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Why I have an
Email List: |
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From my earliest concerts in
Seattle back in the mid-80s, I've kept a mailing list of the
folks who come to my shows and would like to receive notice of
upcoming concerts, new CDs, various projects or events that I
dream up. I've always felt that there is a responsibility
involved in being trusted with personal addresses and phone
numbers and I have never shared or sold any part of my mail
list because of that.
In this age of corporate
takeover of practically everything, radio, tv, newspapers, it
is more and more difficult for independent artists to find
ways that we can afford to advertise our work. Therefore,
having a direct link to the folks who value what we do is
extremely important. I think of my mail list as almost a
lifeline. Being able to send you notice - and your support
over the years in responding - is the very thing that makes it
possible for me to continue writing and singing for a living.
It would be a wonderful thing
if I could send only email notice and get a strong response.
After all, it's free and wastes no paper or trees. But there
are a few things that keep that from manifesting quite the way
I'd anticipated. Mainly, SPAM. We are all overwhelmed with the
uninvited email advertisements that flood our mail boxes
daily. As a result, many use tight filters and naturally, even
those who would genuinely like to hear from me, forget to put
my address in the "acceptable" column. A great many of the
emails I send out come back. Next, people change email
addresses quite frequently and of course, do not think to send
all their favorite folkslingers an address change. Those come
back, too. Finally, there are always the unpredicable things
that happen to emails in cyberspace. Who has not lost a few
emails or not received some that were said to be sent? It's a
big ol' mystery. Oh, one more thing, many of you have never
given me your email address in the first place. If you don't
recall whether you have or not, please send it just in case.
(though I MUST have your physical address also or I have no
way of listing you and don't know where I'm sending emails.)
What I usually do before a
concert is to send out early email notice. Then two or three
weeks out from the show, I send a postcard. Also, Twice in the
last four years I've mailed out a full blown newsletter of
stories, pictures, silly tales, etc. I don't do this very
often because it costs me thousands of dollars.
One thing I can assure you of is this: I will
NEVER share my mail list. So your privacy will always be
honored.
I hope you'll sign up so I can let you
know now and then that I'm still singing and maybe even talk
you into coming out to listen.
Yer ol' fren,
~Michael |
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Once
Again: |
your
email address is safe with me.
I NEVER share my mailing list. |
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