MUSIC INDUSTRY BLOG

Whether you’re tricking out your MySpace page or performing at your local venue, you should always consider the things you can do to collect more email addresses.

Believe me, there is nothing more important than your email list…

…Except what you do with it!

Using an online newsletter service allows you to create gorgeous newsletter designs yourself, turn new fans into subscribers, track how many of your readers are actually reading your message, and schedule promotional campaigns.

It’s powerful marketing on autopilot, simpler than you thought possible and more potent than you probably realize.

Of all the newsletter services I’ve used, Mad Mimi is the friendliest.

But for good measure, here is a list of some other newsletter tools, some that I’ve tried and some that I haven’t:

Campaigner
ConstantContact
Emma
FanBridge
FanReach
Graphicmail
iContact
LetterPop
MailChimp
MyNewsletterBuilder
Newsberry

Music marketing is hard. Really hard.

I have made all the rookie mistakes and then some.

From building websites to building an email list, I have spent a small fortune creating my business. Had I known then what I know today, I could have saved thousands of dollars, spared myself countless sleepless nights, and achieved the success I enjoy today much sooner.

If you’re already enjoying the success you deserve, read no further.

But if you’re feeling disgruntled with the music industry, frustrated with the promise of a multitude of internet services, and darn right pissed off that all the work you’re doing isn’t paying off, please read on. I’ll make it short.

Secret #1: Email Is The Holy Grail
Whether you’re tricking out your MySpace page or performing at your local venue, always think about what you can do to collect more email addresses. Believe me, there is nothing of greater importance than your email list. If you’re not using a professional email service, start now.

Secret #2: Passive Radio Is Passé
Massive online radio sites get your music in front of targeted music fans. They are not your average passive radio listeners, they are music fanatics feverishly searching for music just like yours. Yeah, you have to pay for the privilege, but the exposure you get in return is guaranteed and trackable. In the music biz, it’s hard to find that kind of bang-for-your-buck value. Jango Airplay is the largest online radio promotion service I know of. Are you on it?

Secret #3: Get Professional Help
Whether it’s your songwriting or your marketing (or anything else), never underestimate the value of expert advice. We Are Listening provides professional assessments for songs and lyrics. It’s what we know and what we’re good at. But you can find a service, coach or consultant for any project you wish to fast track to success. The humility required to ask for help and receive critical feedback is the mark of an independent artist and entrepreneur that people want to listen to and associate with. Personally, I can use all the help I can get!

Related Posts
Jango Airplay
Email & Newsletter Marketing Services
Song Contest & Critique Status Manager

Further to the Email & Newsletter Marketing Services post, I wanted to add another player in the game: FanBridge.  The service advertises an email and mobile fan list management bundle, something the competition I mentioned earlier does not.  It’s also exclusively tailored for musicians which is a plus.  Their free account is enticing with a 400 messages a month limit and the paid plans are certainly cheaper than their rivals’ at $12 for 10,000 messages a month, with a significant discount to larger plan commitments.  One of FanBridge’s unique selling points is the free branded browser toolbar which allows artists to syndicate their news and content to their fanbase, drive traffic, and communicate directly without the need for an email or mobile client.  Conduit is a pioneer of this technology if you’d like to learn more.

Learn more about email marketing.

We Are Listening’s first web-based newsletter client was Constant Contact, a fiddly system with customer support reps reminiscent of US immigration officers.  Geared toward corporate email marketing and communication, the company boasts a huge client-base and offers a 60 day free trial with restrictions.  After one year, we moved to Emma which I loved!  Their user interface is gorgeous and they clearly invested into attractive newsletter templates and superb design features, albeit the most expensive web-based newsletter service I stumbled upon.  Customer support was also fabulous.  In fact, I remember sending a newsletter out about an up-coming trip to Nashville and one of Emma’s reps picked up on it and invited me to visit their offices in town.  Nice, huh?  With Emma, you have to pay set-up fees rather than enjoy trial runs but, if you can afford it, the service ? and its savvy team ? will consistently add value to your marketing efforts (from my experience).  Mad Mimi is my most recent discovery.  If we had not developed our own newsletter system last year, that’s where I would invest my newsletter marketing dollar today.  From the outset, the service is uber cool and does away with unnecessary features.  It’s easy to use and looks fantastic.  One of the founders, a charming South African bassist by the name of Gary Levitt, attended Berklee College of Music with me.  In a recent conversation, he seemed pumped about Mad Mimi’s commitment to a “sensible”, no-bull web service that’s both design conscious and user friendly.  Mad Mimi is cheaper than Emma and offers a “100 contact free trial”.  I recommend signing-up and playing with it.  iContact is another consideration and seems to be making a splash at the moment.  Offering a 15 day trial limited to 250 subscribers, the service is not as attractive as Emma or Mad Mimi in terms of design but appears to be easy to use and boasts excellent email delivery rates and server reputation.  Apparently, 9% of the company’s client-base is in the music field.  MailChimp, which I haven’t tried but I know is popular, positioned itself as a flexible service, advertising its Free Starter Plan as “perfect for bands, little league teams and groups with tiny lists”.  I’m not sure what the differentiation is but I like the UI.  I shall investigate further…