Stephanie G. Mathis This pandemic has been devastating. I was on tour as a musician when the news of Trump’s travel ban broke. The dominoes began to fall one by one.
Gigs are being canceled. Navigating unemployment. Applying for grant opportunities that are maxed out. Death of friends and colleagues.
Finally, I began to question my decision to be a musician and wondered how to survive financially. This was a soul-crushing experience for me, and I’m sure it has been the same story for countless of my friends who gigged.
I was unsure of what to do and wanted to take this time to figure it out. After some time, I want to share locations that provided relief and some tools Bandzoogle offered that helped in real time. Here we go.
Tip Jars for Online Donations
San Jose Jazz, for the opportunity to perform online (thank you! ), I was not sure how to ask for help. When the organization requesting artists to share a link for online viewers asked for this, I realized I could create a page for donations for future shows. Bandzoogle’s tip jar was a great help.
I directed online viewers of future live streams to my website’s “donate” page and created a landing page that highlighted this feature.
Subscribe to fan clubs.
I have friends with Patreons on their websites but never on mine. I wanted to test Bandzoogle’s subscription service, and get ideas on how to share value by looking at other musicians with similar goals.
The introductory level has allowed everyone to meet online for “coffee dates,” and it’s revitalized the creation of new music, something I hadn’t done for years! It has also reinforced the need for music during these difficult times.
The monthly video gatherings have also been a great experience. It has also been less isolating!
Increase website traffic by adding links.
I changed all the links I could find (Instagram and YouTube) to direct people to my page. Soundcloud was one platform I had neglected for years because I thought I didn’t have the time to update.
Now, I receive more traffic to my website than ever before. This helps people learn about what’s going on and visit it.
Building special pages
People have contacted me about my music work after finding me on the internet and being encouraged to contact me. When I ask them how they saw me, and they reply “on Instagram” or YouTube, they will then tell me how they went to my website for more information.
My site is a great tool to help people around the world hear/see more music in a synthesized way.
I have also been able to build custom pages with Bandzoogle. These are not linked to my main page and focus on services that may not be as aligned with my primary goals as an artist but bind everything together beautifully.
Since I can use a Store with different products, I can offer services and products that the public does not have access to.
Shopping Cart
Stripe is a great payment option. I have used PayPal for many years. Stripe allows me to create custom products and pay for verbal consultations through my smartphone. If I am on a live stream or video call and someone wants to buy an item, for example, I can do it through my phone. I can pull up the app on my phone to facilitate the checkout. It’s so easy.
So, yes! Thank you Bandzoogle! I would love to know how you (yes, you are reading this post) navigated through the time. If you are willing to share your thoughts & ideas in the comments, I’d love to hear how you navigate this time. There are many resources to help us survive this crazy period.
