How to Market Your Artist Shop
Now that you’ve got a dedicated shop with some killer merch of your brand, what next? How do you let fans know that you’ve got something new and special to offer? Here are some tips by our music industry specialists to help you succeed-
Except for YouTube, IG is the world’s most popular social platform — you should have both a personal and band/artist account. The Instagram Business Profile is an important first step because it makes all kinds of useful metrics and online tools available to you. Instagram is a high-impact image platform that thrives on amazing visual content. Post short, fun videos, repost a meme or tell a story with a single picture. Instagram Reels can help explain more complex content in an organic, organised way — and you can reuse your impressive IG images on other platforms.
While not as sexy as Instagram or TikTok, Facebook is still the 3rd most visited site on the planet. The strength of Facebook is engagement, so it’s the best place to talk with fans, ask them questions and provide interesting content. It’s also great for videos of your band, either live or at practice. There’s even a way to sell your merch directly from your Facebook or Instagram page which we’ll dive into in future blog posts.
Other Social Media
Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter & Tumblr- these alternate social media platforms don’t have the reach of their competitors, but they still reach millions of people. Tumblr & Pinterest are photo based image platforms, and a great way to show the band modeling your merch. LinkedIn is best for business contacts like labels, clubs, managers and agencies. And the power of Twitter is the real time interaction with your audience — it’s the best place to post updated information, current events and even social commentary.
YouTube
It should go without saying that not only should you have performance clips and concerts on YouTube, you should have other ‘engagement’ as well. ‘Thank you’ videos, AMA interviews, behind the scenes footage and yes, fashion merch videos. Don’t be shy to show your stuff, you should be proud to connect with your fans in this way.
Create Feedback Loops
Interaction is a driving force behind social media, especially FB & IG. Be sure to like, share, and comment on other people’s photos when surfing. If you ‘regram’ a fan or friend, always credit the original poster. Keep customers engaged by encouraging them to post and tag images of themselves using your items.
You can also use social media as a market research tool. Check out the profiles of your followers to find out more about your customer base and spend some time analysing which products get the most likes. You can also use Instagram to inform your product development. Creating this give-and-take dialogue gives customers another way to feel invested in your brand and your band.
The Power of Email
Chances are you already have hundreds of contacts in your basic email — now this list becomes hundreds of merch prospects. You should create a nicely worded email and then blast it to almost every address you have — advertise a show, mention your album and soft sell your merch. Not only should you do this, every member of the band, your management team and even your family should too.
Walk the Walk
It’s no surprise that the T-shirts, hoodies and other goodies you sell are ultimately promotional items — so let them promote you! Every time you go out in public you should be wearing your best merch for all to see. Any time you will be seen or photographed you should become your own fashion plate. Same goes for your bandmates.
Make it Special
Asking the band members to autograph vinyl, CDs and posters is an obvious way to increase value and engagement. But don’t dismiss signing online merch as well, especially to fans that really love the band. Consider having a ‘signature’ option for certain items, and personalize those gifts — like signing copies of your new book.
