Are you a fan of Clay Aiken?  Have you been following him since 2003?  If so, perhaps you have been able to attend some of his concerts.

For many of the concerts, tour merchandise was a big part of the experience.  Clay gave his fans the opportunity to purchase T-shirts, posters, thongs, key rings, scarves and many other fun things.  For most artists, the merchandise they sell at concerts help in the revenue bottom line.

Last month, Billboard.com featured an article on tips to maximize merchandise sales and artist marketing.  The article divided the information into 6 different sections as it gave suggestions into what to do and what not to do!

Tie It To The Tour: Connect the merchandise with an experience.  According to LiveNation Merchandise CEO, Dell Furano, the best selling items are the designs that are related to the imagery, photo, itinerary and logos that promote the tour pr the album cover artwork.  He also says:

…it’s still a staple that has not changed in 35 years–everyone likes the tour t-shirts with the itinerary on the back. Everyone likes to see the dates, turn the shirt around and point to their city.” T-shirts of various styles remain the biggest sellers at shows, but other standard strong sellers include programs, caps, posters, mugs, buttons, guitar picks, shot glasses and beer mugs.

Limit The Options: Limit the choices and don’t add endless colors and styles.  The longer fans have to stand in line while others choose what to buy, the more sales the artist loses.

Be Inclusive: It’s important to make sure all the fans can show off their loyalty.  It’s important to remember who your fans are, and add products that will work with your audience.

Expand Online: The musician should be sure to integrate their store with their website.  While the merchandise at a concert should be limited, the online store has fewer limitations

Price To Sell: Most fans want to go home with something from the show, even if they have limited funds.  The merchandise at a concert should include something that starts at $2.  T-shirts should never be more than $25.

Make It Pop: Furano says that big, bold designs that include the artist’s picture or a bright design are the best sellers.  It was also suggested that, if possible, the merchandise table should be in a space with lots of room and good lighting.

It is all interesting information and it is fun to think how well Clay has done in following these guidelines.   Do you have any Clay Aiken concert shirts or did you purchase a thong?

Maybe you remember some of these choices from some of the early tours.