Not being the most computer savvy individual, it has taken me a bit to get the signup page for my new author's newsletter, The Inspector's Report, up and running.
Of all the things I have tried to market my non-fiction books, the best tool was my e-newsletter. It allowed me to establish myself as an authority on the subject and put all of my titles in front of potential customers.
It was a lot of work, largely because I published it too often. I sent it out once a week for a total of 40 issues a year, slowing the pace only during the summer months.
I will say this. Each week my Kindle sales spiked one day a week, always during the twenty-four hour period following the release of that week's e-mail.
It takes a lot of time and effort to build an e-mail list. Over an eight year period, my list grew to just over 5,000 subscribers.
Building a list that size not only takes time, but you have to be aware of the laws surrounding building e-mail lists.
The Inspector's Report will be a new venture for me. I don't plan to release it on the same grinding basis as I did my other newsletter. Once a week for a one man operation is a guaranteed recipe for burnout. Once a month is my goal and I hope a far more sustainable schedule.
In addition to announcements concerning new releases of my works of fiction, I plan to include things only the subscribers to the newsletter will receive, such as:
- Short stories
- Back history of characters
- Reviews of the latest work of science fiction or crime noir I've read
- History of this and that (I'm a history teacher after all)
- Answers to reader's questions
- Plus other stuff I hope my readers find of interest
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