How many of you know what a double opt-in mailing list is? Seven. Good.

For the rest of you, a double opt-in mailing list is a compilation of voluntarily acquired  email addresses (and sometimes other personal information too) that companies use to market special deals via email and the web. The emboldened lettering above stresses the voluntary nature of the list. The goal is to be able to market to people who specifically want your marketing.

We all hate spam. A lot. Why? Beacause spam is simply annoying and unwelcome, and it seems to come in greater and greater numbers every day; but not all advertising is created equal. Not all advertising is SPAM. Sometimes you’re in the market for a car, tv, or maybe you really do want to gain 1-3 inches without the hassle of pills and pumps… who knows?!? When we go shopping at the store or online, we want to compare and contrast products, get the latest updates about a company, learn about sales and special deals, etc. (and this is okay to want… when we say it’s okay)

This is where the double opt-in comes in. To make sure our email/info being given out wasn’t a result of phishing, a prank, misspelling and so forth,  a double opt-in gives the recipient one last chance to confirm that they want the ads. Here’s how it all goes down:

1. I want to know when the next version of guitar hero is coming out, so I sign up for a mailing list
2. I get a confirmation that says “somebody signed you up for this. do you really want to sign up, yes/no?”
3. I click yes and get sent  a confirmation that says “thanks, feel free to unsubscribe at any time”

The video game company NOW has my info that I voluntarily gave them and they are free to bomb me with all kinds of updates and sales info… because I want it and can unsubscribe at any time. This is win win because they can market to people who care and want to receive the communications (which means that there is no ill will when their emails pop-up in thousands of Inboxes across the nation) and I get to know all the latest info and get dibs on reserving the copy before it hits stores, or whatever. If you want to get REALLY nerdy (aka. smart) about your marketing, you can measure the effectiveness of your advertising efforts because you can say that x% of my fan base does or does not want to go to a show on tuesday nights at such and such a venue. You’ll get more accurate metrics this way because you are targeting people that want it.

Typically, companies offer sales discounts or free test-products to sweeten the deal for people on the fence about giving out the private info. Give people a contest and post it on the your site. You’re in a great position to offer back-stage passes, free merch, free music or some other give-away for joining your list. Heck… go to Chipotle and buy a $10 gift certificate to the winner. It’s $10 and it will encourage a lot of participation

The point is:

EVERY MUSIC GROUP NEEDS A DOUBLE OPT-IN ON EVERY WEBSITE/SOCIAL NETWORKING PROFILE THEY HAVE!

You will get better response to your event marketing efforts and you will get more sales when you advertise your new merch and music!