Hello, everyone. We are thrilled to have you joining us today for another entry in our ongoing Advice series. This may very well be the advice column we run in July, and I like to think it’s one of the best ones to date. Talking about bands as businesses can be scary, but as long as you remember to put your fans/consumers first it can also be a lot of fun.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
The end of July is just days away, which means no matter how hard we fight to believe otherwise the end of summer is slowly beginning to appear on the horizon. The leaves have not started to change, and it’s fairly safe to say temperatures are still near their peak, but in every department store and every commercial break there is one sign of summer’s impending doom that cannot be ignored: Back to school sales.
Back to school season has long been a heavily marketed time of year. Everyone from school supply manufacturers to the designers of children’s clothing use the end of July and majority of August to push their latest and greatest products onto the public. Parents, always more concerned about their child’s positioning for success later in life than they were the year before, spend more and more money each year to ensure their kids have everything they could possibly need. It’s a racket, to an extent, but it’s one that has stood the test of time and shows no signs of wavering in the foreseeable future.
As an artist with tours and records to fund, back to school season presents you with a unique opportunity to expand your marketing efforts while continue to cater to the wants and needs of your fan base. Similar to how Christmastime presents the unique opportunity to sell ‘Xmas Sweaters,’ there are certain items you can print and distribute during this time of year that will sell and perform far better for you than if they were released at any other point during the calendar year, including (but not limited to):
- Pencils
- Pens
- Notebooks
- Water bottles
- Keychains
- Koozies (college kids like to keep their drinks cold)
These items would probably sell, or if given away be popular at almost any time of year, but now is the time people are on the hunt for these items in their everyday life. Every parent helping their child prepare for school is looking to buy pens, pencils, and a notebook at the bare minimum. They could spend a few dollars at Target on something generic, or you could offer a ‘back to school’ deal for a reasonable price online that outfits their child with a slew of branded merchandise that doubles as useful school supplies. The child is happy, the parents have done their duty, and you have a small walking billboard seated in multiple classrooms throughout the day.
Beyond the addition of new products to your merchandise collection, back to school also presents a great opportunity to liquidate aging merchandise and release limited run designs. Students need clothing for school, and there only thing parents like more than having their child not throw a fit while shopping is also stumbling across a solid sale. Bundle remaining merchandise you wish to sell with one or two of the supplies listed below and create ‘back to school’ bundles. You can have several variations, from the bare essentials to one of everything, just make it cost effective.
The important things to remember when planning to promote yourself during the back to school season are that people have very little time and they always love a deal. By creating enticing merchandise and pairing it with a strong online marketing you can leverage the public demand for school supplies in a way that enhances your exposure and essentially creates a small army of in-school promoters for your group. Every time someone wears your shit, uses your school supplies, or talks about your upcoming tour your brand will be reaching new people. They might not be inspired to check out your music based on a single encounter or two, but over time curiosity will get the best of them and they will be headed to Google to understand why their classmates are so fond of your creativity.
Also, before you order anything, take the time and ask your audience what kind of merchandise they would like to see you print. There may be items you never thought of, or they may put down an idea that otherwise could been a costly mistake. Every audience is different and therefore their wants and needs will be as well. Find what works for your listeners and use it to further your presence.
