3 reasons why you need merchandise

There are so many great opportunities in the music industry today and merchandising is one of them.

Davido in OBO clothing

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Being a musician in 2016 requires not just talent but also marketing strategies to ensure the Naira keeps flowing in and your audience always has you in mind.

There are so many great opportunities in the industry today and merchandising is one of them. If you consider yourself an A-list or B-list artist, then obvious you should have cool stuff to give away or merchandise your fans can buy. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, it could be shirts, sweaters, key rings, scarves and even accessories like phone cases.

Beyoncé

 (Press)

From my observation, not that many Nigerian artists can boast of any branded merch whatsoever. It’s bad enough many of them don’t even have a shop or store category on their websites (not to talk of even having websites in the first place).

However I do admire those who have ensured their fans get the opportunity to buy their branded merch at their events. I remember in July 2016, at Davido’s OBO album launch concert, I bought an OBO baseball cap. At the event at Eko Hotel, the singer’s team had set up a merchandise booth with branded Davido t-shirts and caps. Only last year at the Cuppy Takes Africa tour in Lagos on August 1, 2015, the hostesses had cute DJ Cuppy sack bags for sale.

Pulse Nigeria presents five reasons why you should have merchandise.

1. To make extra cash.

Mavin Records 1st anniversary

 (Mavin Records)

Merchandise can serve as a revenue stream for any artist especially veterans and big acts. Not having any merchandise to sell can mean you losing out on some cool cash. Imagine if Mavin Records sold the shirts it used for publicity when they first launched in 2012, they would have without a doubt made additional revenue.

2. It serves as a form of advertising.

Rihanna "Anti" tour sweatshirt

 (Rihannanow.com)

Your products can be used to create visibility for your brand or upcoming gig. Merch can be used to increase exposure. Ahead of a concert and even during a tour international acts are known to sell shirts and jumpers branded with information about their upcoming tour.

3. To increase music sales.

Beyoncé merchandise

 Merch can serve as a booster for your song and album sales. For example when Beyoncé released her fifth studio album “Beyoncé”, along with the merch came a lot of merchandise in form of t-shirts and sweatshirts. These products were branded with her album name as well as lyrics from various songs.

Branded merchandise also makes fans feel closer to the artiste.

Watch "Facts Only With Osagie Alonge" in the Pulse TV video below: