5 More Ways Musicians Can Increase Their Earnings While Waiting To Go Back On
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After facing an incredibly challenging year in 2020, musicians are finally beginning to resume "normal" performances. The start of post-pandemic life has brought with it live music shows that were on hold for more than one year. However, despite this exciting progress, the return to work is incredibly slow. As restaurants, bars, cafes, and music venues return to normal operations, singers and bands are not being booked as frequently as they once were. While this will almost certainly change in the coming months, musicians are still in search of ways to supplement their income until they can perform live once again.
While in your heart your craft will always come first, it's important to keep it in your head that you're also running a business. Whatever avenues you take, make sure you determine what business structure makes sense for you, establish yourself legally with your state, set up a basic budget, and, if you don't already have one, create a stellar website.
If you have already done all that and are broadening your business's repertoire, you might consider a DBA. As Zenbusiness explains, a DBA protects your personal identity and allows you to act on behalf of your company under a different name - ie, if your name is John Doe, you can establish your sole proprietorship in your name, and then register a DBA for Johnny the Music Guru.
No matter your speciality, VidIQ notes you can monetize almost any subject on YouTube. From ultra-niche topics to common interests, people are making money on this platform each and every second. Musicians are no exception to this rule and can use the platform to earn money in a number of creative ways.
The first idea is to put on performances that earn money either through ad revenue or fan donations. With the right marketing campaign and some ad know-how, you can generate a sizable profit. Additionally, you can use your music expertise to teach others. If you don't yet have one, start a YouTube channel to give singing lessons, guitar lessons, drum lessons, and more.
Another excellent way to increase your earnings is to start a side music business. Depending on your specific knowledge and experiences, you can offer a number of services.
One unique idea is to generate passive income online through music courses. By hiring someone who knows how to build a WordPress site, you can offer paid classes that make you money indefinitely. Also, as ThemeIsle explains, using WordPress for your website allows your visitors to leave comments, share your content, and easily watch videos. If you prefer, you can also offer in-person lessons (which people can register for on your website). You can even write a book that can be sold alongside your lessons. Take a day or two to brainstorm ideas so that you can launch services and products that work best for you.
Are you part of a beloved local band? Do you have a solo act that has an impressive fan base? In either case, consider designing merchandise to sell online. Those who support you won't hesitate to show their love for your music, and will be thrilled to purchase items that promote your band. You can offer t-shirts, stickers, posters, cups, dog bandanas, and much more.
Rather than ordering items and having costly inventory, there are websites that allow you to design print-on-demand items. Once created, you can put your products up for sale without having to purchase anything yourself. When an item is ordered, it is created on-demand and shipped directly to your customers. Although these websites do take a portion of your sales, they handle everything from start to finish.
One additional idea to boost your bank account is to teach music lessons at a local school or business. If the earlier idea of starting your own business doesn't feel right for you, this can often be a great alternative. Schools and music businesses are always hiring teachers for voice lessons, piano lessons, and so on. Apply for one of these part-time positions to further build your reputation and your income.
