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Hey Babe!
Welcome to: Starting an author newsletter (a beginner’s guide). In this segment, we’re going to go over…
- Why is starting an author’s newsletter so important?
- Why do I need one?
- What should I use?
- How do I get people to sign up?
- Where can I share my link?
- What if no one signs up?
Why is starting an author’s newsletter so important & why do I need one?
Ever notice there’s a lot of metaphors for eggs and chickens? Don’t keep your eggs in one basket. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Why did the chicken cross the road?! Like, a chicken can’t even cross the road without someone questioning their motives. 😜
But in this case, one of the questions is valid: do you keep all your readers on one social media? Are you only present in one place? Are you only posting and sharing on one platform because of ease and convenience?
If you answered yes, let me tell you why that’s a bad idea.
If your account gets hacked, if your account gets suspended, or — heaven forbid — blocked/deleted, what’s your game plan then? How will you contact your followers to let them know what’s happening and where to reach you next? It takes serious time and dedication to build a following the first time, but to watch all that hard work disappear, forcing you to start over is brutal. But here’s the thing about social media — it doesn’t belong to you. It doesn’t last.
I AM LIVING PROOF!!!
I lost my newsletter (3,000 followers) TWICE! I lost my Instagram with 1,600 followers. Just gone.
Thankfully, I still had my Facebook group and page, Twitter, the list I saved on a google doc, and the other platforms I was on over the years. I’m rebuilding, but it could have been much worse.
And let’s not forget that something bigger and better will always come around (anyone remember MySpace?). You need a newsletter!
Let’s pause for a second and quickly address the big question in your head right now: Airicka, you literally just said you lost your newsletter subscribers … twice. How is that more reliable?!
Well, I’m going to tell you and explain that whole bundle of crazy below.
What should I use?
If you had asked me a few years ago, PRE-subscriber loss… I would have without hesitation or doubt pointed you to Mailchimp. It’s the one many authors (and businesses) use. It’s the leading newsletter company as of this post. It was the one I was using when I lost my lists.
But that will not stop me from giving you the pros and cons because at the end of the day, it will be your choice to make which platform works best for you. I am currently using Mailerlite and I have zero complaints.
- Mailerlite (Free up to 1,000 subscribers, $10/mo after that) *you get a $20 credit if you use my link to sign up!*
- MailChimp (Free up to 2000 subscribers, $15/mo after that)
- Campaign Monitor (Free up to 500 subscribers, $9/mo after that)
- Constant Contact (Free up to 500 subscribers, $20/mo after that)
There are so many others! Like the list goes on forever. My biggest recommendation is to go through each one and pick what works for you. I usually go by cost. What is my budget? What can I or am I willing to spend a month for this newsletter and, more importantly, does the newsletter have room for me to grow if I decide to expand later on?
I liked Mailchimp because you have a lot of wiggle room up to 2,000 members, and $15 isn’t too bad on the wallet. I like the drag and drop aspect because it’s easy and quick. What I did not like and what to this day makes me want to cry is their lack of support.
They ask you to do a 2 step authentication, which is fine usually, but the first time, the time I lost 2,000 subscribers, I moved provinces and my phone number changed and I no longer had any access to that number. So, when I went to sign in, I had my email, my password, but no way to authorize my account via text. 😑 Well, tough nuggets, because there is literally no other way to get into your account. You need that text! There is no support, no one to email for help, no one to call. Too bad, so sad. It’s gone. Better luck next time.
Second time, because I apparently did not learn my lesson, same thing. Due to work purposes, I had to change my number and well … rinse and repeat. At least the second time, it was only 1,000 or I would have died. Don’t get me wrong, it seriously hurt … a lot.
That is the only reason I do not recommend Mailchimp. If you’re not a paying member, you’re virtually on your own. 🤷♀️
Mailerlite, I’ve been with them for a little over 6-ish months, maybe a little more? I love them. Super affordable, the layouts are easy to figure out. There’s no messy signup hoops to jump through, and they have support whether you’re paying or not (I’ve actually emailed them and had a response back in 4hrs. It was amazing. Plus, integrating them into your website, piece of cake, and they have free courses you can sign up for to help you better build your newsletter! They have a ton of Youtube videos to walk you through every aspect. The only thing I wish they had was an app. I have it saved in my bookmarks on my phone, but an app would definitely help. Hopefully soon! 🤞
How do I get people to sign up and where can I share my link?
There is no limit to the places you can share your link, BUT no one wants it thrown at them at every turn. Be strategic.
I will share my newsletter link 1-2x a week on my social platforms. The majority of my giveaways are newsletter subscribers only. Freebies, downloadables, chapter shares, news, etc newsletter subscribers get it first.
I also add my newsletter to the ends of all my books, HOWEVER!!! Direct your sign up through your website. Have a page on your website dedicated to your newsletter. Have a pop up, have a bar. Whatever works for you. Don’t just send people to your newsletter directly because if you lose your newsletter like I did, at least you have your website, a link that will now be available everywhere, and all you have to do is change your newsletter links in your website. I’ll make a dedicated post on this in the future.
Join places like StoryOrigin or BookFunnel that help you get subscriber emails. I use StoryOrigin. I love them. You can get reviewers for your books, build a community of other authors and get sign ups all in one place. And it’s only $10/mo, or $100/yr! I don’t know much about BookFunnel, but I know many authors who use them. They’re $20-$25/mo or $100-$150/yr.
What if no one signs up?
Build it and they shall come!
That works for boats AND newsletters!
It’s not going to happen in a day. It might not even happen in a month, but it also might! You need to be proactive. Did you get all your Facebook followers, your Instagram followers in a day? No. You shared and posted and were active. I’m beginning to see big named authors push their newsletters more. It seems to be a thing publishing houses are getting into, so …. get on it! 🤣
BONUS DOWNLOAD!
If you’ve made it this far, I have a surprise download for you! This checklist is for you. Everything we talked about above is already listed for you to check off, plus a few lines for you to add little reminders for yourself. It’s print friendly, or you can use it on your digital device. Download and enjoy!
In case the button above doesn’t work, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO…
Do you already have a newsletter? Share your link in the comments and follow the others. Let’s do this proper and support each other. Also, if you’re an author, don’t forget to sign up for the Romance Enterprises Author Newsletter and get updated publishing material, tips, and news.
That’s all for this week. See you next Wednesday! <3
