I read a "tip" on music sales today that made me angry. The author asked, "Are you selling your CD for $15?" Then goes on to say that we are Indie musicians and we shouldn't. Sell it for less because it is the industry standard for Indie musicians to sell for less. How do I say this nicely...that's Bull Sh*t!!!! That attitude pisses me off. I mean it is hard enough for us to make a decent leaving selling CDs, but to sell them for $10? Unless you have less than 10 songs, don't listen to em. It is that attitude that makes some people think you only have to pay $10 for a CD. Will more people buy the CD? Well, probably...a few. But you know what? If people like your music, they WILL pay $15 for a CD! Surprise, surprise, surprise. They may falter a bit, but they will eventually buy it, and when they do, it will mean so much more to them. Don't be fooled. You are a professional. Now act like one. Now, let me give you an incentive why you should sell for $15 instead of $10. There are some age-old terms used in marketing, perhaps you've heard of them...discounts and sales? Yeah, I admit it. I'm hesitant to pay $15 for a CD. It is a lot of money for a CD. I'm constantly looking for great CD deals online. I can't stand paying $15 for a CD. It's too much for my poor musician blood. But some, like me, require an extra incentive. So why not put your CD on sale? Offer 10% or 20% off. One-time only, or for a limited time. And you know, at 10-20% off, you're still making more than $10. But to your fans, 10-20% off sounds like a great deal! Add a touch of urgency, and even those who hadn't gotten around to buying your CD will. Ever since I started running special prices on my new CD, Gullible's Travels, I've gotten a helluva resposne. Right now, you can buy it for 10% off. Or buy both our albums and get 20% off each one. So if you have an album with more than ten songs, and you are currently selling your album for $10, this is what I want you to do. Contact your mailing list now. Tell them this: "It was decided that in order to take our band to the next step, we will have to start running our business more professionally. To start, we will raise the price of our CDs in four weeks from their current price of $10 to their new price of $15. This should give all our loyal fans the opportunity to purchase a copy of our music at a one killer price. But it won't last long. So order your CDs now!" Now, watch the orders come flooding in! |
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