This month, we welcomed Jessie Scoullar, founder of Wicksteed Works, whose clients include Paul McCartney, Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Mumford & Sons, and Katie Melua. Jessie specialises in direct-to-fan strategy — a crucial area for any independent artist — and she shared insights that songwriters at any stage, and certainly any age, can put into action.
At Talent Is Timeless, we run a monthly live masterclass for our community of songwriters over 50. Each session is a candid, practical interview with an expert from a different corner of the music industry. Members are invited to join the event live on Zoom, learn directly from the guest, and take part in a Q&A at the end. These masterclasses exist to give our community real, applicable knowledge about songwriting, creativity, and the modern music industry. Yesterday’s session was no exception.
Here are the practical takeaways.
Why Direct-to-Fan Still Matters
Scoullar opened by defining “direct-to-fan” as any strategy that enables artists to connect with listeners on owned channels such as email and text — as opposed to relying on social platforms.
“It’s about building a direct connection with your fan base and being able to follow up with your fan base,” she said. While social media is useful, it’s also noisy: “Our messages get lost amongst all that noise.”
The alternative is gaining permission to contact people directly: “We own access to that fan and we’re actually able to reach out to them directly and land in their inbox.”
Email Lists: The Foundation of an Independent Career
Both Scoullar and host Saskia stressed that a mailing list is the most reliable long-term asset an independent artist can build.
Saskia described her early career: “It was absolutely crucial… I needed to be able to contact them so that I could sell gigs and merchandise and crowdfunding opportunities.” She added, “It was basically the only way that I could make and own any kind of money.”
Scoullar agreed: “It takes time to build a mailing list… It’s such a brick-by-brick approach.”
Her number-one mistake to avoid? Waiting: “Don’t wait until I’m more successful… If you’ve got music out there, then this is the right moment to make a start.”
How to Grow Your List: Practical Tips
1. Capture interest at the moment it happens
“The moments when your audience is really excited… that’s the time to be building,” Scoullar said.
Saskia shared the method she used starting out: “I would send a paper and pen clipboard around the room and say… ‘The best thing that you can do to help me is to sign up to my mailing list.’”
2. Use QR codes at gigs
Scoullar recommended: “Create a unique signup form… then create a QR code. Put it on your busking stand or around the venue.”
3. Offer a clear benefit
Free MP3s don’t work anymore, but access does.
“Sign up for pre-sale access to tickets… to limited edition products,” Scoullar said. For smaller artists, even a simple message — “This would be so helpful to me” — can be surprisingly motivating.
Planning a Release: Think in Timelines, Not Posts
“Planning is incredibly important,” Scoullar emphasised.
Her structure for maximum impact:
- Define the impact date
- Tease it
- Build your list beforehand
- Announce to your mailing list first
- Post to social media afterwards
Saskia noted why this matters: “Otherwise it just kind of falls flat.”
Reviving Songs That Didn’t Land the First Time
Asked whether a song could be re-launched, Scoullar responded: “Why not?… There’s no harm in doing a re-release.”
Lyric videos, visualisers and alternative versions can all give a track new life.
Merch: What Works Now
From major artists to emerging ones, Scoullar has seen what fans actually buy:
- Calendars: “It’s on the wall every day.”
- Small creative items: badges, bottle openers.
- Handmade or one-of-a-kind items.
- Fan-inclusive editions: She shared the example of a band that printed pre-order supporters’ names in their liner notes.
Saskia added examples like bracelets made from used guitar strings and hand-painted postcards. Both advised caution with T-shirts: “Sizes are a nightmare.”
Email Craft: Do’s and Don’ts
Do
- Personalise emails with first names
- Keep your welcome email updated
- Use your own domain name
- Collect location data for relevance
Don’t
- Leave outdated templates running
- Overcomplicate early automations
- Delay building your list
Should You Use Patreon?
Scoullar called Patreon “powerful but demanding,” emphasising the need for a clear long-term plan.
She described the audience hierarchy:
- Bottom: Social media
- Middle: Mailing list
- Top: Paying members — “the most important section of your fan base”
Members get the “best news first.”
Platforms and Tools
- Bandzoogle — “Great… everything is geared towards musicians.”
- Shopify — widely used across her client roster
- Bandcamp — “really artist-friendly”
- Print-on-demand services — useful for low-risk merchandising
Should Older or Low-Profile Artists Pivot Back to Email?
In response to a question from a member, Scoullar was clear:
“Email is just the best way of delivering the message.”
Even younger audiences rely on it for anything important.
Final Thought
Saskia closed with a reminder that building an audience is cumulative: “Even one person… they may stay for one, five, ten years.”
For songwriters over 50 — whether just starting out, returning to music, or already performing — direct-to-fan strategy is an empowering way to build connection, momentum and community.
If you’re a premium member of the website you can watch this masterclass here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/courses/masterclass-direct-to-fan-success-with-jessie-scoullar/
Not a member yet? Sign up here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/community/
Talent Is Timeless is a global community of 29,000+ songwriters aged 50 and over, proving that creativity doesn’t come with an expiry date. Our members connect with like-minded artists, participate in monthly songwriting challenges, attend expert-led masterclasses, and compete in our annual contest—with winners recording at iconic studios like Abbey Road. Whether you’re returning to music after years away or writing the best songs of your life, you’ll find encouragement, feedback, and genuine connection here.