get you quickly unloaded) and reasonably close parking can make a big difference in your event experience. Beware of events where you're expected to maneuver your own way through roadblocks to get to your booth, or expected to park far away from the event itself.

Festivals located in the middle of a busy eating or shopping district can be appealing, but if the local business owners do not want vendors parking anywhere near the event, you might find yourself facing a long trek to and from your vehicle when setup is over and breakdown time arrives.

Whatever you do, don't be tempted to park illegally. I was at a recent festival where an artist had her car towed, leaving her and her toddler stranded at the event because the car seat was in the car. If you haven't attended or participated in a particular festival that interests you, inquire ahead of time about setup and parking.

3. Weather

This may sound funny coming from a Southern Californian, but weather can make or break a festival for me. I know there are hardier festival exhibitors than I who brave storms and gale-force winds with their displays, but I don't have that kind of stamina, so if a festival is in an area known for wind gusts, I'm usually out.
Oppressive heat is another consideration, although out here, people tend to expect the heat. If you're looking at the requirements for a festival and extreme weather is mentioned, be sure you have the appropriate gear to secure your display (and insurance on your work, to cover losses if they happen).

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Buzz-Worthy Press Kits

posted April 17, 2018

EPK Essentials: What You Need to Create a Buzz-Worthy Press Kit
NationWide Source

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If you are a musician trying to get booked, or get featured in a publication or blog, chances are you will need an Electronic Press Kit. We've outlined the things you must have in your EPK, as well as, some common hosting options to consider.

Music

Your music should be featured prominently in your EPK. Venues and talent buyers will need to hear your music to make sure it will fit with the sound they are looking for, and writers won’t be able to write about your music unless they can hear it!

It's standard to have your music available to stream first, and then an option to download. Most people in the music industry don’t have time to wait for your file to download, and might be wary to download an attachment from a person they don’t know. So make it easy for them to stream your music, and then give them the option to download it if they really want to.

Soundcloud is a great platform for this. It's easy (and free) to upload your tracks, and you can even make them available for download. They also have a player that is embeddable in most websites, so you can place your music on whatever hosting option you choose.

Video

A great way to show off what you've got as a musician is through video. Featuring a great live performance video or a really well done music video can make the difference between an EPK that gets passed over and one that stands out to promoters and press.


Biography

You probably already have a bio for your band. But your EPK should have at least 2 versions of that bio. A shorter version (a paragraph) that is featured prominently in your EPK, and an expanded version (4+ paragraphs) that is available by clicking through to expand the bio (or to a different page) and/or available for download.

Photos

Every EPK needs to feature some high quality, professional band photos. You should have them displayed on the site, as well as easily available for download.

Press

What would an electronic press kit be without some actual press? Pick a few quotes from any write-ups you've gotten. Choose quotes that have lots of descriptive language, or that come from a reputable source. If you don’t have press yet, don't sweat it. That's what this EPK is for!

Contact Information

You need to make sure that your EPK makes it very easy to get in touch with you. Make it very clear exactly who should be contacted for booking, press, or more general inquiries.

Read more!

Freshen Up Your Menu

posted April 17, 2018

Have You Prepared for this Year's Festival Circuit?
Robert Berman for Mobile Catering Business

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For many of us Spring is the time to dust off and freshen up our concession trailers and food carts in preparation to, once again, head out on the festival circuit.

A coat of paint, some axle grease and air in the tires may be all that are needed to ensure a safe and prosperous journey on the open road. However, now is also the time to consider freshening up your menu.

Food Vendor News

New methods of fast freezing and storing food coupled with our ethnic diversities have brought a multitude of new and exciting offerings to food concessionaires. Although the fast food industry is always under pressure from health advocates, it has improved dramatically over the years. The use of oil containing trans fats is all but history in the food industry.

But, food concessionaires and vending cart operators have to be careful when considering diversifying their menus. In general, the more items on a menu, the greater the amount of food that will not be sold and will need to be disposed of. It also usually means a longer service time for each customer. Combined, these two items can prove to be an economic disaster for the operator.

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Avoiding Scam Emails

posted March 15, 2018

Artist Vs. Scammer
Carolyn Edlund for ArtsyShark

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Recently, I received a phone call from an artist friend who had been approached by a man wanting to purchase a painting. Bill (not his real name) had a gut feeling something wasn't quite right, and wanted to get a second opinion.

It turned out this was a typical scammer, trying to rip off the artist. Have you received an email like this?

'Hello, my name is Sean Million from Georgia, I was looking for some artwork online and I found your contact while searching. I will like to purchase some of your work for my wife as a surprise gift for our 20th anniversary. Please kindly send pics and prices of some of your art which are ready for immediate sale within price range of $500- $5000. I hope to hear a lot more about any available piece in your inventory ready for immediate sale.'

When Bill responded that he had reproductions for sale, the customer indicated he wanted an original, and chose a painting that retailed for $15,000. He wanted to pay by cashier's check, and indicated he had a shipping agent who would pick up the artwork. Bill received the cashier's check. But, surprise! It was written for significantly more than the cost of the artwork and shipping combined. When notified, the customer indicated that he would like a refund check from Bill for the difference. Additionally, the art had to be shipped right away to arrive in time to be an anniversary gift.

Artist Vs Scammer

The cashier's check that Bill received is phony, but his bank won't have that information for a week or more. Meanwhile, he could have shipped the artwork (which he will have lost) and written his own check to the "buyer" for the refund, which will have been cashed. The customer will have disappeared, and cannot be reached; they move on to the next victim. This scam has been running for years.

I suggested Bill send an email to the "customer" indicating that his attorney informed him this was a typical scam technique, and that their correspondence was over. Not surprisingly, he never heard back.

Read more!

Organic Food on the Festival Circuit

posted March 14, 2018   category » Festival Food Vendors

Robert Berman for Mobile Catering Business

 

After many years of experimentation, organic food has finally arrived in the food concession business. Throughout North America more and more events want organic products in their food court.

Food Vendor News
Why has it taken so long? Many food vendors believe that a food concession is designed to provide greasy and messy products. They have a tendency to model their operations after others around them. And while looking at the success of others can be a valid way to enter a business, it does not leap frog you ahead of them! You become an industry follower rather than an industry leader.

But, there are other reasons why organic foods took so long to make a firm entry into the food concession industry. The manufacturers were slow to make the products available in bulk form. This was primarily due to the fact that most of the organic foods were being processed by small, local companies who were having problems keeping up with the demand of supermarkets and health food stores.

Read more!

Yes, You Can Book Gigs with FestivalNet!

posted March 14, 2018

Tools and Gigs
Special Video by FN member Tim Charron
TimCharron.com | AntiBullyTour.com

 

Over the last five years, Tim has opened for national acts and estimates he's played in front of 150,000 people. Of course, it didn't start that way. He credits FN's events database search options and organizational tools for helping him grow his business.  Listen to how Tim uses FestivalNet's tools to book more gigs:

Do You Have a Schedule for Creating Art? Maybe You Should!

posted February 15, 2018   category » Artist Resources
"So, do you just wait for something to inspire you?"

That’s a question I hear all the time. . . and it reveals a common misperception about artists. It's often imagined that we sit around, waiting for a muse of some sort to drop creative ideas into our brains.

Even many artists have this misperception, if not consciously, then subconsciously. And while it would be awesome if that was how art was made, it rarely works that way.

If structuring your creative time seems daunting, that’s OK! I'm going to share a couple of tips for getting started. Keep in mind, these are all just ideas, and you can definitely "tweak" them so they fit your personality, artistic process, and goals:

1. Examine your day-to-day obligations

We are not just business owners and creatives. . . we are also parents, spouses, family and community members and we often have many non-art related time commitments. So it is important to look at your current daily schedule and fit the art around it. I look for consistent open spots to know where the art activities can fit. As an example, here's how my current schedule looks now:

time for art

If your current schedule is packed and there is no room for art, perhaps it’s time to take a hard look at your priorities and start eliminating some things.

2. Make a list of any recurring business tasks

This list will probably include studio time, but it also needs to include things such as marketing (social media, blogging, website updating), accounting (taking care of invoices, bills, inventory), and opportunity chasing (show applications, gallery visits, cold calls, proposals, etc).

What business aspects do you need to tackle consistently to move your creative business forward? Be sure to include ALL the stuff. Not just the fun stuff!

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Musician Facebook Page Matters

posted February 14, 2018

IS YOUR FACEBOOK MUSICIAN PAGE DOING MORE HURT THAN HELP?
Ari Herstand for aristake.com

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Musicians, listen up!! Facebook is still relevant. Yes, teens have fled. But the rest of the population is still addicted. So, for everything that is holy, take it seriously. Next to your official website, your FB Page is THE destination most people go these days to become acquainted with your project. Oftentimes, it's the first destination.

Six Things Every Musician Page Needs To Have

1) Music
Seems like a no brainer that music should exist on a Musician Page, but so many musicians don't have music, of any kind, anywhere on their page. Unacceptable. When BandPage, Bandcamp and ReverbNation all have music playing apps you can quickly and easily install to your Musician Page, there's no reason not to have one.

2) Featured Video
This is the video (uploaded TO Facebook) that lives on the left hand side of the Page just below About on the Desktop and it's the first video listed below the pinned post on mobile. It should be some kind of music video. If you don't have a high production music video, then feature your highest quality live video. It needs to be high quality. It needs to be your music. It shouldn't just be the most recent 15 second video of you putzing around in Canters fed directly from Instagram. Sure, that can be a fun video to post to give a glimpse into your world, but it shouldn't be the featured video on your Page.


3) Pinned Post
Like Twitter, Facebook allows you to feature one post at the top of your Timeline. So, do it. Pick the most interesting (newish) accomplishment, accolade, song, video, photo and pin it. It's one of the first things new fans will see when visiting your Page so make it welcoming and interesting.

4) Tour dates
Make sure you have a tour dates tab. BandsInTown and SongKick are the industry standard shows tabs, so pick one and add it to your Page. This is different from the Events tab. Whether you create an Event for each show you play is up to you (and can be an impossible hassle for a 60 date tour), but a BandsInTown or SongKick shows tab is a must (and is synced to all other concert listing sites and apps).

Read more!

Food Concession Support Vehicles

posted February 13, 2018

Concession Support Vehicles – Work Horses of the Mobile Food Business
Barb Fitzgerald for Foodbooth.net

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One thing you don't often hear mentioned in any discussion about the mobile food concession business is: support vehicles. They're the grunts of the concession business - working humbly and hard behind the scenes transporting the booth, equipment, stock and living quarters to and from events.

My first support vehicle was a borrowed pickup truck. It pulled my small concession trailer and a little extra stock. At night I rolled-out my sleeping bag onto the floor of the concession trailer. In the morning I brushed my teeth in the hand-washing sink. A few years later I was able to buy a used Chevy window van. Though I couldn't stand upright to dress, at least I could sleep without the aroma of fryer grease in my nostrils.

As the years went by I had several concession trailers and several trucks with campers. Then, as the quality of my events improved, I added a tent with a separate menu to my business. With that I needed an entirely different support vehicle.

I considered all sorts of vehicles. Initially, I thought I might get a motor home with a ramped "toy hauler" on the rear. It was easy to imagine myself traveling in luxury with a hot morning shower, kitchenette, wood paneling and a real bed to sleep in. The question was whether or not a motor home was built to pull and haul the substantial weight of the entirety of my business.


Food Vendor News

My next idea was to modify a small bus with a handicap lift, which would come in handy for loading and unloading stock. I was pretty sure a bus had the undercarriage and power to do the job. Alas, neither a motor home nor bus was within my price range.

After many months of rubbernecking used vehicle lots I came across a 1979 Ford F600 high box. It had a 4 speed split shift transmission, heavy springs and a 380 hp gas engine. The box was insulated and had high windows so I could see out.

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Technology is Changing How You Buy Merch

posted January 23, 2018

You Don't Have To Be A Major Artist To Sell Shirts Anymore
NationWide Source

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Check Out How Technology Is Changing The Way You Buy Merch

Wouldn't it be nice if you could buy shirts and other merch as you sell them to your fans? A fan buys a shirt from you, you replace your stock one shirt at a time, or order the shirt and have it sent directly to the fan from the printer. Bing, bang, boom. No set up costs. No major overhead. Yep. That would be nice. And, of course, you still want to make a little coin (profit) when buying and selling a single shirt.

So the question at hand is this: How does the independent artist/band bring home significant bacon from their fan base? Assuming you have an ever-expanding fan base (which is another article altogether), there are approaches to your small business that will help increase your profits.

Holy sell-out, Batman!

Did I just call you a small business proprietor? Yes. Yes, I did. But before you gag on such words as "business" and "profits" let me reassure you. Any band or artist who hopes to survive and keep making music is, in fact, in the music business.


The thing is, too many artists miss a serious money making opportunity in their merchandise department. Not so much at the merch table, but in how you buy your printed merch. It goes way back to the screen-printing approach. **Now, screen-printing has been a great solution for a long time, lest you think I'm hating. But technology has advanced, and it has advanced in your favor. Celebrate! And keep reading…**

In the past when you ordered T-shirts or hoodies the only viable option was screen-printing. A screen for every color in your design was created and custom ink mixed to print your specific colors. To make it worth everybody's time and money, it behooved you, the client, to purchase screen-printed shirts in bulk.

Read more!

Building Trust at Art Shows

posted January 18, 2018

Building Trust at Art Shows Requires New Skills and New Words
Mckenna Hallett of MygoldenWords.com - Article source ArtsyShark.com

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In other words, you need your prospective buyer to know -beyond a shadow of a doubt- that you are interested in what they are interested in. To be crystal clear: they are, we ALL are, mostly interested in ourselves. If you appear to be more interested in YOURself, you lose THEIR interest.

"But wait!" you say. "How can I create interest if I don't talk about me and my process and me and my background and me and my thoughts about my art? They need to get to know me, don't they? How will they know I am valued, what my art represents, and that it is worth consideration?"

Well, sure…they need to understand your value as an artist, but they want to know about the things THEY care about. (Read that again and really drink it in!)



Today, the average attention span is about eight seconds. This is especially true during the early phase of first-time engagement. Those first eight seconds need nurturing to expand into ten, fifteen and more. The way to sustain interest in your art is to turn the conversation into whatever subjects interest them – the quicker, the better!

The Four Dirty Little Words

The easiest way (although it takes some practice!) to make sure you are keeping it more about them and less about you is to get rid of the Four Dirty Little Words: I, Me, My, Mine, as much as possible.

Find ways to convey your information by increasing the use of You and Yours and use third party references like owners, collectors, or patrons. For example:
  • Collectors of large work are thrilled to have so many choices for their big spaces. Do you have a space that can handle this size?
  • Have you collected______________? (Fill in the blank with your medium and/or genre.)
  • What most art patrons love about this collection/series/piece is _______________.
  • Did you notice ______________?
  • Is there a certain room you have in mind for your next piece of art?
  • While many serious collectors start with a small original, there are some wonderful limited-edition prints you might want to consider, also.

Read more!

Getting Booked

posted December 13, 2017

Getting Food Concession Space at Fairs and Events
Barb Fitzgerald for Foodbooth.net

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2018 is almost here! Every year I am surprised how fast Winter slides into Spring, bringing with it a flurry of the usual pre-season activities. This time of year, event applications should top every food vendors to-do list.

Obtaining contracts for food booth space at quality events can be a difficult undertaking. There are a limited number of booth spaces available at a limited number of events. Event coordinators may receive twenty, forty, or more, applications for food booth space each year. Here are four things you can do to get noticed and increase your chances of being offered a space at the events you want:

Serve a unique menu.
A new concessionaire who serves typical fair food, like corn dogs and snow cones, may be passed over by event coordinators. Serve a menu that is unique, but not so unusual that customers will be afraid to buy it. Initially, a unique menu may not sell as well as standard fair food but your event bookings will be of higher quality and your niche will develop quickly, producing higher sales in the future.

Have a clean, attractive, and professional looking booth, display and signs.
Better still, have a gimmick!

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