Mid-set shout-out during the show:
Ask if anyone in the audience is celebrating something special; birthday, anniversary or bachelorette party. Play the birthday (insert anniversary) song with crowd participation. Ask the person(s) to come up (if not on the stage, get them front and center). Give people that little extra attention. They will not forget their ‘moment of fame’ and you likely made a fan for life. Added bonus if you have some merch to give them as a “gift”.
Perhaps have a wedding joke handy (and congratulations) for the bride-to-be. Something like: If you think marriage is the right move, then we’re here to cheer you on into battle! Have the crowd “toast” to her. Having a tune ready to play dedicated to the bride-to-be would be a nice touch. Something like “I melt with you”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, etc.
Speaking of Merch – YES, you can sell it (eventually) but a new band starting out should be giving some stuff away as gifts! Keep pricing reasonable because you want to make it affordable so fans buy more stuff. Definitely cover your costs, but remember this is your “advertising” – the more folks you have buying are promoting you and will likely wear the shirts the next time they see you play out.
Most popular of course: T-shirts! And women tend to like V-necks. Have XL & plus sizes available, too. (Some of us ladies have bigger busts and the average x-large size will still be too tight). Hoodies and long sleeve options should not be overlooked for the fall/cooler weather events. Hats/caps/beanies.
There’s a ton of places online to get custom merch ordered. If you need any assistance, I’ll be happy to help you!
Guitar picks & Drumsticks – Trust me when I say there’s some of us who collect these things! My favorite picks are the ones that are customized with either the band or guitarist name/logo.
I know drumsticks are expensive, so no one is expecting a useable stick. Drummers should save their broken/worn sticks and have these available to toss out to the crowd, or hand them to an eager fan. Bonus if you sign it 😊
Photos/Vids with the audience – while the audience is likely taking pics and videos of you, it’s always fun for the crowd to see themselves included in pictures or videos from the band’s viewpoint. Have one of the band members grab a camera and get some shots or video from the stage. You now have a great marketing & promotion tool and, your fans will enjoy reliving the show and seeing themselves after the show on your website.
The FREE stuff – don’t forget the things that won’t cost you a dime. Your handshakes, hugs, photo ops, a simple ‘thanks for coming out’. The more you interact with the folks that came out, the more you will be liked and remembered regardless of how and what you played.