What to consider before you hit the record button
When it comes to increasing sales of your music, the secret is quantity. It takes a lot of time and energy converting a person into a fan. It takes less time, energy and money getting someone who is already a fan to purchase additional music from you. This is where having a back catalog of music to sell comes in.
Set out to make one main album and a series of additional albums or EPs with material based on the songs from the main album.
That way, while you focus publicity efforts on creating awareness of the main album, you can also build your discography and back catalog with a series of albums, singles, special offers, giveaways, and so on.
You could, for example, create an album of
- songs that didn’t make the cut (outtakes and b sides)
- live versions of some of the songs found on your album
- original demos of the songs you later used to create the album
- alternate takes and rehearsals of the songs that made your album
- unplugged versions of many of the songs on your album
- remixes of the songs on your album and/or
- a “commentary” album where you tell the story of how you made the album, how you came up with the songs, and so on, much like a director talks over the movie on a DVD.
Although not everyone will be into all these versions, you’re not trying to please everybody. You’re trying to go after the hardcore fans who will spend money on you.