Anyone done freebies via mailing list?

[Lynda]

I have a mailing list that I've set up via MailChimp and want to give those who sign up a free short by way of thank you.

I'm a total techno numpty and don't know how to do it? How do I send the file, and in what format, to people? Do I host the file off site, and if so, where?

Can anyone walk me through this (preferably in words of one syllable), please?

TIA

[Patti (baconater)]

I'll link this in the morning thread, darling. Xx

[Michael]

I do this, you can use Calibre to create mobi and epub versions (which are th most common), you can then just email them to people.

[Lynda]

Bless you, Patti.

Michael - thanks. Are you sending the file as an attachment via MailChimp or other provider?

[Michael]

I just send it via normal email, but they sign up through mail chimp and I use mail chimp for sending out newsletters.

[Lynda]

Hmm. I'm wondering, as it's only a IK piece or less whether to send it in the body of a Mailchimp newsletter. What do you think?

I've only got 17 subscribers, :( so I don't want to go to too much trouble.

[Michael]

You could just send it as text in the email if it's a short piece.

[Lynda]

I also posted the question on KB - and then couldn't understand the replies! - but someone has suggested putting it on dropbox and sending my subscribers the link.

Any thoughts?

[Michael]

You could do it that way, drop box is just a place you can store files online.

What is it you're sharing, a short story?

[Lynda]

Sorry, Michael. Called away for dinner.

Yes, sort of. One of my characters in the Verity Long books is a famous crime writer, and I'm offering a supposed biography of the her, which I think might be of interest to my readers.

[Michael]

Well if it's fairly short (under a 1000 words) then send it as an email through the mailing list. If it's longer then you should probably make it available in the standard ebook formats, which you can do using Calibre.

[Lynda]

That's wonderful. Thanks, Michael, much appreciated.

[Tim]

I'd be inclined just to email them the story as a pdf - formatted nicely, of course - if it's that short.

Anyone buying my paperback directly from me through my website who also signs up for the mailing list is automatically entitled to a free ebook copy of the novel (just like Matchbook, but for the UK) and for that I allow them to choose between epub or mobi, then just send it as an attachment through regular email, same as I do for beta readers (each copy is customised so I can trace it, should it subsequently appear on some scumbag site!). I build my mobi and epub files directly from Scrivener.