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On election
day (November 2, 2004) I put 16 copies of Coming Back From 911 into two
key retail outlets in the Motorcity.
After 15 days I checked the stock and liked the original
sales figures. The units intended for store sales were still being
manufactured, but I felt it was important to get some stock into the stores.
We sold 10 copies in those 15 days without any strong promotion being done.
I consider this an excellent sales report, and a tip from Tom Gelardi, first
posted in 1998 illustrates why:
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YOU'VE SOLD
75 COPIES - YOU HAVE A HIT
by Tom Gelardi, Developing Artist
Productions |
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There's a story about a lowly serf who did a huge service for the King.
The King had the surf brought to him and decreed, "Name what you want in my
kingdom and it's yours." After thinking about it, the surf said, "Your
majesty, I want one grain of wheat for the first square on the chess board. For the
next square, double it and for each additional square, double it again each time."
The King was very happy that the surf wanted so little, that he immediately ordered
it done. By the 16th square of of the 64 square chess board, the number of wheat
grains was over 60 thousand. By the 32nd square the King ordered the head chopped
off of the surf. The King realized that the surf had asked for many times more than
the entire wheat stash in the Kingdom and that he had been "tricked." |
Originally Posted
7/26/1998 |
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I tell this story because it illustrates how record sales
work. On an upcoming release we will be
putting about 100 records to over 40 retail stores. Every store we deal with will
get two copies. Certain stores, in the targeted initial radio promotion area, will get 5
copies. When a store sells out they will get more copies. For stores that sell
5 copies, we will put another 5 into the store. After this "second order"
sells out, the store will want 10. The next order will be for 20 - 25 copies.
So these initial sales orders have a tendency to "double" each order.
It starts slow and gets big over time. |
| The quest is to sell over 5000 pieces in 6 months. It
breaks down something like this: 30 copies in 30 days; 75 copies by 60-70 days, etc.
These early sales figures seem small but are typical of the early sales of a hit
record by a new recording artist. So the Statement of, "You Sold 75 Records - You Have A
Hit" is not inaccurate at all, if it's made within 60 days of release of a new band. |
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The 911
Point Of Purchase Display Unit
It's
important that your CD is set apart from the "ordinary" local releases.
This was done in the two store that we are initially working by putting in a
display unit, free give-a-way posters and a store poster. The display unit
looks like this:
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Coming Back From 911 Display Unit |
The top of
the display unit was edited from the poster. The
left bin holds 8 sales copies of the release. The right side has a stock
of free 10 x 16 "Coming Home" poster (black and white) and lyrics for all songs
on the back of it. There are 6 posters - on for each of the songs on the
release. The posters given away rotate every 3 weeks after Thanksgiving
and the top of the display unit changes also. This keeps the display fresh
and interesting.
The 911
Christmas Sales Season
Many retail
outlets sell 33 - 50% of their year's goods in the short 12 week period between
Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Coming Home From 911 release won't
be distributed to all of the stores until February. But we can get our two
main stores serviced and supported for selling the product in the 2004 Christmas
sales season. Here's what we're doing:
Public
Relations Intern For 911
Kiki, a RID
Production Program student, has been accepted as a Public Relations inter by
Developing Artist Productions President, Tom Gelardi. Kiki will be booking
and hosting give-aways, and artist appearances at Motorcity retail outlets.
She begins this week as Tom introduces her to the store managers.
Tom Gelardi
sure knows the function of a PR Rep for an artist. He twice won the
coveted "Billboard Promo Person Of The Year" awards for this PR work with the
Grand Funk Railroad and the rock group, Heart.
Christmas Season Sales
Poster
A revised color 8.5x11 poster has been designed and we
are arranging for printing of 2000 copies to be used as giveaways. The lyrics
for all tunes are printed on the back. Here's the new poster:
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Coming Back From 911 Xmas Poster |
Roseville
Record Time Store: Publicity rep Kiki will be at the store all day on
November 26 with two activities:
a. Hand out up to 500 color posters of the release
b. Direct people to our laptop listening station that shows all upcoming posters
and plays the tune of the release.
Ferndale Record Time Store:
Any customer making any purchase at the store will get a free poster in
their bag.
Projected Result: 100
copies sold (minimum) each store by Christmas.
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