A website and email list are valuable assets for an author. These assets will allow you to control, build, and maintain relationships with your followers. When you have dedicated followers on an email list, you can promote your books directly to them.
Oftentimes, online platforms will change their policies without warning. Sometimes these policy changes make no sense whatsoever. And you might, quite innocently, violate a platform’s policies. The change or violation could seriously affect your account. And the result could be that you lose access to your followers.
If you have an email list, you will not be as vulnerable to changes to or violations of the policies of online platforms.
Setting up Your Website and Email List
When it comes to setting up your website, you don’t need anything fancy. Just set up a simple web page. Then, through online interactions, you can attract visitors to your website.
Your visitors will become your followers. To make this happen, give them an incentive to give you their email address. This incentive, or lead magnet, (a.k.a. opt-in, freebie, bribe—let’s call it what it is) should be something that offers value to your subscribers. Include a call-to-action button attached to an email subscription form.
The importance of building an email list cannot be stressed enough. Do not ignore this step. The people on your email list will become lifelong friends and fans and contributors to your success.
Choosing an Email Service Provider
You will need an email service provider. There are numerous service providers from which to choose. Do your research and choose one that fits your budget and goals.
Mailchimp is a popular email subscriber management service provider which offers both free and premium plans. There is a lot of information on their website to help you get started. Also, search Google and YouTube for anything that you need to accomplish on Mailchimp.
If you want to set it and forget it, you can choose a service provider like ConvertKit. This service offers great support through chat, email, and webinars. Their platform is easy to use and covers all your needs to collect emails and manage your subscription lists. You can set up segments, funnels and campaigns.
YouTube is full of tutorials for harnessing all the features and benefits of ConvertKit. After during a little research online, you will be able to set up forms, run campaigns, and manage your subscribers like a pro.
Click here for an article about 13 free email service providers.
Owning Your Website and Email List Keeps You in Control
Online platforms can and do change at any time. Sometimes they shut down altogether. These changes can affect your current followers and how, or if, people can find you in the future. Furthermore, if you violate the policies of an online platform, deliberately or innocently, your accounts could be suspended. Then you will have no further access to your followers.
But your email subscribers are yours. Once you have someone’s email list, you can promote and market directly to them. And you are not at the quirks and mercy of fickle algorithms and policy changes. So, make it a priority to set up your website and email list management system. And then drive traffic from your online platforms through your website and to your email list.
If you have an email list of any size, send out an announcement to your subscribers that you are writing a book. Keep them in the loop as you write and when you publish. And invite them to buy your book and leave a review. Also, if you are going to do a free book offer, your email list subscribers should be the first people to reap this benefit. After all, your followers should be rewarded for their loyalty.
Note of Caution Regarding Your Email Subscribers
When a person gives you their email address, you have been entrusted with their personal information. This is a privilege and an honor. Thus, you must not share it with anyone else without their permission.
And you must respect their time. That means that you should not send them goo-gobs of emails. People are busy. Even if they like your content, they will appreciate you for not flooding their inbox with emails. As my Mom used to say: “Enough is enough and too much stinks.” Too many emails from you will cause your subscriber to slap the unsubscribe button like it’s an annoying mosquito.
Aim for once a week or every other week to send out emails. This might escalate during a special campaign. However, if you have communicated that you send out posts two or more times a week, then hold to your word.
Proverbs 25:17 (NLT) sums this up perfectly: “Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.” Truly, if you don’t visit your followers too often, they will welcome you when you do. And if you deliver quality content, they will look forward to hearing from you.
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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. What this means is that if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This will not add to your costs.
Additional Resources:
Budget-Friendly Strategies to Promote A New Book
Choosing the Right Online Platforms to Promote a New Book
A New Author’s Guide to Choosing Budget-Friendly Book Promotion Sites
