6 Ideas for Author Newsletters
Did you happen to read some emails today? :)
Email is a great way to stay in touch with your readers and sustain book sales. I encourage all of the authors I work with to have an email sign-up on their website, but you can start off with just using your own email account before investing in a platform like Flodesk, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, or others.
Of course, the next natural question is, “well, what should I say in these emails?” Let’s get really concrete and start off with 6 messages to send your readers. If you plan out these 6 messages over the course of six months or even a year, you'll have a great foundation for connecting with people through email communications.
Author Newsletter Ideas: get ready to hit “send”!
Email #1- The “Behind the Scenes” Email. Just like with your social media posts, “behind the scenes” content is a great way to connect with readers. It gives them insight into your process, who you are as an author, and even teases some upcoming news without screaming “buy my book!”. I've sent “behind the scenes” emails about why I love to sign each copy of my book, where I shared news of getting a local bookstore contract, and other small glimpses into my life as an author and marketing coach.
Email #2- “The Reveal” Email. When you’ve hit an exciting milestone with your book, like starting draft illustrators or finalizing the cover, let people know! Again, you’re not focused on saying “buy my book” because if you only have draft illustrations, your book isn’t even ready for purchase yet. But you’re taking people along on your journey and getting them excited for the launch.
Email #3- The “Special Bonus” Email. At least once a year you should plan on having a special bonus. Typically this may be tied to a book launch or announcing pre-orders, but it doesn’t have to be. The “special bonus” is all about something extra people can get when they buy your book.
Email #4- The “Reviews are In” Email. As you know from previous blogs, I’m a big proponent of getting and SHARING your reviews. Reviews that just sit on Amazon have some value, but you have the ability to really maximize their impact when you share them on social media and through email.
Email #5- The “Holiday Special” Email. This is pretty standard as a lot of us already think about Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (my personal favorite), or Cyber Monday. But there are lots of holidays throughout the year that may tie into your book theme so don’t feel like you can only send this email in December. But for better or worse, I think people have come to expect some sort of deal around the winter holidays, so you might as well put together a discount or free shipping offer and email it out to everyone you know!
Email #6- The “Thank You” Email. It’s really important to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has supported you during your author journey. This isn’t a direct pitch for a sale, it’s a moment of gratitude and reflection. Send your readers, friends, and followers a quick message to let them know how much you appreciate them. This act of gratitude goes a long way!