10 Ways to Get More Money from a Gig

You are an artist, it's true.  But just because you’re an artist doesn’t mean you don’t need to get paid.  Money makes a lot of things possible, including time in a recording studio, new and better instruments, and paying your rent so you don’t have to live in a cardboard box and burn your guitar for warmth.  There’s nothing wrong with making money from your shows, and if you’re smart you’ll try to optimize that earning power.  You don’t have to be a marketing genius or a public relations guru—just think outside the box and make the most of what you already have going for you.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth.

Just because you want the gig doesn’t mean you have to beg for it.  If you’ve got experience performing, and you regularly draw a crowd, your venue stands to benefit as much—if not more—than you do from the show.  So don’t let them tell you that you’re not worth paying as much as a “bigger name”.  It is also a good idea to go in and tell them exactly what you’re doing to generate a buzz about the show.  If they can see that you’re working to get a crowd in, they’ll be a lot more willing to pay you a good rate.

2. Don’t run up a huge bar tab. 

Take a lesson from the Blues Brothers.  If you’re buying your own drinks at the show, it’s going to eat in to your bottom line.  You don’t want to end up owing them money for playing a show.  A couple beers to keep you loose isn’t a big deal, but when you start buying round after round of top shelf drinks you’re going to rack up quite a bill.  Not to mention that it’s going to affect your performance.  You might not think it’s a problem…but then, neither does Amy Winehouse.  Stay on top of your game while you’re on stage.  There’s plenty of time to party after the show.

3. Sell T-shirts, bumper stickers and CDs at the show.

A small investment in your own marketing merchandise can help generate income.  Make sure whatever you’re selling is cool in design and functionality.  You can’t go wrong with T-shirts, as long as they don’t look cheesy.  Don’t try to sell them for $40 each. You’re not Pink Floyd (yet).  The kids that are going to your show aren’t loaded, but they’ll gladly buy and wear your shirt around if it’s affordable and looks good.  That’s free advertising.  Stickers and other inexpensive items can also bring in some extra money.  Remember, you’re not trying to get rich off this stuff—just clear a little profit and get your name out there.

4. The Tip Jar

It never hurts to set it out there.  And even if you only get a few bucks, it’s a few bucks more than you had before.  Make sure that you sincerely thank the audience for their tips before you close the show.

5. Generate a buzz to ensure a big crowd.

If you’re getting part of the cover, you want to do everything in your power to get people in the door.  That means going out and hitting the streets for weeks before the show, printing flyers and cards, asking friends and family to spread the word, and using your contacts to get people to the show.  Even if there’s no cover, the more people at your show, the more opportunity you have to sell your CD’s and T-shirts and get tips.  Don’t leave it to chance—work hard to get people to the show and it’ll pay off in more ways than one.

6. Make sure your venue will attract people who will like your music.

If you’re an acoustic singer/songwriter, don’t try to play at a club that is known for head banging.  It sounds simple enough, but there’s something to be said for playing up to the regulars that are used to going to the venue where you’re playing.   Go to a few shows at the same venue beforehand and hang out.  See who’s there and talk to some people about your upcoming show.  People that are already at the venue are more likely to come back than people who’ve never been there before—even if they know who you are.

7. Look for different types of venues—not just the same old bar scene.

There are lots of places you can play to earn a few bucks.  Big corporations often throw parties a couple times a year to celebrate holidays or sales performance.  Schools have festivals and events.  There are endless places where you can attract a crowd and sell your CD’s.  Think outside the box!

8. Make sure you have a website and blog—and a mailing list to remind people where they can see you!

This is such an important piece of getting recognition and money.  Make sure people know how to find you online.  Every piece of advertising or marketing you do should have your website address on it.  Keep your site updated regularly and post information about upcoming shows.  When your shows are over be sure to immediately post pictures and videos.  Respond to inquiries from fans, prospective venues, and press.  You can also sell MP3’s of your songs or the entire CD on your website to generate income.  There are literally endless possibilities, and with today’s web tools, it is easier and easier for anyone to create and manage their own website.  Most importantly, once you’re on the web, people from all over the world can find you and hear your music.  Think big, and make yourself available to an unlimited fan base.

9. Treat your booking professionally. 

Make sure you keep track of phone numbers, dates, and venue contacts.  This is going to ensure repeat bookings.  Until you make it big and have yourself a real business manager, you’re going to have to keep things organized.  Some people are naturally good at this, and some people, well…aren’t.  Bare minimum, get a big calendar and scribble phone numbers and important dates and times on it to keep track.  The more you treat your band like a business, the more money you’re going to make.

10. Stick around after the show and work the room.

Don’t just pack your stuff and high tail it out of the club when you’re done playing.  Unless it’s closing time, spend a while chilling out with the crowd and talking to people.  When you’ve finished your show, you’ve got a little bit of ‘star quality’ that comes from having been the center of attention for the duration of the show.  When you take the time to walk around and thank people for coming, introduce yourself to people and tell them your CD is for sale, or hand them your card with your website on it, you are doing yourself an invaluable service.  Try this for three shows in a row, and I guarantee you’re going to see huge results.

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Comments

[Tom]

I don't like a tip jar. It feels like begging. Although I am a broke-ass musician, it hasn't come to that quite yet.

[Steven Kippel]

Do you think musicians (especially touring acts) should adjust their asking price due to the huge increase in gas prices?

[Adrian Carr]

These are great and basic guidelines for everybody to remember no matter what type of gig you're playing. Thanks for sharing!

[Dave]

The larger bands never "put out a tip jar". If you want to appear small, and really need a few more bucks, then OK, put it out there.

[shawn]

this is the dumbest advice i've ever seen.

if you havent figured this out, you shouldnt even be attempting a career in the music industry.

You guys might as well add
11) play good music
12) don't suck
13) sing on key

to the list, those are more essential then running a bar tab.

[John Stanton]

Man, you guys are bitter today. He's talking about making more money, not how to be a good musician. There is a difference.

[Joe]

I see all sides here. I'm on the side of making more money. My bands do it and we're all good with it. We are in a service industry. No different than hairstylists, wait staff, and the like. What is the harm in having it out there? They like what they hear and wish to tip? Let 'em! They all sit politely on their hands? No prob. The worst you could do is make a coupla extra bucks! Do what you do and make it a great show. Pass the hat! All the best to y'all!

[Randal Smith]

Here in Nashville, a tip jar is almost a requirement, especially for the bands that play Lower Broadway. Our band always puts out a tip jar. It's not begging, anymore than a waitress is begging for tips. A tip is a reward for a good performance, or extra service like playing a request. When you're making thousands of $ per gig, then you can ditch the tip jar. Until then, pass the hat, sell t-shirts, CD's, MP3's, Make Money.

[Fremont John]

There are times for tip jars and times when they are inappropriate. Use your common sense. Bar gigs are almost always appropriate. I've been at this a long time. Tips account for a significant portion of my annual income and they by far, exceed my gas bill, even now. I've had some pretty big tips that would be hard to imagine any of you turning down.

1. In a duo we once received and split a tip of $1,000! (no B.S.!)
2. On a solo gig, I had one guy put a $100 bill in my tip jar and come back 20 min. later to put in another.
3. Lots of $50 and $100 tips over the years.
4. Tips and CD sales boost my income about 40-50%.

Learn to work the tip jar. That's another art form. Don't be afraid to ask. It's easier if you first ask them to be sure to tip their bartender or server.

I have an enlarged copy of a $50 bill hanging over the edge of my tip jar. I tell people not to be intimitated by it. My tip jar takes small bills too like $20s and $10s.....and I get them!

Good luck!

F.J.

[Trole]

People often leave a tip when they buy a cd. We sell our cd's for $10 and we sell a lot of them. On the average I would say for every 10 cd's sold someone leaves a tip, normally of $10. We work very hard and put on a great show so people appreciate that and they want to keep it going and see the band again. If you get them thinking like that they will not only tip but come back to the next show.

I agree that people should know these things but not every musician grows up surrounded by people doing "the thing." It's an elusive world if you don't live in the city.

Use the internet in as many ways as you can and post all of your shows on Facebook. Make sure you don't send out a ton of messages announcing every single thing you do or people will get annoyed. That's what killed MySpace for most of the non-artists and most of the people who buy and support music are non-artists.

Use your head, stay off the shit and don't sell out no matter how desperate it seems. Believe in what you do or don't do it.

[stan lee]

Work out your income
Find out how much money you have coming in. Draw up a personal budget plan to work out your annual, term and weekly income. Only list money that you are certain you will receive.And they get ready for giving good band performance.

[styris]

You might find it useful to keep all paperwork relating to your finances (bank statements, bills etc.) in one place e.g. a box file. Keep a record of your visits to the cash dispenser, of the cheques you write, which bills you've paid, and check through your bank statements. Take advantage of the up-to-date balance information that you can get from your bank cash dispenser or online banking service.
By doing this you will have an idea of what sort of show you can put up.This will enable you prepare accordingly.

[styris]

You might find it useful to keep all paperwork relating to your finances (bank statements, bills etc.) in one place e.g. a box file. Keep a record of your visits to the cash dispenser, of the cheques you write, which bills you've paid, and check through your bank statements. Take advantage of the up-to-date balance information that you can get from your bank cash dispenser or online banking service.
By doing this you will have an idea of what sort of show you can put up.This will enable you prepare accordingly.

[mcullum]

Controversies play a key role. Remember big brother controversy. It turned Shilpa Shetty to a sensational star in London. So try to do that.

[bond]

Media plays a huge role in mass propaganda.Try to make a deal with a news channel so that both are benefited.

[Wayne Earl]

Wow! These are really good suggestions to help our earning power.

[scott]

Advice is given by all but the point is from whom you take it. David has good advice. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. But it works more than it doesn't.

[chris]

First try to figure out what sort of audience appreciate your music and then focus all your attention on them.

[cairns]

Brainstorming is a useful and popular tool that you can use to develop highly creative solutions to a problem.It can be tried out be it any problem.

It is particularly helpful when you need to break out of stale, established patterns of thinking, so that you can develop new ways of looking at things. This can be when you need to develop new opportunities, where you want to improve the service that you offer, or when existing approaches just aren't giving you the results you want.

[tom]

Great advice cairns.I highly apprise your ideas.The ideas emerging out here seems to be really beneficent.

[generation xxx]

Success for an artist depends on how easily he mingles out in the open.

[jason]

you guys are scared of money!!

[gillespie]

Create a good blog of yourself and try draw attention as much as possible, using things like free samples or tickets to your show. This will popularize your albums and generates curiosity among the public.

[mark]

I don't know why people are running after money.Be satisfied with what you have.Greed is the cause of all evils

[ben]

In every city there are about a thousand things going on any given weekend. There are plenty of opportunities to warm up the crowd at a charity, a school play, an art show, or any other number of events. You don’t need to drag all the equipment out. Go and play a couple songs acoustic. Give away a couple CDs in a raffle at the event. Ask if you can leave some flyers on the registration table so that when people come in they can grab one with their name tag or program. There are endless possibilities for getting yourself in front of people and giving them a little taste of your music—plus, you might just get to support a worthwhile organization or event.

[don gary]

Technology is one of the most powerful tools you have. If you are one of the last five people on earth without a MySpace or Facebook account, get one NOW. Make sure you regularly update the pages with news and show dates, upload MP3’s or videos of your songs, and respond when people leave you a message. Look for bands on MySpace with a similar style to yours and go through their “friends” lists—and invite
those people to be your friends.

[muttaih]

You need to get ready for any situation which may arise unexpectedly so
Don’t wait until a week before your gig to start advertising. As soon as you have a booking, sit down with the band and come up with a strategy for marketing the show to the public. Remember, you’re competing with about a million other things someone can choose to do on a Saturday night—movies, other bands’ shows, parties, sporting events.

[sehwag]

Give a press release so that you can popularize your event and draw as much crowd as possible

[sachin]

Posters and cards play a prominent role in enhancing your publicity.So spend little money and try to get good work done.Design your posters in excellent manner possible.

[ganguly]

Remember bollywood block buster kaho na pyar hai .....it's the friends who make a gig a grand success.So make good links possible

[powesbasch]

Use internet to the best possible extent.Make use of youtube to popularize your music release

[thomas]

Get rid of any fears you have.Be prepared rather than waiting for an opportunity to come at door steps

[luke]

Make everyone know about it.Try to even tell passers by about your show. give them drink tickets, if needed. Or a free show pass. this helps luring people towards your show

[daniel barnes]

Learn from people who are successful. Don't hesitate to ask tips and rehearse a lot.

[craig]

Initially give free shows in schools and other public places.If you really are good at it then people will appreciate you and follow you up even for big commercial shows.In this way you can increase your money earning ability.

[vettori]

Study the great blogs and learn what makes them great. Then force yourself to read great blogs outside of your niche, passion and even interest for the same reason. Take from those blogs and move the good techniques to yours.

Start email conversations with other bloggers. Develop relationships with journalists in my niche. They will help you get the word out about what you are doing.

[Johnny]

there are so many new artists coming up every day, the competition in this field is tremendous. just with the music, one can't make his mark. a proper business plan or an organised way as such to approach things helps a lot.

[Fred]

thank you for sharing this!!

everyone wants to make money and making money by doing something you love is the best thing to happen to anyone. i love music, and if i can make money out of music - its totally awesome.

[Jim Parker]

i don't think, its correct to ask your worth initially when you are not recognised. i am the owner of a bar, tons of bands come up to me every now and then asking for a chance to play. don't expect me to start paying every newcomer.

[Hector]

great advice!

i feel people in this business have pre-conceived notions. they assume and take the band for granted. this is totally wrong. if someone's good and they can pull the crowd in, they certainly deserve the respect and should be paid accordingly.

[Andrew Jeremy]

the best publicity is by word of mouth. creating a buzz among your friends and your audience will give you a head start at things. do this and you'll make more money.

[Tracy]

I feel t-shirts and other merchandise are the best way to publicize and earn money out off it. My friend made good money and publicity from this. It's the best of both worlds. Look at companies like Nike. They're selling you their advertising stuff!

[Ten Adams]

i feel one should follow what one believes in. whenever playing or going for publicity, the band members should sport their own t-shirts. this shows unity in one way and the fact that they believe in themselves and the others should believe in them too.

[Briana]

The tip jar is a big no no for me. I like all the other ideas but not the tip jar one. I know, some extra cash won't hurt anyone. but it feels like begging to me. I am at least considering it now though. Thanks to everybody who is letting me know their thoughts!

[Robin]

nice work, i'm a struggling musician. this blog has opened my eyes to a whole new aspect to music. great work.

[Ryan Lee]

Doing gigs has become a service industry. How the thing is packaged and presented is very important. No matter how good your band is, if not presented properly .. won't make it that big.

[Romie]

utilizing the available resources is the key to success. this article tells us how to make best possible use of available resources. nice work man !!

[Ted Jones]

i don't think it is possible to follow out all the steps. one doesn't have the resources to do so. you should focus on only those, that can generate you maximum revenues.

[Collin]

Keep a track of the cash coming in and cash being spent. One doesn't want to suffer from loss at any point. also, you should revise your policies on regular basis, to improve productivity and profit. Lots of bands throw money away on stupid stuff. Be smart, guys.

[Keith Shudder]

any publicity is good publicity. even a controversy can create a buzz and excitement in the crowd. this will lead to more people coming.

[Jack Kelly]

keeping a good rapport with fans is very important. interacting with your fan base on a regular basis. the more they know you, the more they feel closer to you, the more they will like you.

[Hilton]

hi .. i am hilton. i have a band, we are a little popular in our college. we want to make it big. we don't have the income to follow all 10 rules. could you tell me the most important ones, which would help me earn the maximum revenue ?

[Gary]

when doing publicity, one should not leave any stone unturned. all mediums should be thoroughly covered, especially the press. press is the most important one and can't be left out.

[Robin Bunch]

The most important thing a band has in their arsenal of tools is their fanbase. Build them up, communicate regularly with them and use them every chance you can get. If your fans feel connected to you, they will go out there and get other people going to your shows and buying your merchandise. In this day and age, fans are the most important thing you can have. Treat them that way and your base will grow.

[linkdan]

A lot of good advice sounds obvious, but a lot of bands don't follow these pointers. If you're wondering why you're not making money from music, chances are it's because of the things you're not doing.

Regarding tip #8, you can get some more advice on setting up a band website at linkdisco.com.

[Burn Leaf]

RE: Tip jar - we actually have a tip bucket. Usually it generates a few dollars a night from requests, however on occasion people (somewhat inebrated) have dumped hundreds of dollars in there, whether to impress their date that they are a big shot or just drunk off their ass, it nice to have it there when that moment hits and some fool wants to dump a pile of twenty's in there.

[sir jorge]

this is 100% right, i wish more bands would read this

[wil]

there is some real good advise on here.... but to me, if you are focused on money, or in this business to be rich... ur probably not going to make it! The person who is willing to do everything it take to be successful in this business, while taking a monitary loss, or just breaking even are going to be much more successful in the long run for sure!! if your doing it because you love it, that will come across in your music.... and at the end of the day its about making good music that people will feel connected with.... if you are making good music and focusing on that part of the game, at least in the begining..... the money will come, tip jar, or no tip jar!!

this game is funny.... name another type of business that in order to really promote effectively you have to give away the product your actually trying to sell... nike doesnt give away shoes to promote that same shoe.... if your in the music business... c.d.'s are your product and if you think you can build a great big fanbase that will love you, travel to shows, and street team for you.. while your trying to milk every dollar out of them... thats showing no love to the fans.... i say t-shirts, c.d.'s, posters, stickers... what ever for FREE!!! you know how many people will jump all on your nuts.... build a huge mailing list, get all them to ur shows.... u will make a killing at the door!! you will have industry people contacting you and you will be booking huge shows in no time!! thats how you really make money in this business!!

just a different point of veiw from a marketing and promoting stand point...

[David Hooper]

Wil - Thanks for your comments. Good advice.

There are plenty of businesses which give away samples of the product being sold. Food samples, for example. It's also common with vitamins, cleaning supplies, toothpaste, and a number of common household products.

I'm sure Nike is giving away plenty of shoes, too. :)