To Swag or Not to Swag...

Swag. Always swag. You need to get your band's name out there; generate some hype; make people curious. Whether it's t-shirts, stickers, refrigerator magnets, or whatever -- you need to advertise!
There are a few unwritten rules about swag that we've learned over the years:
1. It's got to be decent-quality stuff. Like vinyl stickers (not paper ones). Paper stickers are really just labels, and they don't last. If you stick that on your car window, it'll completely disintegrate in a month or less. You can do better! And get some decent t-shirts that people will actually wear; if you get cheap and thin shirts, nobody will buy them. Because they're garbage, that's why.
2. Expect to take a little financial hit, at least at first. You're going to be giving this stuff away, or at least selling it dirt cheap. Think of it as your advertising budget -- the more buzz you create, the more people will come see your band. That's going to create (or build) a following and get you more gigs. More paying gigs makes it worth the money you spent getting there. Once you have a following, you might be able to sell shirts, bags, or whatever you've got and make a little bit of your money back.
3. Give it away, give it away, give it away now! That's right -- give away free stickers. Sell your t-shirts for cheaper than you bought them. People love free stuff! If you can combine that love of free stuff with your need to advertise your band, everybody wins!
So, today's lesson: giving away good swag might cost you a little up front, but it's well worth it if it gets you some gigs. If you're ever given the choice of doing swag or not doing swag, you should always do swag!