Your Newsletter

Over the last few months we’ve discussed the following topics:

1.     Preparation for your marketing campaign
2.     Mailing list
3.     Getting subscribers
4.     Finding your audience
5.     Welcoming new subscribers to your list and engaging with your audience

Now it’s time to think about how you are going to stay connected with your audience. The easiest and possibly most effective way is by email; regular post-outs will work, but you might consider taking it one step further and publishing a monthly newsletter.

When deciding what to include in your newsletter, ask yourself what it is that interests your subscribers. Why did they sign up to follow you? And what will keep them engaged?

First of all, I’d recommend starting off your newsletter with a little light-hearted personal information about yourself, something that will interest your readers, what you’ve been up to over the last month, etc. Remember your readers are just as interested in you as they are in your books, but don’t overdo it, keep this part of the newsletter short and sweet.

The bulk of your content should be relative to what is happening in your writing career. You might keep your readers up to date with what you are writing at the moment. Or if you are a non-fiction writer or an expert in your field, you could be sharing the latest industry information or data, or something you might be working on or adapting at the moment, for example, if you have written a book about health and fitness, you could be sharing new exercise routines or recipes for a healthy diet. If you write fiction, you might share an excerpt from your up-and-coming book.

It’s also good to throw the odd question out now and again to encourage interaction, and if you follow up with a reply to those who have taken the time to answer with a personal email, your audience will appreciate the personal touch.

For those authors who may not have the time to write their own newsletters, there are freelance writers out there who will do it for you at a negotiated price. All you’ll need to do is supply the topics you want them to write about and they’ll fill in the blanks.

Something else that is also growing in popularity and something I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot more about over the next few months/years, is the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) software. Although I don’t use it myself, it could be a good option for busy writers. Most of the platforms seem to be developing their own versions: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google, etc. Watch this space.

Although writing a newsletter each month may seem daunting, it’s actually quite enjoyable once you get stuck into it. There is no rule that says you have to send one out every month, some authors send them out bi-monthly or even six monthly, where others might send them out weekly or fortnightly; it’s basically down to how much contact you want to maintain with your audience. If you choose to send out a newsletter less frequently, you can always send out short emails in the interim just to let your audience know you’re still alive and kicking.

Keep an eye out for our next newsletter and, until then, have a great month!

Write on …
Andy