Cool, Unique Band Merch Ideas
Merch ideas to help your band stand out
Yes, a Band Is a Business!
Many musicians have a hard time making a living making music, partly because they have a hard time accepting that being a working musician also means running your own small business. But that is exactly what has to happen in order to find success as a professional musician and actually make money.
One key area where musicians should concentrate their efforts is your band's merch table. Why? Well, for one, it is a place where you can meet and mingle with fans, so it's a great place to be a representative of you and your band.
Secondly, it is a means to actually make money—especially in those situations where you show up and perform at a venue, only to find that the owner has conveniently found a way out of compensating you for your musical expertise. Selling merch could be the only way you don't leave the venue emptyhanded.
And finally, the items you sell at your merch table are not just meaningless knickknacks for people to buy and ignore. They are a great way to continually promote your music and your band in the areas you perform, even when you're not in town. I'm sure there are other good reasons for having a solid band merch table, but do you really need any more?
Indie band The Ember Days merch table.
What Makes a Good Merch Table?
What items should populate your merch table is open to debate. But as a musician in a band with some experience in this area, I personally think these are the most important things that should be included in your merch table:
- Items should be appealing to the eye.
- A variety of items offered in multiple price ranges.
- Merch clearly states the artist's name (and tour name, if applicable), as well as posted prices and deals to avoid confusion.
- Offers up interaction (email list sign-up, freebies, autographs, photos together, collaborative artist/audience artwork, Polaroids and a scrapbook, etc.)
- Allows for multiple methods of payment
- It should be run professionally without being stuffy
But you can't have a band merch table at all without actual merchandise to offer—otherwise, it's just musicians awkwardly sitting at an empty table...
That's why I am here to offer you some unique and fun ideas for the band merch table. I truly hope they help you make your merch business a thriving one!
Cool and Unique Band Merch Ideas
OK, here's the list of some great items to include with your band merch table. This is by no means a complete list—think about your fanbase and what they would like, consider what merch message you want to convey about your band, and be creative and make your ideas stand out.
Your band is unique—your merch should be too!
Weird Al Yankovic's t-shirt display at his merch table.
Apparel and Accessories
- T-shirts
- Tank tops
- Sweatshirts
- Bandanas, scarves
- Patches
- Thongs
- Jewelry
- Hats
- Pajamas
- Leggings
- Boxer shorts
- Flip flops
- Windbreakers, jackets
- Onesies, bibs, and other baby stuff
- Shoelaces
- Wallets
A flash drive can be used to sell your digital music at gigs, and if you add your logo, fans will think of you whenever they use the drive! Get a custom-made box for the flash drive, also with your logo!
Media
- CDs
- Digital download cards
- DVDs
- Vinyl records
- Posters
- Photos
- Autographed photos
- Journals
- Memo pads
What rock fan doesn't love buttons and patches?!
Promotional and Decorative Items
- Business cards
- Mailing list
- Stickers, bumper stickers, decals
- Buttons
- Patches
- Pens, pencils
- Water bottles
- Keychains
- Tapestries
- Banners, flags
- Ornaments
Useful giveaways with your band's logo are a good "match."
Household Items
- Matchbooks, matchboxes
- Lighters
- Coasters
- Beer cozies
- Shot glasses
- Beer steins
- Coffee mugs
- Tote bags, reusable shopping bags
- Ashtrays
- Blankets
- Flasks
- Aprons
- Flashlights
- Magnets
- Mousepads
- Pillowcases
- Tablecloths
Toys and stuffed animals with logos are fun items for kids and adults and great promotion for the band.
Nifty and Fun Novelty Ideas
- Stuffed animals and toys
- Temporary tattoos
- Balloons
- Candies, mints
- Bobble heads
- Guitar picks
- Beach towels
- Back scratchers
- Car air fresheners
- Mini coolers
That's All of Them!
Well, there you have it: some cool ideas for the band merch table. Some may be more obvious than others, and not all of the ideas will be your band's cup of tea, but I do hope that every musician who reads this gets something positive out of it and gets inspired to come up with their own perfect merch table!
Peace and love and rock n' roll!
A Few Final Words...
I hope that you enjoyed my list of cool ideas for the band merch table. I am glad that I put it together as a resource for myself and my band, and even more glad that I can now share it with you all, and help others who are in the same boat as me and my band.
Be sure to check out the additional resources I have for you in the "Helpful Links" section as well, and if you have any more ideas for items to add to the list, please share them in the comments section below! I'm sure people would love to hear them! (I know I would!)
Thanks for reading and rock on!
Your band is your business—take it seriously!
Related Links
- 18 Examples of Weird and Wonderful Band Merchandise
From weed grinders to Snuggies to condoms, these musicians went WAY beyond simple t-shirts and hoodies... - The Ultimate Guide to Band Merchandise - MTT - Music Think Tank
A guide to merchandising for your band. - 13 Merch Table Basics for Bands
The merch booth is where your fans will turn to give something back after the show...
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Comments
Irene Gardener on September 08, 2020:
Great Article! Have a look Proimprint .They are also into this.
Monicatoday on March 08, 2019:
What a great article! Thank you! I am a musician and also create CBD products My partner and I create custom band labels for our CBD Soak packets that retail for $6 a great way to make some extra band cash! As Blenders, we can also create a signature scent for your band! Cbdsaltsoak.com
Mina on May 09, 2018:
This is a great post thank you so much, I feel so inspired for my own event right now!
