I’ve toured and dealt with a few artists who were able to take credit card at the merch table, and to the best of my knowledge their sales have increased at any given show. However, the hassle at the end of the tour when the transaction fees and invoices from the service company are tabulated sometimes leads to the red instead of the black. Given how hard it is to make a tour profitable, this is yet another thing to consider before you hit the road.

So, with that in mind, I’m wondering if anyone has tried Square*? It seems like a simple and lovely little device, and the act of signing for the transaction by using a thumbprint has got to add a cool factor to your sales at any given city. Plus, there are way less things to deal with like receipts, credit card number records, etc… All of which could easily end up in the couch you slept on at Joe and Jane Smith’s bohemian apartment while you were in Calgary. Not good.

*Sadly, it seems their services are only available in the US at the moment, which would suggest to me that a Canadian company should really get in on this!

How to market like Nine Inch Nails

There is some great advice in this article, and it highlights the work of one of the more determined musicians in the industry. I’m not sure I can think of many other artists who have the same sort of work ethic as Trent Reznor. Over the past few years I’ve been happy to hear of the success he has had since leaving Interscope Records, and even more impressed with some of the unique ideas he has come up with in regards to his music and his fans.

Seeing him live in New Jersey as part of the N.I.N.J.A. tour a few years ago was impressive to say the least. Even with the volume of the music, the fans were still audible for pretty much every song. That sort of devotion and fan interest doesn’t come easily, especially over the long term.

So, take notes and adapt some of the examples for your own use. Hopefully you might even come up with a few ideas of your own!

Wow.

Thanks to this lovely invention known as the Playbutton my wish to design more buttons, as well as more album artwork, can be accomplished in one move!

Now, I just need to find a band interested in using such a clever little item.