by Marc Gunn, Bard November 23, 2001
A few weekends back, the Brobdingnagian Bards performed at the Austin Celtic Festival. We shared the stage with some amazing bands, but at the very top of my list were The Rogues.
We first met The Rogues last year at the Texas Renaissance Festival. Since then I've been a big fan of not only their killer bagpipes and drums, but their phenomenal ability to sell CDs. They work magic on and off stage and sell tons of CDs.
What do they do that is so special?
Well, The Rogues are very proactive when it comes to selling. While many bands will setup a table and say, "go to our table and buy our CDs", The Rogues take it a step further. They send their sales ladies to their fans.
I remember at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival when they played the Pub Sing. They began playing music. Their Sales Ladies danced to the music. Then they picked up their baskets of CDs, grabbed a couple, held them high, while The Rogues invited the audience to, "Go buy our CDs." Then the lasses walked through the aisles through the rest of the entire performance.
While the rest of us were on stage watching with shocked amazement at our own untouched sales table, The Rogues sold a dozen CDs! They repeated that performance at the Austin Celtic Festival.
We shared a booth with The Rogues at the festival, and I asked Sharon about how they do it. She told me it varies in different parts of the country. In Texas, this direct approach works magic. In Florida, an older recreational audience gets angry if sales people disturb their show. But the key is to realize that your sales team is a PART of the show!
They don't just stand up there silently holding up CDs. If they do, they disappear. We learned that during our first show this weekend. Integrate your sales people into your show. Get them to dance in the isles, clap their hands, sing-a-long. If they do, the audience will follow their lead. This will help them to attract attention to the CDs, and you will sell more.
Be proactive. Don't wait for your fans to come to you, or they may never! If you go to them, you'll sell more CDs, and make more fans in the process.
