On the 70th episode of the Self-publishing Roundtable, we sit down with guests Denise Grover Swank and Mimi Strong to discuss Mailing lists. It is a near universal truth now that the first bit of advice a successful indie author will give you is, “Start a mailing list!” But then what? And how do you build it? Both of these authors have differing opinions on how to build, treat, and maintain a list. We discuss their successes (and failures) with various methods.
Be sure to tune in live on this page Thursday, October 30th ( 9pm EDT / 8pm CDT / 7pm MDT / 6pm PDT ) or catch the show later on our Youtube channel or iTunes!
The Guests
Denise Grover Swank
Denise is a previous guest on the show.
Be sure to check out the show page for
SPRT episode 41 to learn more!
Mimi Strong
Mimi is another reoccurring guest
and friend of the show. be sure to
check out the show page for SPRT
episodes 52, 61, and 68!
I have to make it known that Mimi’s avatar is watching the YouTube window with much enthusiasm.
Adam Poe She’s impressed by that new logo on the video!
G’morning!
Demelza Carlton Heya!
Morning Demelza Carlton , thanks for watching live! 🙂
How important is the look of the newsletters? Do you get a designer to do it?
Adam Poe Demelza Carlton With school holidays and stuff, it’s been too hard to get to the live shows the last few weeks, so it’s nice to be here for it, lol 😀
: )
Teagirl We’re going to have a Q&A at the end. Will ask. 🙂
That’s inbox. I’ve got it.
Suggestion for people with problem open rates Gmail. On your confirmation “thank you” page, you can make a video or write instructions telling Gmail users to look in their other folders and move the first Email from that folder into the “InBox” so they’ll go into the inbox from now on.
Well hello there SPRTers.
Carl Sinclair Hello there……
I heard there would be an appearance of the hungry indie shit monster during this episode. Don’t let me down.
kevinmichael3 The shit monster is omnipresent.
Finally here. Hubby has PMS. Bad day >.<
BatmanErica ohai 😉 Give hubs a Midol.
I hope Amazon is planning on compensating me for all the pants I’ve pooped in thanks to the KU apocalypse.
michelleread I don’t know what Midol is. He’s just really grumpy, irritable and easily upset.
I started a new list a few weeks ago. Four people on it and all four opened the newsletter and bought the next book. Me happy 🙂
BatmanErica michelleread American magic pill. Used to work on my old boss when he was pissy. He named me the princess of the world for giving it to him…..and his wife hugged me.
michelleread BatmanErica Beer and steak has the same effect.
colinbarnes79 michelleread BatmanErica This is correct.
colinbarnes79 michelleread it’s only lunchtime. We had steak last night and while there is beer in the house, he doesn’t usually finish even one.
Lindsay Buroker Teagirl Thank you, Lindsay.
Strong, spill the secrets, you secret-spiller.
Has anyone studied the recommendations for subject headers that Mailchimp have? I used the tool they have for subject headers to check it’s suitability.
I also set up the sign up form so that people could send an optional message when they sign up. Got a really good comment from someone who signed up and mentioned them (by first name only) and their comment in my first newsletter. I like to think that she’s now my biggest fan 😛
colinbarnes79 kevinmichael3 the shit monster has taken over my life.
*Crickets*
colinbarnes79 stop talking about my kdp spreadsheet.
colinbarnes79 I’m just listening and soaking up info….
If you’re suffering from a lack of pop-up, there are certain drugs available to alleviate this.
The power of the pop-up compels you! The power of the pop-up compels you!
colinbarnes79 but colin, you’re still so young…and british. has america really exported that problem across the pond?
kevinmichael3 colinbarnes79 I can’t speak for other brits, but so far, touch wood, I don’t have any pop-up issues.
colinbarnes79 kevinmichael3 good to know the british population will not go extinct thanks to barnes at least.
kevinmichael3 colinbarnes79 eeww tmi
Am I the only person enjoying being in KU?
BatmanErica Possibly. I’m not seeing a benefit of it for my books
BatmanErica My pen name just put a book in there. It’s an advantage. 😛 But it sucks when you’re not in KU and the other people have the advantage.
Lindsay Buroker is that the sci fi romance you mentioned a few weeks back?
As a reader I only join the mailing list if there is no RSS feed on their site.
awwwwwwww
BatmanErica I never join people’s lists but always want them to join mine… naughty author. 😛
BatmanErica Lindsay Buroker Yup! It’s not a best seller or anything, but it has a much better sales ranking than it really should have based on the sales. I talked about it more here: http://www.lindsayburoker.com/amazon-kindle-sales/kindle-unlimited-why-ebooks-not-enrolled-are-at-a-disadvantage/
BatmanErica It’s an evil scourge sent to destroy us all, but I am in it. I wouldn’t say I’m “enjoying” it… but I’m happier getting borrows than getting nothing!
kevinmichael3 colinbarnes79 LOL
colinbarnes79 That was after one of my jokes, right? I need to bring my own Big Bang Theory sitcom laugh track wherever I go.
kevinmichael3 I gave like a ritzy neighborhood on Halloweeeeeeeeeen, with the full-size candy bars.
kevinmichael3 No, but you can order adult diapers on my affiliate account. Or so I hear.
kevinmichael3 colinbarnes79 I couldn’t show my magnet on the air. Hell, the cat walked into the webcam zone behind me and things came to a near standstill for an instant. 😛 I can only be so distracting!
Carl Sinclair I was doing good, right? I was all focused on the show and not looking at any chat comments!
Teagirl I like to keep it really simple with just a consistent header graphic that matches my website, and then a single column. My reports show most people read on their phones, so that’s a small screen! Hence the single column and the simplicity.
Lindsay Buroker BatmanErica I have a dummy persona who joins anyone’s list that is doing well. Just regular spying duties. As a reader I have zero interest in mailing lists or following what an author might be doing. Even my favourite authors. I just want to read their books and that’s it. How do I find out about their books? Well pretty much every author I read is a trad publisher and puts out one book every 5 years (epic fantasy slowbies) so it’s easy to keep track.
Carl Sinclair Lindsay Buroker with an RSS feed I can ignore the stuff I have no interest in and just click on the new release announcement 🙂
Mimi Werebeaver Carl Sinclair haha I think at one point you were totally reading the comments and answered the wrong question. busssted! You used to give me shit for that all the time. : )
Wonderful chat, guys! So helpful. I’ll be applying the collective wisdom to my mailing list!