As a professional side-man (side-woman), I’ve spent over a decade playing bass and singing backgrounds for some of the biggest names in the business. In my seven years on the road with Sugarland, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with special guests including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, the B-52s, Kenny Chesney, and many others. I love performing, connecting with fans, and witnessing the music transform and transport the audience to a different place; a place where they, like me, can let the music wash over them and release their fears, judgments, and stresses and just be free. It’s a high like no other.
I know how powerful a musical connection can be. It can last a lifetime. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve worked to maintain these connections with people long after the show is over. Now more than ever, it’s so important to maintain a presence with people relevant to your line of work; in my case, this includes fans, other musicians, people in all facets of the music industry, and beyond. Social media is king, and especially in the entertainment world, people expect a daily glimpse into the lives of those they admire.
Now I am by no stretch a celebrity. But when the spotlight brushes past and someone in the audience is inspired to track me down in cyberspace with a kind note on my message board, I always respond with gratitude and ask permission to add them to my Mad Mimi email list. Over the years, I’ve realized that it’s far more valuable (and fun) to build personal relationships one by one with a small group of loyal fans than to pay for things like Facebook ads that don’t really endear me to anyone. When I receive permission from a fan to be a part of their life, it’s the beginning of an ongoing journey—one that lasts much longer than the constantly changing landscape of social media. And with Facebook now intentionally limiting views from your audience in an effort to make you pay for ads, emails are paramount when it comes to getting critical information out to your world.
But it has to be personal. Everything is personal now. The Mad Mimi platform allows me to customize my monthly newsletter with a banner, links to the artists’ music and websites, photos, and tour schedules—everything my audience needs to know where I am and when we can connect again. What I also love about Mimi is the ease in which I can create different groupings of people and tailor my newsletters to each audience without anyone receiving an email twice, even though some people may be on two or more of the lists receiving my email that day. I can track my promotions, know which ones are more successful than others, and refine my output based on that valuable data.
In today’s economy, a self-employed individual often juggles several things to form an overarching career. In my case, I tour roughly nine months out of the year, teach a few students when I’m home, run a small merchandise company, help my husband market his production company Sorted Noise, and work with our nonprofit Music That Moves. I use Mad Mimi for each of these pieces that comprise my career. I rely on Mimi to keep all my contacts organized into various networks so I can get the right message to the right person, every time. For example, a Nashville music publisher may be interested in Sorted Noise’s cocktail party or a showcase I’m playing in town, but not the monthly special I’m running on guitar-pick earrings on my website.
To that end, here are a few tactics I employ when it comes to staying in touch…
Annie Clements’ Guide to Effective Email Marketing
Infuse Your Email Newsletter with Personality
People are bombarded everyday with spam, offers, and specials. But if they’ve opted into your list, they like you. Give them something to like! I always share tidbits from the road, a lesson I’ve learned, or even just bemoan the fact that it’s the outdoor festival season and I refuse to wear shorts on stage, even in the 100-degree heat. Give them a glimpse of your personality and why the things in your mailer are important to you. Keep it real, yo.
Don’t Overload Your Audience with Watered-Down Content
I send a mailer just about every month to fans with the upcoming tour schedule, news on new artists with whom I’m working, links to performances on television or music videos, and info on Skype lessons—anything related to my musical career. If I don’t have much on the docket, I’ll wait and send the newsletter when there’s more info to include. I never want to be the boy (girl) who cried wolf, and I want as many eyeballs on my newsletter as I can get. People trust that if they’re getting a newsletter from me, it’s full of news.
Give Your Audience the “Why”
WHY should someone read your newsletter? What’s in it for them? I always craft my email newsletter with this in mind. People follow my adventures because they are just that: adventures. I tour with many different artists on many different levels, and my fans won’t necessarily connect musically with every one of them. But they like hearing about the road less traveled and a life lived chasing a dream. If I only sent a tour schedule in my newsletter, it wouldn’t be very interesting to most of my audience. Think about things from the reader’s perspective and write from that place. What would prompt you to open an email?
Last month, I got a reply to my newsletter from a fan who said, “I’m always so excited to get your letter, it’s like Christmas when I see it in my inbox!” I was truly blown away by those words. Sharing my music and my story are what drive me. Getting the feedback that it brightens someone’s day and makes a difference in their lives is what keeps me going. Mad Mimi puts me in the driver’s seat to keep chasing this crazy dream. So thanks to them for making a tool that is so valuable and easy to use, and thanks to YOU for taking the time to read my story!
Bon voyage!
-Annie
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To sign up for Annie’s mailing list, shoot an email to clementineindustries@gmail.com. Visit her website at www.annieclementsmusic.com and follow her on Facebook.