Here is the News – That Valuable Email Update

If I started off this week’s blog by saying that there is a lot to do when you’re an independent artist, I’d have to change the byline to Captain Obvious.  We all know that it’s true.  There are a lot of hats to wear.  In all likelihood, you, the indie artist, wish you could say, “The heck with everything else, I just want to perform.”

But even then, when you’re performing, you’re remembering to promote from the stage.  (Right?)  Sadly, chances are that indie artists are only promoting their new album and the fact that it’s for sale there that day.  Maybe there is other merch too that’s being talked about in between songs.  I would guess that if you’re doing more than that, it’s plugging your website.  Maybe your social media even gets a mention – in addition to or instead of the website.

There’s a valuable tool, though, that I worry is getting largely ignored.  By that I don’t even so much mean not being mentioned from the stage, but not even being used to begin with.

The email newsletter is such a valuable resource.  Use it, plug it from the stage, and yes, even have a good old fashioned physical signup sheet at your live shows for people to write their email address on.  I suggest even asking on there where they’re from.  You can, obviously, ask them to include their first and last name too.  Beyond that you’re asking for too much and too many columns might discourage them from filling it out.

Certainly there needs to be a newsletter sign-up ability on your website (which can just ask for an email address only).  (See this website’s newsletter sign-up that only asks for that – just an email address.)  And then when you do promote from the stage, you can tell people that you have a sign up form “here tonight” (and point to where) and say, “Or go to my website (say the address here) and sign up for it on there.”  Feel free to encourage them to take out their phone and do it right then!  (Scan the audience, though.  If you’re performing somewhere that you’re just background music and everyone is talking and making noise with dishes and glasses and silverware, give your best performance and the people that are listening and really are interested will approach you.)

It’s too easy to fall into thinking that Facebook Likes and Twitter followers mean that people are seeing what you want them to see regularly.  Plus, not everybody is on Facebook and not everybody is on Twitter (or Instagram, etc.), but, everyone does have an email address.

The newsletter should not be a sales piece every time it goes out, but it does give you more room (especially compared to Twitter) so that you can better inform people what you’re up to.

How often should you send it out?  I was surprised to interview someone recently for “Now Hear This Entertainment” and hear that their newsletter only goes out about once a year.  But, there’s certainly no need to send one out more than once a month.

The bad news is that it will take time to build up the list, but start with what you have and then keep working to get more people on it.  It’s one more hat to wear, but eventually you’ll see the benefits from it.