Newsletters and Email Lists - Do I Need to Bother?

I did a workshop recently on author platforms, and someone asked me if they really needed to bother with a newsletter.

My answer is, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” When I started my writing journey, I was overwhelmed with all the marketing tasks, and I was a really reluctant newsletter sender. I usually sent one out when I had a new book.

And because I didn’t build up relationships with a regular or consistent schedule, I didn’t see much success or value in it in a long time.

The importance of owning the list of email contacts hit home when Twitter changed to X, and there was a mass exodus of followers, and they weren’t the only social media platform to make changes in policies and functionality. I had rather large followings on several, and I had no way to contact fans, readers, and followers if the system folded or the platform closed my account.

Here’s what I learned about newsletters for authors:

• You own your list of followers/subscribers. You can contact them when you want.

• Always make sure to export your list of subscribers regularly from your service to ensure you have a backup of all the contacts.

• You need to establish a regular cadence for publication. If you only send one out when you have a new book, then it looks like you’re only trying to sell something. Too many emails can be annoying, and if you rarely send one, they’ll forget about you. Find out what works for you and your readers.

• Target readers who read your genre. You’ll have more success with retaining followers.

• Make sure to do signups at every event, especially if they buy a book. Invite them to register.

• Be careful of author services that sell you newsletter lists. Vet everything. Five thousand email addresses aren’t helpful if they don’t read what you write.

• Your newsletter is an opportunity for readers to get to know you. I love when I get emails from newsletter readers.

What would you add to my list?

And if you’d like to sign up for my monthly newsletter, here’s the link: Contact — Heather Weidner.

Things to Think about When Doing In-person Author Events

This fall, I did a lot of in-person events, and I noticed some things as I watched those around me. There were a few (usually newer authors) who complained about the crowds and their sales, and then there were the authors who had a lot of success.

Here are some things that the successful authors had in common.

The Presentation:

• Always bring a tablecloth and make sure it’s not wrinkled.

• If you make signs or handouts, make them attractive and readable.

• Always give out something. Everyone I talk to gets a bookmark. You never know who will buy an audiobook or an ebook later.

• I stopped giving out candy when I had some melt in the summer. I have little trinkets for kids (and adults) that relate to my books. Lately, I’ve been giving away sparkly “Pearly Girl” bracelets, and plastic marine animals for the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. Kids tell everyone where they got cool swag.

• Make your table attractive and inviting. Don’t clutter it with stuff. And don’t pile things so high, they can’t get close to talk to you.

• Don’t stack hundreds of books on your table. That gives the person the idea that there are lots and no one is buying them. Put only a few out and create the illusion of “get ‘em before they’re gone.”

• Take a look at your display from the front after you set it up and make sure it looks the way you want it to.

Your Look:

• Dress for the event. Some authors have props or a hat. They attract attention. If that’s not your style, then look professional and dress as comfortably as you can.

• Wear colors that stand out. You want to be seen in the pictures, and bright colors draw people’s attention.

• Stand up if you can. You look more approachable.

• Smile and greet people.

• Even if people are just walking by, ask what do they like to read or what their favorite type of book is. Know what other authors are near you and point out ones with genres they like if you can.

• Do not sit and scroll on your phone. You look bored and boring. People will walk right by.

• Look like you’re having fun. Talk with your tablemates. Take pictures with friends. Take pictures with people who buy books. People like to see what’s going on, and they don’t want to miss something. And they tend to gravitate to tables that look interesting and fun.

• Have your quick tag line ready and be able to tell them about your books in a succinct way. No boring dissertations.

• It is hard to start conversations with strangers, and it feels weird to talk about yourself so much. If you’re introverted or shy, you need to psych yourself up. Smile, look people in the eye, and talk to them. Not everyone is going to buy a book. But you’ll be surprised at the people you’ll meet. I have recruited a lot of mystery lovers to our Sisters in Crime chapter from these conversations.

• Caffeine and candy are good for quick energy boosts to keep you going.

• Be willing to answer questions. People want to know about you, your writing, and your path to publication. And sometimes, you’ll get some questions that you don’t want to answer, and that’s fine. If that happens, be a good politician and steer it to an answer that you do want to give.

• And don’t forget to invite them to sign up for your newsletter list.

Before and After the Event:

• Before the event, make sure you have all of the contacts and logistics information.

• Make sure you share the event on your website, newsletter, and social media sites. If you have followers in the area, they may stop in to see you.

• After the event, make sure to post pictures of all the fun you had. The group pictures are great for this. People love to see who was there. And tag everyone you can on social media.

• Make sure to thank the sponsor/coordinator. Their teams work hard to put on these events.

What would you add to my list?

Use Your Books to Generate Ideas for Social Media, Blogs, and Events

Use your books to help you generate ideas for social media and blog posts and events.

Do some brainstorming. Make a list of 10 or 15 words that relate to topics and subthemes in your stories. Think about:

• Settings/Locations

• Hobbies

• Your Character’s Job

• Music

• Popular Culture

Examples from my Series:

• Delanie Fitzgerald: Sassy Private Eye, Richmond, Computer Hacker, English Bulldog, Sears Catalog Houses

• Jules Keene: Glamping, Blue Ridge Mountains, Vintage Trailers, Jack Russell Terrier

• Jade Hicks: Beach Town, Christmas Shop, French Bulldog, Tuxedo Cat

• Cassidy Jamison: Event Planner, Blue Ridge Mountains, Chihuahua, Music, Honky Tonk, Cave, Serenity Garden

Then create social media and blog posts that highlight these. Look for groups and hashtags on social media that are similar and follow people with similar interests.

Connect to a “holiday.” There are lots of online calendars that show all kinds of holidays for any occasion or celebration (e.g. Taco Day, Chocolate Lovers’ Day, Dog Lovers’ Day). Target posts for these special days and highlight your book.

You can use your list to come up with some creative book signings. I was part of a wine-themed anthology, and we scheduled signings and readings at wineries all across our area. There are all likes of places and small businesses that may work with you to do a signing or to sell your books. Think beyond bookstores, libraries, and conferences.

What would you add to my list?

How to Organize Your Marketing and Book Events

I have a day-gig, so most of my life is scheduled. I’ve tried a lot of different planners and programs over the years, and this is the method that works for me.

1. I have a monthly, four-year calendar (old school). It’s small enough to fit in my purse or laptop bag. But I can see each week and the entire month at one time.

2. When I know important dates (e.g. holidays, days off, deadlines, and publication dates), they go on the calendar.

3. When I apply or am planning an event, it goes on the calendar along with the location, contact, and time.

4. When an event is confirmed, I update it. (I also add the person’s email to my contact list in MS Outlook, and I save the correspondence in my email folder.)

5. If an event is cancelled or rescheduled, I change the date immediately to make sure I don’t double-book myself.

6. When I have publication dates, I reach out to my favorite book bloggers and super reviewers to see if they are interested in getting an ARC when they’re available. I make a list with their preferences, so when it’s time to plan the marketing, I have my list of early reviewers and blurb writers.

7. I also reach out to my favorite book tour organizers to get on their calendars for the book’s release.

8. I reach out to my favorite mystery Facebook group administrators to schedule book take-overs to coincide with my book launch celebrations.

9. Three to six months before publication date, I reach out to my favorite bookstores to schedule talks or book signings.

10. I have to be faithful and keep my calendar current so it’s useful.

What techniques and tools work for you?

Slow and Steady - Building a Following

When I started with Twitter (many years ago), I had three followers. It takes perseverance and constant “care and feeding” to build your email list and social media following.

Here are some tips that have helped me along the way.

Social Media Sites

• Pick one of your social media sites each week and focus on growing your audience. Interact with other (likes, comments, shares), and follow new people.

• When you’re trying to build your social media following, look at other authors who are similar to you. See who their followers are. (And follow them.)

• To find fans of certain topics, search for the hashtag or topic on the social media sites. You’ll find groups and individuals with similar interests.

• If you don’t already have a schedule, try to post regularly. One post a week is probably not enough.

• Look at your content. Make sure that all of your posts are not “buy my books.” People want to be entertained and informed.

• Provide folks away to offer feedback. Pose a question or ask for recommendations.

Newsletter/Email List

• Create a sign-up sheet. Put it on a clipboard and take it to every event you do (whether or not you are selling books).

• Make sure that people who visit your website have a way to sign up for your mailing list. But don’t make it the first thing that pops ups when they open your page.

• When you get ready to send out a newsletter, create a teaser graphic and provide a link to sign up. Post it on your socials.

What else would you add to my list?

ROI - Sometimes It's More Than Book Sales

My writing career started with a series of short stories, and many of the anthology writers and I did hundreds of events. It was a great way to get out and meet readers and to talk about books. For the first couple of years, we had something scheduled almost every weekend. As I started writing novels (and had contracts for multiple series), I cut down on a lot of the travel and appearances. It’s good to be choosy about projects and events you take on, but I encourage you to look at the total ROI (Return on Investment) when you make your decisions. Sometimes, you gain a lot more than just book sales.

Use every opportunity you have to invite people to join your newsletter list and follow you on social media.

Many of the writing projects and events have offered me the opportunity to network with other writers, publishers, podcasters, bloggers, and agents. These encounters led to other opportunities and projects. One led to acquiring an agent.

I often teach workshops and classes. These are work, but they’re a chance for me to share information on a topic that I love and to meet new readers and writers. Schools and libraries have a special place in my heart, and I will always try to accept their invitations. These events may not be an opportunity to sell books, but you can gather names for your email list and give out bookmarks. Many times, I’ve seen my sales numbers jump after a class or workshop.

Many of the writing conferences have offered me a chance to network and meet other authors. And that has led to lots of blogging, podcast, and anthology projects. (We plotted the themes of several anthologies in the restaurant at the Malice Domestic conference.)

I have also been very fortunate to receive book club and other speaking invitations from referrals from folks who attended a class, seminar, or book signing.

Events and promotions can be time consuming (and often costly). Look at your marketing plan and how you want to promote your work. But don’t forget there many offer other kinds of rewards and benefits.

Posts for Facebook Take-overs

Last week, I posted about Facebook take-overs (popular online events that authors can do to promote their books). You want your graphics and posts to be branded to reflect you and your book, and you want to generate possible sales and newsletter subscriptions.

Here are some tips as you plan your take-over.

Graphics

• I always choose a bright background related to an upcoming holiday or to something in my book.

• Each graphic contains my book cover and my website link. I want folks scrolling through the site’s posts to be able to find my items. Facebook will often organize the feeds based on the popularity of the post (e.g. likes and comments).

• Many sites will ask you to number your posts to help readers find them all.

Posts

• I create a Word document of the text posts that go with each graphic.

• Some posts are introductory and ways to get to know each other, while others are give-aways with prizes.

• Most take-overs are scheduled for one hour. I decide how many posts to have for my allotted time. Here’s an example for a 7-8 PM take-over:

  • 7:00 - Introductory and Welcome Post - Where is everyone from?

  • 7:05 - A Quick Fact about the Book and a Question with a Give-away

  • 7:15 Another Fact about the Book and a Question

  • 7:25 A Question with a Give-away

  • 7:35 Another Question with a Give-away

  • 7:45 A Game with Funny Responses

  • 7:55 A Thank you to the Hosts and Guests and a Reminder of When I’ll Post the Winners

• All of my content posts have a link to the book that I’m promoting. I also have a “let’s keep in touch” section with a link to my newsletter sign-up.

These are some sample posts.

Tips for Facebook Take-overs

Facebook take-overs are popular online events that authors can do to promote their books. There are many online book groups, many organized by genre, where the administrators will let you visit for a specific timeframe to post games, questions, and give-aways to help you celebrate your book. Most are done on the group’s page and are limited to its members. Though I have seen some do live events via Zoom.

Here are some tips as you plan your marketing events.

How Do I Find These Groups?

• Search for book groups on Facebook and read their descriptions. Join those that fit your interest and genre.

• Look at the events that they host. Many will solicit volunteers for author take-overs.

• It’s a good idea to do your homework and see how large the group is and how active they are. See what types of games are played and what other authors give-away.

• Reach out and message the group’s administrator to inquire about a take-over. Remember, most of these folks are book lovers who are volunteers. Be patient. It may take a day or two to get a response.

Things to Verify with the Administrator

• Make sure to confirm the date and time (in your time zone).

• Confirm when prize winners should be announced. Many would like for you to do it a day or two after the take-over to give more people a chance to play. I usually create a graphic with all the winners’ names and tag them in the post. I usually contact them via Messenger to let them know what information I need from them. Some group administrators want to post the winners. Make sure to ask.

• Find out if you’ll have administrative rights to the site. I like to create and schedule my posts on the site, so the night of the event, I can answer questions and make comments. It’s important for you to be active during the time that you’re scheduled. When you’re given rights to the site, make sure that you don’t approve new members or posts. It’s just for you to schedule your items.

• Make sure to ask if there are any special rules they ask their guests to follow. Some sites want you to number your posts, so readers can visit all of them easily.

Things to Always Do

• During the time of your take-over, make sure to refresh your screen every few minutes to see the latest responses. Sometimes Facebook changes how it filters comments (e.g. most relevant, most recent, etc.). Make sure it’s on the setting you prefer.

• Always thank your host and the page administrators. Most are volunteers.

• Be present and interact with the attendees.

• Post your winners and send the prizes in a reasonable amount of time.

Your Posts

• Make sure to have bright, interesting graphics that all have the same look and feel (e.g. backgrounds and colors). Put your web address and book cover on the graphic.

• Facebook truncates content in posts. Put the most important information first. Make sure to include a link to your book and a way that they can sign up for your newsletter.

• I create a Word document that has the content of each post. That way, when I’m ready to schedule them, I just have to copy and paste into Facebook.

• Next week, I’ll do a post on what type of activities to include in your take-over.

Your Prizes

• Always include what the prize is in your post.

• I make a list of all my give-aways and the prizes. When I pick a winner, I put the name next to it. Usually, you don’t want the same person to win more than one prize.

• I always try to think of prizes that I can send in a regular envelope to keep postage down.

• If you need to limit winners by a country, make sure you specify that in the post. It can get expensive to mail a package internationally.