013 - How Can Authors Use Email Marketing

In this episode, Suzanne discusses why some authors resist using email marketing but should do so despite their hesitations, how to go about getting people to join your list using permission-based marketing, and what to do once your list begins to build.

Many elements of business and marketing can be confusing and overwhelming. Others, we just don’t like. I find lots of clients feel BOTH is true when it comes to email marketing.

My goals with this episode are to:

• Demystify why email marketing is so important,

• Provide some strategies on how to get people to choose to get your emails,

• Help you understand what you can achieve with an email marketing list,

• One of the best things about email marketing and how it relates and all the endless possibilities it affords.

Many clients believe that the connection they have with followers through their social media platforms has taken the place of email marketing for them. They don’t understand why they need to ALSO communicate through email marketing, or why they need to encourage their followers onto their email list.

But there is one thing that social media will never give you, and that is ownership of the communication channel. When you are using any social media platform, the content and your connection to followers is owned by the channel, not by you.

At any time, a social media platform can decide that you are not using their platform as agreed to, and they can delete your account entirely. Platforms can also decide incorrectly that your content is untrustworthy, and they can remove or disable links to your website. I’ve had clients experience both of these issues and known big time marketers whose accounts were halted or shut down.

You may have noticed that Customer Service for social media platforms is relatively non-existent, so if you do have a problem, in can take weeks to resolve it.

This is why you MUST transition your social media followers to being members of a closer tribe – namely the tribe on your email marketing list.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair of me to make the recommendation that you convert followers without giving you some guidance as to how!

Generally, those who get the best results with email marketing do so when they use the principle of permission-based marketing.

Permission based marketing is marketing to contact WHEN HE OR SHE HAS GIVEN YOU PERMISSION TO DO SO.

We do this, not by getting business cards or adding email addresses we collect to our list, but by offering contacts something irresistible that makes them willing to sign up for our list.

For example: If you head to allthingsauthorpreneur.com, you’ll see an invitation to download a free guide called Seven Success Principles to Shift from Author to Thought Leader.

People join my list by accepting this free offer.

They do so from the podcast website, they do so from my primary website, suzannetmoore.com AND, I regularly invite social media followers to download a copy.

HOPEFULLY you already have something like this in place, but if you don’t, let’s talk about what you could offer to help transition fans from your social profiles to your email list.

No matter what kind of book you have written, or author you are, you could easily offer a free chapter or two of your book (or one of your books) in exchange for an email address.

You could also offer something that is a good companion to your book.

For example: Those who have purchased my book Hang on Tight! Learn to Love the Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship are invited back to my website to download a free companion workbook. This is a great way for people who are interested enough in me and what I do to get a little something extra and to join my email list.

If your book is full of a description and case studies of action items people could take and how they benefit, you could offer a simple download of the basic action items…and invite people later to purchase the book for more information.

My favorite “Irresistible Free Offers” are simple and easy to put together and provide instant value to the individual who obtains them.

While it is easy to fall into a trap of feeling you need to GIVE a lot, the truth is that too much information leads to lack of action and lack of benefit, so it is much better to keep yours simple but make it pack a punch.

Once you have your free offer ready, you’ll want to promote it generously. An invitation for followers to obtain can and should be shared EVERYWHERE and OFTEN.

Let’s talk about what EVERYWHERE MEANS:

• Add a link to it in the bio of your social channels

• Reference it regularly when speaking

• If you are being interviewed invite listeners to get a copy.

• If you create value-added content videos make it your call to action at the end

• Regularly posting on your blog? Create a graphic for underneath the posts inviting people to grab your free gift

• You can put a reference to it on the back of your business cards

• Or at the bottom of any other marketing materials you have

• If you have a new book coming out…you can put an invitation to it in the back

Be creative and keep finding new ways to share it.

As mentioned earlier in the episode, clients are not only often confused by email marketing, they simply don’t like it. Hopefully you’ve already heard enough reasons to like it throughout, but I’m going to give you one more.

Email marketing is the least expensive investment you can make for marketing your business with the highest rate of return.

Most email marketing systems will cost you very little to run and maintain. On the low end, you can do it for FREE on the high end – for entrepreneurs, we’re talking a couple hundred dollars per month.

However, once your list is growing, your opportunities for sales grow too! You now have people who are engaged in your big message.

It is a platform that allows you to do work ONCE and reach unlimited people.

These days, that kind of reach on social media is only available through advertising – a much more costly and inconsistent alternative.

So instead of fretting about the fact that you don’t like receiving too many emails, focus on making sure that your list receives value in each and every email they get.

AND focus on how to use this connection and engagement.

How will you get your followers to invest in you, your business, your solutions?

What do you or can you offer them that will provide them with a result they’re willing to pay for?

You now have an audience that you can provide a consistent narrative to and that you can connect with over and over again, regardless of algorithms.

Do you want to run a program to teach in depth the concepts in your book? Do it!

Would you love to work one-to-one with clients supporting them with your knowledge? Do it!

Are you working on another book you’d like to pre-sell? Your audience awaits!

Do you need testimonials or reviews for your earlier book? ASK your email list.

Are you wondering what program would serve your followers? Send out a survey.

The possibilities are endless, and are far more directly available to you than through a casual social media connection.

All marketing solutions have their place…but email is one of the very best and cost very little in comparison.