MailChimp, audience building and keeping in touch

Email may be one of the original social media networks. While we typically talk about something like Twitter or Facebook where all communication is out in the open, email has long been (and in many ways continues to be) the way that people keep in touch, especially with closer friends, family and business colleagues.

Whether you want to announce new books, readings or other events you'll be part of, keep an ongoing presence in your readers' in-boxes  or even feature other authors you work with, an email list is an important part of building your online relationship with readers. If you're interested in taking a deeper dive into the when, why and how of email marketing for authors, I suggest starting with Newsletters 101: Email Marketing For Authors.

Most authors I work with offer a story or an excerpt from their book as a free download. The easiest way to start building your email list is to ask the reader for their email address in return for that download. That sounds simple, but can end up being a real challenge if you're not well-versed in the process. But this tool makes it pretty easy to set up, gather email addresses and then send a good-looking email out to the list whenever you like.

MailChimp

MailChimp is an email marketing tool hosted entirely online. They provide a place to store email marketing solution to manage contacts, send emails and track results. Offers plug-ins for other programs.

• Simple sign up forms you can then embed on your blog or website
• Templates you can use or tweak to make your emails look professional
• Statistics that keep track of things like how many people who receive your email open it and how many unsubscribe
• The first 12,000 emails you send are free
• Lots of specific how-to help to write better subject lines and use their service more efficiently
• Ongoing service improvements

I almost feel like I just wrote an advertisement for MailChimp. I've used them for my own email list as well as part of campaigns through other businesses I consult with, and they are by far my favorite compared to any other email marketing service.

The bottom line? Create an email list to keep in touch with your readers and use MailChimp to do it right.

Image courtesy of Screenshot from Mailchimp