Email Grows Your Authority
Your email list is an asset. You own the list. Using email as an author can boost the sales of your books and can be part of your plan for growing your business. Let's dive in and look at why email matters.
True Fans and Email
Successful authors Joanna Penn, Brandon Sanderson, Bryan Cohen, Nick Stephenson, and Jeff Goins can attest to the power of their email list as the number one reason they can sell so many books, even before the books are published and long after their publication date. And if you didn't already know about the crazy response to the Kickstarter crowdsourcing campaigns of Brandon Sanderson and Bryan Cohen, check out what they did to pre-sell to their fans. They both have a community where they have built engagement to sell more books, get booked, get more business, and had some fun in the process. The use of email factored into their success and it can make a positive difference in your business.
If you are a nonfiction author, an email list is something you develop over time. It helps you cultivate your audience by inviting them in. And because an inbox is extremely intimate and personal, the distractions that happen on social media and all of the algorithms that keep tightening and ratcheting down so that unless you pay to play, you’re not being seen by your followers. With email you eliminate distractions and you own control of your subscriber list.
You can ask your audience questions, find out more about the people you are reaching, and you can ask those folks to share your content. Providing information, and useful tips, and demonstrating your expertise 80 to 90% of the time is a benefit to you and your audience. And every once in a while, you can invite your readers to take action to learn more, sample, or purchase your book. You make a subtle call to action. Once you have established trust, let your subscribers know where to go to get your book, and you don’t have to be salesy.
Your Email is a Gift to Your Readers
Curate other people’s content with your spin on why it is valuable. Some of the most popular newsletters are from experts who gather the latest and greatest information their audience wants. And they’re sharing that information. A worthy example of a curated newsletter is Jane Friedman's Electric Speed Newsletter (over 25,000 subscribers).
You can keep it short and simple. Email doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective. And, you can let subscribers know what is going on in your business, share personal updates if you choose, recommendations, or celebrate the good news of your clients or others in your community.
I like to share video tips and include them in newsletters and articles. Audio clips are powerful too. The type of content you share can evolve over time. Most email services provide reports that show what content gets people's attention and moves them to take action.
Think of email as sending a gift to your audience. And there are a lot of tools out there that’ll help you with your email. I happen to be a fan of?Constant Contact?because they have live phone support, and offer training. You can create an infinite number of landing pages, test your emails, and manage your subscribers based on their interests.
Why Use an Email Service Provider
Authors pay attention. If you’ve been using your personal email, it’s probably time to step up your game and use a service provider to engage with your audience. You can create automated sequences that will go out. Once people opt-in, you can give them different options. There’s so much you can do.
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Need Help Getting Started with Email?
And if you’ve got questions about using email, as part of your strategy to market you, your book, and your business, get in touch with me. I’m happy to talk to you and just answer your questions and then we’ll see from there, what your next steps are.
Constant Contact added SMS messaging and offers integrations with services like Shopify. You can get started using their templates, and even use Canva to add customized graphics.
You can customize your email with your brand colors, logo, and images. Even if you have zero subscribers for your email list, consider using a service provider. Whether you choose?Constant Contact, Convertkit, or LeadPages, there are many services out there, know your email list can move with you.?You want to find the service that matches your needs now.
If you would like to try Constant Contact, please use my?affiliate link. I think trying out the service will let you know if it is the right option for you.
This is Judy Baker, Book Marketing Mentor
If you’d like to turn your content into cash let’s talk. Even if you’ve already published, your book audience can grow long after your launch. Go to?bookmarketingmentor.com?and sign up for a?book buzz audit, and we’ll look at, what’s keeping you back from reaching your audience and getting the results you want with your book.
Judy M. Baker, Book Marketing Mentor
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