Q2 Week 7 MARKETING: Newsletter Swaps and Builders
NEWSLETTER SWAPS
A newsletter swap is a common marketing strategy among authors, particularly those of us in the indie publishing community. It involves two or more authors agreeing to promote each other's books, events, or news in their respective email newsletters. This collaborative effort is designed to cross-promote their work to each other's audiences, thereby expanding their reach and potentially increasing their readership and book sales.
Here's how a newsletter swap typically works:
1. Finding a Partner: Authors look for other authors who write in similar genres or have a similar target audience to ensure the content is relevant to their subscribers.
2. Agreement: Once partners are found, they agree on the specifics of the swap, such as what content will be shared, the dates of the newsletter issues in which the swap will occur, and any particular messaging or promotional offers to include.
3. Content Sharing: Authors provide each other with the necessary content for the swap. This could include book cover images, blurbs, excerpt links, author bios, promotional graphics, or direct links to newsletter sign-up pages.
4. Promotion: Each author includes the agreed-upon content in their newsletter on the scheduled date, introducing their audience to their partner's work.
5. Reciprocity: The key to a successful newsletter swap is reciprocity; each author benefits from exposure to a new audience, ideally leading to increased newsletter sign-ups, greater engagement, and higher book sales.
Newsletter swaps can be particularly effective because they leverage the trust and engagement that authors have already built with their own subscribers. Since email marketing is known for its high conversion rates, getting a recommendation from a fellow author directly in a reader's inbox can be very influential.
Here’s a sample email request for a Newsletter Swap
Subject: Newsletter Swap Request with a Fellow Sweet Romance Author
Dear [Author's Name],
I hope this message finds you well and thriving in your creative endeavors. My name is Shanae Johnson, author of the Purple Heart Ranch sweet military romance series. I saw that your [BOOK SERIES] is in my also boughts on [RETAILERS]. As fellow authors in the sweet romance genre, I believe we share a similar audience who cherishes uplifting and tender stories that speak to the heart. With this common ground, I am reaching out to propose a mutually beneficial collaboration through a newsletter swap.
PLEASE NOTE MOST AUTHORS KNOW WHAT A NEWSLETTER SWAP IS AND THIS SECTION MAY BE UNNECESSARY:
The idea is simple yet impactful: we would promote each other's latest books, upcoming releases, or any special promotions to our respective newsletter subscribers. This exchange could serve to introduce our works to a wider audience that is already inclined towards sweet romance, potentially fostering increased readership and engagement for both of us.
If this proposal aligns with your current marketing efforts and you're open to exploring this opportunity, I would love to discuss the details further. We can decide on the content to be shared, the timing, and any other specifics to ensure the swap is seamless and advantageous for both parties.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IT MAY BE BEST TO SUGGEST A SPECIFIC DATE OR RANGE OF DAYS FOR THE SWAP TO TAKE PLACE.
Please let me know if you're interested in this collaboration or if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank you for considering my proposal, and regardless of your decision, I remain an admirer of your work and look forward to any opportunity for us to support each other in the sweet romance community.
Warmest regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
[Links to Your Books/Website]
Once the author says yes, because of course they will want to work with you and your amazingness, you’ll need to either schedule their content immediately or keep a spreadsheet on when you will share their content.
NEWSLETTER BUILDERS
If you’re a shy introvert and the thought of reaching out to other authors gives you hives, there’s another option. You can join newsletter builders.
Here you can cross promote with other authors of your genre. Instead of emailing them, you simply click a button to sign up to their builder. Then when the day comes, you send out a newsletter with all of the books from that promotion, and they will send out your book.
Bookfunnel’s Newsletter: https://authors.bookfunnel.com/help/newsletter-builder-group-promos/
Story Origin: https://storyoriginapp.com/
Booksweeps: https://www.booksweeps.com/authors/join-a-promo/
Prolific Works: https://www.prolificworks.com/
All right, now. Get to swapping!
Did you know that I’m turning these posts into a Guide and Planner? Yup, Page Turner Planning will be launched on Kickstarter later this year. Be sure and follow the campaign to know when it launches!
