There’s nothing quite like going on tour. You get to interact with your fans up close and personal. Concerts have their own special energy. It’s easy to harness that energy and turn it into a profit.
Take Requests
A lot of fans come to a concert to hear their favorite hits. That kind of loyalty should be rewarded. Make a special “VIP” section on your website. Put a poll there to see what their top requests are. It is an inexpensive way to get die-hard fans even more excited. Learn other crowd favorites like “Candle in the Wind” or “Freebird.” Go into the back catalogues of artists you’ve commonly cited as influences. What are their most popular songs? What might your fans want to hear?
Make it Rain Swag
It’s finally the day of the concert and excitement is running high. The crowd is waving their hands and singing along to every word. Time to pull the unexpected. Set up an air cannon and hide it away backstage. Use it to send out custom t-shirts at random intervals. This memorabilia creates excellent word-of-mouth promotion for the tour and your music. IT creates an air of exclusivity.
Work Your Social Media
Take a pause during the set for a one-of-a-kind moment. Turn around slightly so the band is visible but make the crowd the centerpiece of the selfie. Then grow your following even more with a meet-and-greet session after the performance. Sell copies of the selfie in your online store. Fans who couldn’t make it will feel like they were part of the show. Working through your social media to help fans feel connected is important to building a strong following.
Engage With Them
This is the simplest and cheapest way to make everyone excited. Leave whatever sort of persona you’ve cultivated behind for a moment and talk to the crowd. Share coy details about the lyrical content. Then get the crowd to sing along for the chorus. Tilt the microphone towards your audience during these moments to get a bit of thrilling amplification. Pay attention to your songs that have the strongest beat. Encourage hand-clapping for these songs. Teach them how to do it and then give the crowd a chance to practice before launching into the music.
Landing a tour gig is a classic sign that you’ve “made it” in the business. Don’t let that go to your head. Remember the fans who got you there and just soak up their adrenaline during the show.
