How to sell your mixtape on the streets
In this blog I will give you my personal sales method for selling my mixtapes on the street. I have been selling mixtapes and albums on the streets successfully for over 20 years actual CDs, exchanged for cash. Daily. I have put considerable effort into marketing my music on the internet. I have followed step by step video tutorials and blog post as well as a few podcast on effective ways of marketing your music on the internet. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars in online advertising only to get tens of dollars back. That shit pissed me off beyond belief. On the other hand I’ve spent $30 and get a return on investment of at least $100. This happens any and every time I invest in CDs and cover artwork to sell my mixtapes on the street I will show you and this post how I do it .Almost as important as who you sell to is where you go to sell your music.
Where to sell mixtapes at
My primary sells location is the hood, better known as the kingdom of niggadom. And in this Kingdom the money flows through the following type of businesses. Gas stations these are the travel ports and the kingdom of niggadom Oaks or either leaving the hood or returning to the hood at this location it is a great spot to pick up sales. The corner market folks are already coming to spend money why not pick up a few books for yourself. You can also work of rapport with the owners and managers of these corner stores as well as gas stations and put your album up on consignment and let folks know if you don’t have the money to buy the mixtape now, it will still be at this location later on even if I’m not here. Cell phone stores a good locations to sell to the people working behind the counter these people are bored and need music to listen to to get them through the day also a good place to leave flyers and posters. Several cell phone stores have allowed me to make deals with them where they will download my music into the phones that they sell to people. Carry Out restaurants not city in restaurants Carry Out restaurants are better because they’re quick they’re easy they’re in they’re out. You can catch folks coming in and out of the restaurant or you can holler at the people who work behind the counter, don’t underestimate the buying power of the kitchen staff these folks are in the back all day and need good music to listen to. Tattoo parlors also make a nice quick sales location how to find myself selling CDs to tattoo artist even if they don’t listen to Hip Hop but because they themselves are artists they respect the hustle. One of the most important Sales locations in the hood is the barbershop it is the CIA of the kingdom of niggadom this is where they’re talking about politics new music Etc great place to advertise with posters and flyers as well even if I don’t sell a CD to anyone in the barbershop I sometimes need a few copies for free. Shoot a video at a barbershop and they will love you for it it works out is advertising both ways.
Who to sell your mixtape to
This depends on the individual selling the mixtape. What type of person are you ? What type of people do you feel comfortable talking to? Are you willing to go outside of your comfort zone to talk to someone and try to convince them to buy a copy of your mixtape. My target audience is 25 and up. Because I believe that my music resonates with the older hip-hop generation. I also like to target working people. A part of my sales pitch is this is working class music. If you are a party-type rapper you might want to holler at the ladies they love dance music if you are a laid-back rapper you definitely want to hit the parts and weed dispensaries and holler at the stoners. My years of experience has made me comfortable pretty much talking to anybody. You will probably watch some of the videos of me selling CDs on YouTube and say to yourself damn how did he sell a hip-hop CD to that person? I sometimes wonder this myself. But as the saying goes 10000 hours but practice makes you pretty good at whatever it is that you’re practicing I am well over 10,000 hours and experience. However if you’re just beginning I recommend that you start with the folks you’re comfortable with is this someone you would smoke a blunt with if so holler at them.
Try to be professional
It’s real easy to carry on a conversation with a person you’re trying to sell your mixtape to as if it’s just a nigga on the streets or one of the homies that you’re kicking it with sippin on Patron. The truth of the matter is when you get that mixtape me your hand and you looking to get money out of their pocket, You are not a rapper you are a salesperson, and you must conduct yourself accordingly. You don’t have to speak like a Harvard grad but make sure you enunciate every syllable of every word that you’re saying to the individual you’re pitching your mixtape to clearly. Maintain pleasantness even if the person is being a dick head. Don’t be bothersome you don’t have to bug people to get them to buy your music. If this man won’t buy it the next man will it is the law of averages. Try to dress presentable you don’t have to put on the suit and tie. Simply be fresh and clean like you were Andre and Big Boi. I’ve seen plenty of dudes and $5 t-shirts pulmo numbers at the mall then dudes with $50 t-shirts all because of the most important factor. That is confidence be sure of yourself even if nobody else is.
How to make money today
If you have at least 10 songs ready to burn to a CD or a flash drive. Create a playlist of your music and burn it to a CD create some sort of CD cover or buy some CD envelopes. Go to your local Best Buy or Walmart buy a 50 pack of CDs then go to your local FedEx office or print shop prenup 10 to 50 copies of a CD cover or buy CD envelopes. Make sure that you look clean somewhat presentable even if you don’t have a budget to hit the mall and get a new outfit. Spend a couple of minutes in the mirror practicing selling a CD to yourself. Now get out on the streets and spend at least a hour talking to people and trying to get them to buy a copy of your mixtape. If done right you ought to holler at at least 30 people I guarantee you you will at least sell three copies of your album within that hour.
As a veteran artist, I think it’s important that I share what I’ve learned from
my experience in my field so that others can use to build on and take away from in their journey to achieve veteran status. If you’re looking for information on becoming rich, turn away now. But if you’d like to make a living, possibly even enough to quit your 9 to 5, I’ll begin sharing my knowledge and methods that I use as I make my living selling my CDs on the streets. The first key to accomplishing anything is knowing your objective and walking the path that will carry that objective to completion. So what do I want from these cd’s I sell. Studio time, gas money,food money,rent money, These are Goals and to win the game you have to score. I write whatever goal I have everyday. And bullet point what needs to happen for those goals to be accomplished. Example,
I like to put aside at least $25 every time I go out to sell my CD’s
on the streets. Thats the endgame to accomplish that goal. I need a few free hours to make the money, gas money to get me from place to place cause I don’t like to sell my CD’s at just one spot. I like to move. Food because I will get hungry out there, and lets keep it 100 Im probably gonna want to blow some trees
(REMEMBER THIS IS NOT A MISSION PRIORITY)
So. $25 to put up $10 for gas $7 for Coney Island $20 miscellaneous I should go for $60 in sales to complete that Main objective. Very possible for me to make with in hours, that beats that job at Bargain Save Grocery market doing something I have no passion for Whatsoever. To alot of people this might not make sense. But it works for me. I always run into guys that say you should give your cds out for free then you ll blow up. Yea Ive passed out cds. I say it doesnt work for me because I dont see results from that. I see that cheeseburger deluxe then I sell the cd rather than give it away. Those guys might ask me. Why eat a cheeseburger when you can eat steak. Well If I put up $25 a day for 20 days. How many steaks can I eat then? This information is not for every one. You will not survive streets cd marketing campaigns if you are a glory seeker. This aint for niggas that rap cause they want to this is for those that rap because they need to. I have to sell rap cause I aint no Chef.
If selling your music on the streets if something youre considering as a side hustle or an extra source of income and you dont know where to begin. Start off with a goal of 10 cds a day for 20 days. At the end of the month if youve sold 200 cds good job. There are major record companys out there that cant sell 200 cds in one month. So pop a bottle and roll one up because youre on the way to achieving veteran static. Some time in the future I ll share my methods of manufacturing my cds.
Stay tuned I have more to share.
The Homie Swisher Sweetdirelli
