This morning I received an email from a management company representing an Urban act who had success in the 90′s. My curiosity got the best of me so I read the whole email wondering why I was being reached out to.

After outlining the acts success in the 90′s in detail, the email went on to explain what they currently have going on, which is mainly in Europe. At the end of the email there was brief mention of hoping to work with a European label for their upcoming release.

#1
It’s vital for bands/acts/dj’s/songwriters that when you have a manager they know what they are doing.
#2
If you don’t do some basic homework (research) you end up reaching a rock manager in Chicago instead of an Urban European label.
#3
Don’t think for a second that just because someone opens the email that its progress or that you are now on their radar.
#4
Don’t bury the lead, it’s important to say your point upfront. If someone is crunched for time and only reads the first part or skims the email, you don’t get across what you were aiming for, you just wasted both your time and theirs.
#5
Personalize where ever possible. The more you can say in the email about the person you are emailing the better. People love having their ego stroked, especially in the music industry. This also means NEVER! send an email that includes “Dear Sir/Madam”

Avoiding these missteps can only help you in the long run, so good luck, and always strive to be as professional as possible.