See how this author grew his Amazon sales using email marketing in AWeber

By Sean Tinney September 29, 2022

Amazon is a platform to distribute solutions, not a gross sales technique. But this creator utilised email marketing to reduce by means of the noise and produce demand for his guide collection.

Eric R. Asher is a former bookseller and cellist living in Saint Louis, Missouri. When he is not writing, you can normally find him examining, gaming, or buried beneath a smaller avalanche of Transformers toys. He is a prosperous author who self-publishes on Amazon.

But that was not usually the scenario. Eric had to navigate by way of the globe of publishing to understand that crafting the ebook is only the 1st step. 

Productive authors today have to have to cultivate an audience to offer guides. Obtaining the appropriate instruments to produce an genuine relationship with your viewers can make all the difference.

Eric’s dilemma – An “unpublishable” book

Eric’s profession strike a crossroads when his agent instructed him a single of his guides was unpublishable. 

“I advised my agent, ‘I’m rather sure you’re mistaken. I’m heading to choose the rights back and do it myself.’ And it finished up being a single of my most prosperous jobs.”

Eric determined to self-publish on Amazon. The royalties he could make — with no publisher taking a lower — manufactured it an engaging channel for him. 

But as attractive as promoting on Amazon was, just possessing a book on Amazon didn’t suggest Eric would make ample sales for the reserve to be productive. Amazon is a platform, not a income tactic. Authors need to produce their own need. They will need to create an viewers. 

Eric’s answer? Establish an audience with email marketing

The solution to Eric’s problem was email marketing and advertising. E-mail ensures that he experienced a created-in viewers of folks who know, like, and have faith in him, no subject the publishing outlet. It also gave him the potential to wander absent from a publisher since he had an viewers — and a immediate line of communication with them.

E-mail lets Eric to continue setting up associations with people who are fascinated in his do the job even following they complete looking through one of his books.

No other support — not even social media — is as individual, effective, and charge-successful. Email advertising and marketing is nevertheless 40 moments extra productive at attaining consumers than Twitter and Fb put together.

“I have close friends who promote more textbooks than I do, but simply because they are publishing in the regular way, many are earning considerably less (due to the royalties).”

Why he chose AWeber

Not all email provider vendors are the same. AWeber’s good name for providing messages to subscribers’ inboxes — and keeping away from the spam folder — was just one of the most important causes Eric became an AWeber consumer. 

“My creator mates have had nightmares with other platforms that had deliverability concerns. 1 even missing an entire mailing checklist on yet another platform.”

How Eric grows his electronic mail checklist using AWeber

One particular of the least difficult ways to get started setting up an electronic mail listing is to make a powerful opt-in reward (aka a “freebie” or a “lead magnet”) for your new subscribers.  

Eric presents his gift in the variety of a no cost novella reserve, “Whispers of War.” Guests receive a pdf guide by way of a connection sent in an automated e mail right after they submit their e mail address.

Although not everyone is likely to indicator up for your free of charge gift, the types who do are extra possible to purchase foreseeable future textbooks. Create the partnership early by sending them a welcome e mail marketing campaign instantly to keep them engaged.

How Eric sets up an automatic email in AWeber

How Eric builds pleasure with his viewers

Immediately after another person enters their e-mail address in a signal-up form, Eric sends them a sequence of email messages with samples of his crafting so they can get to know his get the job done. The very first e mail has a url to down load a cost-free urban fantasy novella.

The next e mail in the sequence includes yet another no cost information down load that introduces audience to his other style, Steampunk.

When a person clicks on a website link in a publication, that person is tagged primarily based on their interest. 

“For retargeting, tagging is priceless. If someone clicks on a url, then the subsequent time I have a new book in that sequence, I make certain they get a notification about anything new coming out.”

No make a difference how audience eat his textbooks — regardless of whether via audio, book, or print — Eric retains in touch with his audience by his newsletters.

And social media? Sure, Eric thinks it’s worthwhile, but his e-newsletter is even extra important. “I employed to believe that the publication was a awesome complement for social media. But in excess of the many years, social media’s algorithms have adjusted. I imagine it’s extra important to have that newsletter as your core. I have located electronic mail quite a must have.”

How Eric sets up subscriber tagging in AWeber

Build super followers by means of email

When it will come to launching a prosperous guide on Amazon, acquiring the right group of people advocating for your function is important.

Eric’s team of super supporters assist him grow his attain. They get early copies of his publications, and depart sincere critiques on e-book distributor sites.

Reviews enable influence browsers to buy. They’re one particular of the most vital drivers of guide gross sales. They are the best social proof that your book is acquiring read through, and people have an interest in the written content. Amazon also will take discover of critiques in the rating. Evaluations can be made use of in other areas other than Amazon, too. Eric repurposes his books’ critiques in his newsletters, making even extra revenue by email.

“One of the biggest things that I think a large amount of authors really do not do is question for testimonials. After sending subscribers a website link to down load participating content, I ship an e-mail: ‘Hey, my new guide is out. If you have three minutes, remember to think about leaving me a assessment on Amazon.’ Lots of authors really do not notice how advantageous a overview can be. Critiques are wonderful.”

Eric retains in touch with this team by means of email, which in the long run can help him develop more robust associations with them.

Want to get the exact final results that Eric bought from his e-mail marketing and advertising?

AWeber has all the resources and assist you require to grow your company or your aspect hustle. Get started now.