Here Dave Ruch looks at an area of marketing where most artists can use improvement: the email signature. Prime real estate that is often underutilized, this piece explores how to use your email signature as a form of lite marketing with every email sent.

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By Dave Ruch , from CD Baby's from CD Baby's DIY Musician blog. It originally appeared on Dave's website.

Your Email Signature: Missed Opportunity?

Here’s something you can do today – right now, even – to spruce up your marketing a bit and, ultimately, help you book more gigs.Take a look at your email signature, aka that little section at the bottom of each email where you sign your name.What does it say after your name?If yours is like most email signatures, there’s probably some room for improvement.This is prime real estate, after all. When you’re communicating with someone about a potential booking, you have your ideal customer’s attention focused right there for a minute, don’t you?So, let’s make the most of that opportunity.

Marketing With Your Email Signature

Seven Ideas to Maximize That Prime Real Estate

Mix and match these concepts as you see fit.

#1 – The Basics

If you’re not linking to your website, including a phone number, and saying something about what you do, start today.Example (BAD):Dave RuchExample (BETTER):Dave Ruchwww.daveruch.com – this would be “clickable” of course716-884-6855Example (BEST):Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching Artistwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855

#2 – Any notable affiliations

Have you won any awards? Been named to any artist rosters?Your signature is a great place to leverage that “social proof.”Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855

#3 – A great testimonial or two

Other people’s words carry a lot more weight than anything we can say about ourselves, and when that other person is a respected name (or works in the same field as the recipient of your email), those words really matter.

By including a powerful quote or two, you’re helping to reinforce the fact that you’re a professional and you’re well respected for what you do.

Not sure how to get good testimonials? Try this (see #4).Of course, the quotes you use will likely change depending on who it is you’re emailing and what kinds of performances you’re trying to book.I have several signatures I use for different purposes, all with different quotes.Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855“Life changing – hire this guy NOW!” – Bob Dylan(ok, I made that one up…)

#4 – The one video you really want them to see

Is there a video online of you performing at a notable venue?“Watch Dave perform at the Kennedy Center” works great.Even if they don’t click on the link, they’ll note that you’ve performed at a prestigious venue.Here are two more ideas for directing them to a video…Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855Watch Dave entertain an audience of history buffs (with link)
(-OR-)Looking to bring new audience into your folk venue? (with link to video of your new show)

#5 – Got a big gig or appearance coming up?

Again, that’s great social proof.(And no, they’re probably not going to attend, but that’s not the point.)Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855Coming June 24 to Carnegie Hall – tickets available here (with link)

#6 – Do you have a lead magnet or helpful article you’ve written?

If you’ve created something of value, direct people to it. It demonstrates your helpful nature and interest in the field.(Haven’t created anything yet? How about “Five simple tips to make your next event a success,” using anecdotes from your own experiences doing gigs.)Wouldn’t that be of interest to the people who hire you?Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855Get the free guide on grant funding for performances and lectures

#7 – Establish that you’re the right answer

Sometimes (often), it’s the little things.Simply by overcoming an objection, or even better, establishing the clear benefit of hiring YOU, you’ll sway the booking process in your favor.Why not plant the seed right there in your signature?Example:Dave Ruch – Performer and Teaching ArtistHuffington Post contributorwww.daveruch.com716-884-6855Fast communication, always on time, hassle free booking
(-OR-)Haven’t met an audience yet that didn’t like to sing, learn, and laugh out loud

How to Set Up Your Email Signature

It should be easy enough in just about every email program to set up your signature, or better yet, a series of signatures for the different things you do.(I have one for my solo act, one for my band, one for my work in schools, etc.)

Using Microsoft Outlook?

If you’re using Microsoft Outlook, click “New Email” like you do when you’re going to type a new email to someone.

marketing with email signature for musicians

Next, choose “Insert” along the top row, then “Signature.”

signatures for marketing yourself in your email

From there, you can set up as many new signatures as you like. Give each one a distinct name.Then, just before you hit “send” on your next email, click the “Signature” tab again and a drop-down list will appear with all your signatures.Choose the appropriate one, and you’re off to the races.

Gmail Instructions

Find the button that looks like this on your Gmail homepage:

Click that button, and choose “Settings” from the drop-down menu. From there, under the “General” tab, scroll down to “Signature” and away you go:

email signature marketing for musicians - dave ruch

The red arrow in the image above shows you where to look for more information on customizing and troubleshooting your signatures.

Want to see how many people are actually clicking on the links in your email signature? Get a free account with Bitly and you can track that.

What About Including Social Media Links?

Shouldn’t I have those in my signature too?

Well, if driving people to your Facebook page or Instagram account is really important to your strategy, sure.But I’m guessing there are things you’d rather have people see, right?Why encourage them to visit (and get distracted on) a social network when you can instead point them to something that will serve your goals?

So, What’s in Your Email Signature?

Creating a few customized email signatures is fairly painless, and it’s a valuable marketing opportunity.Why let it go to waste?Dave Ruch is a full-time musician and performer whose work has been featured on American Public Media, in Emmy Award-winning documentaries, and on stages across North America and the U.K. A Buffalo NY-based teaching artist and Public Scholar for the New York Council for the Humanities, Ruch helps audiences of all ages connect with history and culture through music. Dave’s marketing blog for performing artists is called “Educate and Entertain: A Great Living in the Arts,” and he also contributes to The Huffington Post.

Using Your Email Signature To Effectively Market Music