I have 258 of these left
How to move them?
Ah, CDs. I've ordered them for one album of mine, which I released in 2020.
For those who haven't heard it:
Aim to Stay by William Chernoff
It's a mainstream jazz quartet album that features – as 20-year-olds – me, Thad Bailey-Mai, Jonny Tobin, and Bobby Wiens or Carson Tworow (look at that, we've covered all the bases).
William Chernoff
The story of actually making the album, written upon release in 2020, can be found here now:
I ordered a solid number of CDs, as many artists do...
Back in my former band Early Spirit, going for it would've been a smart decision, because we actually did sell a fair number of CDs – but we were too timid in the early months to make a big order and ended up spending far more on repeat orders of 500. I think the band sold over 1,000 CDs in my time as a member, and moved maybe 1,500 including giveaways and promos. To come out of the gate with 1,500 CDs printed was too ballsy for us to say yes to in 2018!
For me on Aim to Stay, the publicist took custody of 200 CDs, sending back 20 unused ones later. That was 180 CDs for a campaign that earned a couple Earshot charting moments, some international spins, and maybe two dozen reviews. Par for the course, I'd say, even if it was the wrong executive decision.
There's 258 CDs left in my house, so... I've moved the rest somehow. Some sales, quite a few comps.
It's my intention to part with all 258 of these. And while I'm coming to think goals will be the death of me, I'm in search of some practices that might allow me to do this by the occasion of Aim to Stay's third birthday: October 2, 2023. [Edit from the future: I originally wrote 2022, the second birthday, but that was far too ambitious!]
Here are 5 tactics I'm using to move my inventory:
Offstage sales
It's the classic bread-and-butter of independent CD selling – there will be gigs this fall, and it's the only CD I'll have for those who want it.
While I don't think my second album's release night is a good place to sell my first album – especially because the new one won't have any CDs! – I'll play other gigs alongside the official release show, and those are perfect for selling some copies.
If I sell five to ten copies per gig, that'd be nice. So that's maybe 40 copies I can move this fall, and perhaps 100 in a full year of around one gig per month.
Free advertising
I'll try dropping the CD into my free weekly article placements & podcasts that I don't sell to other sponsors.
First, though, I have to make sure people are regularly clicking on my links; because if you don't have the traffic, you won't have the sales.
I'd be lucky to move a dozen or two units by doing this.
Podcast guests and interview subjects
I will continue offering one (comped) to every in-person interview subject, as I've moved a couple dozen this year like that. Even for online.
If I interview one person a week, that's 40 or so units, accounting for people who already have a copy...
Album anniversary
I'll plan some kind of event on/around the 2-year album anniversary [Edit from the future: due to strong demand for regular gigs, I did not] or maybe the 3-year anniversary. This could move a couple dozen copies.
Bundle
What if I call up my colleagues and create a bundle of independent jazz CDs – surely they have plenty of extra inventory too!
I'd have to think on this one...
But if you add up what I've thought of, it's hopefully 100, maybe 20, 40, another 20.
That would leave fewer than 100 CDs to allocate to a bundle – and to move through whatever other means.
I'll keep thinking. If you've got some creative inventory yourself, best of luck with moving it!
