How to Build an Author Email List (With Lead Magnet Ideas)
- arynvandyke
- Mar 22, 2022
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 22, 2024
You may have heard the term author email list and wondered if you should have one. I strongly recommend building an author email list if you're trying to grow your audience, connect with readers, and sell more books. Building an author email list is a pretty simple process but requires some effort and a bit of creativity to ensure it's a success. In this post, I'll answer "What is an author email list?", share how to build one, explain why you should have one, and provide some helpful tips.
What is an author email list?
An author email list, mailing list, subscriber’s list, or newsletter is a collection of email addresses that an author gathers from individuals visiting their website or blog. When someone adds their email address to your mailing list, they permit you to contact them by email at any time. Authors can take advantage of this tool by sending marketing materials, like book updates, offers, and event information, to multiple recipients at once.
How to build an author email list
Discover how to build an author email list by following these six steps:
1. Choose an email service provider
The first step to successfully building an author email list is choosing an email service provider (ESP). As an author, you can use an ESP to manage your subscriber list, send bulk emails, create professional emails, and assess the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns. Some ESPs allow you to use their services free of charge if you're managing a small email list. As your mailing list grows, you may start to pay a fee depending on your needs.
As far as recommendations, I like Mailerlite because it offers users access to great features (like automation) on their free plan. You can be on Mailerlite's free plan if you have less than 1000 subscribers, so it's a great platform with excellent features if you're an author who's just beginning to build your email list. Here are some other popular providers you may consider:
2. Create a space for an email submission form
Next, create a space for an email submission form. This form allows people to subscribe to your mailing list by typing their email into the form. You may use your ESP to create one. If you have an author website, consider including the submission form there. When you add the sign-up form to your website, subscribers can learn about your brand and sign up for your mailing list in one place. Most authors place the submission form on their website’s home page and about page. Here are five popular websites that authors use to build their websites:
3. Attract subscribers using a lead magnet
Now, encourage people to sign up for your mailing list by using a lead magnet. A lead magnet is a free item or service that you can give to people for subscribing to your email list. Essentially, it gives people a reason to sign up. Here are some common types of lead magnets that authors use to attract new subscribers:
Quizzes
Authors can offer people a quiz and require that the user provide their email address before viewing the results. Many people like taking online quizzes as they provide an opportunity for self-discovery (even if it’s only to uncover which type of vegetable you are). Three types of quizzes that you might use include:
Fixer quiz: Find out what’s wrong with your ____. I can find out your weakness in ______.
Score quiz: How well do you know ____? What is your _____ score?
Type quiz: What character are you? What is your ____ type?
If possible, aim to relate your book to the results. For example, if an author writes a book about their struggle with weight, they may create a quiz about body image or eating habits. In this case, the results may include the message, “Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with weight. But through my struggle, I’ve learned a lot about humankind’s obsession with this measurement. And then I wrote a book about it. It’s called BOOK TITLE.”
Learn more: How to Get Your Book on Bookstore shelves
Free downloads
Many authors build their email lists by offering free downloads. For example, here's my lead magnet, where users subscribe to my email list in exchange for a free marketing guide download. Here are some freebies that authors can offer to coax new subscribers:
Advice: Non-fiction authors may share their advice or expertise on a topic. For example, an author writing about sales may offer ten strategies to increase sales.
Book club guide: Most book club guides include discussion questions, additional reading material, and, occasionally, a list of the author’s favorite recipes for a book club meeting. If you’ve already released your book, offering a book club guide can entice new readers to purchase it.
Book’s prequel: If you have a book series, consider offering a free prequel. This strategy can also hook readers in and encourage them to buy the following books.
Chapters: Authors can share a sneak-peak chapter if they’re releasing a book soon. If your book is already out, consider writing a bonus chapter that you can share.
E-book: Some authors exchange their short e-books for a subscription.
Exclusive giveaways or access
You can offer exclusive giveaways or access to new mailing list subscribers. Often, authors use this strategy to convert people from social media followers to email list subscribers. Consider offering giveaways like a chance to attend a conference or a one-on-one writing session with you. You may also offer exclusive access to subscribers to attend a webinar or training. When promoting a giveaway on social media, ensure that people have a few days to participate.
4. Promote your lead magnet
Promoting your lead magnet is essential for growing your email list, and there are various strategies you can use, both organic and paid. Here are some effective ways to promote your lead magnet to attract potential readers:
Social Media Advertising: Utilize social media ads to reach your target audience and encourage them to download your lead magnet. It's important to view this as an upfront investment, as these subscribers can potentially turn into book buyers or clients in the future.
Author Swaps/Promos: Consider collaborating with other authors through platforms like BookFunnel to exchange lead magnets. This allows you to reach readers who are interested in similar genres, helping you build a list of engaged and active subscribers.
Consistent Promotion: Incorporate calls-to-action in your social media posts and email signature, and ask for shares from your network to organically promote your lead magnet. Consistency is key to increasing visibility and attracting new subscribers.
5. Send a welcome message
Once people subscribe to your mailing list, politely welcome them. You can use your email service provider (ESP) to create a message that new subscribers receive automatically after signing up. It’s effective if this message relates to the lead magnet that originally intrigued them. You can also simply thank them for subscribing and let them know they’ll hear from you soon.
Along with planning a welcome message, consider creating a series of drip emails that will send to subscribers once a week for the next four to five weeks. Typically, authors ensure that the copy of these emails relates to their lead magnet or book. The messages can be short or long as long as you’re connecting with your audience.
6. Share quality content
When it comes to building your email list, sharing quality content is key. Remember, when someone subscribes to your email list, they're showing trust in you. Here's how you can create content that keeps your subscribers engaged and interested:
Make your content exclusive, personal, and valuable - this will strengthen the relationship between you and your readers.
You don't have to send weekly updates, monthly emails can also be effective. The key is to be consistent and provide meaningful content.
Consider sharing preorder offers, release day reminders, the purpose behind your book, and how it can benefit your readers. You can also include virtual book club dates to engage with your audience in a more interactive way.
Do I need an email list as an author?
While you can check out my previous post for a more in-depth answer to this question, I recommend having an email list instead of relying solely on social media to connect with your audience. Here's why:
Relying on social media alone can be risky
Social media platforms can experience downtime, leaving you unable to connect with your audience. This can be frustrating if you rely solely on these platforms to reach your audience. It's also possible that a social media platform might close your account or lock you out for some reason. If this happens, you could lose your access to your audience entirely. When you have an author email list, you have a secure way to contact your audience. As long as you have access to a reliable WiFi connection, you can send and receive emails from anywhere at any time.
You don't own your social media followers
You don't actually "own" your social media followers. Your reach on social media platforms is essentially controlled by the platform itself. Many times, only a small portion of your followers will see your posts organically without any payment. You might need to consider paying to reach a larger portion of your audience or risk getting your posts lost in the algorithm shuffle. In contrast, authors own their email lists and the data that comes with it. This means you'll always have a list of contacts you can reach when marketing your book.
Email is a versatile communication tool
While each social media platform is useful for specific marketing strategies, email is the most well-rounded tool in your author arsenal. When you send an email to your subscribers, you can include text, large files, graphics, and videos in your messages. For example, you might want to share a video of you unboxing your book for the first time and include an emotional letter to your audience letting them know how much it means to you. Try doing that on X (Twitter).
Email remains relevant and personal
Looking at today's digital world, most of us use email almost daily. It plays a crucial role in both our professional and personal lives. When you get an email, it can feel like you're in a direct, one-on-one conversation with the sender. This personal touch is missing when you post publicly on social media. As an author, this can help make your audience feel a sense of connection to you, and that's always a positive.
Tips for building an author email list
I've coached countless authors through the process of setting up and building their email lists, so here are some helpful tips to help you gain and keep subscribers:
Be authentic in your messaging: Your subscribers likely appreciate getting to know the authentic you, so reflect this in your messaging. If you feel comfortable, let them into your life and aim to foster a sense of closeness between you and your subscribers.
Share what subscribers can expect: In your email submission form, consider briefly explaining what they can expect from signing up. For example, mentioning you’ll be sharing exclusive content can help encourage people to subscribe.
Consider your email frequency: Depending on your genre, plan to send at least one email a month and, at most, one email a week. If your expertise is business-related, consider emailing once a week, but if it’s lifestyle-related, once or twice a month.
Final thoughts
Building an author email list is like planting a garden - it takes time, effort, and patience. But with each new email subscriber comes a potential super-fan for you and your book(s). If you can allocate some dollars to promotion, this can greatly speed up the process and help you grow your list and potential readership. Once you've gained subscribers, keep consistent and make sure you utilize the list you worked so hard to build. You've got this!
Whether you’re in the midst of the writing process or have already finished your book, now is the perfect time to consider a marketing strategy. To help you get started, I’m offering a FREE download of my guide, 10 Things You Need For A Successful Book Launch. This valuable resource is packed with expert tips and strategies to empower you to craft an effective book launch and connect with a larger audience of eager readers.
Comments