Building a mailing list is a challenge when you’re not touring. That’s what I think as I’m trying to build my mailing list while I’m not touring. Lately I’ve been going through my email list (which is a big job). I don’t know whether people don’t want free stuff, or it just goes into their junk mail and they never see it, or they see my name and run screaming… Or maybe people are just tired of people asking you to join their list in the first place. As a subscriber of many different newsletters myself, I do think that sending out more than one email a week to your list is annoying. I don’t care who you are, LOA people. Is that bad Karma saying that out loud? We just get too much crap in our in boxes and there is not enough time in the day to read it all…and with the certain groups who mail too much (I’m not talking about musicians, but companies in general), are usually asking you to buy something. No hey, how are ya, it’s My Brilliant Friend has this book,CD, DVD (fill in the blank), that I know you just can’t live without! Just for once I would like them to offer me some good advice and that’s it. It’s kind of like people who seek donations. If I like your cause, I’ll phone you…if you phone me, you’ll just piss me off. Maybe I’m just feeling the inbox influx blues. Hey, is there a song in that somewhere?On the other hand, if you’re on tour and you get people to sign up for your newsletter at your shows, you’re getting people’s addresses who have just seen you and who are one step closer to subscribing to your mailing list anyway.I guess mining through the in box is kinda like cold-calling for donations. You take your chances that someone is interested enough in your newsletter to actually opt in…the difference is, I’m not asking for a donation, I’m giving you an mp3…for FREE. But as I make my way through my inbox, there is always the thought that I can gain a new fan or they’ll pass it on to someone who may be a potential fan. I guess it’s a crapshoot, but isn’t getting airplay on the radio a crapshoot? I’d rather be trying and maybe winding up deleted, then not trying at all. What do you think?
Oh, BTW, to join my mailing list: http://www.reverbnation.com/robinbrock?add_email=true you will receive a FREE mp3 of Fuel, the first UK single from my newest CD Monsters YAY!
