The Monday Mix - So You Wanna Sell Out? Getting Your Band A Corporate Sponsorship

How do I lock in sponsors for my band?

If your touring receipts and licensing deals are generating cash streams that are through the roof, you can probably skip this article. Otherwise, you're probably attuned to the fact that you may have to chase corporate America to diversify your revenue streams. Sadly, most bands and managers get this part of the business model wrong, and end up wasting time, losing bids, or missing out on some serious revenue opportunities. And their pitches quickly land in the trash.

I  know, you're an artist, and therefore beholden to no corporate pig.  Great.  Play for the love of music and hope your day job pays the bills.  And when you get hungry, or bored playing for the same thirty people that come to your Tuesday night open jam, you'll ask if there is a better way.

And maybe that's rough, but let's be honest here.  You probably chose music so you could avoid the unappealing nine-to-five grind to begin with.  Music HAS to pay the bills.

So how can you maximize revenue streams and piggyback off of someone else's desire to market to your audience through corporate sponsorships?

The easy answer?  Write a hit song. Get a huge following.

You knew that was coming.   And you know what's coming next, too.  Leverage social media. 

And that's a tough racket but nonetheless a great starting point.  It requires a great deal of work. Using today's social media platforms to build a big enough following requires gargantuan dedication and around the clock efforts.  

There are a couple keys to locking in business partners and they have been stated over and over and over by anybody who considers themselves true promoters of indie music.

I don't really need to go into detail because those are obvious statements.  The key point I would think is number two.  In anything we do, it is easy to create an overoptimistic view of who we are and what we can offer.  Some of it is confidence, but at other times it may be not knowing our demographics, blind faith in our abilities and unfortunately, sometimes, downright delusion.

If you present a heavy, classic sound, you are probably not going to find a market in the 21 and younger demographic.  And that's okay.  For most of the indies, the demographics are pretty obvious:

But simply knowing those numbers doesn't make it any easier.  Why?  Those markets are already over saturated.  Plus, the demographics for your potential sponsor may be different.  If potential sponsor A is looking for an audience that is 75% college-aged males, your proposal will make it as far as his trash can.  If potential sponsor B is looking for 52% mothers between the ages of 21-30, same thing.

That leaves most bands stuck at point number 5 -- stand out.  And nobody wants to hear that because in a market that is flooded with indie bands and with money that usually goes to the more mainstream bands, standing out seems like a futile task.

So let's add another key:  Thinking outside the box.

Yeah, that's an overused catchphrase from a bygone era that assimilated itself to tech groups and corporate middle management types in order to keep them employed. Thinking outside the box hasn't really done much historically (except for Taco Bell) and the reason is simply because everybody was thinking outside the box.  Still, there's something there.

The lazier music bloggers will tell you that thinking outside the box means focusing on lesser known entities.  Great insight, but realistically those companies aren't sponsoring very many indie bands. Money is tighter, and therefore dispersions of sponsorship monies have to generate a positive result. Unfortunately, the risk involved usually prohibits those types of companies from giving you anything other than soft dollars (i.e., merch, product, coupons, gift certificates, etc.) and that doesn't really help you or your band.

Thinking outside the box doesn't have to mean focusing on lesser known brands.  I'm guessing that's probably how all of you are thinking anyway.  Chances of landing sponsorships from companies like Red Bull and Gibson Guitars seem highly unlikely unless you have a massive following or a stand out single. Still, those types of sponsorships are not out of the question.

So if everybody is thinking outside the box, how do you stand out?  Maybe by creating your own box, and yes, that is a simpler way of saying think outside the box that is made up of all those who are already thinking outside the original box.

The easiest way to catch the attention of the guys in charge of dispensing those corporate dollars is to play for them.  That's one sure way to make a statement so start submitting to festivals.  Or play a corporate event.  With the holidays upon us, and with that, corporate holiday parties, you may find an opportunity there, though, cover bands do usually get those gigs.  

Another idea would be to shoot footage of people attending your shows with a focus on the brands you are trying to attach to your band.  Sounds cheesy but it works.  If it's 100 degrees outside and you're playing at a festival and shooting video, make sure your camera crew is instinctive enough to include audience shots.  You never know, an attractive person shown enjoying your music and downing a bottle of water could get you sponsorship money from a beverage distributor. 

If you really want to think outside the box, the next time you are doing a local show and you are expecting a decent crowd, hit a potential corporate sponsor at lunchtime with free passes for their employees.  Creating a buzz in an environment that you wouldn't normally expect to create a buzz is a great way to give your band some of the necessary notoriety to garner a new sponsoring partner.   

Another idea would be to ask a venue if you can invite a local microbrewery to do an open pour at one of your shows.  In exchange for the opportunity to sell and distribute a craft beer to a new audience, you may find yourself with a few hundred extra dollars for your efforts.  If it works out the first time, you'll potentially have a repeating revenue source.

Think.  Think.  Think.  Be a marketing machine.  You're only asking for money that's going to be spent anyway.  So show them and tell them, "Look, I want your money."

Treat the chase of sponsorship dollars the same way you treat booking.  I know, that is as much of a drag as it sounds like it would be.  But persistence pays. Don't overestimate your audience or your talents, and add value to the relationship in as many ways as possible. If you have a lot of butts in seats at your shows, you have some leverage.  Turn that leverage into a paycheck. 

THIS WEEK'S TOP FIVE LIST

Five great indie music ad placements.

1. Rise by Eddie Vedder for Stand Up To Cancer
2. A-Punk by Vampire Weekend for HP Photosmart Printers
3. Dance Dance Dance by Lykke Li for Bing
4. Riot Rhythm by Sleigh Bells for the Honda CRZ Sports Hybrid
5. Midnight City by M83 for Victoria's Secret

THIS WEEK'S FACEBOOK FRIENDS

Biohazard Apparel™ is a professional merchandising and promotions company dedicated to serving the music and entertainment industry. We have combined cutting edge social media technology and merchandising to create a unique service model. The net result is increased brand identity and revenue growth for our clients. We are in the business of helping our clients build their fan base by creating solid social media packages and merchandising plans that are both cost effective and forward thinking.

Biohazard also has a great Social Media promotional platform that may interest bands who are looking for legitimate followers, viral exposure and targeted tweets.

Jivewired uses Biohazard Apparel for our merchandise needs and would like to extend an offer to all of our affiliated bands to work with Biohazard as well in conjunction with Jivewired. Contact us for details and savings opportunities.

In the meantime, Facebook Friend Biohazard Apparel and hit them up on Twitter too.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Be Your Own Machine by The Bourgeois



ABOUT THE MONDAY MIX

The Monday Mix airs from Noon to 5:30PM CDT each Monday and is designed to help you get through that brutal after-lunch, energy-sucking span that kicks off every work week. This particular show will be a mix of old, deep album cuts and new indie music with a lot of genre crossover. No Adele. Sorry.

What else does The Monday Mix do? Well, it helps you discover new indie music by combining some really great under the radar tracks with more established songs that were, once in fact, under the radar as well. The hope here is that the culture shock of discovering your next favorite band won't be so enormously imposing if we surround the new stuff with some of your old, familiar friends.

Jivewired supports independent musicians by paying royalties for airplay on Jivewired Radio. Please help us support indie artists by listening to our station and by purchasing indie music. Thank you. The links on the radio player will give you download options if you really dig on the music and some of the songs are offered for free.

To listen, just press play on the radio widget to the right or use this link to open in a new window that will allow you to listen when you navigate away from this page:

Launch Jivewired Radio

MONDAY MIX PLAYLIST FOR 25 NOVEMBER 2013

1. Big Love by Matthew E. White
2. Home by Phil Phillips
3. Cut My Strings by Kree Woods
4. Headlines by Shannon Labrie
5. Parted Ways by The Heartless Bastards
6. Where Not To Look For Freedom by The Belle Brigade
7. Midnight City by M83
8. Atonement by Kilto Take
9. She Will by Savages
10. New Love by Sassparilla
11. Afro-Tonic by TAUK
12. Float On by Jennie Arnau
13. Monster Truck by Ramsay Midwood
14. Get It by Buffalo Killers
15. Little Too Late by Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
16. Shadow by Super Water Sympathy
17. I'd Rather Die by Fiawna Forte
18. 3,6,9 by Cat Power
19. A-Punk by Vampire Weekend
20. Hey Hey Hey by The Quick & Easy Boys
21. Jazz Thing by Gang Starr
22. Ain't Messin' Round by Gary Clark Jr.
23. Body & Soul by Goldenboy
24. Anchor Drops by Umphrey's McGee
25. New Year by Beach House
26. World Leader Pretend by R.E.M.
27. Barstool Boys by Marah
28. North Side Gal by J.D. McPherson
29. You Are My Everything by New Day Dawn
30. It Always Happens To You by The Go
31. 1957 by Milo Greene
32. Drugstore by The Can't Tells
33. Can't Get Used To Losing You by The Beat
34. Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve
35. Downpour by Lovebettie
36. Dance, Dance, Dance by Lykke Li
37. Think I'm Somethin' by Allie Lauren
38. The Travels Of Frederick Tolls [Part 1] by McDougall
39. Rise by Eddie Vedder
40. Fear & Fallacy, Sitting In A Tree by Quiet Company
41. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
42. Feel Like I Do by Sheila Swift
43. Butternut by Hugh Bob & The Hustle
44. Drinkin' by Holly Williams
45. Between You & Me by Cary Morin
46. Mistress by Red House Painters
47. Magnolia by Alberta Cross
48. Riot Rhythm by Sleigh Bells
49. Cheap Beer by FIDLAR
50. Final Clap Fever by Gram Rabbit
51. Spoon by Cibo Matto
52. Party Kids by Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
53. Tree By The River by Iron & Wine
54. Left A Slide by Son Volt
55. For Anyone by Star Anna
56. Thing Of Beauty by Hothouse Flowers
57. Trailer Trash by Modest Mouse
58. See A Little Light by Bob Mould
59. Dirty Blvd. by Lou Reed
60. Lay Back Down by Eric Lindell
61. In The Dark by The Iveys
62. Freed From A Prison by The Mother Hips
63. California by Hydra Melody
64. Devil Moon by Bobby Long
65. Do I Wanna Know? by The Arctic Monkeys
66. Awkward by San Cisco
67. Kids by MGMT
68. Criminal by The Roots, Truck North & Saigon
69. Lost In The Light by Bahamas
70. Cold October by Escondido
71. Kiss Me On The Bus by The Replacements
72. Think I'm In Love by Beck
73. Buena by Morphine
74. Blackwing Butterfly by Noelle Hampton
75. Cantaloop by US3
76. Don't Believe The Hype by Public Enemy
77. Entertain Me by Bear Ceuse
78. Them Tulsa Boys by The Paul Benjaman Band
79. Same Ol' Bend by Sheila Sondergard
80. Compromised Intentions by Massy Ferguson
81. Nightfall by Hollis Brown
82. Ain't No Stranger by Lee Bains III & Glory Fires