Marketing to your email list can be very effective for nonfiction authors–if done right. Here are some quick Dos and Don’ts.
Do
- Use an email tool such as MailerLite to manage your email lists and avoid any issues with spam.
- Send a welcome email as soon as someone signs up for your list. Using an email tool you can automate this. I like to send an additional personal email as well.
- Provide great content in your email. Share tips your readers will find valuable and that pique their interest in your books and services.
- Share something personal and invite conversation. Your readers want to know about you and what you’re doing. End the email inviting your reader to reply with any comments or questions and assure them you will personally respond.
Don’t
- Don’t buy a list. You only want people on your list who actually want to hear from you—not some random stranger from a list you bought.
- Don’t borrow some else’s list. The people on their list didn’t sign up to hear from you. However, you might be able to collaborate with another author. If the author agrees, and you’ve written complimentary books, you may each be able to share the other’s book information with your respective lists and thereby reach a wider audience.
- Don’t add someone to your list without their explicit permission. No matter how interested you think they might be, if they didn’t say “Please add me to your email list” don’t do it.
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