Post by Greg adkins on Nov 16, 2005 15:39:21 GMT -5
Here are some thoughts and notes on the Cd after having it out for a month now.
1. I've sold right around 160 copies of the CD. About 20 of those have come over the website, about 40 have come from church and friends, and about 100 have come at shows.
2. I've given away right around 75 copies. This includes multiple copies to everyone who played on the record, copies for all the staff at the church where I work, 11 promo copies to Grassroots music, and multiple copies to various press / web sources for review, etc.
3. A word to the wise for those of you who are thinking of doing your own CD... who you have on it will not sell you any copies. Example... I have some kind of "name" people on my CD... Andy Osenga, Andrew Peterson, Kenny Hutson, etc. I would guess that I have probably sold about 10-15 copies so far because of that. That's it. So, that's not to say not to have guests on your record... just don't think "Hey, if Andy Osenga produces my record, I bet 1000 people will want to buy one!". I knew that going in, but it's still been a little bit surprising.
4. The thing that has so far been the most encouraging has been how well the CDs have sold at shows. By far the best way to sell CDs is for someone to hear you play, and then have the opportunity to take it home. I've been really pleased with that.
5. The thing that has been the most discouraging has been the number of friends who have not bought a CD. I understand that not everyone you know will want a CD, but there are a lot of people who have been big supporters of my music over the past couple of years who haven't bought one yet. I get the feeling that a lot of people are kind of holding out thinking I'll give them one. That's been a really weird thing... trying to figure out who gets a free one and who doesn't. I mean, I know a lot of people... but the CDs are expensive to make and you can't just give one to everybody you know... you'd never make your money back that way. It's been pretty interesting and hard to manage... Everytime I sell one to someone I know, I feel like a jerk, even though i really have to do that.
Anyway... those are some intial thoughts. To those of you who have purchased the CD, thank you, sincerely. I would love to make another one of these a year or two from now but this one is going to have to sell well to justify doing that. I need to sell about 500 copies for that to happen. So... 340 to go!
- greg
1. I've sold right around 160 copies of the CD. About 20 of those have come over the website, about 40 have come from church and friends, and about 100 have come at shows.
2. I've given away right around 75 copies. This includes multiple copies to everyone who played on the record, copies for all the staff at the church where I work, 11 promo copies to Grassroots music, and multiple copies to various press / web sources for review, etc.
3. A word to the wise for those of you who are thinking of doing your own CD... who you have on it will not sell you any copies. Example... I have some kind of "name" people on my CD... Andy Osenga, Andrew Peterson, Kenny Hutson, etc. I would guess that I have probably sold about 10-15 copies so far because of that. That's it. So, that's not to say not to have guests on your record... just don't think "Hey, if Andy Osenga produces my record, I bet 1000 people will want to buy one!". I knew that going in, but it's still been a little bit surprising.
4. The thing that has so far been the most encouraging has been how well the CDs have sold at shows. By far the best way to sell CDs is for someone to hear you play, and then have the opportunity to take it home. I've been really pleased with that.
5. The thing that has been the most discouraging has been the number of friends who have not bought a CD. I understand that not everyone you know will want a CD, but there are a lot of people who have been big supporters of my music over the past couple of years who haven't bought one yet. I get the feeling that a lot of people are kind of holding out thinking I'll give them one. That's been a really weird thing... trying to figure out who gets a free one and who doesn't. I mean, I know a lot of people... but the CDs are expensive to make and you can't just give one to everybody you know... you'd never make your money back that way. It's been pretty interesting and hard to manage... Everytime I sell one to someone I know, I feel like a jerk, even though i really have to do that.
Anyway... those are some intial thoughts. To those of you who have purchased the CD, thank you, sincerely. I would love to make another one of these a year or two from now but this one is going to have to sell well to justify doing that. I need to sell about 500 copies for that to happen. So... 340 to go!
- greg
