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Let’s say you are gearing up for a big show, Perhaps your new cd is about to drop and you want EVERYONE to know about it so they can buy it.Before you add your entire email address book to your email , you should know what appropriate etiquette is AND what is legal and before you ever hit the send button.
Email vs Spam: If you send emails promoting your services or appearances to 10 or more people then you need to read and follow the federal CAN-SPAM act guidelines.
Build and Maintain your email list:
Here are some ideas to help you build your email list:
1. Pass around a sign up sheet at your shows.
2. Add sign up forms to your website(s).
3. Offer a free incentive to join your list (free music download or ??)
4. Add a check box on your website’s contact form giving people who email you the option to subscribe to your list.
5. At the end of your emails, ask your subscribers to forward the email to any of their friends that would like your music. Give them an incentive to help you spread the word. (see #3)
Unsubscribe option that is easy to use
Keep in mind that people's needs and interests change, Therefore if you give them a option to join, you also must give them the option to “opt-out” of your mailing list. Remember, you want your list to consist of individuals that are going to go spend money on you and your services. Don't freak out if you have a few people opting out, you want to focus on people interested in YOU.
Respond / interact with your fans: One of the most important things artists can do to build their fan base is to communicate with your fans! Even the biggest stars follow this advice to communicate with their fans Even a simple note saying Thank you for sending a friend request, following a tweet goes a long way in building repoire.
NEVER send attachments: DO NOT send emails with attachments! Clogging your fan’s inboxes with huge files that people don’t want, will result in your fan’s no longer following you AND the risk of spreading virus’s to your email list of subscribers which will have the same result!
Measuring your success: Smart Artists recognize opportunities to learn more about their fans by tracking metrics send a download link vs a attachment. This allows you to track analytics, so you can track the number of clicks, downloads. If no-one is downloading your music, don't you want to know ?
Are you currently using a email service to connect with your fan base? I would love to hear who your favorite service is in the comment section below!
References:
Can Spam act of 2003:
http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus61-can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business
Photo credit: http://writespeaksell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/email-etiquette.jpg
