Well, I'm finally made it. When I picked up my mail yesterday, this was in the box...
That's not important though. The lesson for you is what else was included in the envelope...
This is a catalog filled with "2013 Inaugural Collectables" ranging in price from $15 (lapel pen) to $400 (panoramic photo). In the direct marketing business, it's known as a "ride along."
The concept is something you can use to increase your bottom line as a musician. Here are three ways to do it:
- With Mailings - Like Obama did with his catalog, it's easy to attach sales material to an already existing mailing. If you're fufilling your own merch by mail or have a physical newsletter, this is easy.
Want to take things to the next level? Get together with similar sounding artists and agree to send a co-op catalog in each of your mailings.
- Inside CDs - The inside of CDs is a great place to put extra material, such as a survey to build your mailing list. The booklet inside the case is also a great place to let listeners know about other products you have available.
This suggestion is disturbing for some people, who think of their albums as art and don't want to "mess things up" with a sales message, so I'm going to address that concern...
While I understand your desire to mix art and business, keep in mind that if a person really loves your music, you're doing him a disservice by not letting him know you have more available. Sure, he could get online and look, but that doesn't guarantee anything. Make things easy on your fans!
- On Flyers - Most flyers are one-sided. Why not use the other side to encourage people to visit your site for a free music download? Not only will it help you build your mailing list, you'll also get more people to your shows, since they'll be able to experience what they'll get ahead of time.
Best wishes getting the word out and making more money with what you're doing!