A Guaranteed Way To Sell More Books

The havoc of being a writer is like no other profession. For many, the ultimate goal is to get published, whether through traditional means or self-publication. Unfortunately, after spending months or years of tireless effort writing and editing your big project, then comes the daunting task of marketing the book and getting people to read it.

There are several methods for getting the word out, but none of them provide the strong platform and relationship building opportunities like an email list.

Acquiring a reader’s email is one step away from having their phone number to text them whenever you want.

In other words, every email you acquire should be thought of as potential money. You are one giant step closer to making a sale.

Why an email list is important

• It’s a foot in the door – An email address is personal information and if someone gives you that information they have indicated interest in what you have to say. Once you acquire the email address, you are free to contact them and deliver valuable content to their inbox.
• Constant communication – All your future blog posts can now be sent directly to the inbox of all your followers. This way you can build relationships with people, keep them up to date on your content and build trust for when you do plan on releasing your big project.
• Customization – Most blogging platforms allow people to follow you and get emails whenever you create a new blog post. For example, with WordPress followers, it sends an email with a link to your new content and also provides links to recent posts. No problem right? Wrong. These emails aren’t branded for you. It provides a WordPress logo, WordPress colors, zero links to your social media or sales pages and an inability to share the email via other outlets such as social media. Take control of your emails and create an interactive experience whenever sending out a newsletter or update a blog post.

Effective Email Marketing For Writers:

• Visibility – Your email sign up form should be at the top of your website and at the end of every one of your posts. Also put your enrollment form on your Facebook page.
• Enticing – Give out something for free. People won’t give out their email just because you seem like a nice person. Provide a free novelette, series of poems, a how-to book or a manifesto. Another way to get subscribers is to host a contest or provide an entry into a drawing.
• The sales nudge – I call this a “nudge” because no one likes a hard sell. Cramming your subscribers’ inboxes with links on how to buy your book is a sure-fire way to build unsubscribers. Instead, with every blog update or newsletter provide a picture of your book that is then linked to your sales page. This should be placed in the upper right-hand margin of your email and at the end of your email. This way, you are putting the content first. Then if readers enjoy the content, they might just purchase what you have to offer. A free chapter of your upcoming book is also a great way to give them a sneak peek before buying.

Experts build relationships through multiple platforms, but any of them will tell you that email lists lead to a stronger platform and increased sales. Ask Jeff Goins, Michael Hyatt or award-winning fiction author Beth Barany. They all build relationships through email lists and you can too.

Have you built your email list yet? Let me know in the comments.

See ya next time…