Going on tour is one of the most exciting times for any band. The chance to see new locales. Perform in new venues. Network with other creatives and talent scouts. And getting to meet your loyal fans while also bringing in new ones. It is a fulfilling experience. But it is also a lot of hard work.
We will assume that you have already secured the locations for your tour. But the next step is to secure the necessary funding. Going on tour is not cheap. You might be getting paid for your performances. But chances are you won’t see that money until after the gigs. So you need to be able to fund your trip.
The biggest costs associated with going on tour are travel, accommodation, food, and equipment. You will need backup equipment to ensure that you aren’t ever caught short during one of your gig dates. Raising money to go on tour is hard work. But it can also be extremely fun. Today we are showing you 7 creative ways to raise money for your band’s tour!
Sponsored Fun Run
One of the simplest and best ways to raise money for your tour is by doing a sponsored fun run. A fun run is a normal run but you and your bandmates will be wearing costumes for the duration. Adding an extra layer of challenge to the whole affair. The more wacky the costumes, the more likely people are to sponsor you.
Training for a fun run is also a great way to ensure you are in good shape. Going on tour is physically demanding. So getting regular exercise is essential.
A Bake Sale
People love a good bake sale. If you’re already playing some local gigs in the lead up to your tour this is the ideal place to host a bake sale. Bake sales are a great way to raise funds since the profit margins are quite high.
You should ensure you are also supplying a number of gluten free and vegan baked goods as well. There are hundreds of delicious vegan recipes and gluten free baking options out there these days. So you are spoilt for choice when it comes to creating your bake sale menu.
Auctioning Off Signed Equipment
If you have some old instruments sitting around then you should consider auctioning them off to your fans. Hosting one of these auctions during a gig is a great way to generate hype and potentially bring in a lot of money. Signing the equipment is a great way to add more value to the instruments too.
Run A Raffle
Much like a bake sale, a raffle is a fantastic way to bring in a lot of money. You should try to secure prizes for the raffle from local businesses or from people you know. Ideally you want to spend a little as possible on the prizes to ensure maximum profit. You should also include some band merch in the raffle to ensure your fans are more likely to take part.
Create New Band Merch
Speaking of band merch, it is one of the best ways for a band to make money. Even with famous musicians, most of their profits come from the sale of merchandise. If you’ve already built up a good local following then chances are most of your fans will already have a lot of your band merch.
So you should make some new merch. This is a surefire way to generate hype and bring in plenty of sales. We recommend collaborating with some local artists to make the new merch. This will help bring in fans of that artist as well.
Crowdfunding
Websites like Kickstarter or GoFundMe are great ways to bring in funds for your tour. People can donate as much or as little as they want. You should offer different incentives to encourage people to donate. Maybe a smaller donation is rewarded with a bit of band merch. Higher donation tiers could include signed records or a chance to play with the band during a gig. The better the rewards you are offering, the more money you are likely to raise.
Battle Of The Bands
If you know a few other bands who are also trying to raise money to fund their own tours, then a battle of the bands is a great way for you all to raise funds. This is a competition where bands compete against each other to win the approval of the crowd.
People love a spectacle like this. Each guest gets to vote on their favorite act after the performances. With the winner being crowned the supreme band. You can charge a premium on the tickets for an event like this, ensuring you all earn a good amount of money from the takings. This is also the ideal place to sell a lot of band merch.
