Publish Your Own E-Letter

Dear Authors,

This issue I'm going to talk about the importance of publishing your own e-letter (or if it's more elaborate: e-zine). I'll show you what the basic elements are, how to come up with content, how to promote it, and how to benefit from it.

WHY YOU NEED TO PUBLISH YOUR OWN E-LETTER

There are many reasons for an author to publish their own e-letter or e-zine. None of them have to do with ego. All of them have to do with getting your message out to the widest possible audience. Here are 5 great reasons for publishing your own e-letter:

1. An e-letter keeps your name in front of your readers. Those who have already read your book and even those who are fans of your book need to keep hearing from you. If you don't have regular contact with them, they will soon forget who you are.

2. An e-letter can be used to help you develop material for your next book. Author John Stanko has a weekly e-letter called the MONDAY MEMO which focuses on finding and developing your purpose. Now that he has written over 100 MONDAY MEMOS, he has enough material for another book (it will be his sixth with Evergreen Press). If you'd like to get the MONDAY MEMO mailto:johnstanko@att.net

3. An e-letter can help you keep the passion for your message alive and growing. Writing a book helps to establish you as an expert on the subject of your book. But that expertise needs to keep growing in order for you to have widespread influence.

4. An e-letter can be a gateway to further ministry with your audience. Today, many authors are moving into the area of mentoring and coaching. An e-letter can be a doorway into establishing these kinds of relationships with your readers.

5. An e-letter helps to build trust. If someone hasn't read your book yet, an e-letter can help introduce you to them. It will get them used to receiving helpful information from you. Then when you have the opportunity to present your printed or recorded materials, they will be more likely to buy.

E-LETTER BASICS

When you first think about it, the idea of publishing an e-letter might seem intimidating. But you already have the basic writing skills and passion for a particular subject. The rest is just a few nuts and bolts. Here are the basic elements of your e-letter:

1. A name gives your e-letter something your readers can identify with. Evergreen author, Michael Davis, named his e-letter FRIDAY REFLECTIONS. The name told people when to expect the e-letter. BOOK BUZZ tells you what the e-zine is all about.

2. Decide how often you will send the e-letter: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. (Less often than monthly and you'll be forgotten.) Or, you may wish to maintain an informal publishing schedule (just make sure it's at least once a month).

3. A "masthead" gives the name of the e-letter, the date it was published, who published it, what it's about, and contact information. It could also include how many people subscribe to it (when the numbers get impressive). Don't worry about making it graphic (and don't use html).

4. A "table of contents" (if you have multiple topics) or just a headline announces what's covered in the issue. The subject line can also announce the subject matter.

5. The "body" or content of the e-letter develops the subject you wish to discuss. Keep the tone warm, friendly, and informal. Create a feeling that you are talking to just one person. Use the word "you" a lot. In fact, if you have the technology or if your mailing list isn't too long, you can personalize the e-letter by adding the recipient's name.

6. The "closing" thanks them for reading, encourages them to look for the next issue, invites them to pass it on to others, and reiterates your contact info. Always include a brief mention of your book/materials and website if you have one.

7. An ad for materials that you have for sale should be set off by dotted lines from the editorial content. Or, you can provide a link to the place where they can get more info. (You could simply say, "reply to this email and ask for ___________. Then send them a separate, sales oriented email.)

A good way to get ideas for your e-letter is to subscribe to others and borrow the ideas you like the best.

FINDING CONTENT FOR YOUR E-LETTER

After you have done a few e-letters, you may start to wonder where your next content (subject matter) will come from. Don't panic. And don't let the fear of this happening keep you from starting an e-letter. Here are some easy ways to develop content:

1. Use material from your book. Adapt it, shorten it, lengthen it, whatever.

2. Answer questions that recipients of your e-letter or readers of your book have asked.

3. Talk about what's going on in the news media that relates to your book.

4. Share what God has spoken to your heart the previous week.

5. Try out some new material. See if it generates interest.

HOW TO GROW YOUR MAILING LIST

One of the reasons for starting an e-letter is to widen your circle of influence. But you need to be willing to start small. If your mailing list is small (mine is under 100) that's OK. Your time won't be wasted because 1) the people who do get your newsletter are worth your time, and 2) you can always archive your back issues and make them available to new subscribers (for example, at your website, or via email).

Here are some ideas to help you increase the size of your mailing list:

1. Start with your existing list. It can include friends, family, associates and readers who have written to you.

2. Use an electronic address book to remember their names and addresses. I use Outlook Express. There are many good address book programs.

3. After you've sent a newsletter, if someone asks to be removed from your list, do so promptly.

4. Don't use SPAM. You'll only anger your recipients. Send to people you know.

5. Encourage your recipients to forward your e-letter to people they think would be interested.

6. Offer to send free gift subscritions on your recipients behalf. Identify the first mailing to the new recipient as a gift from __________.

7. In your print materials and on your website, invite people to get a free subscription.

8. Promise your recipients that you will not sell their name and address to anyone.

9. Always keep your content focused on the needs of your readers. It's not a soapbox. It's a means of delivering a benefit to your readers. (You want to keep the subscribers you already have.)

10. Last, but not least, pray for the increase.

HOW TO BENEFIT FROM YOUR E-LETTER

I've already touched on some of the benefits you will receive from publishing an e-letter. But the most important way you can benefit is this:

Focus on being a blessing (benefit) to your readers. You reap what you sow. If you sow benefits into your readers, you'll reap benefits from them!

Here are some of the other benefits of publishing an e-letter:

1. You discipline yourself to keep writing. You hone your writing skills. I made my brother a promise to write to him everyday when he went to Vietnam, and kept that promise until he returned home. Not only did this bless my brother, it had a profound affect on my writing skills. Forget writer's block!

2. You provide an opportunity for God to continue speaking to you about your chosen area of expertise. Not only will your readers grow, you will too! "And the Word of God grew and multiplied..."

3. You create material that can be used in print (such as articles and columns in magazines and newspapers) or on other websites besides your own. (Don't charge for them--consider it as one of the best forms of free advertising.)

4. Look at #1 above again. If you're still not motivated to start a newsletter, it's not my fault. An e-letter may not be for you. There are lots of other ways to buzz your book. But if getting up in front of crowds or groups is not your cup of tea, then maybe publishing an e-letter is!


That's it for this issue. I know I tend to get long-winded (or is it long-fingered?) but I don't know any other way to be thorough. Thanks for reading. Keep buzzing!

Warmest Regards,
Brian Banashak, Publisher
© 2004, Brian Banashak