Storytellers

By Dianne de Las Casas
published on web April 2004

Breathe a sigh of relief. Your recording is done. All that loving labor in the recording studio or recording your material live has paid off – it's finished, mastered, packaged, and ready to sell. Now you have 1,000 CDs (or more) sitting in boxes in the middle of your living room, garage, or extra room. Of course, you recorded the CDs or cassettes to sell them but how do you get started? You're feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect of yet another job added to your already slammed schedule. Here are a few tips to help you market and sell your recordings.

Sell It Online
Set up accounts with Amazon.com and CDBaby.com. Amazon.com is not artist or author friendly. They take 60% and you get 40% BUT millions of people will go to Amazon first before anywhere else. There is "prestige" in listing with Amazon. CDBaby was started by Derek Sivers and he is a musician. He looks out for indie artists. CDBaby.com is easy to sign up with. There is a $35 one time processing fee and they ask for five CDs to begin with. CDBaby pays every Monday so checks regularly arrive in the mail when you sell on CDBaby.

Set up a store on your own website so that you can offer your CD for sale. Don't forget shipping and handling. And don't forget to offer sound clips. That can make the difference between a visitor and a customer.

Put Your Recordings in Stores
Make a list of stores in your area you would like to carry your recordings. Call the stores and ask them to carry your recording. Many stores will ask to carry on consignment – that means they carry your recordings and pay you when the recording is sold. With consignment sales, you can negotiate a better price for you because they are not paying you in advance for the CDs. I usually negotiate 20-30% when my CDs are on consignment.

When retailers purchase inventory from you outright, 60/40% is the common discount with 60% of the price going to the seller (you). So a $15 CD will cost the retailer $9. I recently went into a toy store when I was touring out of town. I went inside with no intention of marketing my CDs; I just wanted to buy a gift for my 3-year-old daughter. I ended up conversing with the storeowner and began talking about my "award-winning" CD (I couldn't help myself). She was so excited about my CD that she bought 8 copies. I left the store with a check in hand.

Place Your CDs in Catalogs
Research catalogs that might carry your CD. Be sure to look beyond the usual outlets. If you have a CD of fish songs, your CD might be a good fit in a fisherman's catalog (everyone needs a gift for their child). The answer is always no unless you ask. Surf the net and find some catalogs that might carry your CD and then make some phone calls. Be sure to have a short pitch ready for when the person answers the phone. You will need to know some catalog lingo if your CD is accepted. You will need a return policy and an overstock policy. In addition, you will need to establish a retail price (try to establish a price slightly higher than what you offer direct to your customers so that your customers can always get it cheaper from you). Catalogs will also ask for terms of payment – Net 30 is common (that gives them 30 calendar days to pay from receipt of invoice).

Have a CD Release Party
I had a couple when my CD was released. I had a holiday CD release party for friends, family, and SUPER clients. I also had a public CD release parties at the children's museum. Provide snacks (and mention food in your invitation) and people will come. Since my CD is "Jambalaya," naturally, I am serving jambalaya. I asked Zatarain's, a famous manufacturer of packaged Cajun foods, to donate the jambalaya and they did! I also had crafts for the kids and an art contest. I had fans drive two hours to attend my CD release party. The museum gave me a 650 head count, many of whom attended my shows and bought my CD. The rest who didn't saw my name all over the museum.

Back of the Room Sales
Set up a nice table display with your CDs for sale after every show. Don't be shy about announcing it at the end of your program. If you stay quiet, so will your CDs because no one will hear them.

1. Bring a friend to assist you when possible. If you have an assistant with you to help handle CD sales, they can handle the bank, open the CDs, and get them ready for your autograph. I have a lot of experience with this and let me tell you, it helps soooo much.

2. Provide a ready-made receipt. If you are marketing to schools and libraries, educators and librarians will need a receipt. Create a simple receipt that has your CD title, date, amount purchase, and the total. You can leave them blank and have them fill it out (like airport taxi drivers do when you ask for a receipt). This will save time.

3. Keep CD openers on hand ($.99 or less at record stores). It helps the autograph line move so much faster. That shrinkwrap is not easy to open!

4. Carry adequate change. Making your CD an even number simplifies banking. Carry at least $50 - Two 10s, four 5s, and ten 1 dollar bills. If you are selling CDs for $15, you can change those one dollar bills into two 5s.

5. Take credit cards. Taking credit cards greatly enhances your chance for sales. If you are a member of CDBaby.com, they offer you the use of a credit card machine for after performance sales. It is $30 and comes complete with the swiping machine and all the necessary receipts and paperwork.

6. Offer a special - "Buy three and get a five dollar discount. Makes great gifts!!" This will encourage bulk buying. I also offer 20% off to teachers (they always spend their own money to furnish their classrooms) so my CDs are $12 instead of $15 for them.

7. Create an eyecatching display and put CDs in easy reach of the customer. Elevate your CD display when possible so they don't have to stoop to look at it. CDs laying flat on a table are hard to look at and don't get as much attention. You can accomplish this by giftwrapping a tall box with cloth, hot gluing it together. Or use those beautiful boxes they come out with around the holidays - gold, silver and stars are generic. Weight the box down with a bag of pinto beans so it isn't blown over by the wind. Bring your own table cloth and have 2 display signs. One with your CD prices and one with your photo and logo. Merchandising and "window dressing" can make a big difference. If you are performing outside, be aware of the wind. Be sure that your displays can stand up to gusts of wind. Small beanbags can help anchor down those clear plastic display signs.

8. Bring bags for people to put their purchases in, especially if they buy in bulk.

9. Give every customer an order form so that they can pass it on to a friend. Don't forget information about your shows.

10. Have a mailing list sign up sheet at the table. Strongly encourage people to sign up for your mailing list.

Autographing/Meet & Greet Tips

1. When autographing, have a prepared "line" that correlates to the theme of your CD. For example, for Jambalaya, my autograph line is "Stories spice up your life so cook up a tasty tale!" Having a prepared line will help to move the line along so you don't have to think about what to say.

2. Prepare an autograph sheet with numbered blanks for people to print their names. When they get to you, you will have a sheet with the correct spelling of each autographee's name.

3. Be sure to smile and exchange pleasantries with your fans. Ask them what their favorite story or song was, compliment them, talk to them. They remember those things.

4. Keep your show face on. Even if you are just whooped from a 2 hour non-stop set, you were late coming in, you have only had 2 hours of sleep, don't let it show. You can crash in your hotel room or home later.

5. After you autograph the CD, thank your fan by name. It will mean the world to them.

Send out Press Releases to Local, Statewide, and National Media Outlets

Here are a couple of links for FREE press release distribution.

• http://www.prweb.com
• http://free-press-release.com

I have a list of media outlets I zip off press releases to. Read the latest article on me, which stemmed from a targeted press release I sent out. http://www.storyconnection.net/buzz_biz_article.htm

Send Out Postcards Advertising Your CD
Full color postcards are affordable now. I get mine from http://www.vistaprint.com I have my graphic artist design them and Vistaprint prints them. If you would like to see my postcard, email me and I will send you a .pdf version to look at.

Submit Your CD for Awardx
There are all kinds of national awards available for recorded media (Parents' Choice, iParenting Media, NAPPA, etc.). If anyone is interested, I have a chart available for sale ($10) with 16 different audio awards and reviews http://www.storyconnection.net/store.htm. The chart contains information about the award, submission deadlines, fees, submission requirements, and contact information. I have spoken to many of the reviewers personally so the list is pretty accurate. For awards, your release date (the date it "officially" hit the streets) is important. This will determine which award cycle you fall into. Be warned that submitting for awards is not cheap. There are fees involved - anywhere from $75 to $200. If you win an award, most of the awarding organizations will offer you stickers to purchase in addition to licensing. If you want to use their logo or image on your product or promo materials, you have to pay for the rights. But winning an award does give you national credibility and sets you and your recording apart. You will forever be "award-winning." Being an award-winner also generate media attention.

Submit Your CD for Reviews
Most reviewers (ALA Notable Recordings, Booklist, School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, etc.) want a review copy of your CD upon release. Reviews do not require a fee, usually just a copy or two of your product.

Offer Extras
Offering to giftwrap and autograph copies can make all the difference in the world. There are beautiful flat paper bags that CDs can be inserted into and the flap folded over and sealed with a sticker. My daughter does this when she sells her handmade jewelry and it is sooo impressive.

Reward Fans with a Little Freebie with a CD Purchase
A sticker or a tattoo makes all the difference in the world to a kid and to grown-ups as well!

Having product to sell gives you instant credibility and labels you a professional. It also allows you to leave a legacy - a body of work that distinguishes your career as a performer. Yes, it takes an investment of time and money, both of which are always in short supply but it's worth it. Here's to soaring sales!

Dianne de Las Casas is the Director of The Story Connection in Louisiana. For more information about Dianne and her storytelling programs, workshops and residencies, her website is at www.storyconnection.net.