Monday, May 18, 2015

To Newsletter or Not to Newsletter

This is probably going to get quite a few people upset. You know...in the same order of upset as "I don't think hard selling on Twitter sells books." 

The thing is just... 

Well. 

I don't like newsletters. 

At all. 

Not even a little. 

In fact, even if I once upon a time subscribed to them, getting one in my inbox immediately spikes my blood pressure. 

Which is why I've now taken to not signing up to them anymore. Sorry to everyone who's asked, but when it comes to newsletters, I'm definitely not your target audience. 

And yet it seems like everyone swears by them. 

And just when I get sold on the idea, I get one of those danged things in my inbox and there goes all the convincing. 

So here are the reasons why I don't like the idea of a newsletter: 

1) If I've created an online place where someone could just go to check out for updates (which I now do), why must I send a newsletter? 
2) Given that I have blogs and/or writing gigs for: writers, readers, spec fic readers, women, people who like reading about someone taking charge of their lives, AND interior freaking decorating (yes, really), I honestly don't see what the heck a newsletter would add. More than that, I don't know what I'd even put in the newsletter. Other than HEY! By the way... I have a new book out. 
3) And if "HEY! I HAVE A BOOK OUT!" is all I have to ever say in a newsletter, that's pretty much equal to (in my mind at least) hard selling on Twitter. 
4) Given the sheer volume of people now swearing to newsletters, I'm really wondering if my newsletter would even make a dent? 

BUT! 

That said, I know that sometimes, it's not just about what I like. Marketing is about doing things the market likes. 

Except: Does the market even really like newsletters? 

So please do let me know your thoughts. And your reasoning if you are using newsletters. 


12 comments:

  1. I've never signed up for a newsletter. I just wouldn't want that sort of thing clogging up my inbox. I'd rather just follow a blog and find out everything there.

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  2. Thank you! I agree. I unfortunately have a newsletter, even though I have yet to publish a book because every book about marketing tells you to have one. But I personally don't sign up to newsletters and I do feel like they are a hindrance too. And I hate it when people message me on Twitter or Facebook selling their books and telling me to like their pages or to follow them. That does nothing but make me immediately unfollow or un-friend them. Hope you find a solution, Misha. Have a great week.

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  3. I have subscribed and unsubscibed to a few. All business ones turn me off. I like a little personal, myself.

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  4. I tend to agree. I unsubscribed from all the newsletters I had signed up for because they were redundant. I was already getting all the info from the people's sites. And it started to feel like just more advertising hitting my inbox. : - /

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  5. I do have a newsletter that I put out once every six weeks or so. Does it make a difference in sales? I don't know. Do newsletters make me want to buy books? I only subscribe to authors whose books I already read. My blog is definitely my number one tool, though.

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  6. I've had my mailing list in place for 10 months or so, and just sent my second one. My first thought is to put information on my blog, website and Facebook page. The newsletter gets a look in almost never.

    So, no, I'm not sure they are effective :-)

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  7. Wish I'd started one earlier in my career. Might still do one for the IWSG. Elizabeth S. Craig posted recently about newsletters, stating that yes, they are very effective.

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  8. I used to have a website which I ran a newsletter for (for a while).

    It made a sense at the time because I would update different pages of the website at different times, so if you only ever checked two pages of the site, you might miss some of the things I was posting.

    On a blog it doesn't make much sense, after all, your posts are kind of what you would say in a newsletter. Plus there's only one page you need to visit so you can easily stay up to date.

    I'd say no to the newsletter. :-)

    Cait @ Click's Clan

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  9. I guess it depends on what purpose you imagine they serve. I'm still at the stage of trying to get noticed, and for that I don't think a newsletter would help there one bit.

    I see a newsletter as preaching to the converted. If you have a sizeable fan base already, with people who really do want to follow progress on your latest work, then I guess it might make sense. Until then, not so much.

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  10. News letters are like a target audience. And they're best if someone knowingly opts in, and has an easy way to depart from the list.

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  11. I think the best way to treat a newsletter is as something exclusive. Give them information, prizes, etc. that they aren't going to get on your blog and social media sites. Of the newsletters I've signed up for, I've really enjoyed them. Some give a free book each month to one lucky subscriber or they give information not available on their blog/website/social media. For authors who rarely blog, I've found out about new or forthcoming books through their newsletter. With social media being more limiting in what people see and not everyone has time to visit every blog and such, I find it easier to keep up with some authors via their newsletter than any other means. I think newsletters are more for the uberfan, the one who wants that notification sent to his/her inbox. Do you have to have a newsletter? No. Just like you don't have to be on every social media site or blog, but can newsletters be helpful? Yes, just like any tool we use to connect with people.

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  12. Thanks for the great tips, everyone! x

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