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Pitfalls of setting the band up as a business??


Jamesemt
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For a band website, it's pretty simple isn't it? just a home page with a link to your myspace for listening to demos, a short description of the band, a photo gallery, contact info. What else do you need?

I haven't bothered with the meta tags etc yet but [url="http://creepjoint.co.uk"]creepjoint.co.uk[/url] took about 10 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.

It's not really an example of a site we're trying to market the band through (just a simple place to get to all our other pages) but I think it has all the basics you need.

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[quote name='cheddatom' post='881710' date='Jun 30 2010, 10:49 AM']For a band website, it's pretty simple isn't it? just a home page with a link to your myspace for listening to demos, a short description of the band, a photo gallery, contact info. What else do you need?

I haven't bothered with the meta tags etc yet but [url="http://creepjoint.co.uk"]creepjoint.co.uk[/url] took about 10 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.

It's not really an example of a site we're trying to market the band through (just a simple place to get to all our other pages) but I think it has all the basics you need.[/quote]

Myspace and Facebook are fantastic for orginals bands and maybe some pub bands.

However a function band needs a totally different approach to marketing and a proper website.

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[quote name='Jamesemt' post='881062' date='Jun 29 2010, 03:43 PM']The singer is wanting us to go official with our band as we've just done our first wedding and have a few more in the pipeline.

As I've got a full time job it will mean I pay 40% tax as I'm right at the new threshold already.

Can anyone give me advice? Is it worth seeing a financial advisor?[/quote]

Lots of replies to the OP about the importance of the website (which I'm not arguing against :) ) but very few responses to the actual question.

First off [Michael Caine voice] and there's not a lot of people know this [/Michael Caine voice] your band already qualifies as a general partnership under the 1890 Partnerships Act. Two or more persons working together with a view to profit ... bish bosh and you've got yourself a partnership. You don't need ANY formal paperwork to get to this position.

Luckily enough, this will not matter in the real world except under fairly unusual circumstances. The same is true of my band and thousands of other bands too.

If you actually mean what the title of this thread says ([i][b]setting the band up as a business[/b][/i]) then you are opening a very large can of worms. If you are planning to create Band Ltd. then you will need to decide shareholdings, issue capital, organise Mem & Arts and other jargon, appoint auditors, pay yourselves dividends ... you get the picture?

Even if you get all this set up in a successful sort of way on Day One, you could spend the rest of your life trying to future-proof your arrangements.

What exactly is your singer trying to achieve?

If you can explain that, it may be possible to offer more positive advice.

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Ah yeah sorry I got into the web stuff as usual and forgot to say...

I'd say setting it up as a business is way over the top.
If all you are concerned about is a visit from the tax man then, firstly it's not hard to do self employed tax or add it to your day job income. Sure you'll have to do a tax return but that's not hard.

So just keep your individual records and make sure you have totally accurate and believable stuff like a full list of gigs, rehearsals, mileage, costs of everything on the MU list etc.
They when you fill in your tax return you can allow for all that - as an individual.
An acountant will help smooth the way with the revenue and earn their fee in the stuff they can come up with to allow against any earnings so don't shy away from getting one.

If you form a business/official partnership and then the band spilts you will have a headache worse than a divorce ...

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[quote name='OldGit' post='881628' date='Jun 30 2010, 09:18 AM']Hi Carl.
There is clearly a need for a function band website template.
Could you build one any BC member could use?
I'd be happy to help.[/quote]
I could have a go, but I've got limited experience with Wordpress and the like but yeah, I'd be definitely willing to co-operate with you.

Carl

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[quote name='HMX' post='882840' date='Jul 1 2010, 11:40 AM']I could have a go, but I've got limited experience with Wordpress and the like but yeah, I'd be definitely willing to co-operate with you.

Carl[/quote]

Coooooooool!

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[quote name='4 Strings' post='882943' date='Jul 1 2010, 01:15 PM']Just a thought on advertising, aren't agents worth using? Most people who book function bands just go to an agent and choose want they want, rather than trawl through the internet hoping to find something.[/quote]


Now that's a different market.
Selling your band to agents you'll need a offline marketing such as professionally produced paper brochures and DVD's with professional photography, video and sound samples.

What they don't want you to have a is an easily found website with direct contact info. otherwise what does the punter get for the agents 10 or 15% uplift?
So what you do is make a no contact information professional website specifically for agents to pass on to their clients.

Here's an example:
[url="http://www.e2music.com/"]E2Music[/url]

Obviously you can't use the same band name or the punter will google you, suss out that it's cheaper to book direct and cut out the agent and that will really annoy them... or at least that's the risk.

So have two websites, two band names.....

Edited by OldGit
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[quote name='OldGit' post='883065' date='Jul 1 2010, 03:22 PM']Now that's a different market.
Selling your band to agents you'll need a offline marketing such as professionally produced paper brochures and DVD's with professional photography, video and sound samples.[/quote]


And a 'showcase' which is how (I understand) agents find their acts.

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