How to start an email list (for artists)
It's as easy as starting an email list
Hello - let’s cut right to the chase shall we?
You aren’t here because you don’t know how to start an email list.
You’re here because you don’t believe you know how to grow an email list.
Otherwise, you would’ve googled “how to start an email list” instead of reading this.
I’M IN YOUR HEAD.
But while I have you, let me ask….
Why don’t you think you can grow an email list?
You seem like a savvy person… and you obviously believe in your art enough to be reading this zinger of a SubStack….
So why the apprehension…. why the nerves?
Well, no need to worry, let me guide you along the way.
HOW TO START AN EMAIL LIST:
Google “email artist list first time cheap”. Sign up for whatever is cheapest.
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And now for what you really came for…
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……
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HOW TO GROW AN EMAIL LIST
(FOR ARTISTS)
Step One: The “opt-in”
The opt-in is the exact moment that someone gives you their information and allows you to contact them.
(Think of the moment you submit your email for a 15% off coupon.….. or text FOOD NOW to a random number to download a food delivery app.)
It’s an incredibly powerful moment in digital marketing, because it allows you to reach your audience DIRECTLY, instead of relying on algorithms or paid ads to put you in front of them.
The reason why every platform you probably use (Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, etc) doesn’t share your audiences information with you is because you’d no longer need the platform to connect with them
For example, if I have 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify (I do not 😞), that is 100,000 people that I have NO WAY of contacting about a new single release without relying on Spotify to put it in front of them.
So building an email list allows you to own your relationship with your audience, which means it’s wayyyyyy easier (and cheaper) to reach them.
So….
With all that being said….
How do we get someone to opt-in to YOUR email list?
Well, like literally anything in life, it all depends on your ability to give more than you get.
To get someone to opt-in, you need to provide value in exchange for their information.
No one will share their information unless they believe there is a tangible benefit on the other side of the opt-in.
Make sense so far? Chug some water and let’s keep rolling.
Step Two: The value exchange
Here’s where…. like all things….. it gets philosophical.
So far we know that:
We need to to get people to opt-in to our email list
We need to provide “value” to get them to opt-in
So now, the question becomes……………
………..
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“Well…….. what value do I have?”
… and here lies the real reason for the apprehension around building an email list.
To get someone to opt-in to your email list means that you believe you have something of value to share….
…and that can be a yucky feeling for artists.
We all want people to magically support our art without us asking.
We want to be cool, we want to be nonchalant.
So creating a value exchange can be really uncomfortable, because we’re forced to actually ask ourselves “what value do I actually bring to the table?”.
NOW….
For those of you who’s knee jerk reaction to that question is:
“Awww well wittle old me doesn’t provide any weal value….. 😢”
I’m going to stop you right there.
Obviously you believe that you have something of value worth sharing, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this ZINGER OF A SUBSTACK.
The real reason you feel uncomfortable with creating a value exchange is because it’s incredibly embarrassing when someone says “no".
It’s incredibly painful to put yourself out there, only to realize that people don’t want what you’re selling.
For example, I end every SubStack begging you free loaders TO SUBSCRIBE…. but alas, a large portion of you never do.
“You got me, Michael, that was a smooth integration into your writing!”
And every time someone says no,
(like many of you just did)
it does hurt, I won’t lie.
But without these failures, we can’t hone in on what the audience really wants.
Which just leaves you paralyzed (and with no email list).
Rejection is not an unwanted symptom of creating a value-exchange… it’s a requirement.
Step Three: Testing
Ok we’re in the weeds now, so let’s recap what we’ve learned so far.
We need people to opt-in to our email list
To get them to opt-in, we need to provide value
“I don’t have value” is a fake objection. You clearly believe some aspect of your art has value otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this
The real thing holding you back is the fear (and inevitability) of rejection
Rejection is necessary to get data on what is/isn’t working
So…
You’ll notice that (4) and (5) are directly in conflict with each other, which is why so many folks give up trying to build an email list.
Like always, fear is the real roadblock. The rest is just problem-solving.
So how do we move past (4) so we can actually start testing strategies?
Well, dear friend, the only way to deal with the debilitating, crippling, all-consuming feeling of rejection…….
…….. is to do something you believe in.
If rejection is inevitable, then you need to pick something you’re proud to get rejected for.
For example, if my opt-in strategy was:
“Sign up for my email list and when I reach 100 subscribers I’ll do a free show for blind orphans”
I wouldn’t feel embarrassed if someone didn’t opt-in to my email list because…. well…. it’s a nice thing that THEY’RE choosing not to participate in.
(This is just an example……I’d never perform for blind orphans. My pyrotechnics would be totally wasted.)
So the best way to hedge against embarrassment is to pick something you genuinely believe is valuable.
A real-world example….
I believe I have a unique ability to translate fundamental business concepts to artists.
Instead of writing articles like this, my original plan for “translating fundamental business concepts to artists” was to make YouTube videos….
And I did. I filmed one.
It’s on a hard drive somewhere.
It was, uhhhhh, how you say……. not good.
The whole debacle was embarrassing and uncomfortable…. but it didn’t make me question my belief in my ability to translate fundamental business concepts to artists.
It just meant that I chose the wrong format to deliver that skillset.
So that night I went home and started this SubStack instead. (And it’s extremely good according to my aunt-in-law.)
My belief in my skillsets and the mission of educating artists about fundamental business concepts was the only way I was able to move past (4) and actually start testing some strategies.
But if each time you’re faced with rejection you get embarrassed and flip the Monopoly board…
You’ll be stuck at step (4) for all of eternity.
Step Four: Putting it all together
Ok, I understand that all of this is a bit “in-the-clouds”, so let’s start grounding these concepts.
Sign up for an email provider. Laylo is a good one for musicians, but any email provider (mail chimp, etc) will do.
Set up an opt-in page. Every email provider is different.. but they will all have an ability to create an opt-in form that you can share on your website, socials, etc, so folks can sign up for your email list.
Construct a value exchange based on what you truly believe in. If you believe you are an amazing vocalist, try offering a free vocal coaching video or a “behind the scenes” vocal production tutorial.
If it turns out no one wants a free vocal coaching video, don’t give up, just use this new data to repeat step (3) more effectively.
Your ability to QUICKLY cycle through steps (3) and (4) without getting embarrassed, dejected, or jaded will determine how successful you are.
Eventually, if you can remain self-aware and motivated, you will find value exchanges that resonate with your audience, and the opt-ins will start flowing.
A few more final notes:
KEEP IT CHEAP
Chances are, it’s going to take a while to find a value exchange that resonates with your audience. So don’t drop $5k on an “exclusive music video” until you know that people actually want it. Find value exchanges that require little to no overhead so you can pivot quickly if needed.
ANALYZE YOUR AUDIENCE
This sounds obvious, but part of constructing an effective value exchange is understanding who your audience actually is. If a majority of your fans are guitar players, then it’s probably worth considering how you can incorporate guitar somehow into your value exchange.
DON’T ASK FOR MORE THAN ONE THING
The most common trap artists fall into is mistaking a “value-exchange” with simply asking for two things. Asking for someone’s email to presave your new single isn’t a value-exchange, it’s just two things for you (their email + a presave). That’s why presave campaigns suck…. they’re basically just a favor…. and favors aren’t value exchanges.
CHILL OUT
Building an email list, like making music, requires a lot of creativity, failure, and testing. Failure is quite literally part of the process, so when it happens, don’t get worked up about it. If you can’t fail publicly (and rapidly), then you will have much bigger problems as an artist than just building an email list. Relax, accept that it will be embarrassing at times, and enjoy the ride.
READ BETWEEN THE LINES
You’ll notice I didn’t prescribe anything specific in this article. That’s because each artist is unique and will have their own strengths, insecurities, beliefs, and audiences. Don't wait for someone to chew up and spit out EXACTLY what you need to do to get started, instead, take these concepts and trust your intuition. Try thinking through problems instead of immediately assuming you don’t know what you’re doing. This is not difficult work, it’s just emotionally confusing.
Now…
I could legitimately go on forever about this topic… but I’m out of jokes and my neck has this pinchy feeling that’s really starting to piss me off.
So if you found this article valuable, I ask that you kindly share it with a friend who might need it by clicking the button below.
*cough*
……
Don’t be scared of business and it won’t be scared of you.
If you have questions on this topic, please comment them below and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
Now be fruitful and go fail.
🫡⚔️🫡⚔️🫡⚔️🫡⚔️
- Michael from MAD Records
The only thing you have to fear is fear itself!
Thanks for the article, Michael you posses an incredible talent of writing and engaging readers .It’s Rare.