as of late, i've been trying to dedicate even more of my time (like i don't already) to figuring out ways to get kindred fall (my band - for those that didn't know that...) more out in the world. more renown. we are making plans to record this winter, and trying to find someone to record us for a low cost on our end is going to be tough but i've already gotten some bites. we've got some solid new tunes that need to be put on record... also so that we can get a drummer to learn the parts much faster.
along with that, i'd like to be making a bit of money, so merchandising is key. aside from selling the albums once their done, we will need some shirts, etc. to sell along with it. we have tried some inexpensive methods, but listen to this one: we put the shirt designs up online. fans looking to buy the shirt, go out an purchase a blank (or not) t-shirt, tank-top, sweatshirt, or other apparel that they know fits them and that they want a kindred fall logo on. they then send us the apparel and we'll custom make it based on the fans' preferences as indicated in the order. then, of course, we'll send it back. awesome, no? i'm really trying to get a feel for the idea - to see if anyone i even know would be interested in the idea... if it were a band they actually liked and not just their friend's band. anyway, it's a time of change, and of doing thing "right", i guess, and i'm looking for some friendly confirming help. help? until then---
4 comments:
Hi Ed!
I like the new KF website. I think it is your best effort yet! I am sad that you link to Brian O'Malley and not me, but I guess he is famous and I am not! Them's the breaks.
I am not sure that the idea of having people send you their clothes for you to ad your logo to is a very viable business venture, though.
You would be making the fans go through an awful lot of work -- buying a shirt, filling out an order form, mailing it to you, wait to get it back etc. Plus, you would be dealing with paying for postage twice, and the work involved with customizing each shirt. What would the process of putting the logo on the shirt? If it's an iron-on transfer, you could just as easily sell the transfers to fans for them to do it themselves. If it's silk-screening, I think that can get pretty expensive and labor-intensive unless you do it in batches.
What are you offering to your fans here? The few times I've bought shirts at concerts or online it's because I liked the shirt itself as well as the band.
If people just want the name of your band on their clothes, you would have to give them a pretty compelling reason for them to pay YOU put put it there if it's easier to do it themselves.
I can see this working if you did it for free -- there are lots of authors out there who will signs and mail back copies of their books if you include the postage, for example.
Now I've written a novel here when I should be working on moving. Just giving my opinion, whether it's helpful or not! :P
I think that band merch in general is a hard sell -- when is the last time you bought a shirt at a concert, for example? -- and that you shouldn't do it until you really feel like you could sell them.
i half-second what aro said. i think that the postage thing is too much of a hassle and the amount of work for fans too great. however, i do think that the idea itself of custom making each shirt is a good one, unique. perhaps instead of the whole mail in, mail back thing, you could just have ppl give you shirts they'd like customized at shows; then, either you could return the finished product to them at a future show, or mail it one-way back to them, as they like it. again, whether or not the idea would be lucrative would depend on how you implement it and how you plan on customizing the shirts. if you want to sew on patches and add other small custom things, they could be really cool! iron-ons would be quick and easy, but probably not as genuine, and certainly not cool. as a band rocketeer, whether you like it or not, you are a swill merchant. so be cool.
...ok, this is getting less and less helpful, i am making less and less sense, while at the same time getting more and more tired. bye for now! would gladly discuss later. perhaps even in person!
thanks gents for your comments... i don't think that the would cost too much... for me i didn't think that would end up being an issue at all. yes, having the fan send a shirt is weird, but wouldn't it be cool if you had a specific shirt that you already know fits? idunno.
oh and the order form would be online. we'd be offering only the things that we can do (making the time to make the shirts less of an issue) online in some sort of a form. so the customizations would be like color of ink, location of logo, etc. does that change either of your views at all? we will probably talk about this in person, but if you see this... and if anyone else does...
oh, and Aro, i'm glad you like the new site! thanks!
when you update your comic, you'll get a link. that's a promise and a threat!
Post a Comment