Let’s talk about something that might surprise you. You know how everyone says you need to be on social media, have a fancy website, and constantly promote your latest book? Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: while those things are nice, they’re not the most powerful tool in your arsenal.
What is? Your email list.
I know what you’re thinking – “Email? Really? Isn’t that kind of… old school?” Trust me, I hear this all the time. But here’s the thing: your email list is the one marketing asset you actually own and control. And that’s huge.
## Here’s Why This Matters So Much
Think about it this way: every time someone buys your book on Amazon, guess who gets to keep their contact information? Not you – Amazon does. They’re over there building relationships with your readers while you’re left wondering how to reach them again. Pretty frustrating, right?
And social media? Sure, it’s great, but those followers don’t really belong to you. Facebook or Instagram could change their algorithm tomorrow (we’ve all seen it happen), or those platforms could take away your accounts, and suddenly your posts are reaching basically nobody. Not fun. Also, how about that TikTok ban looming on the horizon? How would you like to be one of those authors who is ONLY selling books because of TikTok? That’s going to be a rude awakening if the ban goes through. However, if those authors had been getting even a fraction of those book buyers to sign up for their email lists, they’d be better off and not have to start all over.
Speaking of starting over, let me describe a very common phenomenon I see with almost every author I start working with.
## The Endless Launch Cycle Trap
This is when authors have to start from scratch with every single book launch. They’re out there hustling on social media, running ads, doing everything they can think of to reach new readers. It’s exhausting, and honestly? It doesn’t have to be that way. If those authors would just stop and set things up properly so they were consistently building their email lists, each launch would be easier.
## Let Me Make This Super Simple
There are really just three things you need to set up (Let’s call them the 3Ls to make them easy to remember):
1. A List – Pick an email service (like MailerLite or EmailOctopus- anything but MailChimp! – there are tons of good ones. Here’s a list.)
2. A Link (or a QR code) – Something easy for readers to type or click
3. A Landing Page – A page where people can sign up (usually in exchange for something cool, like a bonus chapter). I use BookFunnel for this but you can put a page on your author website or use one from your email service. Just make sure it is super simple to remember in case your reader is going to actually type it in to the internet.
That’s it! No fancy website needed, no complicated marketing schemes. Just these three pieces working together.
## “But I Don’t Know How to Do Any of That!”
I totally get it – this stuff can feel overwhelming at first. That’s exactly why I put together a free guide that walks you through everything step by step. You can grab that here.
(See what I did there? That’s exactly the kind of link you’ll want to include in your books!)
## Don’t Make This Mistake
Here’s something that makes me sad every single day: I can’t tell you how many authors I’ve worked with who have written dozens of books but never collected a single email address. They always say the same thing: “I wish I’d started this years ago.”
Don’t let that be you! If you’ve already published books without an email signup link inside, every sale is a missed opportunity to connect with a potential superfan. Don’t beat yourself up about it. All you can do is start where you are, right now, today.
## Ready to Take Action?
Here’s your super simple game plan:
1. Grab that free guide I mentioned
2. Sign up for an email service (almost all of them have free plans to start)
3. Create a simple landing page with something cool to give away
4. Put that link in your books
That’s it! Once you’ve got this foundation in place, everything else becomes so much easier.
Remember: your email list is like a direct line to your readers’ hearts (and maybe their wallets too – let’s be real). Don’t wait to start building it!
