Creative Financing and Sales to Fans

KickStarter

KickStarter is a funding platform for Artists, Designers, Filmakers, Musicians, Journalists, inventors and explorers. Creators keep 100% ownership and 95% of the funds raised. KickStarter takes a 5% fee if the project is successfully funded. They have had many bands raise for example $3,000 from fans to fund tour travel expenses.  

RocketHub

RocketHub offers a new way to raise funds and awareness for your creative ventures.  RocketHub offers credibility and the infrastructure necessary to successfully leverage the financial power of your community, and offer the ability to discover and apply for funding opportunities.

IndieGoGo

Location: San Francisco, CA
With IndieGogo you can create a funding campaign to raise money quickly and securely by tapping into your network of supporters and beyond. 

slicethepie

Slicethepie is a financing platform for the music industry that enables new and established Artists to raise money directly from Music Fans and Investors. On Slicethepie, Music Fans take on the A&R role, earning money reviewing tracks, spotting new talent and ensuring the best Artists get put forward for financing. Music Fans can then directly invest in the Artists in return for exclusive Artist access, a copy of the completed album, their name on the album sleeve and a decent share in the financial returns from album and single sales.

Pledge Music

Where some sites out there focus solely on the raising of money, Pledge Music focuses on creating a great campaign for our artists that first all allows them to create a meaningful menu of exclusive packages for their fans, choose a charity which the artist cares about, and then a sensible financial goal that they wish to reach in order to deliver to their fans what they have promised. Once launched the artists rewards their fans with 'pledger only updates' which can include, concerts, demos, rough mixes, video blogs, live tracks, written blogs and also photos all of which the fans can then comment on to create a dialogue with their fans. This is meant to reward all who Pledge and not just those who can afford more. The reason that there isn't always a stated financial goal is that a lot of the artists do not wish solely to raise money, but instead to offer their fans something special, a 'thank you' if you will and so to achieve this they can base their campaign. 

feed the muse

Location: Ardmore, PA 19003
Feed the Muse is an online tool to help musicians develop fundraising opportunities to keep them creating. Bands can create a free profile and upload pictures, links to social networks and your fundraising pitch and goal. You then send out your pitch to friends, fans and family who can donate directly to you. The have widgets so you can put this on your various sites and social networks. Feed the Muse takes a 10% commission to cover their costs. 

New Fan Revenue Models Every Band Should Be Thinking About

Your Fans want deeper relationships with your band. This article gives some great fan marketing ideas that are working for bands out there. New ways to sell your music.