SFFMP 27: Running Newsletters (how, why, and tips), Entering Contests, and StoryBundle’s NaNoWriMo Opportunity

April 21, 2015 SFFpodcast Group Discussion, Podcast

Hey, everyone! Tonight Jo, Jeff, and Lindsay devoted most of the show to discussing newsletters. What host do they use (or in Jeff’s case, how he does it himself with a WordPress plug-in), how often do they send out letters, what do they write about, how they use affiliate links to monitor sales (and make some extra money), and how to get readers to sign up in the first place.

Here are some more highlights, as well as the links that were mentioned in the show:

A new release from Jeffrey Poole.
Jo is experimenting with long-term pre-orders and will update us on how it went later.
Our FREE epic fantasy bundle (all three of us are in it, along with five other authors). Check it out if you haven’t already.
Mailing list hosts that Jo and Lindsay use: MailChimp and Aweber.
The WordPress plug-in that Jeffrey uses to host his own list.
How we get readers to sign up (links in afterwords, forms on website, etc.)
Joanna Penn’s great article on how she tripled the size of her mailing list.
How Mark Dawson uses Facebook ads to grow his list effectively and profitably. (This is a podcast interview with the Self Publishing Podcast guys and well worth listening to; Mark comes on about 30 minutes into the show.)
How often we send out newsletters and what we say.
Using autoresponders to do more than thank the reader for signing up.
The NaNoWriMo StoryBundle contest (for more on how SB works, check out our early episode with StoryBundle’s founder, Jason Chen). Email submissions to nanosubmissions@storybundle.com (but make sure you check the site for the details and guidelines first).
Are contests ever worth entering? Some links below on what to look for before sending anyone any money for a contest:
Finding active contests, as well as links to pro, semi-pro, and paying markets at Ralan.com.