Posted on July 14, 2023 at 1:23 PM by Guest Author
Having an author email list can help you update, connect with, and forge relationships with readers better. Get some practical tips for building your own.
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Do Authors Need an Email List?
Many authors wonder if they actually need an email list, and the short answer is yes. Regardless of how you get your book published — that is, whether you have a team of professionals behind you — you have to interact with readers. And one of the best ways to do that is by creating your own author email list.
In the age of social media, some think that email just isn’t a practical use of time. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Newsletters aren’t going away, and email lists matter.
Here’s why…
Email is a popular method of communication.
There are more than 4 billion active daily email users worldwide. And of those users, nearly 40% check their email 2-5 times per day.
Given those numbers, it’s fair to assume most of your target audience uses email regularly. So, it just makes sense to leverage email marketing. That way, you can reach readers where they are — their inboxes.
There’s a greater chance of getting noticed.
With email, there’s less competition for readers’ attention. On social media, your audience is constantly bombarded by content. As a result, your posts may go overlooked — even by your followers.
Of course, some authors are lucky enough to go viral. (Just look at Shawn M. Warner, whose book Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor reached #1 on Amazon thanks to a TikTok video.)
But relying solely on social media is risky. When you have your own author email list, you can send messages directly to readers.
It’s a valuable asset that you own.
Finally, you should have an email list because it’s owned by you — not a third party. Once people sign up to receive communications from you, they’re on your list. And unless they unsubscribe or you remove them, they’ll stay there.
This is something to keep in mind because you don’t actually own your social media followers. If the platform changes the rules or updates the algorithm, you could lose all your followers and disappear into the void. With email, that’s not something you have to worry about.
What Are the Benefits of an Author Email List?
Despite knowing you should have an author email list, you may not be convinced. After all, it takes time and effort to build a list, and you want to be sure it’s worth it. So, what do you really stand to gain?
Here are just a few benefits to look forward to…
IT’S EASY TO GET SET UP.
Although setting up an email list may seem daunting, it’s not as difficult as you might think. There are many platforms to choose from, and they’re all pretty user-friendly. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you should be able to handle the initial setup process without much trouble.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO FORM RELATIONSHIPS.
Having an author email list is also key to forming relationships with readers. On social media, it’s easy to miss questions and comments from followers when your feed is cluttered.
But with email, you’re more likely to notice a message in your inbox and respond in a timely manner. As a result, communication isn’t just one-sided.
When you email subscribers regularly and encourage them to engage with you, it fosters familiarity and trust. And it’s those feelings that transform a regular reader into a fan.
As author Kristina Adams put it, “Digital newsletters in particular, I think more than social media, really humanise you to your readers… It gives you a much closer connection.”
IT PLAYS A ROLE IN ESTABLISHING A STRONG BRAND.
An author email list also serves as a key part of your overall platform and branding strategy. By regularly offering quality content and keeping open lines of communication, you can demonstrate your expertise, expand your reach, and enhance your author brand.
Your email list can also set the foundation for future marketing initiatives, such as…
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Book launches - You can invite those on your email list to help promote your book.
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Collaborations - You can collaborate with other authors and influencers on your list.
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Partnerships - You can use your list to demonstrate your value to potential partners.
IT CAN HELP YOU BRING IN EARLY REVIEWS.
As you know, getting early reviews can go a long way in building buzz for a new book. Unfortunately, encouraging people to read and review your book can be challenging.
That’s why offering an advanced reader copy to those on your email list is recommended. People who’ve signed up to hear from you will likely jump at the opportunity to read your book first in exchange for a review.
IT’S A TOOL FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH.
Another advantage of having an email list is that you can use it for research purposes. It’s basically a ready-made focus group you can tap into for valuable insights. For instance, you can send out surveys to do the following:
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Learn about your target audience’s reading habits
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Get feedback on book cover design
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Gauge interest in a potential event
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Narrow down title options
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Discover thoughts on characters
With direct access to readers, you can find out about their behaviors, buying habits, preferences, and more — no guesswork required.
IT CAN DRIVE BOOK DOWNLOADS AND SALES.
Those who sign up for your email list are interested in you and your work. So when you release a new book, you have a list of potential customers you can notify. These subscribers are more likely to download or buy your book and support you. It’s a great way to drive sales, and it doesn’t cost you any additional money in advertising.
How to Build an Author Email List
As mentioned previously, building an author email list does take some time and effort. But the initial setup is pretty simple, and then it’s just a matter of growing and maintaining your list. To help you out, we’ve put together basic steps to follow.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM FOR YOUR NEEDS.
To start, you’ll need to choose an email service platform. Though you might be tempted to use your regular email account, it’s just not practical.
By utilizing an email platform, you can schedule emails, build campaigns, keep subscriber info organized, and more.
Here are some platforms authors commonly use:
Factors to consider are ease of use, features, pricing, deliverability level, and reporting. You should also look at customer reviews to see what others think.
Tip: Kindlepreneur compared a few of the most popular email services to help you narrow down the options.
ADD A SIGN-UP FORM TO YOUR WEBSITE.
Once you’ve purchased an email platform and set it up, you’ll need a way to collect email addresses. And that means adding a sign-up form to your website.
The good news is many email platforms make it easy to add a landing page to your site (something else to consider when choosing a platform). Alternatively, you can include a simple form on multiple pages or add a subscription pop-up.
The goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to subscribe to your author email list. So, keep it simple by sticking to the necessary information (i.e., name and email address).
Also, make sure to explain why it’s worth signing up. Tell website visitors what they can look forward to from being on your list.
INCLUDE A SIGN-UP LINK IN EBOOKS & PROFILES.
To start collecting email addresses, include the link to your sign-up form in multiple places. That way, you can make it convenient for people to subscribe. Some places to add your sign-up link include the following:
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Your email signature
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The back of your ebook(s)
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Your Amazon Author page
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Your social media profiles
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Your Linktree page
Think of anywhere someone may come across information about you, and consider including your link there.
OFFER INCENTIVES TO SUBSCRIBE.
Even if you make your sign-up link widely available, some may be hesitant to subscribe. So, offer some type of incentive to join your author email list.
Typically, we refer to this as a lead/reader magnet, and the options are virtually limitless.
For example, you can offer…
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A bonus chapter
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A short story
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A copy of your book
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A supplemental guide
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A character sketch
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A quiz (i.e., sign up to get results)
Ultimately, you want to provide a free gift that readers view as valuable so that they’re willing to sign up to get it.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING LISTS.
Building your email list from scratch takes time and may be slow going at first. However, making use of existing lists can speed things up. Plus, you’ll likely be able to reach readers who might not know about you otherwise.
A good way to do this is by running a giveaway with a book promotion service. This will allow you to put your book in front of potential fans, increase awareness of your work, and drive email sign-ups.
It’s a common tactic used by book marketers and authors to grow lists quickly. Just make sure to choose a service that lets you include a link to your email sign-up form (like The Fussy Librarian), as not all of them do.
IMPORTANT: Never attempt to buy and use email lists. That is a big no-no because you haven’t received permission to email those people. So, you’ll probably wind up having a lot of people unsubscribing and marking your messages as spam. In addition to wasting money, you’ll likely have your account suspended. Just don’t do it!
CREATE SHAREABLE CONTENT.
Once you’ve added people to your author email list, you can continue growing it by creating shareable content. If your subscribers view your emails are interesting and valuable, they’ll be more inclined to share them with others. Then if those individuals like what they see, they’ll likely become subscribers themselves.
With that said, aim to create great content and mix things up. Consider developing a calendar to plan what content to include in your email newsletter each week, month, etc. You can apply a variety of author newsletter ideas to encourage engagement and sharing.
Takeaway
There’s a lot to gain by having a list of readers you can communicate with directly. So if you haven’t built an author email list yet, it’s time to get to work. Follow the advice provided to start building your own list. You’ll be glad you did!
Want to start adding readers to your email list? Run a free ebook promo with The Fussy Librarian and add a link to your sign-up form!
Categories: Behind the scenes