A few years ago CD Duplicators introduced download cards for fans of bands. This seems like a great idea. They kind of caught on but did not replace CD Duplication like a lot of people thought they would. If your whole plan is to offer downloads of your music, I think that’s a bad plan. CD Duplication is a great way to give your fans automatic gratification of your music. The problem you run into with downloads is that your customer / fan has to somewhat computer savvy, if not they may end up with a download card they can’t do anything with. If you sell then a CD, bang! they have your music and they’re ready to listen. CD’s may be old school by today’s technological standard but it a great way if your music in the hands of your fans.

I was at show and a band at the end of the show gave out a few websites to visit to download their music. I wondered how many people would remember all those websites after they left the show and headed to the night clubs for a little more partying. So the next day they might say yeah that band was great, “what were they called?” what was that website they said we could get their music at?” Yep, that’s the problem with downloads sometimes, your audience might not remember were to go.

The best route to go is to have a fifty fifty marketing plan some web downloads and some CD duplication for selling after shows. This is the best plan. Some prefer CD’s and few fans prefer downloads.

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