Using email lists - are you or aren't you? - Writers Forum

SueC · 04-20-2008, 11:00 AM

I was surprised on another forum to hear from writers, mostly copywriters, that they didn't think email marketing was useful for them. They felt that people don't read them, or that they are used only for selling stuff.

I think if you're writing interesting emails, people look forward to opening them! Done right, it could be extremely useful - giving real, quality info that "wows" your client or fan.

How are folks using email marketing here? Or are you?

Mike C · 04-20-2008, 11:39 AM

By email marketing do you mean spam? Unsolicited mailing? Many reputable people avoid doing it because recipients such as myself delete mails unread and regard the sender from that moment on as persona non gratia. I never see another mail from them as they go on my blacklist. If I want a copywriter I'll go out and find one or ask people whose opinions I trust for recommendations.

RomanticRose · 04-20-2008, 11:53 AM

I only work locally. I am a professional (87%of my total income last year came from copywriting) writer with *le gasp* no web presence at all.

I have my own marketing methods, that do not involve email.

Judith Tramayne · 04-21-2008, 08:06 PM

Mike,

I do believe SueC is talking about lists that people opt-in to receive. It's called a monthly, bi-monthly or even a weekly EZine to keep in contact with your fans if you're a fiction writer or you write non-fiction and give these people who sign up -- great content.

Or heaven forbid, they could have opted-in to receive an ebook which will make their website EZ-ier to find like my "Search Engine Optimization Made EZ" or even my ebook and Video for making "Static RSS Feeds" for their website.

There is no SPAM involved.

All SueC is trying to do is offer another way to market.

Marketing is not a dirty word. And email is part of marketing.

To answer your question SueC, I use it all the time because it's part of doing business on the Internet. Everybody I send an email to has opted-in and they do open my emails because I give them content they want to read.

Judith

Mike C · 04-22-2008, 12:55 AM

Opt-in I'm happy with, and many of my clients use opt-in newsletters to spread the word, alongside blogs, myspace etc - email is becoming a less valuable marketing medium as we drown in a fog of unwanted mails. How many of us delete unread the newsletter/e-zine/whatever we signed up for six months ago but now really can't be bothered to either read or unsubscribe?

Raging_Hopeful · 04-22-2008, 01:48 AM

I would have to agree with the opt-in marketing strategy but this does not mean that one should rely upon internet marketing as their one avenue. I have "opted-in" on many newsletters only to opt-out or start deleting after the first one has proved to be worthless... and sometimes not even worthless, but time consuming and in direct competition with my other emails. Sometimes it's just easier to hit "delete all" than to flip through everything.

Variety is key in marketing and using different media to access different audiences is especially important. Know your customer people, know your customer.

Cheers,
Linz