the best place to sell cd's?

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antispatula

antispatula

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I can't say I'm very expirienced with playing shows, but I have noticed some things. I've played a restaurant or two, a community show or two, and a few coffee houses. My music is acoustic and I live in SF area and am 18, so it's not as if I have much of an option to play the clubs in the area or anything.

But I have noticed that some places are better for selling cd's than others.
Mind you I sell my cd for 10 bucks (I lower it to 5 if I think that will make the sale) and they were professionally manufactured, with shiny overwrap, a barcode and everything.

At restaurants, people seem like they just want to eat and don't want to put down a few extra bucks for a cd, since their steak cost 15 dollars.

Cafes and coffee houses, while people might enjoy your music, are not willing to put down any money, because they came to the cafe in the first place for a 75 cent cup of joe.

I've learned that community shows are great, because people there are truly there to support local music.

For example, a few weeks ago I was the opener at a community show at a Boys and Girls Club meeting, there was perhaps around 20-25 people there. I played I think 4 or 5 songs, and sold 6 or 7 cds. Out of around 20 people I think thats a pretty decent markup.

Last night, I played at The Red Victorian on Haight in San Francisco, and while the show was awsome and everything, I sold 3 or 4 cd's out of a group of around 30 something. This was a cafe. Does this sound normal?

Does anyone else have any expiriences with this kind of thing? Where are the best places to play? I'm guessing places that are specifically music venues or clubs, but that isn't an option for me quite yet.
 
Take a trip to New Orleans and find a corner on Bourbon St to play and sell cd's. If you can't make the trip try the subways and parks if the city will let you.
 
Apparently you just answered your own question :D

As for other avenues down which to play and sell, I got nothin.

I think in the circumstances of coffee houses and restaurants, most people see "background music" as something for atmosphere (or annoyance :)), and don't give much thought to it - they aren't going to these places to suipport local artists, they are going for, as you said, whatever the usual commodity is that is sold at those places.
 
Selling CDs in a restaurant is almost as bad as playing for "supper and tips." You get a good meal, meet a few people, and go home with little more than your keys in your pocket.
 
If at some point during any performance you announce that you would like to meet "each and every one of you after the show" you'll be surprised just how many stick around. There are people out there who may want to connect with you, but not so brave to approach you without an invite.
 
mikemorgan said:
If at some point during any performance you announce that you would like to meet "each and every one of you after the show" you'll be surprised just how many stick around. There are people out there who may want to connect with you, but not so brave to approach you without an invite.
Click to expand...

Listen to this man. That is so true.

edit: sorry, didn't realize this was 2 weeks old.
 
MikeMorgan has it right. To add to what he said, there was one show that I played in front of about 200 people. We sold about 8 cds by waiting at a merch table. We then decided to walk around and talk to people. We ended up selling 60 cds that night. There were some people who only had 5 of the 7 dollars we were charging...but that was good enough...we still gave them the cd....it's about people listening and sharing. You really have to get out there and talk to the people. Also, put your merch table in the back of the room you're playing in. Some people are too nervous to walk to the front of a venue and buy a cd...they feel as though people are watching them. Put it in the back and then say you'll be around after you play to hang out.
 
out the trunk of your car...

i pick a busy spot with lots of foot traffic n go hustle, daly city style...
 
Are you trying to make money for strings and such or are you trying to get your music out to people so they can repeat listen?

Because if you just wanna get your produced songs out there, you should just give the CDs away...and don't bother fancying up the covers all that much.
 
In my experience even music clubs fall short...

this is how it's worked for me

play a music club (aka a bar) and you'll get alot more money for playing... people there though go for a good time.. and spend most of their money on beers, and other drinks.. if you really wow a few ppl they might buy some shirts and maybe a cd.

play an all ages music show.... the kids man.. the kids are the ones who want to buy the music.. they want to discover the next thing... on their own.. these types of shows won't pay much for playing.. y ou'll be lucky to make gas money.. but if the show is a success you can make far more than a you would at a bar...

here's an example

we played at a bar show... got paid $150... we sold maybe 4 or 5 cd's and 3 or 4 shirts

we played an all ages show in a small town.. over 200 kids showed up (small towns are an untapped resource my friend... )

we got paid 80$ for gas money (which was hardly enough)

we sold at least 20 shirts, sold about 25-30 cd's walked away from that show with around 400$ in merch sales.. and lots of people had the cd to listen to and show their friends.

now for every great show like that you'll also play terrible ones where 50 kids show up.. but even then i find we sell more then at a bar show.. there's a connection there when it's not that atmosphere.. when people aren't going just to get drunk and laid and if they happened to like the music then great.
 
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