Email Marketing for Book Promotion

The importance of email marketing for book promotion can’t be overstated. It’s one of the most important parts of promoting your work.

In my previous article, I shared the three major things that helped me succeed as a non-fiction writer.

You can catch up on that article at How Much Do Self-published Authors Make on Amazon?

As you build an audience while working on your book, email marketing is one of the best tools at your fingertips.

Email marketing for book promotion is something you should start long before you launch your book.

What is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is how you stay in touch with your blog audience. No, you can’t use Gmail or Yahoo to do that.

You can only do certain things with those accounts; they don’t provide reports or special automation.

You need an email service provider to help you reach your audience effectively.

Why is Email Marketing Important for Authors?

1. Connect With Your Readers & Potential Readers

Email marketing is how you’ll connect with your audience, give them updates, offer coupons, and keep your publications in their minds.

Instead of trying to wade their way through all the noise and updates on social media to get to you, your message gets to them directly in their inboxes.

2. You Own the Mailing List

You own the contact details of your audience, such as their email addresses, so you can connect with them anytime and update them with information.

I’m always surprised when people obsess over social media follower numbers.

You don’t own any of these platforms, and your account and audience can disappear at any time.

3. A Leg Up with Publishers

Most publishers want to know what type of audience you already have before investing in you.

You will be expected to do a lot of book marketing yourself. A mailing list of people eagerly waiting for your publication might just get you in the door.

You can find out why you should start an author mailing list at Do I Need an Author Website?

Your email list is valuable, and you should start building it from day one of launching your website.

Do You Need a Website to Build an Email List?

You don’t need a website to build an email list. You can create a landing page using your domain name to collect emails.

However, you will eventually need a website to provide quality content and consistent value to your subscribers.

And as a writer, you 100% should have a website. The website brings everything together.

Do You Need an Email List to Sell Books?

You can sell books on many platforms without an email list, but you need one if you want to market effectively and sell books.

It is becoming increasingly rare for fans on social media platforms to see your updates unless you pay for them, and just because they see them doesn’t mean they’ll take any action.

With an email list, you have direct access to people interested in hearing from you.

Best Email Marketing Service Provider for Writers

There are three email service providers I use based on my list size. I find them dependable and economical with easy-to-use tools.

1. ConvertKit 

ConvertKit is a great option for professional bloggers. Its features are easy to use and set up, and the templates can be customized so you never touch a line of code.

You can segment your lists according to what your subscribers are interested in, and they integrate with many third-party apps.

If you have any questions, they also have a private community where you can interact and engage with other users.

ConvertKit has a free list-building webinar showing you optimal email conversion practices HERE.

For the first 1,000 subscribers, you can create a free account with ConvertKit. Once you reach 1,000 subscribers, you will need to switch to a paid account.

2. GetResponse

GetResponse is one of the older email marketing companies but it has evolved over the years and competes quite nicely in the current environment.

You can segment your list, create automation sequences, and multiple sales funnels. They also offer easy-to-customize templates.

You can try GetResposne for free for 30 days HERE. You don’t need to provide any credit card information to start your account.

3. MailerLite

While the features of MailerLite are not as powerful as ConvertKit and GetResponse, it’s still a great email marketing service.

If new technology scares you, the drag and drop features will be appealing to you. They have a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers.

MailerLite offers several third-party integrations as well. You can get started with a free account HERE.

You should find one between these three that suits your requirements and capabilities.

The next article will cover the various methods you can utilize to get subscribers to join your mailing list and how to offer continuous value until your book is published.