Like any first-time attendee, I was a little nervous and a bit intimidated at the prospect, but all that went away as soon as I arrived. CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 registration staff were kind enough to confirm the translations for the ideograms on the promotional chopsticks for A Roadkill Opera DIY as “double happiness” on the red sleeves and “harmony” on the chopsticks proper. I hadn’t even attended my first session, and they already exceeded my expectations!
My first stop after registration was at Hatch Show Print and my last stop was the afterparty; great things happened at every event along the way.
Hatch Show Print was my first stop after registration at CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference 2017. Kathy and the rest of the artists there are always ready with friendly advice–and they design custom posters! Including the one for A Roadkill Opera at Artomatic 2012 in Crystal City, Virginia–but that’s another story…At the afterparty for CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 at the Tin Roof Nashville, are those thought bubbles over the head of Tony van Veen, CEO of AVL Digital (Dic Makers/CDBaby)? Is he thinking Indiehitmaker’s Founder/President Bram Bessoff is “naughty” and A Roadkill Opera‘s Librettist/Executive Producer Stephan Alexander Parker is “nice”? And who is that photobomber behind Bram?
To a packed house in the session “Making Music Merchandise Work for You,” the Merch Cat team provided spot-on advice on merch, from graphics (keep band logos simple and consistent on t-shirts) to fabrics (better quality t-shirts are worth it–they sell better, they get worn more, and they have higher mark-ups) to leveraging merchandise bundles to boost music sales and charts (if you track them and document them properly).
Merch Cat’s Vanessa Ferrer discusses the proper range of merchandise at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017. She discussed the importance of standard items such as hats and t-shirts, as well as items like really, really cool posters.There was a standing room only (SRO) crowd for Merch Cat’s first session at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, TennesseeGas Money Merch Co-owner Karen Corzine describes how a proper merchandise mix allows a touring band to afford to get down the road to the next gig. Merch Cat’s Vanessa Ferrer describes how to use software to track your merchandise mix on the road and maximize its performance.
Gas Money Merch Co-owner Karen Corzine described how cost-effective it is to work with companies that have in-house designers. For a small fee, they can transform your idea into a durable image that you can use and reuse on your merchandise.
I can attest to that: the talented staff at Hatch Show Print designed a killer poster for the Artomatic 2012 stand-and-sing concert performance of A Roadkill Opera. When our 2013 studio demo session morphed into a commercial release, we licensed the Hatch design and used it for the published sheet music, CD covers, and t-shirts.
Disc Makers (AVL Digital Group)’s Senior Marketing Manager Michelle Borek and her colleague Josh Larkins admired the Hatch Show Print poster that served as the cover for A Roadkill Opera‘s sheet music and CD at the CD Baby DIY Musicians Conference 2017.A Roadkill Opera‘s merch display can be put up or taken down in about 20 minutes. It was invited to set up as a demonstration of good practice as part of the Merch Cat sessions at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Bram Bessoff of indiehitmaker likes the Roadkill Opera logo; Gas Money Merch’s Karen Corzine likes the red viola case; Merch Cat’s Vanessa Ferrer likes the large, visible pricing on the pop-up display.
Vanessa Ferrer, Karen Corzine, and Bram Bessoff described how important it is to display merch properly and how to do so economically. They also provided feedback to the audience on their merch and merch display ideas. “Fan designed shirts are the best sellers,” said Gas Money Merch’s Karen Corzine, adding “Lyric shirts are popular.”
David Paige describes using technology to sell his entire catalog–and a live recording from that night’s performance–on a slap-on USB. Indiehitmakers’ Bram Bessoff then added a strategy to leverage those physical media sales to boost where they chart.Indiehitmaker’s Founder/President Bram Bessoff discusses the importance of logos. Here he is holding a David Paige slap-on wrist band with USB.
A Roadkill Opera‘s Stephan Alexander Parker described the importance of extending the range of merch from bumper stickers to limited edition neck ties. Another audience member described custom-imprinted harmonicas.
Audience members listen attentively in the CD Baby DIY Musicians Conference 2017 session “Making Music Merchandise Work for You” as the woman on the left describes the custom-imprinted harmonicas that she sells to her fans–including a 1-inch version (that is, a 1-inch harmonica). Hmmm, that might make a good tie-in for A Roadkill Opera‘s grand finale…Merch Cat’s Founder/CEO Vanessa Ferrer describes the costs and qualities of t-shirt fabrics at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, TennesseeIf you paid attention at the YouTube session at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, you could snag YouTube swag–in this case, tube socks. And they match the viola case for A Roadkill Opera!
In the Ballroom, Rick Barker, President and CEO of Social Media for Music, described tools for monetizing live streaming. Barker knows a thing or two about marketing, having spent two years managing the day-to-day career of superstar Taylor Swift. He got his start managing a girls soccer team. He served as Social Media Mentor for the American Idol contestants and currently manages Idol winner and Big Machine recording artist Trent Harmon.
It’s a small world: A Roadkill Opera‘s Librettist/Executive Producer Stephan Alexander Parker and Social Media for Music’s President/CEO Rick Barker met at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, and discovered they are both fans of and friends with Ben Ganz of Vego Pictures.
“If you are live streaming, be sure to set up a “virtual tip jar” as the first comment,” as Dawn Beyer does, says Rick Barker. “Make it feel like a one-on-one setting. Just start the conversation–like, how much I like Weird Al,” says Rick Barker.
“Give first. Sell later. It’s about the relationship.” Rick Barker provided sterling advice about building fan loyalty.“Stripperize — you’re the only one, #learnfromthepervs,” says Rick Barker
At live shows, “If they cry, they buy. Announce that that song is available on your CD,” says Rick Barker.
Bob Boilen moderated the Song Pitch Session at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, TennesseeBob Boilen of National Public Radio’s All Songs Considered led a panel discussion at the Song Pitch Session at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, TennesseeA Roadkill Opera‘s Stephan Alexander Parker had a front row seat as Pokey LaFarge played and Bob Boilen interviewed Pokey. Dmitri Vietze, Founder/CEO of Rock Paper Scissors is watching in the foreground at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.A shared passion for all genres of live music–that is what Bob Boilen of NPR Music’s All Songs Considered and A Roadkill Opera‘s Librettist/Executive Producer Stephan Alexander Parker have in common. When Parker mentioned he had been a sound man in the Chicago punk scene in the late 70s and early 80s, they found they both knew and appreciated Steve Albini (aka Big Black). Here they are at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, where Boilen was kind enough to autograph his book “Your Song Changed My Life” for Parker–given the Chicago connection, Boilen suggested Parker read the interview with Dave Grohl. Boilen laughed when he saw the bumper sticker that read “If you see roadkill, think opera.”Artomatic artist Ashira and A Roadkill Opera‘s Stephan Alexander Parker at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Ashira was in the very first Artomatic in 1999, while Parker was in the second Artomatic in 2000. Artomatic is the largest non-juried art event in the Washington DC area. A Roadkill Opera was workshopped and had its first concert performance at Artomatic 2012 in Crystal City, Virginia, for which a Hatch Show Print poster was commissioned.Multiinstrumentalist/composer/educator and serial viola jokester Rob Flax checks out the violin part in Parker & Paer’s score to A Roadkill Opera at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. No violas were injured in the making of this photograph… but we’re going back next year to try again.The Roadkill Opera Merchandise banner display shows the most popular items in the Roadkill Opera merch line. This banner is used at live events, including Artomatic, the Gaithersburg Book Festival, and performances of the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia. Note the chopsticks in the middle: the ideograms were verified by registration staff at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee, to read “double happiness” on the red sleeves and “harmony” on the chopsticks imprinted A Roadkill Opera DIY. This banner could be called “business.”A Roadkill Opera showed two banners in a display hailed as an example of good practice at the Merch Cat sessions at CD Baby’s DIY Musicians Conference 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. This one could be called “show.” It includes the cover of the libretto for A Roadkill Opera, above which are the lobby card showing the cast and an action photo from the January 2016 world premiere performances at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC
