Chapter 4

Business Assets

Your business assets encompass everything from legal agreements that define your professional relationships to the valuable fan connections you've built over time. These assets are often scattered across email inboxes, hard drives, or even physical folders, making them difficult to access when you need them most: during negotiations, disputes, or strategic planning sessions.

In this section, we'll focus on two critical categories of business assets: your professional contracts and your mailing list, which is perhaps your most valuable business asset as a direct connection to fans through email marketing services gives you a communication channel that no algorithm can change or take away.

Contacts & Agreements

Think of these as the legal and relational foundations that support your entire music business. Distribution deals, publishing agreements, management contracts and booking agency relationships. You want these organised, tracked and easy to find.

Action Items:

  1. Add Your First Contract: From the Musician OS home dashboard, navigate to the Contracts page under the Home heading.
  • Within the Contracts dashboard. Click the + Add button in the sidebar, then select New Contract.
  • Enter essential information for your agreement:
    • Contract Name: Provide a clear, identifiable name (e.g., "Distribution Deal - DistroKid" or "Management Agreement - Jane Smith")
    • Status: Select the appropriate status:
      • Draft: For contracts still being written
      • In Negotiation: For contracts being discussed
      • Signed & Active: For executed agreements
      • Expired/Inactive: For terminated contracts
    • Contract Type: Specify the agreement type (e.g., Distribution, Publishing, Management, Booking, Sync)
    • Related Artist/Project: Link to the artist or project this contract relates to
    • Client: Add the company or individual you're contracted with
    • Start & End Date: Include the contract term dates
  1. Document Critical Terms & Conditions: For each contract, add detailed information that will help you understand your obligations and rights:
    • Key Terms: Summarize the most important provisions (e.g., royalty splits, payment schedules)
    • Territory Rights: Note where the agreement applies (worldwide, specific regions)
    • Deliverables: List what you're obligated to provide (number of songs, promotional activities)
    • Payment Terms: Document how and when you'll be paid
    • Exclusivity Terms: Note any exclusivity clauses that might affect other opportunities
    • Renewal Terms: Record how the contract renews or terminates
  1. Attach the Original Document
  • Upload the original signed contract by clicking on the Attached Document field.
  • If you have digital copies of related correspondence, consider attaching those as well for complete documentation.
  1. Set Up Alerts for Key Dates
  • Identify and add any critical dates to the Next Key Date field:
    • Option exercise dates
    • Renegotiation windows
    • Delivery deadlines
    • Termination notice periods
  • Consider setting up a notification / event in your chosen Calendar app (you can link these dates to the Tasks component) to alert you before key contract deadlines.

Email Address Databases & Management

In an era dominated by social media platforms, email addresses remain one of your most valuable digital assets as an artist. Unlike followers on Instagram or listeners on Spotify, your email list is something you actually own, a direct line of communication that no platform change, algorithm update, or industry shift can take away from you.

Email marketing also consistently outperforms social media in conversion rates, with average open rates of 15-65% compared to organic social media reach, often below 5%. When you need to announce a new release, sell tickets, or offer exclusive merchandise, your email list is your most reliable channel for converting fan interest into actual revenue.

While Musician OS doesn't currently include a specific email management component (I’m looking at adding this in the future) integrating an email strategy into your overall artist business is crucial. Third-party email service providers like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or MailerLite offer specialized tools designed for building and maintaining these valuable databases.

A Word To The Wise

The true value of owning your audience’s email addresses becomes clear when you realize that nearly every major platform you use to build, engage, or serve your fans will not share those emails with you (ticketing companies being notoriously bad). The rare exceptions are platforms where you sell directly to your audience, capturing their email addresses naturally as part of the checkout process.

‍Patreon

  • Allows creators direct access to their patrons' emails.
  • Good for subscription-based support and exclusive content.

Kickstarter

  • Creators have direct access to backer email addresses after the campaign is successful.
  • Ideal for crowdfunding album releases or special projects.

Gumroad

  • Provides buyer email addresses to creators directly after purchases.
  • Excellent for selling digital products, merch, music files, or courses directly.

Bandcamp

  • Direct access to customer emails when music or merch is purchased.
  • A strong choice for independent musicians selling directly to fans.

Squarespace Commerce / Shopify

  • Allows direct email capture from purchases made through integrated commerce websites.
  • Ideal for artists selling merch, digital downloads, or event tickets.

Substack

  • Provides direct access to subscriber email addresses, perfect for artists who share newsletters or long-form written content.

Therefore, offering merchandise, exclusive communities, or subscription-based content not only boosts your revenue but also helps you identify and energize your most dedicated fans. Most importantly, it allows you to gather the valuable email addresses of those willing to invest in deeper access and more of your creative output. Remember those 1000 True Fans you are trying to find!

Action Items

  1. Choose Your Email Service Provider
  • Research and select an email marketing platform that fits your needs and budget:
    • Beginner-friendly options: MailChimp, MailerLite, TinyLetter
    • Growth-focused options: ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, Flodesk
    • Advanced options: Klaviyo, Omnisend, Drip

  • Create an account and complete your artist profile with consistent branding.
  • Set up your first list or audience segment.

  1. Audit and Consolidate Existing Email Addresses
  • Search through all potential sources where you may have collected fan emails:
    • Previous merch order records
    • Show signup sheets from past performances
    • Website contact form submissions
    • Personal communication with supporters
    • Digital download purchasers
    • Crowdfunding campaign backers
    • Collaboration partners and industry contacts

  • Compile these addresses into a spreadsheet, ensuring you have consent to email them.
  • Import your consolidated list to your chosen email platform, properly tagging their source.
  1. Create Strategic Collection Points
  • Add email signup forms to key online locations:
    • Your official website (usually a Join Newsletter pop-up modal)
    • Link in bio on social media profiles
    • YouTube channel description
    • Bandcamp/Soundcloud profiles
  • Implement offline collection methods:
    • Merchandise table signup sheet at shows
    • QR code on physical products leading to sign-up
    • Verbal reminder during performances if you’re bold enough
  1. Develop Compelling Lead Magnets
  • Encourage people to join your newsletter or email list by offering a compelling reason to sign up. Given the long-term value of their email address, it’s in your best interest to provide a strong incentive.
    • Exclusive unreleased track or demo
    • Digital songbook or chord sheets
    • Behind-the-scenes content
    • Discount code for merch purchases

  • Set up your chosen incentive as an automated delivery through your email platform.
  1. Design Your Welcome Sequence

    Create a strategic series of 5 automated emails for new subscribers (1 per week), designed to foster trust, showcase your artistry, and encourage long-term engagement. This can be improved and personalised a lot over time, but here is an example to get your started:
  • Instant Welcome + Exclusive Incentive Delivery
    • Subject: "Welcome to [Your Artist Name]'s Inner Circle!"
    • Content: Warmly greet subscribers, thank them for joining, and deliver the promised incentive (e.g., an exclusive track, behind-the-scenes video, or downloadable lyric sheet). Include a brief, heartfelt mention of what makes your music special.

  • Your Authentic Artist Story
    • Subject: "The Story Behind My Music"
    • Content: Share a concise, relatable story about your journey as an artist—what drives you, key moments, or challenges you’ve overcome. Avoid clichés; focus on authenticity to connect emotionally. Include a photo or short video for a personal touch.

  • Showcase Your Best Work + Build Trust
    • Subject: "My Top Tracks Just for You"
    • Content: Highlight 2-3 of your best songs, albums, or music videos, with brief context (e.g., "This song was inspired by…"). Include links to stream on their preferred platform (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.). Add a fan testimonial or short press quote to build credibility.
    • CTA: Encourage them to follow you on social media or streaming platforms to stay connected.

  • Exclusive Content + Community Invitation
    • Subject: "A Peek Behind the Scenes"
    • Content: Offer exclusive content like a rehearsal clip, songwriting process breakdown, or a personal playlist of your influences. Invite them to join your community (e.g., a private Discord, Patreon, or fan group) to deepen their connection. Set expectations for email frequency and content (e.g., "Expect monthly updates with new music, stories, and exclusive perks").
    • CTA: Direct them to engage with the exclusive content or join your community platform.

  • Value-Driven Engagement + Long-Term Commitment
    • Subject: "What’s Next for Us"
    • Content: Recap the value they’ve received so far and tease upcoming releases, events, or exclusive fan perks. Position your emails as a VIP pass to your creative world. Ask a question to learn about their preferences (e.g., “What kind of content do you want more of—live performances or studio insights?”).
    • CTA: Promote a low-commitment action like pre-saving an upcoming release, buying merch, or attending a virtual/live show.

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Inspiration Is a Lie