WHAT: A free webinar for authors on “How to Use Email to Attract Fans, Create SuperFans & Sell More Books.”
WHEN: 4 to 5:30 p.m. Eastern/1 to 2:30 Pacific, on Thursday, Feb. 25.
WHERE: In the comfort of your home or office. If you can’t be in front of a computer, you can call in on the telephone and listen.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Authors who have written a book, are writing one, or are thinking about writing one.
- Book coaches who help their author clients with marketing.
- Publicists and PR pros who work with authors.
- Publishing houses and small presses that want to add value for their author clients.
Why Email Marketing is Important
Regardless of where you are in the publishing process, start building an email list NOW.
That’s the advice from every book marketing coach and mentor I know.
A ready-made list of people in your target market, who will let you email them, can help you sell books faster than any other marketing tool.
Why?
Because, unlike social media where your fans are scattered on multiple sites, an email list lets you keep track of them in one handy place. Once you start building a list of followers who give you permission to email them, you can start sending helpful tips and information about the topic of your book, even if you’re still writing the first chapter.
Use Email to Build Relationships with Readers
You can ask for their feedback and get them into the habit of replying to your messages.
Then, on Launch Day, when you announce your new book, many of them will already know, like and trust you. And many of those will buy.
Email marketing has lots of moving parts. You need to know the difference between single opt-in and double opt-in, a broadcast and a blog broadcast, and the rules you must follow to abide by the CAN-Spam Act of 2003 so you stay out of trouble.
That’s why many authors don’t want to learn email marketing. But without an email list, they’re leaving money on the table.
Free Email Training Feb. 25
Join me on Thursday, Feb. 25, for a 90-minute webinar where I walk you through the process of how to start an email list, how to find subscribers, and how to share the type of information they’ll love.
Here’s a peek at what you’ll learn:
- Ideas for valuable email content your audience will love, even if you write fiction.
- 3 things you must decide before you build a list.
- My 2 favorite email management programs for beginners.
- How to persuade people to open your emails and respond.
- The top 3 ways to grow your email list.
Show up 5 minutes early and you’ll get a $50 gift from me. Stay to the end and you’ll get 3 Super Tips on how to grow an email list.
Don’t miss this one. Register now before you forget.
Why Email is a Powerful Book Marketing Tool
I could spend all day writing about why it’s so important for authors to build an email list. Here are five great reasons:
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You can have an email list of readers and fans in place before Launch Day.
My heart breaks when an author calls me two weeks before launching and asks for my advice on how to spread the word about her book. I always ask if she has an email list.
Most authors don’t either because they invest all their energy in writing their books, or because they don’t have time to learn the technology that email marketing requires. 🙁
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Sending helpful information on a regular basis gives people time to know, like and trust you before you ask them to buy.
If you mail regularly, like once a week, and your content enlightens or entertains, you’ve hooked ’em. Readers will keep opening your emails as long as they know there’s value inside. This is so much better than an email out of the blue that screams “Buy My Book!” from a person whose name they barely recognize.
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You can separate or “segment” subscribers according to what interests them.
I use AWeber, which lets me create separate lists of subscribers according to location, industry or topic. When I speak to an industry group and collect email addresses at the event, I usually start a new email list just for that group. This allows me to send information only to the groups that would be interested, instead of pestering everyone with content they might not care about.
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Email is a simple and inexpensive way to get immediate feedback from your readers.
They don’t have to create a social media profile, learn how to use the platform, and log in several times a week. All they have to do is read your email and click “Reply.”
Important: Never use a “From” address that looks like this: Do-Not-Reply@YourWebsite.com. I’m astonished at how many marketers, particularly major brands, do this. It sends the message: “Don’t bother replying. I’m not interested in what you have to say.” Make sure that when a reader replies, the reply goes directly to your Inbox. Let them know you care by thanking them for commenting.
- The vast majority of authors aren’t using email to market.
Want proof? Make a list of the top author competitors in your niche. Go to their websites and see if you can find a sign-up box on their homepage. If you do, sign up for their emails. Pay attention to how much email they send. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see any.This means there’s a huge opportunity for you to hook readers and bring them into your community.
If they are sending email, study it. What can you offer that they aren’t? What can you do better?
I hope I’ve convinced you that you need to start building an email list now. Register for “How to Use Email to Attract Fans, Create SuperFans & Sell More Books on Thursday, Feb. 25. Mark the time and date on your calendar so you don’t forget. And please share the sign-up link on Twitter, Facebook and in your author and publishing groups on LinkedIn.