Today I am talking newsletters. I had planned to do a post on newsletters prior to the recent event.
Recently I entered a multi-author giveaway with over 70 authors with being added to newsletters lists a condition of entry. I knew I would be added to the lists and set up a folder for the emails to use for research.
I am not a fan of the welcome sequence so I was bracing myself. Normally I don’t last the sequence. I was already on over 10 emails lists and while I was welcomed by a couple lists I was already on I am now reintegrated to their lists. With the exception of one where I sat through another eight of the sequence.
Around 50 new newsletters have added me and I was pleasantly surprised that only ten including the one mentioned earlier sent the welcome sequence. Ranging from Three emails to eight although I have heard of one who has 14 in the sequence. With the lists I was already on about 20% have the welcome sequence, so a less than I expected.
Welcome sequence
Why do I dislike the welcome sequence? The main reason is one email could have covers what is in the sequence. With the sequence it seems to follow, welcome and maybe a download. The next will introduce the author and maybe what they write, the next ones talk about the different books they have written and often one email per series. With often comments like now you have read your free download or I hope you are enjoying your free download. In this case having so many new newsletters along with the ones I am already on my inbox was overflowing. Most days for awhile.
I find quite often these emails are plain text with little information with maybe some pictures of books series. Personally it feels like spam as there is little in the email and its like being drip feed and just overkill. The sequence feels disrespectful of my time. Their are exceptions and a couple did it well by spacing out the emails were more informative. One concise email with all the information would capture my attention.
Downloads.
Most of the newsletters offer a welcome download some more than one. This means with a multi author giveaway and being added to the mailing lists I am looking at a lot of free books. I read on average 4 books a month. If I downloaded all the books, I don’t need to buy a book for over a year. I personally rarely download the freebies but know many will.
When I do it’s for a reason. I did join Jennifer Mistmorgan’s newsletter for her freebie before she was published because it sounded good and it was. When offering a free book please don’t follow up the next day with now you have read my book please review it. If you need to mention I hope you were able to download my welcome gift, just in case you missed it here is the link again. Don’t pressure readers to read and review.
Newsletter fatigue
The past couple of weeks when I see newsletters in the folder at times I don’t want to open them. I see the names of those who sent the welcome sequence and now send weekly or more often and just can’t deal with the newsletters. I feel newsletter burnout. Some newsletters wait several days to be opened.
I know this is sounding like a negative post and in someways it is but I wanted to share how some readers react. I am not alone, and many would have unsubscribe as the emails came, whereas I was doing research. There are newsletters I was looking forward to but am now overwhelmed due to the frequency.
There are positives as there are newsletter lists, I will be staying on and below are some of the reasons why.
What Works
Being concise and to the point. A Welcome email thanking me for subscribing or entering the giveaway, reminding me why I am receiving the newsletter. With an introduction of the author, telling me what they write, what to expect in upcoming newsletters and how often they will be sent. They will often include photos, maybe of themselves, or pets or something of interest to them. With links to their website, books, and social media. The emails won’t be straight text with no breaks. These emails make me want to get to know authors.
After The Multi Author Contests.
Things to think about when joining multi-author contests. When the contest is over how many authors were involved, and think so that means x amount of newsletters will be sent. If I was a reader about to receive x amount of new newsletters would I appreciate the welcome sequence from most of the authors. If you don’t write one Ignore this part. But if you do think how would I feel. Would I feel overwhelmed, would I want to keep reading them all every day? Or would I hit snooze or unsubscribe. Now think do I want that to happen to my emails?
No consider could I set up a different welcome email to my newsletter for multi author contests. Could I just send the one welcome newsletter and consider waiting a week or two as to not overwhelm readers? Is there a way to condense the sequence to just a couple of emails after a contest? Could I send them every two or three days rather every day? Just don’t send them all in one day. If you need feedback ask readers, or authors who use the welcome sequence what the unsubbing rate is after a contest.
Other Considerations
Consider if you have a weekly newsletter if you could have an option for those who find weekly too often. Check out Autumn Macarthur’s newsletter. She gives the option of weekly or monthly, as do Several other author. Another point is while you strive for a set time frame life happens. One author has a regular newsletter and one for new books and specials.
I think the biggest takeout is while we all want the best newsletters and while marketing experts give a template really think about your newsletter. Think is this the newsletter I would like to receive. Do I love the welcome sequence when I receive them. If yes then it’s right for you but if you say no then maybe others feel the same way. Maybe if you do have a welcome sequence see if you can improve it and maybe extend the time between emails. Over all you want to keep loyal readers and not burn them out.
Next time I will talk more about what some authors do well in newsletters and what engages readers. This post is long enough for this time.
Well said, Jenny, and a lot to think about for authors.
I’m not a fan of welcome sequences. I prefer just a straight newsletter once a month which is what the authors I’ve signed up with do.
I write a monthly newsletter which I said would be sent near the beginning of the month but keeps being sent nearer the middle. Not sure what that says about me? Truth is, the first couple of weeks go by so quickly and suddenly we’re in the middle and I’m thinking, ‘Yikes, I haven’t sent my newsletter!’
It would be interesting to hear what you, as a reader, like to see in a newsletter, Jenny. Sometimes I wonder if I’m putting the right stuff in. I recently asked my subscribers for help naming a main character and I had a lot of response to that, which was really nice. My dog turns up regularly, too, simply because she’s adorable. :o)
Thanks Suzie, If you search newsletters on the blog there have been surveys on newsletters. There are also a few other posts. But I do love when newsletters have polls or questions. (One author was getting so many responses shes gone to doing polls)
A lot of authors send their emails the first week of the month so sending a little later isn’t a bad thing. At one stage it was the first Tuesday of the month but now some are Thursday and then some are anyday. I find weekends seem to be quiet especially Sunday or Monday morning. (on and one of the emails where in a month I had over 10 emails well to unsub I can’t Telstra says the site is suspicious so even when I say yes proceed it won’t let me as its flagged as dangerous. I have tried reporting spam at gmail and hoping they can unsub me).
Thanks for the feedback, Jenny!
Personally, I like to get at least one email from the author just to find out more about them, or to remind me how I signed up to this thing because sometimes I forget! And I don’t mind a second email a bit later just to refresh my memory, because I really do forget that I signed up.
That happened just this morning. I’d signed up to an author’s newsletter, downloaded and even read the book, but her welcome email came a few days later. And I’d managed to forget all about it by then. But thankfully, it was a welcome email which jogged my memory. LOL
I agree I actually like the welcome email after contests too so I know why I am signed up and so I don’t put the I never signed up cos too many of them can be an issue. A second email a bit later is ok too. its when its a week of emails (or worse all in one day).
I had another new email from one of the authors today no sequence but told me why I signed up what she writes and then if you want to unsubscribe feel free to enjoy the free books and I won’t be offended if you do unsub. (or words to that effect.) It makes me more likely to stay on the email because these authors realise not all readers at their readers.
Hi Jenny, Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m surprised that authors who participated in a large giveaway promotion would add new subscribers to a long welcome sequence. I can understand why readers might feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails.
I’m not a fan of welcome sequences from an efficiency perspective. Why send three or more emails when the author could say everything in one or two emails? That said, there are authors who do a great job and create entertaining and interesting welcome sequence emails.
I remember joining one author newsletter because I’d seen on the socials that the author had a new book in the pipeline that I’d want to read. The problem was it took almost 3 months to get through the really long welcome email sequence. I didn’t receive a normal email that they’d send to their newsletter subscribers until the welcome sequence ended which totally frustrated me.
I actually had another author whos list I am already on send out welcome emails I figured ok thats happened before and then back to normal but nope 2 days later I get the first of what I know is many so I emailed her and asked why I was getting them again. seems its not meant to do that if you are already on the list. She fixed it. I am still getting emails but most are people with the regular email or a welcome and then regular.