7 Steps to Make Money From Merch

To make money from merch, identify the best items to sell to your target audience, offer limited-edition releases, create amazing designs, and set up an online store to reach fans worldwide.

Master the process of selling band merch and running a profitable business with this complete, step-by-step guide.

What Is Merch And Why Sell It?

Merch, or merchandise, refers to thoughtfully designed products representing your music brand.

Selling band merch is a powerful way to:

• Earn Money: Fans love buying merch to express their identity and show their support. As your fanbase grows, selling merch becomes an excellent revenue stream.

• Promote your Band: Much like band backdrops, merch items are great for advertising your band and enhancing brand recognition among fans.

How to Maximize Profits From Merch Sales

Learn how to develop a successful merch strategy and earn maximum revenue with these tips:

1. Build your brand identity.

Your brand identity covers all the elements portraying your image to your audience.

A strong, well-defined brand is critical to differentiating yourself from competitors and building a solid fanbase. 

Define your:

• Unique Selling Proposition (USP), like your distinct sound, values, beliefs, or personal story that sets you apart
• Visual identity, including your band logo, branding colors, images/graphics, typography, messaging, and album covers
• Communicative voice or how you connect with your target audience

Be consistent to build trust and make your band more recognizable. Ensure your music, visuals, merch, and band marketing all reflect your brand identity.

2. Identify your target audience.

To sell merch successfully, you need to create content that resonates with your target buyers.

Understand who your customers are, what they like, and why they would buy from you. Paint a clear picture of your ideal customers by researching their key demographics.

For example, millennials may like vintage-style band tees and retro concert posters, whereas Gen Z may prefer bold and trendy items like minimalist tie-dyes or pop culture-inspired stickers.

If you don’t know where to start, observe similar artists within your genre. Discover who listens to their music by exploring their social media followers, Spotify Profile, and fan groups.

It’s also a good idea to attend as many music festivals as possible and collaborate with other like-minded musicians at gigs to connect with potential fans.

3. Figure out the best merch to sell.

Now that you have a solid brand identity and a clear understanding of your potential customers, find out which products reflect your music and your fans would love to buy.

• Ask your fans. Do online surveys, add a poll to your music website, and post a question on social media. Also, interview fans after gigs and music events to dive deeply into what they want.
• Study your competitors and their merch to know what works for them.
• Explore merch trends to discover in-demand products.

I ran a quick online survey to see which band merch items are most popular with music fans.

Most people agree that tie-dyes and koozies are timeless band merch they would always love to buy from their favorite bands.

Here are the full results:

Don’t skimp on shirt fabrics! Based on my survey, customers love comfortable and sturdy shirts that don’t fall apart after a few washes. Top choices include Comfort Colors, Bella Canvas, and Next Level.

Invest in high-quality materials for every merch, from apparel to accessories, so fans will buy repeatedly and recommend you to their friends. Nobody wants a shirt that turns into a worn-out garage cleaning rag faster than fans can snag a ticket to your next gig.

4. Offer limited-edition custom merch to create exclusivity.

Limited runs of special items create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among fans.

They encourage customers to buy right away to avoid missing out. Plus, they hold massive sentimental value and deepen your connection with loyalists.

Be strategic with your limited-edition releases. Try custom shirts and hoodies featuring one-of-a-kind artwork. Artist-signed posters, handwritten lyrics, and set lists are also perfect for limited runs. Dedicated fans will be delighted with autographed photos and vinyl records, which they will gladly add to their collectibles.

For example, Bullet for My Valentine released limited exclusive products for their 20th anniversary, including a special edition box set that features the core album plus artwork prints and more.

5. Create stunning designs.

Simplicity works best for merch apparel. Think of designs people can wear proudly in their day-to-day lives. Too many colors and fonts are visually distracting and unappealing. 

Be original! Highlight your signature style to reflect your brand identity.

Here are cool design ideas:

• Simple yet eye-catching: Add your band name subtly to an interesting graphic art or an impressive album artwork. A small logo on the front and artwork on the back are a perfect combination for your shirts. Or try putting a simple design on the pocket of a shirt.
• Band/event specifics: Add details like a particular tour date, venue, or city for a memorable memento. Iconic lyrics and symbols will also add a personal touch to your merch.
• Minimalist tie-dye: Fans love the classic, vibrant tie-dye look, although they also appreciate minimalist tie-dye patterns with only two to three tones for a clean, modern appeal.
• High-end aesthetic: Embroidery, stitching, and handmade details will give your merch an undeniable premium look.

Collaborate with local artists and talented graphic designers to make your merch stand out. Fans love new releases, so keep things fresh by regularly creating new merch designs.

Pro Tip: Before selling band merch on a wider scale, distribute free samples to trusted family, friends, and music enthusiasts to gather honest feedback. Let them complete a short survey to collect ideas and learn how to improve your merch.

6. Understand costs and pricing.

To price your merch profitably, you must calculate:

• Production costs: Raw materials, printing, labor, packaging, shipping
• Fixed costs: Rent, utilities
• Sales channels: Large venues charge up to 50% of merch sales, whereas smaller venues charge little to no commission. Online stores like Shopify have monthly plans. Other online e-commerce platforms charge a listing fee per item or take a commission per sale.

Next, determine your ideal profit margin (usually 40% to 60% for band merch).

Compare the merch prices of other bands. Unless your shirts are special, limited-edition items, charging $60 when a local band sells them for $30 could raise eyebrows among fans.

Pro Tip: Experiment with multiple pricing tiers and merch lineups to accommodate fans with diverse budgets. Bundle merch at a discount to encourage fans to spend more.

7. Know how and where to sell your merch.

If you plan to sell on your band merch table at live shows, buy in bulk from a trusted local print shop. Or invest in a printer and heat press if you intend to sell merch for many years.

Research dependable suppliers/manufacturers for different merch types, and request product samples with your custom design before ordering in bulk to ensure quality.

A print-on-demand service is a safe choice for many bands who want to sell online as the printer will handle all the production and shipping without order minimums. You only pay for costs when a customer places an order, minimizing financial risk and eliminating the need to manage unsold inventory.

Printful, Printify, and Merch by Amazon are a few popular options.

Here’s an example of how it works when you become a merch on demand content creator.

You connect your band website to an e-commerce platform like Shopify, which serves as your online storefront and lets you showcase your merch on your site.

Then, you connect your Shopify to a print-on-demand service like Printful. When a fan buys merch on your website, Shopify processes the payment and sends the order details to Printful, which handles the entire production process and ships the item to your customer.

Pro Tip: Social networks like Facebook and Instagram also offer a great way to set up an online merch store. Find out which social media sites your target audience uses the most, and use paid ads strategically to expand your reach.

Promote Your Band Merch to Drive Sales

Widespread promotion is a must to make money from merch successfully. 

Market your band merch on social media by posting stunning photos of people wearing/using your merch (with hashtags and links to your merch). Plus, do live streams to show off your products in real time.

If your merch items are amazing, word-of-mouth marketing will do the rest! Your fans will tell everyone how much they love your products.

Looking for effective ways to promote your band and make an impact at music venues? We’ve got you covered! Our band backdrops at NorthCoast Banners leave a lasting impression, whether you need stage scrims for small bars or large banners for music festivals in the U.S.

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