What are the best practices for creating and selling merch that reflects your artist's brand and values?

Here's a great example of knowing your audience: One of my artist management clients is a female singer-songwriter. Most of her superfans are also female, but many of them bring their boyfriends to the concerts. We designed/produced some 3/4 sleeve shirts with the artist's name written in a 'heavy metal' font (so the shirts looked like they were for an '80s metal band) - and we sold more of those than the standard T-shirts designed for the superfans!

Don’t be afraid of mistakes! Even if you research your audience’s preferences prior creating merch, you cannot always fully predict their behaviour. Start small and pay attention to your audience likes and dislikes. Remember, not having merch at all is the biggest mistake!

Before creating any merchandise, have a clear understanding of your brand identity and values. What message do you want to convey to your audience? and how you want to be perceived by your fans. I'll say ensure that your merchandise designs reflect your brand's aesthetics, themes, and messaging. Whether it's your logo, album artwork, or a slogan, each design should resonate with your fans and represent your brand accurately. Investing in high-quality materials for your merchandise is also a must as bad quality merchandise can destroy your brand.

Creating and selling merchandise that mirrors your artist's brand and values is akin to painting a masterpiece. Start by understanding their identity, then ensure every item aligns with their vision. Collaborate with designers for quality and sustainability, and engage fans for feedback. This approach not only resonates but also strengthens the artist's bond with their audience.

Know Your Brand: Understand your artist's brand and values thoroughly. What themes, messages, and aesthetics define your identity? Your merch should align with this.

It's worth noting that not everyone who purchases artist merchandise is necessarily a fan. The target market for such products could include people who appreciate the design of the merchandise but aren't necessarily fans of the artist. This is especially relevant if the merchandise is being sold beyond tour merchandise. The potential for expanding sales beyond just superfans and touring is huge!

To successfully design and select merchandise that resonates with an artist's audience, it's crucial to understand their brand identity, including their music, image, personality, and fan base demographics. Understanding the artist's inspiration and future goals is also essential, as merchandise development can take time while the artist's vision may evolve. It's best to create a brand identity with an evergreen approach, but when it comes to music, the visuals can change significantly from one album to the next. Additionally, it's crucial to maintain consistency with critical elements that honour the artist's legacy and history throughout the years.

Quality Matters: Invest in high-quality materials for your merchandise. Fans appreciate well-made items that last, and it enhances your brand's reputation.

Create a hype around you and your brand! By offering limited or rare editions of your works and creating a sense of urgency to buy these quickly you will make yourself and your art more interesting to buyers and your fans.

Limited Editions: Create limited-edition or exclusive merch items to drive excitement and urgency among fans. Cheap prices will be contraproductive for your price development

Collaborations: Collaborate with other artists or brands to create unique, co-branded merchandise. This can expand your reach. Once i did a series of paintings together with another artist and the result was so original that become an instant hit

Since artists may need to gain expertise in merchandising, it's crucial to work with trusted experts who uphold their brand identity and ethical standards. These experts should work closely with the artist to create merchandise that reflects their identity while appealing to diverse audiences. By combining artistic creativity with long-term strategic merchandising, artists can build a sustainable brand presence in any industry.