Being a musician is one of the most rewarding careers possible when you can earn a living doing what you love. There are many different opportunities to make money when working as a musician but earning tips may be the most underrated method of boosting your income.
Whether or not tips have made a significant impact on your artistic career so far, here is a list of 18 things every musician needs to know about collecting tips:
1. When you get tipped, you know you’re doing something right at your shows.
Tipping isn’t guaranteed in the music industry, so what better confirmation that you’re connecting with your audience than when your fans leave you a tip?
2. Earning tips through TipTree allows you to connect with fans.
You can track where your tips came from through TipTree, allowing you to grow your community of adoring fans so you can keep in touch throughout your career.
3. TipTree allows you to collect email addresses with every tip you earn.
Establishing an email list as a musician is an essential marketing tool to advertise your new releases and event schedule, and this process is automated when receiving tips with the TipTree app. You can connect directly to Mailchimp and Constantcontact directly with Tiptree.io
4. Connections formed through collecting tips with TipTree can exponentially grow your live performance turnout.
There is nothing better than performing to an enthusiastic audience that fills up the room, and with TipTree’s networking features that allow musicians to connect with fans, your show turnout can significantly grow.
5. Earning more money may give you the opportunity to quit that day job.
Many of us dream of quitting our 9-5 to pursue our passions and the tips you earn may be the supplemental income you need to take your music career full time.
6. Take control of your income rather than only focusing on what venues pay you.
Instead of focusing your energy on scoring “high-paying gigs,” you can set your own rates and boost your income earning potential when you earn tips using TipTree.
7. Stop begging for tips with TipTree’s suggestion feature.
Conversations around money are awkward for everyone, so one of the best benefits of TipTree’s tipping feature is to avoid asking altogether and let the app do the work for you.
8. Collect tips at every live performance and even online using TipTree.
Contrary to popular belief, tipping musicians is a worldwide practice, and with TipTree, collecting tips is more convenient than ever. Collect with venmo, paypal, and even ApplePay.
9. Earning tips doesn’t make you less of a musician.
Collecting tips is not a form of begging! There’s no need to be ashamed of the diverse strategies you utilize to boost your income, including tips.
10. Receiving tips offers much greater earning potential than negotiating venue contracts.
Through apps like TipTree, musicians have the potential to earn much more through tips than they could through their rate to perform at a venue.
11. Tips allow you to earn money performing original music.
Fans can express their adoration for your live music by tipping, and oftentimes, musicians earn more money performing original music rather than covers.
12. Collecting tips through a variety of methods provides the greatest earning potential.
Collecting tips is about spreading a net, not casting a line. Musicians benefit the most when they utilize every method to collect tips, including electronic tools like TipTree and providing a physical tip jar or open guitar case for cash tips.
13. Only offering one channel for tips limits your earning potential.
If you only offer one method for fans to tip you, such as Venmo or a tip jar, you close off the opportunity for earning tips through other channels, so it’s best to offer multiple tipping platforms.
14. TipTree supports the world’s natural movement towards a cashless economy.
TipTree allows fans to tip musicians directly from their phones, which is beneficial in societies where cash is becoming inconvenient and uncommon.
15. Expressing your business savviness as a musician can open networking opportunities for your career.
Expanding your methods of earning money as a musician, such as utilizing TipTree to collect tips, proves to the music industry that you are an innovative musician who is worth partnering with – which can be especially beneficial for those artists seeking a record deal!
16. Tipping through TipTree is effortless and painless.
Utilizing the TipTree apps doesn’t require any extra steps – it’s the most convenient method of tipping for both fans and musicians.
17. Collecting tips increases your income – a natural aspect of business.
Although the music industry is largely artistic and creative, there is still a large business component. Utilizing TipTree helps you be a better business owner as you find innovative methods to collect tips.
18. Musicians who seek longevity in their career utilize every method to earn the highest income.
To have a long, prosperous career, musicians must get creative when it comes to maximizing their income potential, so TipTree is the perfect tool to integrate into their business model.