| The biggest challenge for the struggling or | | | | bit on the expensive side, running as much as $1,500 or |
| unestablished musician is figuring out how to fund your | | | | more. Keep in mind that it may be worth your while as |
| travels to different venues. | | | | arts and crafts festivals can draw huge crowds of |
| You may do a show in Oklahoma City one weekend | | | | eager buyers, often more than 100,000 people during |
| and need to be in Denver, Colorado a week later. Not | | | | the week, greatly increasing your exposure. |
| only must you have a reliable vehicle, you must also | | | | I have seen everyone from classical and jazz violinists |
| have money for gas and food, and motels if you don't | | | | and guitarists to ten-person steel drum bands playing |
| wish to sleep in the car or minivan. You do not want to | | | | and selling their CDs at arts and crafts festivals. |
| gain a bad reputation by being scheduled and not | | | | If you are selling at a flea market in the same city |
| appear as promised. | | | | where you will be appearing that night, be sure to print |
| Fuel while traveling can be an astronomical expense, | | | | flyers or cards to hand out to everyone. After hearing |
| one that prevents many unestablished musicians from | | | | you play at the flea market, that alone could mean a |
| establishing a following by playing at various venues | | | | packed house for your set. |
| around the country. | | | | Selling your CD's at flea markets and festivals will also |
| What can you do when your credit cards are maxed | | | | allow you to create your own mail order business. |
| out and no one will loan you money? | | | | Always include an advertisement about your other |
| Make your own money while on the road and get paid | | | | CD's with every sale. It should have an order form |
| in cash. | | | | they can fill out and mail (you can also get your own |
| Selling at flea markets and swap meets is an excellent | | | | toll-free phone number for ordering). |
| way to do that. | | | | Also, begin building your own email list. Begin collecting |
| I am a professional vendor who earns thousands of | | | | the first names and email addresses of everyone |
| dollars each month just working a few hours on | | | | interested in your music. |
| weekends, selling at flea markets and swap meets. I | | | | Once you have their email address you'll be able to |
| earn a full-time income in less than 15 hours per week. | | | | stay in touch by email. Once or twice a month send |
| I am also a singer/songwriter/musician on the side. | | | | them an email letting them know about your latest |
| You can put cash in your pocket in a couple different | | | | music, where you will be playing and the dates when |
| ways: | | | | you go on tour, etc. It's important to stay in touch so |
| 1. Sell your own CDs. Play them on a boombox so | | | | they remember your name. Who knows? One of |
| people may sample your music. Play along with it for | | | | them might know somebody, who knows somebody |
| tips. Everyone enjoys live music, including the other | | | | in the business, you know how that could go. |
| vendors around you. Just be sure to keep the volume | | | | If you haven't yet done so, you should create an online |
| at a reasonable level. The other vendors still need to | | | | presence. Create a fan website about you and your |
| be able to communicate with their customers. | | | | band, let people learn more about you, find out the |
| 2. Sell small lightweight items such as jewelry, music | | | | latest, where you are, where you're going next, etc. |
| CD's by other artists, DVD movies, etc. These can be | | | | When you tour, be sure to hit those cities and towns |
| purchased at low wholesale prices from wholesale | | | | where you previously sold CDs at the flea markets or |
| distributors and import companies, allowing you to mark | | | | festivals. People will already know your music and will |
| the price up a bit to make a healthy profit, and they do | | | | want to hear more, especially live. |
| not take up a lot of room in your vehicle. | | | | Consider developing a 'circuit' of venues and flea |
| Many vendors drive full-size cargo vans and pull | | | | markets. Just doing the circuit once a year can provide |
| enclosed trailers, allowing them the storage space for | | | | an incredible boost to your fan base, and there's |
| tables, a chair, merchandise, awnings for protection | | | | nothing like returning to a crowd of adoring and |
| from the sun and the other items they need to | | | | eager-to-buy fans. |
| conduct business at flea markets and swap meets, | | | | Flea markets and swap meets can actually get you |
| festivals, bazaars, etc. | | | | some much needed exposure, especially with the |
| Many retired folks live in recreational vehicles and sell | | | | crowd that doesn't normally hit the clubs and coffee |
| at flea markets, allowing them to go north in the | | | | shops. It's a method that most musicians completely |
| summer and south every winter. It's great way to | | | | overlook. |
| enjoy life, and couples can set up a space for each | | | | Tip: To make your space look nicer, bring a nice |
| person, doubling the amount of money they can earn | | | | Persian-style rug to spread out. Few vendors do that. It |
| on a weekend. | | | | will make your space look much more appealing to the |
| If you have several members in your group, such as a | | | | eye, it will draw attention to you and it will set your |
| guitarist, drummer, bassist, singer, sound tech, etc., each | | | | space apart from the crowd, potentially increasing your |
| member of the group could set up in their own space | | | | income and exposure. |
| selling different types of items. If they each only make | | | | You can make a very respectable income while |
| $150 a day in profit after expenses, the total profit | | | | traveling by selling at flea markets and swap meets as |
| earned could easily exceed $1,000 per weekend. | | | | a sideline to your music career. I am a professional |
| In cash. Accept personal checks and credit cards only | | | | vendor and most-often sell only at flea markets and |
| if you wish to. It's up to you. (Many flea markets have | | | | swap meets. |
| an ATM machine in the office when buyers run short | | | | I travel coast to coast, on the road 24/7/365 because I |
| on cash.) | | | | like 'life on the road'. I buy brand new merchandise |
| Space rent at flea markets is very affordable, | | | | from wholesale companies and sell them at flea |
| beginning from $5 per space per day. The average | | | | markets, doubling and tripling my investment, and |
| space rent is around $10 - $25 per day. Larger flea | | | | getting paid in cash, too. |
| markets will bring in more than 20,000 buyers every | | | | If you have something to sell, you can literally work |
| day, so the exposure can be quite good. | | | | your way across the country any time you want, |
| Arts and crafts festivals are also very popular with the | | | | allowing you to make those larger venues and |
| 'moneyed' crowd, and may run for four or five days | | | | establish a solid music career. |
| straight. But space rent for the entire show may be a | | | | |