Merchandising on the Cheap
If your theatre is the size of mine, you probably have the capacity to raise funds, answer the phone, and sell tickets. Oh, and produce plays. But we all love those great hats that everyone else's theatre has. And T-shirts. And mugs. And t-shirts for their dogs.
Our problem at this size is that it is very difficult to manage and sell merchandise. Inventory control is difficult, exposure to the products is only available when people are in your space, and most of us can't afford to sit on the inventory while we wait for people to realize that our logo merchandise is the only thing standing between them and being the coolest people in town.
CafePress.com is the perfect solution. I learned about it from a friend of mine who used to manage the Civic Theatre of Allentown, and I've set up merchandise for two companies I've worked for. I also found the Vigilante Theatre company uses CafePress. I'm sure there are more - I think I talked the Chenango River Theatre in Greene, New York into it as well.
You're never going to get rich on your merchandise, but if people will pay good money to promote the GAP and Nike on their clothes, they might just do it for you. You'll need someone who can do a little graphic work for you if you can't do it yourself, but getting basic logo merchandise is pretty easy. I recommend setting the price points low to encourage people to buy - I've never made more than $50-$100 a year on it - just get people wearing your stuff. You can order shirts for staff, or mementos for casts. You can operate multiple storefronts for different projects or productions, too.
Could be a good idea to promote if you're rolling out a new logo - and since it's web-based shopping, it works great in email blasts.
Our problem at this size is that it is very difficult to manage and sell merchandise. Inventory control is difficult, exposure to the products is only available when people are in your space, and most of us can't afford to sit on the inventory while we wait for people to realize that our logo merchandise is the only thing standing between them and being the coolest people in town.
CafePress.com is the perfect solution. I learned about it from a friend of mine who used to manage the Civic Theatre of Allentown, and I've set up merchandise for two companies I've worked for. I also found the Vigilante Theatre company uses CafePress. I'm sure there are more - I think I talked the Chenango River Theatre in Greene, New York into it as well.
You're never going to get rich on your merchandise, but if people will pay good money to promote the GAP and Nike on their clothes, they might just do it for you. You'll need someone who can do a little graphic work for you if you can't do it yourself, but getting basic logo merchandise is pretty easy. I recommend setting the price points low to encourage people to buy - I've never made more than $50-$100 a year on it - just get people wearing your stuff. You can order shirts for staff, or mementos for casts. You can operate multiple storefronts for different projects or productions, too.
Could be a good idea to promote if you're rolling out a new logo - and since it's web-based shopping, it works great in email blasts.
I'm going to market a TShirt for the lab:
ReplyDeleteMalaria researchers do it under mosquito nets.