How To Make A Mailing List
Connect with 
A newsletter that announces updates to all of your fans.
Estimated Cost: FREE
Estimated Time: 1 hour preparation with immediate results.
Indie Guide Categories: Mailing Lists
What Do You Need to Do This
- An email address or mailing list service
- Fan contact information
- Details of your latest news
Edit What's Needed View History
Directions
1. Create an email address to send messages or find a mailing list service.
The email address you create should be different form your personal account. Make it your band name, or something very close to it that your fans will easily recognize in their in-box. There are also many mailing list services that will send the updates out for you and help you manage your fans' information. Some of these services cost money so you will need to find one that works for your budget. Click here to get started by browsing our listing of mailing list providers.
2. Write a privacy policy that is shown on the mailing list sign up page.
A privacy policy assures your fans that you will not sell their private information and that you will only contact them with the information they have requested. Click here to learn how to write a privacy policy. You should also include a link somewhere in each mailing list to this privacy policy so subscribers can find it easily.
3. Be sure to BCC everyone on the list for each newsletter sent.
If you forget to do this, each subscriber's email address will be visible to the whole group. Make sure to address each email to the band's address in the To: field and then add all of your fans' addresses under the BCC: field. There is email list software available to help you manage subscribers, make templates, and click tracking. We recommend PHPlist and Ezine Director.
4. Brand your mailing list.
The mailing list should look like your band's website. You could even give it a name and use the colors and images from your brand toolbox. Click here to learn how to create your own brand toolbox.
5. Write about the most exciting news.
Here are some ideas of things you should announce in your mailing list:
- your upcoming shows
- new songs, merchandise and how to hear/buy them
- success stories, reviews and links to any press coverage
- new photos, videos
- upcoming projects
These updates should be brief and contain all of the basic information like who, what, when, where. It is also necessary to call fans to action. If you want them to check out a new song, tell them exactly how to do it.
6. Add the following important information:
- A subject line that includes your name and the date or issue number
- Information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe from your list
- Basic contact information
- Copyright information, we recommend using a Creative Commons license so fans can feel free to share your letters
7. Double check your spelling and grammar and have an editor check it before sending.
This will help you avoid any embarrassing mistakes.
8. Avoid spamming your subscribers.
Limit your mailing list updates to one a month. If some special event comes up or anything that is time sensitive, feel free to drop a short message to everyone. But definitely limit this as much as possible.
9. Get more people to sign up for your list!
Live shows are a great place to get people to sign up for your list. Click here to find out how to get people to sign up for your mailing list at live shows.
Next Steps
There is nothing to do after completing this.
References
There are no references for this.