Unusual business models

pklima · #1 02-22-2008, 12:28 PM

What odd or uncommon ways of running the business of a band have worked for you?

I have accidentally stumbled into the following combination: playing in a genre where touring isn't required and having 99% of the fans in rich countries while I live somewhere with a fairly low cost of living. Basically, the musical equivalent of outsourcing.

**Howlin' Hanson** · #2 02-22-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pklima

... playing in a genre where touring isn't required and having 99% of the fans in rich countries while I live somewhere with a fairly low cost of living. Basically, the musical equivalent of outsourcing.

So you will sell your music either on-line or (old-school) mail order, rather than tour?

How do you know that your music written based on your experiences in your low cost of living environment will have any relevance or appeal to these fans in the rich countries?

No personal contact?

Are you going to perform live in your own locale, or are you only a recording artist?

It's not the traditional model. Hope you do well, and let us know how it turns out.

B-NoteCowboy · #3 02-23-2008, 12:38 AM

I don't know how unusual this is, but we often will do one of two things instead of working off a door or working off a fixed rate.

1) we work off a minimum gaurentee. Say, $1000 bucks. This means we will work for the door but the venue is on the hook for a minimum guarentee. It forces them to market the show. Say they are selling tickets for $10 and have a capacity of 400 people. It's in our best interest to take the door and give them the bar. However if they fail to promote it and it draws 40 people, not our fault. They are still on the hook to pay a gauranteed minimum.

2) We handle the advance ticket sales. We sell them directly and make them available online. This hooks all the people who say "I'm totally there!" and usually don't show up. Say we sell 200 advance tickets at $7 per, and get 100 walkup customers at $10 per, at the door. If only half of our advance ticket sale customers show up, we still made $2400 instead of $2000. It's a little more work, but it's worth it.

pklima · #4 02-23-2008, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-NoteCowboy

I don't know how unusual this is, but we often will do one of two things instead of working off a door or working off a fixed rate.

Good stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howlin' Hanson

It's not the traditional model. Hope you do well, and let us know how it turns out.

Well, I started this project when I was living in Texas (where I lived for 17 years) and was very surprised when people started taking it seriously. Then I moved back to Poland and did a few CD and vinyl releases on Western labels. For the past two years the money I've made from this band is about a quarter of what my real job pays. Like I said, stumbled into it by accident.

meev992 · #5 02-23-2008, 03:26 AM

My friend in Indiana wanted to start a recording project with me and sell via snocap / online orders. We're good friends but I just don't have the time to play with him while I'm with my current band.

Drkwdsman@yahoo · #6 02-23-2008, 10:50 AM

The key is Fan Base.

I live in Birmingham, AL (The South in general), our fan base are college kids, so playing as many frat/soro gigs in the fall will create a base for the upcoming spring & summer bar gigs.

Charging $10 a head for a band these kids have never heard of will get you broke here unless the kids know who you are and are worth seeing b/c there is plenty of competition.