Authors Helping Authors discussion
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Newsletters are a fabulous way to get authors in front of readers. Building a newsletter list is vital, but it has to be with genuine readers who will want to purchase your books. In addition:
Interact with readers on your FB pages. This means only posting one to two posts about your books a week. Your posts should mostly be interactive questions about things that are of interest, interesting things you would share with friends, etc.
Start discussions on the Amazon Discussion set at the bottom of your Author's Page. Make it interesting and respond to the readers.
Don't pile Keywords into your description. Tell something interesting to your readers, but keep it short. Add the other items to your website (both written and video).
Keep your website up to date. Make it easy for readers to sign up for your newsletter (top and bottom and pop up) and respond to readers.
Finally, write the most awesome stories that pull the readers in. They talk - a lot! Word of mouth is the best advertising. If you listen to them, respond to them, and use a relationship building approach to your marketing instead of a push marketing approach, you'll start seeing your following grow.
Mod
Any one use Pinterest boards for their books or writing? That would be great to cross-promote. Those are great tips S.E., thanks for sharing!
Your welcome, Sibylla. I use Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope, and more. I also do Author Spotlights in my Newsletter each month showcasing different authors. I also have an App with the Author Spotlights in them (SFR with S.E. Smith on iTunes). We are currently working on a YA app and the android versions. As you do the videos, post them to Youtube (also on my website). I also use Soundcloud for my sound bytes for my audiobooks and link them to my website.
Susan wrote: "Sure thing. I will start a newsletter sign-up post."Most newsletter signups like Mailchimp are free until you reach a certain number of signups. This is another reason to only get those that want to be on it! No sense in paying for people who don't actively follow you.
I use Pinterest as well as Google, Youtube, Tumbler, Twitter and Wordpress. I do a lot of cross promoting with other authors where we share our work on each other's pages once a month. I have yet to set up a newsletter for my followers. Sadly, I have been very busy with the move, that I put it on hold. Now that we are moved in and almost settled, I need to figure out how to and make a monthly newsletter for my followers. Any suggestions on how to do this?
Mod
Shellie wrote: "I use Pinterest as well as Google, Youtube, Tumbler, Twitter and Wordpress. I do a lot of cross promoting with other authors where we share our work on each other's pages once a month. I have yet t..."I use Mailchimp because I can tie it into my website and keep track of active participants. There is more, but that is the start. I only do a once a month newsletter for a reason, too many and it goes to SPAM or readers get frustrated, not enough and they forget who you are. I start out with a hello, what I've been up to, how things are going. I make it personal, without making it too personal. Next I talk about any new books I've been working on, next audiobooks, my free reads (I call it Short Takes for Short Breaks). These are original stories that I write for my newsletter readers (usually 5K or less though I've been known to go much longer). Finally, I feature another author with their Bio, pictures of them and their books, excerpts and interview with links to their website, FB, etc and buy links. Mailchimp is relatively easy to set up. You'll then use the html they give you and copy that to each page of your website. You want it at the top. If you can figure out how to do the pop up at the top as well, that is nice. You can link your Instafreebie to your Mailchimp account as well so those that sign up can be on your newsletter list as well.
S.E. wrote: "Shellie wrote: "I use Pinterest as well as Google, Youtube, Tumbler, Twitter and Wordpress. I do a lot of cross promoting with other authors where we share our work on each other's pages once a mon..."Thanks for the information, I will definitely check Mailchimp out. I have heard of them, but have never went to their site. I will now. Thanks again.
S.E. wrote: "Your welcome, Sibylla. I use Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope, and more. I also do Author Spotlights in my Newsletter each month showcasing different authors. I also have an App with the Author Spot..."You are so inspiring! I've tried Periscope once and my newsletter is pretty inconsistent. I'm working on it though. :)
Just do what feels right for you. Your newsletter should reflect who you are and what you want your readers to take away. Helping them get used to your writing style, the way you do things, really helps them. Talk about it. I tell them the squirrels have gotten loose again and they tease me about it. They know that usually means a new series is coming out! They don't care as long as I have a story in progress or releasing soon. They like hearing about what I'm up to. They also like that personal connection when they send me a note and I respond. That makes a world of difference. I care about them and they care about me as a person, not just an unknown face.
S.E. wrote: "Just do what feels right for you. Your newsletter should reflect who you are and what you want your readers to take away. Helping them get used to your writing style, the way you do things, really ..."I agree, I get a lot of private email messages on my authors page from my readers. I keep them up to date on my authors page, but many have asked and suggested that they would love to have a newsletter that they can refer back to and keep up to date on my new releases.
Thanks for all the help, it is much appreciated.
So far, we've cross-shared for Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.
What else can we do? Any ideas? -Susan.