2020 has made it so now, if you are a working comedian, you may not be getting into rooms and clubs that you used too. There are just so many comedians in the pipeline and only so many venues that are still open and ready for comedy. So, you have to maximize each paid gig as much as possible to make up for it. Let’s talk about some ways right now.
The old tried and true
If you have read this blog at any point in the past five years, you know how much I support road comics (or any comedian getting paid really) getting merchandise. You may not have the money to get a lot, but you have to get some. I think it is very important for a comedian to have something to pitch at the end of a night of yuk yuks. You may think selling two or three shirts a show isn’t much, but that could be the difference between taking your pay for the night and paying for gas, meals, and/or lodging, and going home with more money then you intended to make. And here’s the thing, you don’t have to worry about a shirt! People are out here selling all kinds of stuff. Koozies, stickers, towels, onsies (for babies), and even funny business cards. Just something that will make the buyer chuckle a little more at the end of the night.
A good ole fashion tip jar
I have done shows in the past where the tip jar would be passed around. I saw it again during some shows I performed this past weekend and I must say it is an effective way to get people to chip in a little more. I think this works best at a show with no cover charge, you don’t want to ask paying patrons to give up more money. The thing is several years ago when I saw this done I ended up with seven bucks. Last weekend, I ended up with over fifty! And that was just my share! Most people are willing to put up a couple of bucks if they are enjoying a show.
The tip jar evolved
Another thing I saw at this show wer little flyers being placed on each table with the performers Venmo handle. That way if you like the comedian you can send them some money. This is something I had never seen and was skeptical about it at first ( I always am). My skepticism melted away as I kept getting emails throughout the night notifying me of people sending my Venmo account money (KingPeppersnake if you are so inclined to do so yourself). It worked really well and I ended up making a nice little chunk of change from that as well. A lot of people walk around with no cash nowadays so it is great to have your cashapp or Venmo out there for a happy audience to throw some bucks your way.
In end the goal is to maximize the amount of money from each possible show. This is the same thing many businesses do when you go purchase something. Gamestop, for example, will ask if you want an extended warranty on a game or to subscribe to a magazine or sign up for a credit card. All these things are to try to get as much money from each customer. The thing is, you can use this in a non predatory way by using numbers to your advantage. Instead of being like Gamestop and trying to get say, $75 bucks from each person per visit, if each person attending the show (this will vary of course, but this is just an example) is handing you an extra couple of bucks that can add up to a nice amount of money.
I had the opportunity to do three shows this weekend, each offering different ways to get a little more money in the pockets of comedians. I made the most money selling my shirts of course, but that is because I am offering a product on the side of the comedy. Tip jars and asking for tips via Venmo is good, but not really gonna match merch because an audience member will not get anything else in addition to the comedy. Take that in mind as you try to find ways to stave off this tricky area the industry is in.
If I had to decide what would work best in a certain situation, I would say, a tip jar would work great for bar shows. If you are at a winery or a brewery, I would go the Venmo way, and merch works everywhere. If you are performing at a club I would use the Venmo route for showcase shows and the like.
Hopefully this can help put a little extra in your pockets.
Riley's Spot 