How to Grow Your Email List Overnight

Personally, I was very excited to read this story this morning about a major concert at Atlanta's Piedmont Park (Atlanta's Central Park). Allman Brothers and Dave Matthews. Wow, right up my alley. In fact, the Allmans Brothers got their start playing free shows over 30 years in the same park.

So what does this have to do with this blog post title? I was even more excited when I saw the catch (there is always a catch).

Ticket sales begin Thursday for those who go to the Web page of the Piedmont Park Conservancy and sign up to receive the conservancy's electronic newsletter. Viewers will get the password to purchase tickets online. These tickets will get the holders closer to the stage because they will be allowed to enter an hour before the gates are opened.

What an innovative tie-in to their email program. Sure, they will get thousands of people not interested or caring about the Piedmont Park Conservancy but they will get many interested people to build a relationship with, via email.

Some people may even say this is borderline shady since you have to opt in for their email newsletter but assuming they manage their email program in the right fashion, than I think this is a home run for them.

On the downside I noticed it was hard to find the email sign up form and no contextual links to it in the page that details the concert. I spoke with their marketing manager and she said the sign up doesn't go live until tomorrow, Thursday May 31. I think that is a mistake but love to see non-profits (or anyone, for that matter) using email in innovative ways.