How to Sell Your Own Music CDs

So, you've got good music and don't know where to sell it? Try these tips to maximize your music exposure.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Your own music
• Some cash
• Dedication

1. Get your website. Make it simple, and something that reflects your band. You can get a domain name for $6 and a website for $4 per month. Use free software like WordPress or Joomla to manage your pages, theme and layout. Put a few full length tracks up for free, and place samples of the rest.
2. Sell it locally. Luckily, this is your easiest option. Buy some blank CDs, get some album art together, and burn your tracks. The best place to sell your indie CDs are local establishments - coffee and sandwich shops, gift stores, book stores and any small business that caters to type of people that would like your music. Work out a quick deal with the owner if they're interested in selling your CDs.
3. Get online. Pick a few of your best tracks and make them available for free download on music sites. Try MySpace Music, MP3.com or BeatPick. Put your garage videos or concert recordings up on YouTube, Google Videos and Revver. Remember your website? Be sure to link back to it.
4. Create an account with LuLu.com, a self-publishing website. Think of it as the CafePress of media. You can upload your tracks for digital media download as well as purchase on a CD. Use this on your website as a "Buy This CD" link. You don't need to handle the burning, packaging, shipping process - LuLu does the whole thing for you.
5. Get some swag. Now that your name it out there, and you've got some sales, order some cool promotional products for your band. You can get custom-printed items from OrientalTrading.com or PromoPeddler.com. Make them unique and interesting to your audience - some bands have released sneak-peak tracks by handing out preloaded USB keys.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your costs low. It takes about 5 minutes to burn a CD, so don't think you need to show up at the shops with hundreds in a box.
• Keep your site updated. Post new information at least weekly. Posting free tracks is also a great way to bring in visitors.
• If you can, enlist a friend of the band or a family member to handle most of the sales, so the band can work on putting out new music.
• Get your local agreements in writing, preferably looked over by a lawyer if you can.
• Don't spend too much on album art or a website design. If your music is great, people will buy it.
• Don't get discouraged. A lot of bands never get more than a cult following. Focusing on low sales will only detract from making music you love.