Below is an exchange I had with an author this week.

MS WROTE:

Trying to figure out some way to improve sales — have you ever written an article for WritersWeekly about email marketing?

(A firm I found online) offers something called Email Marketing at a modest fee for opt-in email (non-spam). What I consider doing is an email to (specific contacts related to my book’s topic) that I already have, plus a compiled list of official clubs for a one-time email.

I would simply quote from three sources I believe this market would respond to, and then add a link to my author page at BookLocker to order the book.

Takes time and work of course, but I could easily compile such a list.

MS

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ANGELA RESPONDS:

Many of those so-called “opt-in” email marketing lists are scams. They almost always have email addresses on them from people who do not want to be on that list and who do not want to receive spam. At BookLocker.com, if we get even one spam complaint, we would be forced to terminate your contract because spam can (and will) destroy reputations. And, email marketing in this way simply does not work. It’s far too big of a risk to take for something that will inevitably lead to complaints (you could even lose your website and email account) and a harmed reputation, and will likely lead to zero sales.

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Are you saying that the advance permission process doesn’t work? I wouldn’t BUY a list. I would make it up myself.

MS

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In my opinion, no. I believe the vast majority of those email list services / email marketing services are a scam. some include thousands of email addresses and some (if not most) are unsuspecting spam recipients. And, again, email marketing in that form just does not work.

Creating your own list out of the blue is just as bad. Unless somebody specifically requests to be put on a marketing list you’re creating, and specifically requests to receive marketing emails about your book, contacting them would be spam.

One of my most popular posts was on this topic quite awhile back. See:
Still Confused About What Is And Isn’t Spam….

The most effective way to promote your book by email it to publish a periodical online, and invite people to subscribe. I’ve written about this as well. See:
One-Shot Book Marketing Does NOT WORK – But THIS DOES!

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