Hey Space Cadets, time for another article in my Marketing series.  Today I wanted to tackle Mailing Lists, yet another aspect of marketing. Now, quit your groaning – you might learn something.  Even better, someone may make a comment that will teach me something!  I am always learning new things.  Anyway, I digress, on to today’s subject.  Remember, I’m no expert so this is just what I’m doing and it seems to be working for the moment.  As things change, I’ll adapt which is a major key to success in many of life’s adventures.

First – what is a mailing list?  It is a list that allows distribution of information.  An electronic mail list does this over the internet.  An exclusive use of email that allows the widespread distribution of information to may internet users.  See this Wikipedia  page for a better definition.  That being said, where do you find providers for said newsletters?  PC Reviews provides a webpage “The Best Email Marketing Software of 2017”  that I would recommend you look at.  There are four free options, MailChimp, Zoho Campaign , Redcapi , and SendinBlue.

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Next, how do you build a mail list?  First you must choose who is going to host your mail list.  For me that was MailChimp.  Then you have to create a newsletter.  How do you create a newsletter you ask?  Well I can’t speak for everyone, but as an author, I looked at other authors.  Ok, ok, I had my mother look at other authors and find the pieces she liked to put together my newsletters.  We try to put one newsletter out a month plus one when we publish a book or other special occasions.  I don’t like when I get too many newsletters from other author’s or businesses and this was my basis of determining the number of newsletters I send.  MailChimp sends newsletters out as campaigns.

Last – how do you get subscribers to your mail list?  I have done it two ways; I have a sign-up form on my webpage and I have used Instafreebie.  Obviously, people visiting my webpage may or may not sign up for my newsletter.  Instafreebie is a site where I can offer a book for free and all they must do is sign up for my mail list.  We will go into this marketing avenue at another time.  I will tell you that so far I have 161 followers.  This part of marketing is more passive, since subscribers have to come to me. However the mail list also means you’re creating a place for your more loyal fans to stay abreast of your comings and goings. Will this have potential marketing perks for me? I hope so, the conventional wisdom says it will.  I have not, however, properly tracked this marketing tool.  I do think it has helped with the sale of  Operation Breakout, book three in the Sleeping Legion Series .  When I know more, I’ll share in a later post.  I hope this marketing post will help my fellow authors.

 

Until next time, stay frosty and don’t forget to keep your powder dry.

JR

–>As usual, all images came from the Google’s “labeled for reuse” section or are videos used by JR Handley for use under fair doctrine.