Above is a diagram of most of the moving parts involved in setting up a give away using a double opt-in email and automation at Mailerlite. Seeing it visually will help you understand all the bits and pieces I talk about in the video that goes along with this post.
The video below is a comprehensive tutorial about setting up a giveaway using a double-opt-in email, and sending an email containing a link to a download for an infographic.
For self-publishers, building a reader list, sometimes referred to as a newsletter list, it is important to find ways to build your readership. By offering occasional giveaways, you can build your list a little faster.
People love infographics that organize and simplify information, so that is what I decided to offer as a giveaway in the offer in the video.
WHAT IS A DOUBLE OPT IN EMAIL?
A double-opt in email is one where the person signs up but then they must go and retrieve the email in order to confirm it is a live email. It presents you from gathering made up emails. It keeps your reader list clean of fake emails.
WHAT WILL BE COVERED IN THE VIDEO?
Like the picture above, I will cover the entire process from uploading the giveaway to Google drive and getting the proper link for the ultimate email form.
Then we go to Mailerlight and I walk you through the system as I set up a give away using the double opt-in email.
At the end, I then show you how it works. I also give a secret tip at the end about what to do with all the links you have gathered in order to put something like this together.
VIDEO TIMELINE:
00:01 – What we will cover in the video
Outlining all the components and links we will need
07:57 – Uploading the document at Google Drive
11:17 – MailerLite – First Form, the Sign up form and Success Message
15:20 – Email Settings (I leave them all unchecked)
16:00 – Creating the automation, the workflow
17:50 – Create the Email that is launched when the form is filled out
18:40 – Selecting a Mailerlite Template
20:00 – Creating an Email Template
20:50 – Adding the Google Drive link to the Email Form
22:00 – How to save the finished Email as a reuseable Template
23:00 – Set up the double Opt in
24:00 – How to find the direct link to the Mailerlink Form
27:00 – How the form works
Here is the video for your review:
If anyone is interested in getting a copy of the Infographic about How to Create a Character Arc in a 4-Part Story Structure, you can sign up below!
When I self-published my first novel, I finished it and uploaded it and waited. That’s when I learned how important marketing the book is. I also learned through the next several books how important it is to take advantage of each tiny phase of a book launch for marketing. That’s what this blog post is about.
Now that you have a generic marketing calendar, it’s time to assemble your toolbox. These are the things you will want to have close by when it’s time to dedicate an hour or two to marketing.
First into the toolbox is a graphics program. I used to use Photoshop, but since I retired from work, I now use Gimp because it’s free. I try to do everything as free as I can because I devote all monies spent on producing my books on an editor and paid book ads that work. I say ‘ads that work’ because many of them don’t. More on that in the next few blog posts.
I used to use Hootsuite, but it got too expensive and I couldn’t see enough in their desktop area. I switched to using a Microsoft Excel sheet. This allows me to continue to just Right-click and add a row above, so it is easy to build out the calendar. Within 6 months, I had about 4 to 6 daily marketing ads to post everyday. I find this the easiest.
Along with the 72 dpi book cover, you will need short blurbs about your book or books. Starting at about 150 words, keep whittling the blurb down until you have several blurbs with the last one being about one sentence (for Amazon ads).
Copy and paste any and all purchase links for your book. Be sure to keep track of which merchant each link belongs to. Besides the purchase links, you may want to keep the paperback and hardcover links handy — you never know!
Most younger people know what hashtags are. If you’re a boomer like me (hee hee), you may need to brush up on what hashtags are. Go to YouTube and search out videos explaining hashtags. Someone will explain them to you.
It all begins when you get the book back from the editor. Make all the changes in the eBook within two to three days after receiving it from the editor.
After the edits are done, its now time to list it as a pre-order on Amazon and/or as an ARC copy.
Don’t get impatient and offer the eBook before the last edit. I was told to do this and make “use” of the time the editor had the book. However, I paid the price for this, and it’s a tall price, one that follows me forever.
Recruiting ARC readers can also be a marketing strategy because who doesn’t like freebies & giveaways? Giveaways and Freebies have a way of capturing everyone’s attention. With a great eye-catching graphic, this can create interest and general buzz about your upcoming book.
It all sounds good. How do I do it?
My website and millions of other websites are built on WordPress. WordPress is a platform and many coders release what are called plug-ins. They give different functionalities to the website.
Go to bookfunnel.com and sign up for an account. Here is a screen shot from the first page. I’ve fiddled with it to show the actual address and the logo, but it will look similar to this picture here.
The Books Tab keeps track of the eBooks you have uploaded and how many downloads there have been. There are drop-down links (in the orange boxes) to edit your books information and also to reupload copies.
Do you want to be a published author and work with a leading publisher? Or do you want the freedom of self-publishing? Either way, you will need to learn to do at least some book marketing.
Don’t worry if you are camera shy or introverted. The type of book marketing I’m suggesting here is for introverts. People who have these big boisterous personalities don’t need anyone to help them gain a readership. Social media was designed for the extroverts — even the narcissists!
It’s important to be clear that when building an email list, that email list is your readership following. You may have free book searches who get on your list, and they may unsubscribe after a month or two. But the readers who like your books and look forward to hearing from you will remain loyal to you. You are cultivating a following. You need to see marketing as a slow and steady way to build this readership and maintain a monthly or bi-monthly contact with them.
