Email is the primary way that almost all businesses communicate, both internally and externally. Email can be very impersonal and frustrating, and to be good at writing emails, you need to have some basics down. When diving into an industry, it's important to know how the people inside it communicate, and how you can make your message heard by them.
To help you on your journey in the music industry, we've compiled our top tips on how to get the most out of your emails in the music business (and beyond). Check them out below!
1. Keep it simple
To get your message across efficiently, it's best to send shorter emails that get to the point. Longer emails often get overlooked because they can be too wordy without reaching any conclusion or asking for a call to action. Make sure that you read your emails before you send them and ask yourself if the message is clear enough for someone to get the gist of your email in less than 30 seconds.
2. Subject lines matter
The subject line is your opening statement and can be the decision-maker between your email getting read or not. Make sure you work on making exciting subject lines that people will want to click but don't sound too salesly. It's a tough balance, but with practice, it's something that will come to you intuitively as you get yourself out there more.
If you need some help, check out this guide on writing good subject lines.
3. Reply fast and be consistent
Make sure you are quick and engaged with your replies. Don't leave people hanging too long or send unclear/wordy responses. It's best to always keep your message coherent, clear and concise!
4. Follow up and chase things if they are important to you
If you don't hear back within a week, make sure you follow up and don't give up so quickly. People get busy and emails get lost. However, it's also important not to be annoying. If you don't hear back after two followups, then it's time to let it go and move on.
5. Know and be aware of the difference between "Reply to" and "Reply to all"
This is a very specific problem, but it's a big one that happens quite often. Make sure you are aware of who is receiving your emails every time you send them. If you are discussing something internally, make sure you don't accidentally send an email about it to the whole email chain. Inversely, if you want an email to go to everyone in the chain, make sure you reply to everyone and not just the person who sent the latest reply.
No matter how experienced you are, either scenario can still happen to you by mistake. Be careful and double-check every time before you press the send button! You might regret it if you don't.
6. Make yourself a nice signature
An email signature goes a long way. Not only does it give you a professional first impression, but it also allows new contacts to find you in other ways. Make sure to link to your social media pages and include your phone number in your signature - it makes it a lot easier for people to get in touch with you when they need you.
For some guidance, check out this handy guide on making email signatures!
7. Check spam regularly
Spam filters are pretty good these days, but they aren't perfect. Be sure to check your spam filter regularly. You wouldn't want the opportunity of a lifetime to be missed and left unread in your spam folder without you knowing.
8. Update your name and profile picture
Using a good profile picture and including your title or some relevant information in your title helps you stand out and creates a mental association between you and your brand. Give your email profile some thought before settling on your look, and make sure you're aware exactly how your profile comes across as when you appear in someone's inbox.
