So You Wanna Be A Rock 'N Roll Star!

A Lead is the marketing term given to describe the contact names in your database. For example, if someone signed up on your mailing list at a gig, that's a Lead and it might "lead" to something else...

"It's Leads Stupid!" is a term that my dad has used for as long as I can remember.

There are many database programs to choose from such as ACT, Access or FileMaker. All of them are good, but FileMaker, while the most difficult of the three, is the most customizable. I use FileMaker for The Indie Music Forum database and love the flexibility that it offers.

If the database that you're using is not one of the above mass marketed brands, just make sure that it is able to import and export files in a variety of different formats. It should also allow you to add an unlimited amount of customized fields. Some older programs did not allow for this, but most of the new ones do. In case it's helpful, these are the formats that FileMaker allows me to import and export in: (.dbf, .wk1, .tab, .csv, .htm, .slk, .dif, .bas, .mer, .fp3) This means that I am able to import most lists that I am supplied with as well as being able to supply most formats that people request of me.

Always continue to build your database! It is crucial to both the planning and promotion of any event! The more people that you have in your database, the more successful your events will be.

Consolodate all of your address books! You want to be able to go to one source for all your contact needs. Prospects, customers, vendors, personal. You also want your contacts easily accessible for mailing purposes. A crucial element of all marketing and promotion.
Always promote your mailing list in any promotion that you do and especially on your Web site. In fact, every page of your Web site should have a “Mailing List” link at the top of your page.
Gather contact information from people that you meet. Sometimes it's awkward to ask for a business card. Here's a tip, follow The Handshake Rule. If you've just met someone and you shake their hand hello or goodbye, I would say that the introduction was formal enough feel comfortable asking for their business card. Try slipping in your request when you say goodbye. E.g. “Great to meet you. Do you have a business card on you?” or “Yes, it was good to meet you too. Do you have a business card on you?”
Make sure that if you add new contact information that comes to you in emails. Although this does not mean collecting information from people that you do not have personal contact with. My rule of thumb. If I send a personal email, I add that person to my database. Also, if you're on someone else's mailing list, it's safe to add them to your own list. IMPORTANT! Never copy the emails in the “To” line of an email. This is called “Spam” and it causes anywhere from slight irritation to outright anger from most people.
At your gig or event, have someone walk around the room with a mailing list form on a clipboard. I suggest that you start walking around about three songs into the set. Many times you can leave the clipboard with one person and it will float around the room by itself. Don't forget to attach a pen! If you don't have someone to do this for you, at the very least, leave it in one spot and announce it's locations as many times as you are comfortable. The more the better! You can also try to have people sign up on your mailing list as they come in the door. See if you can get the doorman to have people sign up as they walk in the door. If there are a ton of names on the list at the end of the night, you should consider throwing a little something the doorman's way. Cash works fine ($5-$10), but you can also give out a CD or T-shirt or offer to buy them a drink. Remember, these names are valuable.
Consider a mailing list swap with another band or company. This should not be entered into lightly and the recipients should be aware of the swap. Consider a testimonial from the band or company that you are swapping with to increase the credibility of a mailing from an unknown entity. You should also ask the other party to do the same. Ideally, you should only work with those that you feel comfortable recommending. Is it to their benefit to receive information form them? If the answer is, “yes, the band rocks” or “yes, they're throwing a great event, or they're providing a really valuable product or service”
Treat your list well and they will spread the word. Provide your list with “offers” that they can redeem and always offer to send the same offer to a friend! Referrals are a great way to acquire new prospects. Some offers could include: Special Pricing, Catalog, Helpful Information, Premium (Gift), Money Back Guarantee, Buy one, get one free, volume discount, newsletter or contest.
Keep your list clean! As you send out mailers or emails mark the records that come back as undeliverable. I have a field that I mark, “Bad Address” if mailers come back, and “Bad Email” if emails come back. When I do mailings, I have the search criteria OMIT those particular records so that I don't waste postage, or time searching records that I've already marked as “bad email”. I would recommend this over deleting the records so that if you get updated info you can simply amend your current record rather than creating a new one. Tip: Every so often, send an email to all your bad addresses asking for people to get back to you if they receive your message. Sometimes servers go down and a bounced back message doesn't necessarily mean a bad email address.

If you have any other great ideas about increasing your database, please share them with me at cb@IndieMusicForum.com