There is the glamorized world of street teams out there and may be some misconceptions to someone who isn’t on one or five may not know. It’s really about how you take it all in though.

My credentials for knowing about this. I’ve been on teams for bands that can’t bring 50 people to a show and I’ve been with bands who can sell out theaters and major clubs (depending on where you reside).

There are some fantastic people who can run these things and then there is just the people who think you should pay them to help the band out. The names of these bands and people will be left out but a certain band on Tooth & Nail really expects a lot from free help. They offer a certain point system for your help. You know; That point system you use at Speedway or Best Buy when you purchase something and after so long you get a fun $5 gift card for spending $1000 with them? That’s the one. It baffles me why this system would even be used for a way of free labor. So you’re telling me that if I hand out 5000 flyers and take pictures of me handing them out I can get the chance to win a free signed CD? Why the hell would anyone do that? I’ll give you the solution to that. Go to a show where the CD is 25%-50% cheaper than any retail store and wait by the band’s bus and have your lovely idol sign it there. If he has a rock star attitude about it. He shouldn’t be in this industry anymore. Everything is cut throat and there is no room for having this above all mentality to your work anymore. The band should thank you for purchasing the CD at their show because that means he/she can eat or drink tonight. If you’re on a street team where you earn your rewards through points to get anything from a CD to a Skype call with the band. Get out now because it’s a roller coaster that never gets to the peak.

There is a bright side to all of this maybe. Well a small beacon of light. There is a pretty decent street team I work with through Warner Music Group (I normally refer to them as the Satan brothers but not today). It is run by one or two helpful individuals who really make sure you’re paid for what you do. First; We always go to that bands show for free. (Usually the first four people who message him about the show go but usually not all four respond) I’ve seen some shows that would have costed between $15-$60 for free because I simply put up some posters, took some pictures, emailed them. Then if you do a stellar job he sends you some signed stuff from the band. I still do this street team because of how well it is run and because of my nostalgia for the band. There is no bull shit that goes on. He’ll ask you occasionally to post something about the band to your social media outlets but I usually post that as “Hey mom, Come listen to my devil music” so I get to have some fun with it all. Plus even if you do some posters or flyering just for one time and you don’t like it. It’s not like you had to fill out a W-4 or anything. You just leave.

What I would like as a street team member though and I’m sure others can agree. We just would like to be acknowledged by the actual band. Maybe get to meet them and hear a thank you and shake their hand. We make sure your shows sell out. I can’t accredit a show selling out to my work but I feel I’ve made some numbers drastically increase due to simply giving a flyer to someone. There is no better feeling doing this work and hearing “Holy shit they’re coming to town? Fuck yes. I gotta go”. So if a band reads this. Send us a tweet or make sure we can at least meet you. It sucks if your hard work goes unrecognized.

If you do run a street team and you want to do it right. Don’t just bring in anyone and everyone. Bring in about 4 people per market (Major or B market) and give them certain tasks (Hitting up Hot Topics, schools, malls, coffee shops) put flyers, posters, news posts up. Make sure people know about that album or show coming to town. Get the team into the show for free and keep in contact with them. Don’t spam them but just remind them about the work. Don’t have us spam about the band winning a radio station contest. The radio station can do their own promotion and it makes it more fun to see who is more liked in that area. Plus is that little royalty for them being played worth that much?

To street team members who run this: I know it sucks and handing out flyers in the blistering cold and putting up posters at festivals and annoying all of your friends about that one band you just love. The work goes noticed and one day it all pays off.