Why Email Mailing Lists Form The Lifeline For Self-Published Authors
As a self-published author, gaining
visibility and reach that too in a short span is certainly an overwhelming task.
But it is not an unattainable one.
All you need to do to grab the attention of
your target readers is spread word about your work, which is possible only when
you communicate with them.
If you are looking to making your work
memorable and become a successful author, you need an attentive audience. The
perfect way to build your name as an author of repute is to build an email
list.
Is
an email list necessary?
Many authors are skeptical about the need
for an email list. But an email list serves as a powerful marketing tool, which
not many self-publishing authors utilize to the full extent or even use it for
that matter.
Here is what an email list can do:
Build
trust
Email creates a better rapport with your
readers when compared to social media interactions and blogging. It is much
more personal. When a reader sees his or her name alongside all their friends
and other people, it is sure to build trust.
Directly
connect
Unlike other mediums such as Twitter,
Facebook etc. you don’t have to reach out through the channels. With email you
can connect directly with your readers without the need for going through a
third party.
Contact
personally
With email you can converse more
effectively. Readers can share their thoughts without others being privy to
their info.
Universal
medium
Email is a universal medium. Every reader
is bound to have his or her own email address. Email is the leading marketing
medium that businesses use with success. It outnumbers Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn and other popular channels with its sheer size. Why not exploit this
tool to your advantage?
Failing to capitalize on the exposure and
reach you can gain with email marketing can make you miss out on an amazingly
effective medium. You will find that it is easy to connect with your readers
and engage in meaningful conversations with them.
Build
a targeted list
When you have an email mailing list, you
will be able to focus solely on your target audience and provide to them more
effectively. With the list you can easily make use of every little opportunity
that comes your way and use it to develop a viable future as an author.
Widen
your audience and sales numbers
How big an audience you have is the
deciding factor on whether you are on the best seller list or just barely
survive being a self-publishing author.
To make your book a best seller you need
readers interested in buying it. When you build an audience ready to pounce
upon your work, as soon as they hear about it, your work is made easier.
With an email list all you need to do is
send an email informing about the book launch and have a buy button for them to
click and buy your book. Your work is as simple as that!
An email list reduces your marketing
efforts in addition to making you interact closely with your readers, build a
rapport and gain their loyalty.
You
are in control
An email list can do for you a lot more
than what your followers on any of the social media networks can do. While you
may be proud of building thousands of followers on your Twitter handle or
Facebook page, you do not control them. You cede your power to Facebook,
YouTube or Twitter as your account can be suspended or blocked anytime.
This is not so in case of your email
mailing list. You have full control over your email account. You can reach out
to your readers, take control over the conversation and build a long lasting
bond with your readers.
Social media is more about being social
without any real and meaningful rapport. It is a public platform where you
discuss anything and everything. It is difficult to make your followers focus
on your work and take the interest forward.
Boost
sustainability
When you have a list of emails of people
who are eager to know about your work and expertise, you will have built a base
on which you can develop your business into a flourishing one.
As you use the list to communicate with
your readers and they become more familiar with your work and personality the possibility
of your readers turning into devoted fans is very high.
Loyal fans help to make your work more
visible. They inform you about opportunities that you were not aware of and
will be ready to take up on the deals and offers you plan in future.
When you build a base of interested and
well engaged readers you can easily develop your status as an author, speaker
and expert in your specific genre.
Now that you know
about the importance of building an email list, it is high time you begin the
first steps towards establishing a large email mailing list.
Start building
that email list today, it’s never too soon to start. How do you go about it?
Make use of a
reliable email marketing provider like ConvertKit, Aweber or MailChimp, have an
opt in signup form put up on your site in the form of plugins or popups, and offer
a free ebook or some other valuable thing your readers would love to read.
When you have a
list, start mailing to the people in the list regularly, at least once a week.
It need not be anything elaborate, just a short but informative and interesting
message would do. Remember to ask your readers to share the content. You are
all set.
Final takeaway
To wrap it up, an
email list is the shortest route to round up your audience, make them
interested in your work and sustain their interest over the long term. An email
list may well be your lifeline in your journey as a self-publishing author
struggling to be recognized and reap the rewards of your work.
Why wait for your
readers to come to you when you have such a potent marketing tool that makes
short work of a task you considered difficult to achieve. So, start on your
mailing list now and see the changes it brings to your work.
The post Why Email Mailing Lists Form The Lifeline For Self-Published Authors appeared first on Slaven Vujic.
