Tuesday, September 12th, 2023.
Hey, it’s TJ Miller, “You want some game?” Let's #tipundathehat!
For the best indie music from indie artists, click, and follow Indie Artist Of The Week Unda The Hat. This week, Victor VC Caldwell. Be sure to hit the like button and follow this amazing group of indie artists. They will be big time soon.
What else can you sell - Let’s go -
Back when labels like Motown, Atlantic, Arista, and Capitol ruled the airways, the artists were branded by the labels they were on. Additionally, customers bought the music and the artist brand came behind it. Consumers felt comfortable buying a new artist they had never heard of on Motown or Atlantic. They knew the brand meant something. As a matter of fact, until the onset of music videos and reality shows like “Cribs,” consumers knew very little about their favorite artists; It created a bit of a mysticism about them.
Most, of these labels, especially Motown, had things like Artist Development which even further branded the artists. Well, nowadays an artist has to brand themselves before they get recognized. So people don’t really rush to buy the music, nor do labels have those A&R guys out there looking for diamonds in the rough with talent, they are all looking at the social media numbers, engagements, and the brand. So if that’s the case, you might as well profit off your brand and sell it. Merchandising is a great way for musicians to connect with their fans and make some extra money. It can also help to promote their music and brand. There are many different types of merch that musicians can sell, such as t-shirts, hats, stickers, and mugs. There is a bit of research you should do before you start making and selling though.
Consequently, before you start selling merch, know your artist brand and your target audience. Know your people and what they will buy from you. Know your own distinct look and vibe also. I can’t say it enough, those yellow-golden arches of McDonald's don’t change. Even on tee shirts. Get your brand and stick to it. If you are just starting out, you will grow and let your logo grow with you, that’s fine. But for now, let’s get started. Don’t be afraid to do a little comparative analysis. If you are doing Neo Soul, what are the other Neo Soul artists selling? What’s working for them, what’s not? Yes be original but get something people will buy. You can even ask them. That’s a good way to engage with them online. Ask the question. Next, you want to put a financial plan in place. Don’t go out there all willie-nilly knowing you don’t have the money for inventory. That’s why it’s good to settle in on a merch partner. Somebody like Prinful. This company and companies like them allow you to sell POD or Print On Demand. POD allows you to work with a third-party supplier of white-label products (think anything from t-shirts to mugs) to customize items and sell them on a per-order basis. On your part, no stock and no storage. They do the shipping and take a percentage of the profit. What the companies take will vary so you will need to do your homework.
Don’t think physical merch is all there is to it in today’s market. You might want to think about things like custom ringtones, voicemail messages, or birthday videos - anything where you’re actually speaking the fan’s name and making the recording personal.
Ok, that’s the cool part of it. Let’s look at the other side. There is a caveat to this whole thing. Just like your music has a legal side, so does your merch; you can copyright it or trademark it. So here’s the quick lowdown, please let this just be the start of your information on this and not the whole of it. Copyright provides control and permission by you the creator on who is allowed the use of design and image. A trademark protects any item or product that defines a company’s brand, including logos, symbols, etc. You can use images from public domains or those deemed as fair use. So if and when you trademark your band name, you trademark the logo. Now you can make shirts, hats, and whatever else you want, and if anybody tries to steal it you got ‘em. And the reality is you, like any other business want and need more than one stream of income. The more you have the better off you, your music, and your business will be.
This week's #IAOTW - Independent Artists Of The Week is - Victor VC Caldwell. 
This Tennessee native is one of the most sought-after producers in the music game; Be it Gospel, Jazz, R&B, or Pop. He currently has a song that is tearing up Smooth Jazz radio called Count ‘Em.
Click on his name link, scroll down to his picture, and then click and support. You won’t believe how talented he is. You may want to contact him to produce your next record.
For more information on this or to hire Unda The Hat as your brand or label consultant send a message via undathehat.com. See you next week!!