How To Grow Your Newsletter Email List

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Do you get in touch with your readers and customers through email?  Why not?  Would you like to let your readers know about your book launch, new blog posts or new products?  There are more possibilities to contact your readers than just Social Media – more customized I must add: newsletters via email.
Email newsletters drive 1350% more traffic than social media and outperform other marketing channels. They help to stay connected with your readers, not only at times of a book launch.  If you’re new to email marketing, or simply need to re-think your marketing strategy, start with the following tips!

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What are the Benefits of Sending Your Readers An Email Newsletter?
Lori Taylor wrote in an article: “Ask any serious blogger the biggest blogging mistake they have made. All of them will tell you the same thing. Their biggest regret is failing to set up an email list as soon as they started their blog. Money is not an issue – nor is it difficult to set up a list. MailChimp.com is free – if your email list is under 1,500 email subscribers, while you can try out AWeber.com for just $1. Adding a sign up form to the side bar of your blog is simply a case of copying and pasting some html code.
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How Do I Write A Good Subject Line & Structure My Newsletter?
Your first words matter! They are the one’s that will be seen so make ‘em count. Create fantastic headlines with lists: “The five best …”, “The secret of the most successful …”, “Seven ways of telling ….”. You get the point? Another way is “How-to”
Litmus has a “Subject Line Checker” that lets you preview your subject line across a range of email clients and devices instantly. You can also see how your email will appear in the notification box.  More great tips on how to write for the web can be found at Twelveskip.

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When and How Often Should I Send My Email Newsletter?
Your readers or customers don’t want to hear every day from you – unless you send them just a link introduction to your daily blog post. Every two or four weeks is sufficient – if you have valuable content.
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How Do You Grow Your Newsletter Email List?
Nothing easier than this:

• Ask your Social Media followers and friends via tweets / posts
• Add a sign-up form to all your blogs / websites
• Create an opt-in link in your e-book
• Invite readers at book signings to opt-in for your newsletter

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How Do I Write A Good Subject Line & Structure My Newsletter?
Your first words matter! They are the one’s that will be seen so make ‘em count. Create fantastic headlines with lists: “The five best …”, “The secret of the most successful …”, “Seven ways of telling ….”. You get the point? Another way is “How-to”
Litmus has a “Subject Line Checker” that lets you preview your subject line across a range of email clients and devices instantly. You can also see how your email will appear in the notification box.  More great tips on how to write for the web can be found at Twelveskip.

Don’t forget to write a caption and ALT text, maybe even a description for any images or visual content in your email newsletter. Some readers opt for HTML text only without images and this way they get all the information an image would content. Not to speak about best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices too.  And learn how to write for the Internet! People are not reading, they are only scanning text on a website or newsletter.

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Conclusion:
Your email newsletter should serve as the voice or spokesperson for your books. All exclusive information should be delivered through this medium to your readers. Don’t wait to start your newsletter email list. Sign-up today with any of the email newsletter services (often for free).
Important before you click “send”: are you really providing value added content? You can ruin all of your built up store of good will with just one entirely self serving message.
And don’t forget: You need to have relevant permission from your readers to send them regular newsletters and also the inclusion of an un-subscribe link in your newsletter. Let your readers know that they, as the readers of your email newsletters, are the only ones receiving special deals or coupons.

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Resources:
Great tips by the most successful blogger Darren Rowse: “How I Use Email Newsletters to Drive Traffic and Make Money”
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/10/31/how-i-use-email-newsletter-to-drive-traffic-and-make-money/
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Why Email Marketing Benefits Your Book’s Sales and How to Optimize them
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5837/The-First-Step-in-Email-Marketing-Optimization.aspx
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A list of email providers.
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/why-email-marketing-benefits-your-books-sales/
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How to Reduce Email Spam Complaints
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/how-to-reduce-email-spam-complaints/

Find statistics how emails drive 1350% more traffic than social media and which errors to avoid:
http://blog.referralcandy.com/2013/01/02/do-you-make-these-6-email-newsletter-mistakes/
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Email Newsletters – How To Get Them Opened With Great Subject Lines
http://marketingartfully.com/2012/11/12/email-newsletters-how-to-get-them-opened-with-great-subject-lines/

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