This morning I took myself on a little cyber tour of independent artist websites, and I was shocked.
Actually, horrified is more like it.
I randomly visited the websites of four singers, two singer/songwriters, two jazz guitarists, two visual artists and one trombone player. And from what I found on those websites, it seems that not one of these artists has any desire to build their fan base, because they either made it next to impossible to find out how to sign-up for their mailing list, or they had the teeniest, tiniest sign-up form squished into some obscure nook of every webpage. AND not one, NOT ONE of these artists offered me any reason to want to sign up for their email list.
You guys are killing me here!
How are you going to build a fan-base this way!
How are you going to invite me to your next show, get me interested in who you are as an artist and turn me into a loyal fan if you don’t have a way to connect with me!
Your website should make it obvious and easy for your visitors and potential fans to sign-up for your email list. Your opt-in form needs to be on every page of your website where I can see it!
AND you have to give me a reason to want to be on your mailing list, because let’s face it. No one really wants to be on another mailing list. It’s a hard sell these days. You have to offer your potential fan something great, something exclusive and something unique to get them to fork over their email address.
Do not slap up an opt-in form with the phrase: “Join the Mailing List!” That is not sexy. That is not compelling. That is one big turn off. If you tell me to join the mailing list, my brain is going to ask “Why the heck should I? What’s in it for me?” If I give you permission to email me, what am I going to get out of it.
Potential fans could be coming to your website because they found a link on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or a Google search, but that is of zero value to you if you don’t get their email address. They may have just heard your music, been to one of your shows, and they googled you, found your site and maybe even wanted to sign-up for your mailing list but they couldn’t figure out how! Because they couldn’t find the sign-up form and they got tired of looking for it!
Go. Now! Go fix your website! Get that opt-on on every page so I can SEE it, and make me an offer I simply cannot refuse! If you need help with this, you know where to find me. Or you can post questions on the Firecracker Communications Facebook Page and I’ll be happy to answer them there.
Until then… put a lot of Love in your marketing… and into your opt-in!