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14
Ways Musicians Can
Increase
Their Tips
by Bard
Marc Gunn - The Bard's Crier, September 2003
Back to The
Academy
I was listening to
NPR the other day when they did a report on tipping in the restaurant industry.
One they had a list of tips on how wait staff can increase their
tips.That got me
brainstorming and surfing the net for other ideas to boost tips. That combined
with lots of performances at Renaissance Festivals helped me to develop my own
list of ways musicians can improve their tips.
- Introduce
yourself by name
Too often musicians forget to introduce themselves on
stage. Make sure you tell the audience your band name, but to really boost your
tips, you should also introduce yourselves individually. Let people know who you
are as an individual and you'll see greater tips.
- Go out into the
audience with a tip jar
You really can't be passive when it comes to
getting tips. You have to walk out into the audience with some visual reference
that says "Tip Me!", and they will tip you.
- Meet your
audience at their level
Take the time to talk to your audience members at
their level. Holding a discussion from a stage puts a wall between you and them.
So instead, go out into the audience and talk to them face to face. Kneel if
they're at a table, so you're at eye level. And if you have your tip jar with
you, you will you will not only gain a fan, but you will also improve your tips.
- Make your
appearance personal
We wear kilts to most of our gigs. A kilt adds a very
personal touch It links us to a certain culture and makes people take notice.
Course you don't have to go that route, instead find some piece of clothing that
reflects your personality and you will boost your tips.
- Recommend your
favorite CD
If you have multiple CDs, your audience will always ask for
your favorite. Tell them what it is. If you only have one, you can do the same
by recommending other artists that you like. That adds a two-fold advantage of
helping your audience find music they like and helping your fellow
musicians.
- Smile
A
bright, confident smile will bring fans back again and again with lots o' big
tips.
- Involve your
audience in the music with a joke or game
Next time you're up on stage,
see what happens when you joke around with the audience. Your personality will
glow all the more and so will your tips.
- Chat with fans
by name
Music fans love nothing more than to be recognized by the bands
they love. So do your best to remember their names. They will feel that much
more attached to your music and feel like your friend. And these friends will
tip you better for the courtesy.
- Touch your
audience
When you're out socializing with your audience, touch them (in a
non-sexual way). Whether you shake their hand, pat them on the shoulder or back,
or just brush against them, wait staff find that that even that will boost their
tips 50%. And it will yours too.
- Use tip jars
with the VISA/Mastercard Logo
According to studies done in restaurants,
just seeing those logos is enough to encourage customers to tip more. I know it
sounds crazy, but give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised with the
results.
- Give your
audience something in return for their tip
People love feeling like
they're getting their money's worth. And many people don't realize you should
tip bands. So give something in return. It could be something as big as a
sticker or magnet, or as simple as a business card that might include a $1 off
your CDs. Or hey what about feeding their sweet tooth with a piece of candy.
Whatever the case, that little gift will mean big tipping
results.
- Draw a
picture
On a similar note, if you give them a business card, draw or make
a comment on it. That piece will be more valuable to them and will result in
bigger tips.
- Make tipping a
part of the show
Why wait until the end of the set to ask for tips. Sing
a song about tipping, or get your audience involved in the tipping process by
shouting something. Or offer a prize to the first tipper. But integrate it into
your show and it won't seem like you're just begging for money, rather you're
making it fun to tip.
- Thank your
audience
No gig would be complete without an audience. So thank them for
taking the time to watch you perform. They will feel the personal touch and
respond when you ask for money.
- Bonus Tipping
Suggestion:
If the change is five dollars, never return a five-dollar
bill. Always give back five ones. This allows the customer to tip you with some
of the dollar bills you returned. You will rarely get a $5 tip and returning a
$5 bill will turn off tippers. In general, it's good to return all ones if the
change is less than $8. You want the customer to have at least two ones so they
can give it back as the tip.
-----
Bard Marc Gunn of the
Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of
musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion
Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now
you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to"
music marketing assistance.
Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly
for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com
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