Your book is launching in 6 months. Reviewing your email list, you see 37 active subscribers (people who currently open your emails) and 236 dormant subscribers (people who subscribed long ago but then stopped opening new emails, so while they’re on your email list, you’re basically strangers).
This is not good. Your subscribers are VIPs…Very Important People. Other than your family and friends, they’re the ones most likely to buy and promote your book. It takes time to attract new subscribers and then 2-4 months to develop a relationship by serving them regularly via weekly or bi-monthly emails. So you’re tight on time. But don’t panic. You can do this!
Of all the potential options to build up your email list, consider offering one or more free online events.
That might mean one event. One every month. One every other month. One each day for a week. You choose.
You’ll need to make a basic plan, write several emails, promote each event in its turn and give people time to respond to your invitation. The cost to attendees? They only need to share their first name and email address to be added to your email list for one or more events. This allows you to serve them well before the event, keep them up to date about the events as they get nearer, and to follow-up afterwards to stay connected.
Event suggestions
Webinars (a “web-based seminar” focused on your book’s subject), free trainings (to teach attendees how to complete a single, basic task connected to your book’s topic), live Q&A, or interviews (with you as the host, or ask a friend to interview you) are all good choices.
The purpose of these special events is to attract potential book buyers, not by using sales tactics but by offering free, valuable education directly related to your book’s content.
If you don’t have many email subscribers or social media followers, most attendees won’t know you, so they won’t value your offer…yet. Some will attend just to get your free stuff. Then they’ll decide if they want to hear more from you. They’re expecting to see you in action offering your version of humor, help, and wisdom.
You don’t need to be a professional presenter; you need to be prepared.
Think of these events as an online get-together with friends who don’t yet know each other but they’re all interested in learning what you’re offering. Lord willing, they’ll warm up to you and each other as the event progresses. 🙂
A few tasks must be completed before you begin promoting and well before your event begins. Expect to work these tasks into your schedule for 2-4 weeks. You’ll be soooo glad you worked ahead.
You’ll want an “email provider,” a company that stores your attendees’ info so you don’t have to, which allows you to send out emails to all your attendees at once rather than emailing them individually from your personal computer (don’t ever do that!).
Invite interested parties to “sign up” or “opt in”
Create a page on your website dedicated for this purpose or by contacting your email provider (Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, there are many to choose from) and requesting their help to build a “landing page.” That’s super-simple once you know how to do it, and miraculously, most email providers offer to do it for you at no charge. Check with your provider.
Once created, that page will have a unique URL (link) you can share in your emails and social media promotions. You must get the word out if you want people to attend! Ask friends to share your promotional graphics on their social media.
It’s important to include subscribers who’ve gone dormant.
They were interested in your message once. Give them a chance to reconnect by sending a re-engagement email. See How to Reactivate a Dormant Email List.
After that email goes out, send them your regular weekly or bi-monthly emails so they won’t go dormant again. You want them on your email list to let them know about your upcoming free events.
For new subscribers, write a short series of Welcome emails and upload them to your email provider. For help with content ideas, see Welcome Email Series Part One and Parts Two-Four.
Write in your voice.
Help readers “see” your personality. Offer valuable advice. All in one 4-part email series. These emails should be roughly three short paragraphs. Then, with help from your email provider if necessary, send all your readers weekly or bi-monthly emails that you’ve written and uploaded ahead of time. Ask your email provider about an “email automation.”
Must you be the leading authority on your subject matter for your events to succeed? No, though it’s wonderful if you are. 🙂
Remember that you know more about your topic than your audience does. That’s why they’ll attend. They’ll want your content.
Free events require preparation time on the front-end, but by completing the various tasks mentioned above, you’re less likely to need paid ads (though they’re wonderful if you have the funds).
Book launches–and free events–have multiple moving parts. Do what you can, as you can, even if it’s less than you’d hoped to do. Christ sees all you’re juggling personally and professionally. Have peace that He knows you’ve done your best. That’s all He asks.
Patricia Durgin is an Online Marketing Coach and Facebook Live Expert. She trains Christian writers and speakers exclusively, helping them develop their messaging, marketing funnels, conversational emails, and Facebook Live programs. Patricia hosted 505 (60-minute) Facebook Live programs from 2018-2020. That program is on indefinite hiatus. She’s also a regular faculty member at Christian writers and speakers conferences around the country.
Website: marketersonamission.com
Facebook: MarketersOnAMission
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