The Email Newsletter for Independent Musicians
A common struggle we all face as independent musicians is getting the word out about our new releases. You've exhausted your wallet from paid Instagram ads and feel exasperated with the TikTok algorithm. Fear not - there is a free, easy way to connect directly with your audience and deliver your news to their mailbox.
The email newsletter!
The Email Newsletter is a direct outreach method known for efficiently yielding results across many industries. Direct outreach is a method of marketing that incorporates frequent, proactive contact with potential customers or listeners through methods like email, "cold calls," direct messaging, and other imaginative approaches for audience engagement and relationship building. During traditional work hours, most working adults check their emails more frequently throughout the day than on their social media channels. Your listeners will never miss anything in an email!
By emailing current listeners and people in your personal and professional network, you are cultivating long-term relationships by regularly updating them about your projects.
Who do I add to my email list?
If you feel like it's random to add people to your mailing list, you're not alone. As long as you have people's explicit permission, adding EVERYONE YOU KNOW to this list is a stepping stone towards further awareness of your projects. Including your family, friends, professional connections, and folks you meet at your live gigs will broaden your listener base without being invasive. You can also create a link to post to your social media accounts, allowing people to register for your email newsletter.
Where should I send the emails from? You will need to sign up for an Email Platform. MailChimp is easy to use and has a free option (even I use it!). You must also create an official artist email address (Example: YourNameMusic@gmail.com).
When should I send emails? Some opportunities to send out Email Newsletters are:
Announcing your show schedule
Announcing each time you book a new show
Providing a Sale Code for the Ticket Link
Show Day/Show Week
Significant Events (release parties, giveaways, live streams, potential merchandise, milestones [the song reaching 10k plays on Spotify or winning a contest], et cetera).
Spreading awareness for a giveaway you are running
Merchandise availability or sale
What should my newsletter contain?
Header: usually a logo or a distinct font choice.
Main Photo: This can be any photo, artwork, or flier relevant to the newsletter's content.
Title Text: Example, "NEW SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: September 24 at Loretta's Last Call!"
A small body of text: Provide 3-4 sentences with links ("Click here to grab tickets!")
Hidden Links: Add your main link to all photos and key places in the text.
Final Sentence: Thank your readers for taking this journey with you.
Signoff: It can be anything! Love, YourName. XOXO, YourName. Make it your own!
Footer: This area is at the newsletter's bottom and customizable for social media links.
You can view a template for Live Music Emails here.
Should I personalize each email?
Studies show that personalized emails (including the recipient's name or a unique blurb within the email just for them) are 22% more likely to be opened. MailChimp and Constant Contact have features to personalize each newsletter you send out.
Tips for perfecting your email newsletter:
Creative Titles: Think of how many regular marketing emails you get daily from clothing stores, your favorite coffee shop, or crowdsourcing platforms like GoFundMe. How many of those emails do you open? Short, sweet, and subject-relevant email titles are imperative for piquing the recipient's interest. Break out your thesaurus and get creative with your word choices!
Mobile Viewing: Before you send your emails, make sure that the formatting on a mobile device is clean and easy to read. Recipients may close an email immediately if it is illegible on a mobile device.
Links Everywhere: When adding details to your newsletter, ensure every image, title, and reference to your new project links to the source. Recipients should be able to access your announcement or project from multiple points throughout the message.
Branding: Keep your colors, fonts, and photos consistent with the rest of your branding. For instance, if you always use a serif font and earth tones in your branding, your email newsletter should also use a serif font and earth tones. Now is not the time to switch to neon yellow bubble letters!
Have you created an email newsletter before? Did it work for you? Let me know in the comments!
