The Ambitious Author

3 Critical Emails for Your Book Launch

Posted on August 2, 2016 Updated on December 13, 2017

You’ve built an email list, now what? Every author interacts with their list differently, based on their own personality. Some like to do a quarterly newsletter, filled with memes and recipes and book tidbits. Others prefer to only send mail around a new book release. 

In my opinion, neither way is wrong, as long as you don’t neglect the three critical emails you owe your list around every book launch. Yes, that’s right, I said owe. After all, readers joined your email list because they want to hear about your new books, right?

So what are those three emails for which your readers expectantly wait?

1. Pre-order announcement. As soon as you have an Amazon link, share the exciting news with your list!
2. Release day celebration. Let your readers share the excitement by sending them a quick note on release day. Those who didn’t pre-order the book may jump on it now.
3. Week 2 thank you. Send a quick note thanking your readers. Let them know you hope they enjoy the book, and ask them to post a quick review on their purchase site and Goodreads.

In addition to the three must-do’s listed above, there are some other great ways you can interact with your email list. A word of caution though, make sure you’re sticking close to what you promised you’d send when you invited them to join the list.

That said, here are some other ideas for emails to readers:

• An invitation to join your launch team. Send an email with a quick survey to recruit new launch team members. Just make sure its clear what you’re asking and what you’re offering in return so you get a group of willing fans!
• Share character profiles and inspiration pictures for the hero and heroine of your pre-order book. This is a fun way to create buzz!
• Let readers know when you have a book on sale. Just be careful not to send too many sale announcements, or this can feel too much like spam. But if you have something you think your readers will like, share it with them!
• Send the first chapter of an upcoming book. Great way to make pre-order sales!

I’m sure you have other ideas for notes to share with your email list. I’d love to hear them in the comments!

It’s no secret that growing your email list is a powerful marketing tool, but what do you do with those new subscribers? How do you help them get to know you and want to buy your books?

You set up an easy, but effective, Welcome Email Sequence.

Want real email examples and pro tips to set up your Welcome Email Sequence? Get these and more in my new course!