Are you ready to record a new album, produce a video, or take on an ambitious new music project? But you don’t have the cash on hand to make it happen now?
Do what a growing number of smart artists have done in recent years: ask your fans to contribute!
The band Marillion reportedly raised $725,000 by pre-selling its Anoraknophobia double-CD album before it was ever recorded. Jill Sobule raised more than $80,000 from about 500 fans to record her California Years album, due out in 2009.
But even lesser known artists have had success with this fan-funded business model. Take a look at what these indie acts have done to involve their fans in music fundraising:
Mia Kim
http://www.sukeyrose.com/
Christine Kane
http://www.bemyrecordlabel.com
Scott Andrew
http://saveyoufromyourself.com/
Kristin Hersh
http://kristinhersh.cashmusic.org/
Great, your sold on the concept. Now how do you set up a system to collect funds from your fans?
Well, a number of new sites have sprung up to provide this service to musicians. The most prominent ones are:
SellaBand
http://www.sellaband.com/
Slicethepie
http://www.slicethepie.com/
ArtistShare
http://www.artistshare.com/
CASH Music
http://www.cashmusic.org/
Bandstocks
http://www.bandstocks.com/
Each of the sites above have different structures and fees, so look over the details closely before committing to using any of them.
But you don’t have to use a music-specific site to do this. Here are four more easy ways to ask your fans to support you financially:
Chipin
PayPal Buttons for donations
Amazon Simple Pay Donations
Justgiving
You don’t have to wait until you have a big music project to ask your fans for help. Just put a donation or “tip jar” button or widget on a page where you offer free downloads.
For instance, here’s the request on Kristin Hersh’s download page:
“The music here is yours to download. Please consider making a one-time contribution using the form below (not tax deductable).”
Bottom line: Don’t become a “I don’t have the money now” victim. Ask the people who can really help you the most: your fans!
-Bob
www.TheBuzzFactor.com
www.MusicPromotionBlog.com