List Building 101: How to Make Your Newsletter List Grow
January 27, 2012
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by Kristen Sears
You know that having a newsletter is an important component of your platform and that the list you send your newsletter to is invaluable to you. (If you don’t, check out our article on newsletters here.) What may not be so clear is how you can continue to grow that list over time. Below are some strategies to help you do just that.
Provide really valuable content in an engaging way
Above all other strategies, valuable content creation is king. If you are giving your readers useful, relevant, timely information that they can really use, your newsletter will be valuable and it will be shared with others. Word of mouth and forwards are your greatest ally in trying to achieve a bigger newsletter list.
Make it easy, obvious, and everywhere
It should be really easy to join your newsletter list, and it’s your job to make sure that is the case. You should have a “join” button on every page of your website, visibly situated on your blog and on your newsletter itself. You can even include an invitation to join your list in the signature line of your email. Make the link attractive and appealing to the eye, and have it say something catchy or meaningful in a tone consistent with your brand. That message may get more attention than a standard “join our newsletter” link.
Don’t forget to ask people in person, too! You are busy giving workshops or speaking to audiences. Ask them to sign up for your newsletter while you have them in front of you. Same goes for interviews. Share your web address and tell listeners or readers that they can join your newsletter there.
Incentivize new members
Make the invitation to join your mailing list an attractive offer to newcomers. This is where you can make great use of your “freebies.” To thank them for joining, give them access to an extra or two that they could not get otherwise. This could be some sample chapters of your book, videos, a free app, white papers, an ebook of your previous book, or a sneak peak at your new, yet-to-be-released book. Help them along by showing immediately what is in it for them if they join.
Incentivize existing members
In the same way that you want to thank new members for joining, give your already loyal followers a thank you gift for inviting others to join. You can make use of the same extra content you utilized to get new members or you can up the ante a bit and give existing members something unique just for them. Maybe that would be a personalized copy of your book, a guest blog spot on your blog, or a link to his or her website in the newsletter the following week.
Leverage social media
It’s safe to assume that there is not a one-to-one correlation between your Facebook fans or LinkedIn connections and your newsletter list. The same is likely true for all of the social media platforms you are engaged with. Make a habit of trying to convert those connections to subscribers. Contests are a great way to accomplish this. Give away something that your connections would want. This doesn’t have to be related to you or your content directly. It could be a free tablet or ereader device, a subscription to a service people love, or a simple versatile gift certificate. The cost of entry is simply joining your newsletter list.
It’s important to remember that you have to provide recipients a way to opt out of your newsletter, and it’s true that you may see some people utilize that option after the contest ends. Just keep in mind your best strategy for list building, which is delivering meaningful, valuable content, and you will earn their loyalty and they will stay.
Keep these things in mind as you go about your way building your platform and conveying your message out into the world and watch your list grow!
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Build Your List: Newsletters as an Author Platform Building Tool
January 19, 2012
by Kristen Sears
One critical component to building your author platform is to create and maintain a regular newsletter. Speaking directly to those who are interested in what you have to say on a regular basis with relevant and compelling content will bring you some great marketing and conversion opportunities now and well into the future.
First, we will discuss why you need a newsletter in the first place. Then, we’ll get into the finer details of ways it can work for you and how it can be most effectively distributed.
Every author is doing it. Here’s why.
The primary purpose of your newsletter is simple. It’s list building, list building, list building. There is no more direct way to communicate with your audience than through this channel. After all, each person has opted to be included in this list. These are your peeps. They want to hear from you and they welcome you into their inbox. This list is something to be preserved, pampered, and treasured. It’s unique and specific to you as an author and it is priceless. Deliver them content that is useful and uniquely available to them and they will continue letting you into their inbox again and again.
Leverage your list by giving them the good stuff.
Offer exclusives to your newsletter subscribers so they see the tangible benefit of being a member of your list. This could be special discounts or bonus materials for your current book, sneak peeks of your new material, or contests to win things not directly related to your book at all. Get creative and deliver value!
Looking for a way to drive attendees to an event or to capitalize on that great interview or review you have coming up? Let your list know all about it in your newsletter. You just may convert some potential readers to bona fide book buyers by doing so.
You can also let your loyal list take some ownership of your yet-to-be-published works by getting them involved in the process early. Ask them what they want to see from you next, survey them about such topics as title or character names, or let them weigh in on cover comps. You don’t HAVE to take their advice if it’s not what is best for your book, but getting their opinion can create some buy in from their side, which is of paramount importance when it’s time to move the needle on book two, three, or four.
Finally, don’t forget to incentivize them to tell a friend or colleague. After all, the goal is to grow your list. Ask them to help you and give them a great reason to do so, such as free content or access to you directly for a book club or training session.
Now that you know you need one, how should you handle getting it out there?
You can opt to manage your list yourself by essentially sending out a mass email or a series of mass emails once your list gets really big. That is appealing to those who don’t want to learn a new system or outsource something they feel perfectly competent in managing themselves. But there are benefits to utilizing a newsletter distribution service that are worth seriously considering.
Using a newsletter distribution service will ensure that you are meeting any legal requirements necessary, such as including a way to unsubscribe, and also makes those functions hands off for you, saving you time. You can also access analytics such as open rates that would not be available to you if you simply sent out a mass email. Finally, your newsletter can appear more professional in design very easily and will be formatted for either text only or image viewing so that your smart phone readers can still get your message without all the graphics if they choose.
If you aren’t already on the newsletter bandwagon, it’s high time you jumped aboard. With relative ease, you can be up and running on building your author platform with this important marketing tool in no time flat! The benefits of doing so will surely make it worth your while.
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3 Steps to Building Your Author Platform
January 11, 2012
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Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer, helps authors and indie publishers learn how to sell more books through her how-to guides, blog, newsletter, and private coaching. Get her free Top Book Marketing Tips ebook at www.BookMarketingNewsletter.com, visit her blog at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter, and connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SavvyBookMarketer.
As a book author, you've probably seen the term author platform used a lot, but you may be wondering: what is a platform, how do I get one, and when should I begin?
Your author platform determines your reach in the marketplace and it's important to your book promotion success. There are lots of definitions for author platform, but it basically boils down to three things:
- Brand
- Reputation
- Connections
If you're hoping to land a book deal with a traditional commercial publisher, a strong author platform is critical. When publishers evaluate book proposals, they want an idea of how well known you are and how successful you will be at promoting your book once it's published. A platform is just as important for authors who publish independently.
The best time to start building your author platform is before you write your book or book proposal, because it takes time to build your platform. But regardless of where you are in your publishing journey, you can continue to strengthen your author platform. Let's take a look at the elements of a platform.
Branding
Branding helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace and makes you memorable. One of the most important parts of your brand is your author tagline – a concise and catchy description of what you do. Use your tagline after your name in your promotional materials and signature, like a title. Here are some examples of author taglines:
* Bill Wilson, The Productivity Pro
* Susan James, The Risque Romance Writer
* Walter Jones, Author of the Detective McGee series
* Beth Morton, Writer of educational children's books
* Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer
Your author photo is another important branding tool. Be sure to get a professional looking photo and use it everywhere, to build recognition of you. Professional doesn't necessarily mean a studio portrait—think about how the background, pose and clothing in your author photo can be a reflection of your brand and the type of books you write. See this article for more tips on author photos.
Author branding can also include your logo, book covers, the color scheme you use, your distinctive style of writing or speaking, and your academic qualifications. All of these elements together constitute a recognizable brand that makes you makes you memorable and builds credibility as part of your author platform.
Take a look at your own branding and think about what you can do to strengthen it.
Reputation
Your author reputation is a factor of how well known you are, what you are known for, and how credible you are. Consider these questions:
* Do you have a degree, special training or extensive experience in the topic that you're writing about and/or in the craft of writing?
* Do you have (or can you obtain) a professional certification in your area of expertise?
* What awards or other recognition have you received?
* What kind of media experience do you have?
* How many people do you reach each month through speaking or interviews?
* How many people read your blog?
* How many articles have you written and posted or published in the past month?
* How well known are you and how much name recognition do you have?
* What leadership positions do you hold?
* Why should people listen to you or read your books?
Nonfiction authors can gain a reputation as an expert in their topic through such activities as writing books and articles, speaking and teaching, appearing on talk shows, being quoted in other people's articles, and writing the foreword for other books.
Fiction authors may become known for their writing style and their expertise in writing in a specific genre (such as children's, sci-fi, romance, or mystery) or for their niche within a particular genre (vampire stories, romantic adventure).
Your reputation and author platform can be enhanced by winning awards, receiving excellent book reviews, and getting testimonials and endorsements from celebrities and experts in your field.
What can you do to boost your author reputation and expert status and increase the number of people you reach? How can you highlight your credentials in your marketing materials?
Connections
When selling your book, it's not just what you know, it's who you know!
To sell books in today's marketplace, you need to be connected. Here are some examples of the type of connections that are valuable to authors in promoting their books and themselves:
Contact Database—Clients, prospects, colleagues, friends, and family.
Opt-in Mailing List—People who have given you permission to contact them.
Influencers—Well-known people in your field, book reviewers, celebrities, media, and bloggers. These folks can help spread the word about your book.
Online Networks—Connections on Facebook, Twitter and other online networks, groups and forums.
Blog Readers—People who read your blog or subscribe to the blog's feed.
Professional Associations—Fellow association members and leaders. Serving in a leadership position enhances your visibility within the organization.
Other Groups—Alumni associations, civic and service organizations, hobby clubs, etc.
What can you do to increase your connections and leverage the connections that you have? How can you partner with others to extend your reach?
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An Overview of Awards for Independent Authors—Spring 2012
January 10, 2012
by Carly Willsie
You’ve worked day and night writing, editing, promoting, and selling your book—isn’t it about time you received a little recognition? We think so! That’s why we’ve gathered some of the best upcoming industry awards for independent authors here on the Big Bad Book Blog.
Awards are a great way to gain recognition and visibility, and they just might boost sales and confidence, too. Best of luck! And remember: It’s never too early to start reorganizing the mantel to make room for your many imminent awards.
Foreword Reviews, Book of the Year Awards
Deadline: January 15
Genre: All
Foreword Review, one of the industry’s foremost independent reviews, identifies the previous year’s best independently published books. According to Foreword, the awards are “reviewed by librarians and booksellers as an important statement about a title they might have overlooked,” so it’s definitely worth the effort to enter. Note that there is a $99 entry fee, but that could all be gained back with the $1,500 prize. But hurry—the deadline is January 15.
Deadline: January 15 (extended from December 31)
Genre: All
The Benjamin Franklin Awards, administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association, is one of the more highly regarded awards in the indie world. Winners are recognized at an IBPA gala, and receive an engraved crystal trophy and publicity on the IBPA page. There’s another bonus to entering as well: The judges of the Benjamin Franklin Awards give every entrant personalized feedback and recommendations for their titles.
Deadline: January 21
Genre: All (For a more specific list of eligible categories, visit this link.)
Another great award with an upcoming deadline is the Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books. This award, named after American philosopher Eric Hoffer, honors authors whose work has been published with independent, small, academic or self-publishing presses. The grand prizewinner receives $2,000, and the award is covered in the US Review of Books.
Independent Publisher Book Awards
Deadline: March 21
Genre: All
The “IPPY” awards are in their sixteenth year of recognizing independent talent. The group offers a number of awards in a breathtaking amount of categories (72!) as well as regional, and ebook-specific awards. In addition to the regular IPPY awards, the group also names “Outstanding Books of the Year.”
The National Indie Excellence Book Awards
Deadline: April 10
Genre: All
Submissions for the National Indie Excellence Book Awards are now open for independent and self-published books; pieces published between 2009 and 2012 are eligible. Prizes are sponsored packages—everything from mobile marketing to event management services to electronic press kits—designed to continue your book’s sales journey after the award.
Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Deadline: First Round—March 31; Final—August 31
Genre: Children’s, Middlegrade, Young Adult
This award, sponsored by the Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher Magazine, seeks to honor children’s book authors, illustrators, and publishers. The award is given in a number of age- and genre-appropriate categories. Every winning author receives a medal, a certificate, and 20 sample seals for their books.
There are a slew of awards out there, so if you know of any prestigious independent book awards with spring deadlines that we’ve missed, let us know in the comments!
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Freebies: Content You Should Be Creating and Leveraging
January 6, 2012
by Kristen Sears
You’ve no doubt been advised at some point to use your content to market your message. You’ve probably been told to give some away in order to get something in return, such as an email address for your newsletter. People call this content by many names. Extras, goodies, ancillaries, and freebies are all popular choices.
Any author or expert working hard at developing his or her platform should have a stash of these extra good ancillary products at the ready. (They aren’t just for giving away either! See here.) Below is a list of suggested items you can create, provide, and leverage for the betterment of your brand.
- Articles: these can be reworked chapters of your book, research your have compiled on your area of expertise, or case studies.
- Ebooks: you can use small chunks of your book to make small ebooks or convert the entire manuscript, not forgetting to convert previous works, too.
- Audio downloads: again, you can have small bits of your book in audio format or the entire thing.
- Podcasts: provide access to interviews or discussions with you and other relevant experts in your field.
- Videos: deliver mini lessons or tips in short video segments.
- Infographics: boil down a big amount of information into a one screen graphic.
- Workbooks: putting your theory or strategy into practice for those ready to implement what you have taught them.
- Apps: create an app that shares lessons or tips that people can access anywhere, anytime.
- Direct access: give them direct access to you for a consultation on the phone or via chat.
- Members only access: have a special place to send people that requires special membership to access and give them any of the above once they get there.
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