Need Some Advice Selling a Christmas CD

I just finished recording a Christmas CD and now starts the fun process of designing the cover and back cover. I`m not doing a CD booklet because I will save some $$$ and put all that info on my site where I am directing those who buy the CD. Right now, I have several churches interested in selling the CD for the Christmas season. There are 9 solo piano pieces based on 6 well known Advent and Christmas songs as well as 3 originals. I`m trying to make this happen as cheaply as possible so I can actually make some $$$ off of this. I know I`ll sell around 100 copies just from the Church I currently work in so a couple of questions:

1. What should I sell the CD for?

2. What should be the cut for the Churches helping me sell the CD?

3. Can you recommend any disc making companies besides Disc Makers? (I`ve had two experiences with them, nothing bad but I don`t feel they are the cheapest)

Thanks,

EB

Assuming it has some sort of cover and not just stuffed into an envelope, MSRP, as they say, should be $15 (make it an even number)

I'd give the church 40% (after all, it's a church, and they're more interested in helping themselves more than helping you). So sell it to the church for $9 and suggest that they sell it for $15, same as you. Get paid when you deliver the CDs, and offer to take back the unsold ones and refund their money. Otherwise, you might not get paid for a long time.

Oasis offers services similar to Diskmakers. I don't have any other recommendations, but there used to be dozens of them advertising in the back pages of Mix. But it needs to look good, so be sure you're going with someone who offers decent packaging.

I like your idea Mike, I was also considering asking the Church I work for to pay 50% of the cost and we`ll split the proceeds. (?)

Right now, if I went with Discmakers, it would cost around $900 to make 300 CDs which is still pricey considering I am having someone else do the CD cover and back. $900 seems a bit high to duplicate CDs and make the CD sleeve.

isn`t 15 an odd number?

Not if it's $15.00.

isn`t 15 an odd number?

No, $14.95 is an odd number. And in a non-mathematical sense, $16 is an odd number, too, since either you'd get a $20 bill and have to have four $1s for change, or the buyer would have to fumble for a $1.

I don't know how much PayPal takes, but it would probably be a good idea to offer that as a payment option. It would allow web buyers to use their PayPal account or a credit card.

duh... got it.

Thanks,

E

Here is a different thought.

If you want to get into more church locations, offer to place them there on consignment. Some larger churches have their own small stores inside. Churches that did not know you would be hesitant to buy your cd. If they have a store, they are already set up to take money. I would lower the price to $10-$12. Thats just me. I would not order a boat load of cds. Be wise. Also, consider getting it up on itunes. My 2 cents.

Thanks. Yes, I am already in the process of doing several things:

1. a handful of churches have agreed to carry the CD by buying several copies at a lower price which they will then resell for whatever they want.

2. I am ordering only 300 CDs to start. I know I will sell around 100 at my own Church where I currently work. (These sales will allow me to get back my original investment and some, anything past 75 sales is a profit) Several other churches I have worked at in years past should also bring in some sales... I`m hoping for at least another 40-50

3. the CD will be available via download (iTunes and other online retailers)

4. I am selling the CD for $12 on my own. If it needs to be shipped, the cost goes up to $15

You can burn your own in approx. 2 minutes. If you don't mind going into production, I think that 300 can be done with a single burner in 24 hours. If you want to use LightScribe it will be much more time consuming but the results will be more attractive. Rather that burning all 300 why not just 100 and "wait and see". A color laser is nice for the CD covers.

The reason I would take this approach is because of the state of the economy right now. The guy that tells you, "Oh ya . I'm good for a copy." may not have the money on the day that you are selling them.

Dan

Hey Ernest!

As long as you have a bar code on your product, probably can sell them at some local stores this Christmas season.

Because of only having 9 tracks, it may be more difficult selling them at normal CD prices. $12 would probably be right. $7 for you and $5 for the stores.

Good luck, John

Hey Ernest! As long as you have a bar code on your product, probably can sell them at some local stores this Christmas season. Because of only having 9 tracks, it may be more difficult selling them at normal CD prices. $12 would probably be right. $7 for you and $5 for the stores. Good luck, John

Not too many stores around here selling indie CDs. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I`m contacting Churches and selling it to them for $9, then they can sell it for whatever they wish. I do think I`ll sell quite a few via CD Baby and iTunes though!

I agree about Indie CD's, but a Christmas CD is a specialty item. It can be sold in Candle Shops, Flower Shops, Gift Stores,etc, etc...

John

I agree about Indie CD's, but a Christmas CD is a specialty item. It can be sold in Candle Shops, Flower Shops, Gift Stores,etc, etc... John

Good point, did not consider that!

Thanks,

E

I am putting one song from my Christmas CD out to radio, on a compilation Christmas CD through www.cdxcd.com

They press up about 2000 CDs that ship to radio world wide, so I'm going to try and make my money off of airplay. We'll try it and see.

Your Christmas CD sounds awesome BTW.

Good luck,

Russ

Nashville

Thanks mate, I appreciate the kind words. I put my heart into every note and am proud of this record. btw- any room on that compilation for one of mine?

Absolutely if you hurry, but it's a big expense, PM me for my Bro deal figures.

or call CDX Phone: 615-292-0123

Russ

Nashville

Russ,

I went to the site and saw the fee which I think is worth it if its getting to the right hands. However, I noticed the comp CD was going to country music stations. I don`t think they`d be interested in mine. What d`ya say?

EB

Every store in the world sells INDIE CDS. Just go up to the store-manager and ask him to put a box on the counter. Offer him 1 or 2 $ a CD(black market - so no taxes paid),....or whatever. Get kids to sell them on the streets and give them 1$ for a sold CD,...

Sell a bag of cookies for 15$ and give people a free CD with them.

Guerilla marketing man.

Have you ever been to NYC?

Stations play Christmas music every year regardless of station format, my song doesn't sound country, but country stations will play Christmas music during the holidays. They don't send out to non reporting stations either which is a big plus.

Prices may be much lower than what you saw???

Russ

Nashville

You should give serious consideration to Dan's suggestion. With a weekend's work, you could produce a boatload of copies. He's correct about Lightscribe disks being slow to imprint, but you could consider getting CD blanks that are 'printable', if your printer has the capability. If not, the cost of a new printer, the blank CDs and the jewel-boxes would still be considerably less than the cost of commercial production. This also leaves you with the ability to produce more on demand. Kick back, watch some old Bogart movies and feed blanks into the CD burner.

Also consider a semi-exclusive music library for possible licensing of your tracks. Semi-exclusive usually means the publisher has exclusivity on licensing, but you're still free to sell your CD's on your own.

Best, John

Yeah, I could do that but try to understand the climate in which I make a living... I`ve been a Director of Music for 20 years now. I play every weekend at numerous services to hundreds if not 1000+ people. People ask me all the time for a CD... this has been going on for years actually so now they are finally getting something and I am asking $15 a CD, so it better be pretty to look at and it better sound good. So with all that to consider, the burning it myself idea is good if I`m giving it to friends and family but thats not the case.

I assure you, I am trying to do this as cheaply as possible but it must look good. Also, I`m not going with a standard plastic CD case, it`ll be a CD sleeve referring the listener to my site for album liner notes. All to save a few $$$.