1 Nine Month Old Band + 48 Hours = $10,000

We Are Listening offers artists exposure via contests and critiques from industry experts. On their informative blog they also highlight issues and artists that emerging and d.i.y. artists face.  Excerpted with permission is the story of how one nine month old band raised $10,000 in 48 hours to finance a recording project. Brian Mazzaferri, Lead Singer / Songwriter / NES-Player from Chicago NES-Rock band I Fight Dragons writes:

Gaining fans is well and good, but at what point can one expect to actually turn a fanbase into a living? Well, we took our first stab at answering that question 2 weeks ago.  We decided to offer this:

Lifetime Membership USB Drives

They come preloaded with all of the music we’ve ever released (including email-list only tracks), and they guarantee the owner a free digital copy of anything we ever release, as well as free admission to any live show of ours now and forever.  And there will only be 100 ever made.

We posted the link, sent an email to our mailing list, and within 48 hours all 100 were sold.

Why did it work?

1. We give a lot of free stuff away.  A LOT.
2. The upside is infinite.
3. We’re selling Memberships, not Products.

Brian shares much more detail on the We Are Listening blog here.