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Beer Budget CD Release Strategy as an Alternative to The Way It'sNormally Done



The limitations of Kunaki (lack of control over packaging, et. al.),  as 
cool a service as it is
are one of the reasons why I do everything for my own releases.

It takes more time, but artistically,  I'm really happy being able to 
control the
minimal artwork that I do.

My costs?     Printing Ink on a good color printer?      An interesting 
looking
colorful Clamshell  or custom CD holder,  the label,    and the CDR.

Some people are suspicious of CDRs, but I find that if you do really 
creative
and artistic packaging............something I love to do on a minimal basis
that people will accept them (with the exception of in Japan where they
were rejected by fans, hands down , oddly enough).

It's funny, too.........................you either duplicate the digital 
media yourself
or you have someone mass duplicate it....................it seems 
ridiculous
that people draw a distinction.

Even if you dont' have digital artistic chops (and I have precious few 
myself)
I've seen local groups just use paper bags and do hand colored artwork
so that each one is different.............it still feels special to buy 
one of these
(just because it's so obviously artistic and creatively inspired if low 
budget and even silly).

Anyway,   This keeps my cost down to well under a dollar per unit. If I 
do sell a CD then
I am making $9 - $14 profit PER CD depending on who buys it.

I am currently considering making a business card with all the 
information in the
CD and links to websites and bonus tracks and then having it professionally
drilled so after one takes out the CD (with attendant artwork)  there 
will be
this CD underneath with all the goodies in it.

In that way, I can use the tranparent nature of the CD case to show off
artwork that is only on the CD itself (no booklet, in other words).

It's definitely Champagne living on a Beer Budget but it works for me.

Also,  one thing that noone has mentioned that is really salient in this 
discussion is
that no one is buying CDs anymore.............or rather,  CD sales have 
dropped
to nearly nothing.  I"ve asked artist after artist in 15 countries how 
their sales are
and the lion share say that no one is buying them.

I used to average 20-50 CDs a concert at one point and now I frequently 
don't even
take them.  I do hand out business cards (that are quite 
professional---two sided with nice photographic
artwork on both sides)  and get some sales from people after the fact.

I look at the CD, however,   as a very, very elaborate business card.
I give them away liberally if I think someone may hire me for something 
and it works like a charm

It seems that music is heading toward a service provision orientation as 
opposed to a commodity orientation.

I make most of my money now, peripherally to my artwork, but DEFINITELY 
because my reputation is
enhance BY THE ARTWORK.       See what I mean  (sorry for the 
shouting................lol)

Whatever is said and done................putting a lot of energy into 
'putting your art out to the world' 
is a really good thing no matter where you are in the 'music biz'.