When I was in college, my grandmother wrote to me faithfully every week. She didn’t always share earth shattering news, profound insight or lots of money, but she did always share. She shared her life. She kept in touch. I grew very close with my Grandma during those years.

What in the world does this have to do with your music career?

1. You need to stay in touch with your fans.
Your website needs to have a news section. It should have a blog. Ideally, it has an rss feed and an email newsletter.

2. Don’t just write “news.”
Don’t just send press releases to your fans. Give them information about you, your life, your band and what it’s like to be a rock star. Andrew Osenga, a member of Caedmon’s Call and acclaimed solo artist, does an excellent job of this on his site. He write about his family, his pedal boards, upcoming shows and his faith.

3. Give away a free mp3.
If you’re not the greatest blogger, then at least offer a free mp3 on your site. Get on people’s iPod’s. Even if they never return to your site because you never update it, you’ll still show up in “Shuffle Songs” occassionally.

The point here is to stay in touch. Don’t make them come to you. Give them something. Get in their world by telling them about yours.