email lists as a marketing tool

[chelsfield]

Hi all

Ted provided an excellent marketing video from the Alliance of Independent Authors a few weeks ago (see 'How to find your first 10,000 readers'). 

One of the methods he recommends is email lists, especially as a way of taking control of your readership. He talks about a Facebook page as a means of collecting info and then crafting offers and invitations to join an email list.

Anyone using email lists? Want to share your approaches?

Thanks

[Ria Stone]

Hi Chelsfeld:

I used and will use email lists for Gina's Dream, the POD and my next novel. I developed media lists, friends lists, and "may have an interest" list. They were useful and generated some interest. The media list had the least impact.

[chelsfield]

Do you mind my asking how exactly you went about getting the email addresses? For example, a suggestion from the video is to place a link to a 'landing page' on your website where, in exchange for the readers providing an email address they get a free book, chapter etc. This link with the offer should be placed at the beginning of your book and at the end. The landing page should be a separate page on your website, stripped of anything but the offer and request. The presenter said that when he was providing a link to his main home page, readers were distracted by other navigational destinations, and he was not getting a great take-up on his offer. On a simplified page there are no other distractions, and he found the uptake of his offer increased.

I myself found this a great piece of advice. Of course, you have to have enough back catalogue to create giveaways with....

[Ted]

Some authors offer blog updates via email subscription. Even if a blog produces a short list of email address it is a list of earnest contacts. It isn't always the size that counts but the quality.

Other authors such as I simply allow viewers free subscriptions without collecting email addresses or other personal information.

[Ria Stone]

Apr 28, 2015 1:54:06 GMT -8 chelsfield said:

Do you mind my asking how exactly you went about getting the email addresses? For example, a suggestion from the video is to place a link to a 'landing page' on your website where, in exchange for the readers providing an email address they get a free book, chapter etc. This link with the offer should be placed at the beginning of your book and at the end. The landing page should be a separate page on your website, stripped of anything but the offer and request. The presenter said that when he was providing a link to his main home page, readers were distracted by other navigational destinations, and he was not getting a great take-up on his offer. On a simplified page there are no other distractions, and he found the uptake of his offer increased.

I myself found this a great piece of advice. Of course, you have to have enough back catalogue to create giveaways with....

I have a habit of collecting business cards and most have an email address. I have gotten cards when I go to various conventions (I have not gone to that many.) For my blog, I did not get much response regarding collecting email addresses. Seems like most people who follow me use a variation of adding a link to my blog to their social media to see the latest post.

I did not make a special page on my blog to collect email addresses but maybe in the future I will try that.

Also, when I visit websites of other authors, writers, bloggers, or whatever, if they offer an email address and I feel either through contact or content, I think they may be interested in one of my books, I add them to a email list. I am careful not to bombard people with emails. They are usually very select campaigns.

[chelsfield]

Good feedback here, Ted and Canary Press. I think the author's (in the video) point is that there should be a quid pro quo. So, Ted, if you are giving free subscriptions, your subscribers should supply their email address, as part of a tacit agreement that you  can send them updates on future publications and offers. In your case, Canary Press, the author would emphasize that a mutually beneficial exchange should take place,that there should be an agreement at some point. If you provide a reader with a freebie that can only be acquired though the provision of an email address, then you get something valuable and the reader gets exclusive content.