Image via missmalini.com
This article originally appeared on The DIY Musician Blog.
Did you know that 20 percent of all music sales happen in the last six weeks of the year? That makes sense, since similar end-of-year sales spikes happen for books, clothes, and almost every other product on the market (except for bug spray and bathing suits).
With the boom in sales, of course, comes a huge increase in marketing emails, too. Why? Because email is still the best way to reach people online – and everyone out there with something to sell knows it.
To make your email newsletters as effective as possible this season, they've got to cut through the rest of the noise in your fans' inboxes. Here are five ways to make sure people are seeing, opening, reading, and acting on the info in your holiday emails.
1. Give your emails a special seasonal makeover
If you've used the same template in your list management system for a while, it's time for a refresh. Spruce up the design of your emails with a holiday-themed header and some festive images, fonts, colors, etc.
2. Offer enticing pricing – for a limited time
Run a holiday sale on your CDs and other band merch. End the sale on Christmas or New Year's Eve. Fans should get a notable percentage off the usual price of the disc, or even two for one! (One purchase, two gifts!)
3. Don't be afraid to email more than once
As long as you're not sending the exact same emails, it's okay to contact your fans a few times throughout the holidays. Frequency is key. People are busy, and they might not have opened your earlier emails.
[5 Quick Email Etiquette Tips for Bands (and Everyone Else)]
4. It's not just about your latest release
You should remind your fans – even if they've already purchased your whole back catalog for themselves – that your older albums are always new to someone out there, and they make great gifts.
5. Give a present to your fans
Make sure to thank the folks out there who enjoy your music. Offer something in each holiday email that shows your appreciation – a Christmas card image with a greeting, a special holiday video, a free holiday song download, a winter-y tour diary, etc. 'Tis the season for giving back to your fans.
[3 Easy Ways to Give Back to Your Fans Around the Holidays]
Hopefully these tips help you craft email newsletters that will increase engagement and boost your sales this Christmas! Got any advice to add? Let us know in the comments section below!
Chris Robley is an indie-pop songwriter whose music has been praised by the LA Times, NPR, the Boston Globe, and more. His poems have been published or are forthcoming in Poetry magazine, Prairie Schooner, Boulevard, and others. Robley is also the editor of CD Baby's DIY Musician Blog.
