Improve Your Email Marketing in 16 Easy Steps

Ben Sword examines a few things you can do to improve the effectiveness of your email marketing and the messages you send to your fans

This is guest blogging and music marketing in action by our friend Ben Sword (AKA Chris Rockett), head coach at Music Marketing Classroom.

Email marketing is one of the best ways to do music promotion for your act. After all, your email mailing list includes folks who want to hear from you, so tell them something! While you’re at it, let’s look at a few things you can do to improve the effectiveness of the email messages you send to your fans.

First, if you have not already set up an email mailing signup form on your website, then I’m going to use the power of my mind to chain you to your computer until you do it. It’s that important. Do it today, people, not tomorrow, or the next day! Your website is a leaky bucket and your music marketing will suffer if you don’t have a way to follow up with your fans directly.

So let’s dig into this. I have personally tested this stuff and have only included the things that have shown positive results.

1. Collect subscribers on every page of your site.

2. Make sure your fans don’t have to scroll down to see your signup form. There will be people who won’t scroll down when they hit your web page which means they will never see your free music offer.

3. Create an irresistible offer for your fans to join your list and make it very clear. Try something like ”Signup to Download 7 FREE TRACKS and our latest music video!” An offer like that will set you apart from everyone else because you’re stacking the value.

4. Test different versions of your free offer to see what your fans respond to the best.

5. Sign up for your own mailing list to get an idea of how your messages are looking from the fans’ point of view. If you start to annoy yourself, then it’s time to rethink your communications.

6. Include a “Forward to a Friend” link in ALL of your emails.

7. Whatever you offer your fans in exchange for their email address, make sure you give it to them on the “Thank You” page, or in the confirmation email. This will build trust right away. If they don’t get what they signed up for within a few minutes you’re dead to them.

8. Good email marketing is like a bank – the more you put in, the more “interest” you will receive.

9. Every morning ask yourself, “What can I do to be cool to my fans today?”

10. Whenever somebody emails you through the contact form on your website, make sure you offer them the chance to join your fan list as well.

11. Go around personally after every show and offer to send enthusiastic people some free music. Then collect their email address so you can keep your promise.

12. Whenever you connect with a new contact in the music industry ask if you can add them to your list. This is like networking on autopilot and having influential music people in your gang can be very powerful as they watch your progress and become fans.

13. In every email you send, let people know what you want them to do next. This is known as a “call to action” and it does not have to be about buying your music. It can be “liking” your Facebook page or listening to your newly recorded tune on YouTube. Every connection with your fans should have a call to action.

14. If your list is large enough, split test the subject lines of your emails to see what your fans respond to the most.

15. To come up with catchy subject lines, go through your own email inbox and look for the emails you always open first. Ask yourself why that is and then use what you learn to make your own subject lines POP!

16. Set up a series of auto-responders to introduce new fans to your musical world. You want to get them engaged in your story and ultimately lead them towards financially supporting your work.

Want more email advice? Check out this video!

P.S. If you enjoyed this and want to learn more, check out my free Music Marketing Cheat Sheets.

Email icon image via ShutterStock.com.

Ben Sword is the founder of the Music Marketing Classroom, whose mission is to empower musicians to create a sustainable income, even with a modest music career, and teaches a simple four-step marketing philosophy to achieve that goal. Learn more at MusicMarketingClassroom.com.

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