EMAIL AUTOPSY: CONJURER
Updates with personality? From a band?! Excellent!
Many thanks to RH, our first reader-submitted specimen for EMAIL AUTOPSY!
If you’re new here, I dissect email campaigns from bands and labels, breaking them down to show how other metal folks do it!
This week we have the mighty Conjurer from the UK, who signed to Nuclear Blast back in February.
SUBJECT LINE: ‘We're Back, Baby’ from Conjurer
CLINICAL SUMMARY: Laid back tone from a laid back bunch of guys. I had the pleasure to talk to these guys a few times over the years, and the messaging here totally reflects their chill demeanor.
Above is a good example of “giving.”
Yes, we sign up to get updates from bands all the time. And 99% of the time those emails are pretty self-serving; pre-order our album, watch our video, buy our shirt. And that’s fine - we know what we’re signing up for!
But then Conjurer goes ahead and does something like this, linking you to another band entirely.
This is a nice surprise, and they’re linking to a good band. Perhaps they’ll link to another band in their next email? Oooh, that means I better open their next email they send, right? SMART.
Turns out Sugar Horse is pretty good, too.
HEAVY METAL EMAIL RECOMMENDS: If you’re a goofball, be a goofball in your email marketing. Don’t ever be afraid to share you personality throughout your messaging.
“The more consistent you are with voice and tone, the more recognizable your brand will be to customers who receive your email. That consistency helps your email stand out from all of the other messages in their inbox,” Square
“In general, your marketing is better served with a more personal touch that lends it some distinctness. This is especially true in an age where society craves authenticity,” Axel & Associates
“Blueprinted emails quickly bore the boots off your readers,” says Copy Blogger. Think about it - how many bands just say “new album out now,” or “check out our tour dates?” Don’t be afraid to spice things up.
BLACK FRIDAY IS COMING UP!
Consider sending an email on Monday (Nov 22) with some sort of offer for the week - you’re competing with Target and BestBuy, along with family get togethers, and travel, so make it easy for your audience to purchase something from you this week. Send sooner than later.
Don’t worry about being “spammy” by sending an email campaign to your audience this coming week.
“Spam” is unwanted, not relevant, a waste of time.
But your audience signed up to get your updates! They bought something from you. They gave you their email address.
Lead with a photo that you posted to Instagram that got a lot of likes. Expand on the original caption (not everyone saw that post in the first place). Include a story - a wild Thanksgiving memory, a show you went to, something from your youth.
Then, sure… include that record you put out earlier this year, or that zine you printed over the summer. IT’S OKAY. Especially during the holidays. Give your fans a chance to support you!
Speaking of Black Friday, I’m doing a Black Friday GIVE AWAY. Enter to win a 45-minute call with me, and we can talk about your email marketing - enter here.
Things we can talk about:
How to get people from socials to your email list
Setting up Mailchimp or Substack
Planning a regular schedule to send campaigns
Two winners, ends at midnight PT on Black Friday.
As always - get in touch at seth@closemondays.com or reply to this email. Ask a question, send me fun emails, let me know what you’re working on!
Closing thoughts:
