Email Lists

Phillip,

I collected a lot of email addresses by creating a story available for free download and giving people the option of signing up for a newsletter if they wanted.

You should also prominently place a link to sign up on your author platform.

 

Philip,

It seems to me the keys to using a mailing list effectively are:

1. Don't spam! Use it sparingly when you have something relevant to say. I plan to only use mine to announce major releases.

2. Be friendly.

3. Make sure to include an easy opt-out/unsubscribe feature.

 

e-mails lists can be very important to your marketing success, but you are right, targeting is the key.

For instance Lee Child (moderately successful) gives a great deal of credit for his success to the newsletters he sent out early in his career.

| Author Lee Child: Jack Reacher Novels

I don't think you can or should spam, but should slowly and carefully build an e-mail list of people who might buy your work.Then write newsletters that are interesting even if they don't buy your book. Put in some articles, photos, tips or links that your market will find helpful even if it is not yours.

For instance, my wife's upcoming novel involves child soldiers so her newsletter will likely put out some links to some recent developments in that area with some comments from her and others in the field. I have a few ideas that I think fantasy readers might be interested in for when I get my novel published.

You can go to commercial providers for e-mail lists but they are not cheap, and probably not well targeted for you. I think you are better off slowly building your list through your website, social media, personal appearances etc.

In Canada there are strict regulations on e-mail soliciting so if you are e-mailing in Canada do be aware of them.

 

I have no idea what it would be like in other countries...
But within the UK and strictly technically... Any list/database you created of names, emails and other information to then be use for commercial and marketing purposes, would need to be registered with the Information Commissioner...

 

The big thing with US laws is that you cannot add anyone to your list without their express permission -- so don't just put people, even friends and family, on your list manually. Have them sign-up via the link on your website. Also they have to have a way to unsubscribe should they choose.

Personally I use MailChimp for my mailing list -- its free up to your first 2,000 subscribers and they're really setup to ensure you are in compliance with US laws. You can setup two-step opt-ins, so they get a confirmation email they have to click a link on before they're added, and it makes sure that all of your emails have an Unsubscribe link at the bottom of them.

I'm still working to get my mailing list active, but I figure if nothing else it's a good way to notify people when I have a new blog post up, and eventually (once I actually get something published) I figure I can use it to send out updates on that. Now the trick is getting people to sign up for the list!