From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V5 #229 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Wednesday, October 15 2003 Volume 05 : Number 229 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] More Richard [RockinRonD@aol.com] [RS] Re: web site ["kunigunda" ] [RS] Web site [Jim Colbert ] [RS] company computer [Patience9@aol.com] [RS] Signature Sounds Sale - all CD's $9.99! (including Richard Shindell) ["scott shindell" ] [RS] Re: Signature Sounds Sale. [Rongrittz@aol.com] [RS] Web Site Poll ["John Fix 3rd" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 09:08:40 EDT From: RockinRonD@aol.com Subject: [RS] More Richard Want to make the Richard Shindell wensite more interesting? Nekkid pictures. Just kidding. But I do know that Richard often writes things other than song lyrics. How about publishing some of his "other work" on the site once in a while? I think his opinions and points of view on non-fiction subjects would interest anyone who is an RS fan. RonD ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 08:21:56 -0500 From: "kunigunda" Subject: [RS] Re: web site There have been lots of good suggestions. Are you overwhelmed yet, Scott? There is another artists web site I'd like to suggest a visit to for ideas. It's Janis Ian's - http://www.janisian.com/ . This one has so much it's almost overkill: A count of the visitors, a guest book you can sign, dates each topic is updated, contests, a Brazilian website, lotsa current news, articles by the artist, etc., etc.. I'm sure it keeps Tina Abato very busy. Take a look. Carrie in KC ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 09:46:51 -0400 From: Jim Colbert Subject: [RS] Web site Dang, I think I missed my opportunity. What do I want to see on the web site? Some mention of a Godfrey Daniels or Pittsburgh or Harrisburgh PA show... (Ah, you can't blame me for trying!) jim ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 09:54:41 EDT From: Patience9@aol.com Subject: [RS] company computer You are lucky your company allows it, most sure don't and can be grounds for dismissal. > but not if it is the company computer. > As to the website...guess I am a simple person...i look for play dates, lists of songs maybe, words if no songbooks, pics, a little about the person, and maybe a biography. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 10:53:21 -0400 From: "scott shindell" Subject: [RS] Signature Sounds Sale - all CD's $9.99! (including Richard Shindell) Signaturesounds.com will be offering special pricing for all titles released prior to 2003 for one week only through Wednesday, October 22nd. For this sale all single album discs will be just $9.99 plus s&h. The sale will includes over 40 titles, with favorites by Josh Ritter, Erin McKeown, Richard Shindell, Lori McKenna, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, Kris Delmhorst and others on sale at the lowest prices of the year. As always, we include a free sampler CD with every order. It's a great way to kick off your holiday shopping! http://www.signaturesounds.com _________________________________________________________________ Get a FREE computer virus scan online from McAfee. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 07:54:45 -0700 (PDT) From: adam plunkett Subject: Re: [RS] Web Site Poll I would like to second the reccomendation of his lyrics being posted on his website... Adam - --- Jens Brokvist wrote: > Since I do some web design/content occasionally (if > I'm really lucky, I even get paid for it), I feel I > can say something here (and who's gonna stop me?). > Pardon me if I get too long-winded and > besserwisser-ish. > > Two things Richard's site needs is Content and > Regular Updates. First off, if the content isn't > compelling, it won't hold the viewers' attention. > I'm not saying what's already there isn't > compelling, but it's pretty standard stuff. A bio, a > FAQ, the discography... it's decent enough, but it > won't exactly set anyone's world on fire. Some of > the suggestions people here have had are good, IMO. > A regular entry from Richard would be nice, as would > more audio-visual content be (images, maybe a > monthly MP3...). Unless I'm blind, there are also no > lyrics on the site, which has to be borderline > criminal conduct for a lyricist of Richard's > caliber. How about a listing of that complete > discography I've seen here? In terms of content, > less isn't more, more is more. Just keep it > well-structured and easy to get to. > > Second, regular updates! This cannot be stressed > enough. Sure, first-time visitors will find the site > very interesting (especially if they're already into > Richard and his music), but in order to hold those > visitors and make them come back, there has to be > some sort of incentive. Regularly updated news (hey, > I didn't know Richard liked the double > cheeseburgers!), a journal, monthly sound clip... > stuff like that. There's been plenty of other > suggestions already. > > And please don't make visitors leave the site to be > able to get to Richard's itinerary. It's a bad idea > to lead people off site without any chance of > getting back (apart from clicking Back in the > browser, and you'd be surprised how many don't even > get that far). > > For the casual viewer, I dunno what the site offers. > The song clips are nice, I suppose, but why only the > first three from every album? Are those really > always the best ones to put on display? Some subtle > marketing might be in order. Not along the lines of > "Hi, I'm Richard Shindell, and if you buy my albums, > you'll not only get four hours of the best music > there is, but also a pair of my old tennis socks! So > buy now, and we'll toss in a worthless glass bead > free!", but something to draw them in and make them > pay attention to what's on offer. I dunno, marketing > and copywriting was never my strong side, I'll > confess. > > Technically speaking, the site is all right. The > navigation is a bit unintuitive (why do I have to > scroll to the bottom of a page to be able to click > my way to the next one?) and there's no site > identity, ie. a logo, something like that, to > identify the site - this might sound silly, but > sometimes you do lose track of where you are. > > The last thing I'd point out is what seems to be the > hottest thing online right now: building an online > community. Make the fans feel like they're part of > the site. Have a section for reviews where fans can > post their concert experiences, for instance. > Message boards are all the rage now, but the mailing > list deals with that aspect well, I'd say. Some of > the best artist sites out there are invariably built > with some kind of fan involvement. > > I hope I didn't offend anyone here who may or may > not have been part of making the current site. Scott > asked, and I hope I offered some constructive > criticism. > > Cheers, > ~Jens > > > On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 13:50:24 -0400, scott shindell > spake thusly: > > Greetings, > > > > > > I've been thinking about Richard's web site and > how to make it more > > useful and more interesting. I thought I'd begin > by asking you all - > > - his most loyal fans -- what kinds of features, > graphics, and > > information you'd like to see. > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > > > Scott > > > > > > Scott Shindell > > Red Square Communications > > 8932 Griffin Way > > Pikesville, MD 21208-1423 > > sshindell@hotmail.com > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Concerned that messages may bounce because your > Hotmail account has > > exceeded its 2MB storage limit? Get Hotmail Extra > Storage! > > http://join.msn.com/?PAGE=features/es __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 11:01:18 -0400 From: Rongrittz@aol.com Subject: [RS] Re: Signature Sounds Sale. >> Signaturesounds.com will be offering special pricing for all titles released prior to 2003 for one week only through Wednesday, October 22nd. For this sale all single album discs will be just $9.99 plus s&h. << Just curious . . . I went to the SigSounds site to see about placing orders, and I notice that the only Richard CDs available there are "SNP" and "Courier." Perhaps this is a question for Jim Olsen, by why are the three Shanachie releases not available? All having been released prior to 2003, they'd sure make this great sale even more attractive. RG ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 11:06:24 -0400 From: "John Fix 3rd" Subject: [RS] Web Site Poll Scott, I'd echo some of the comments posted already...here's a short list of things that would be great to see on the website: 1: Some full MP3's of songs, especially unreleased, live or alternate versions. How about one or two tracks from the bonus CD (The Sonora Sessions), or a live track or two from the current tour? 2: Discussion board, but only if it handles email as well. Discussion boards are great for threaded discussions. However, they require people to visit the site frequently. Email lists are wonderful for convenience since the fans don't have to remember to visit the website all the time, but threaded discussions get mixed up. If you can put up a discussion board it should include a way to function as an email list as well. 3: Journal or weblog from Richard - Maybe a note once a month or so, from the road or from home to update on what's going on. Catie Curtis has a nice site (www.catiecurtis.com) although the web log hasn't been updated since late August. Things like the story of the ice cream shop with the noisy scooters under his window in Argentina would be great on the website, and provide a bit of insight into a song for those who in England and the midwest who don't get to see live shows. :-) Out of those three I think 1 & 3 are the most important. The email list already works well, so 1 & 3 would offer some real value to visitors to the site. John ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V5 #229 ***********************************