Maximizing the Impact of Email Advertisements

"Email marketing is the top online marketing method for retention, above search engine positioning, banner ads, sponsorships and other programs."- Direct Marketing Association (DMA) (2005)

Pay it forward. Personally broadcast your email advertisements to your own list. These internal connections will forward email advertisements without hesitation. The author can also ask his internal connections to forward it, too. This kind of method works like "word of mouth", you wouldn't know when the influence stops.

Peers. Authors need to find fellow authors. LinkedIn.com is a business-oriented social networking site for professional networking. This network has been dominated by professionals. LinkedIn is a perfect venue to find fellow authors and encourage them to support your book marketing campaign.

Social Networking. Using social networking sites is another way to expand your contacts. You may use more than one social networking site, just make sure that you will be able to maintain all of them. Email advertisements can be very well disseminated and be talked about using social networking sites. It can attract discussions about your book, further expanding its popularity. Bookblogs.ning is a helpful website when you want to find your readers. These social networking sites are used by most of authors in promoting their book campaigns: Wordpress, Abookinside.ning, Bookmarekting.ning, Xomba, Facebook, and Twitter.

Book Review. Written reviews will not just boost up the popularity of your book, it will also give your readers a well-balanced impression. It reinforces your email advertisements. Reviews gather ideas and suggestions that are helpful in your next book marketing campaigns. It gives you the opportunity to improve.

Plan. Imagine yourself in your customer's shoes and prepare for a comprehensive strategic plan. Planning will never be out of the list. It's the written strategy of the game. Without planning, your campaign will have no direction. Take time to invest on in-depth planning and assess on how to improve your marketing campaign. Conduct monthly or bi-monthly evaluations. Make sure and double check that your email advertisements are relevant and were sent in perfect timing.

Research. Research on what kind of information readers want. Take time to research and gather statistics on what kind of information would increase their interest. Don't just plainly promote your book. Provide helpful information, too. Nobody wants to get an inbox flooding with all promotional messages. A combination of your book promotion, and helpful tips and information would surely be substantial for readers to spare time to read. Recipients might even forward the email ad themselves because of the additional tip or information.

Book Preview. Put excerpts of some interesting parts of your book that could trigger attention. This would allow readers to preview of what your book is actually about. It's like having a free taste of the newest ice cream in town. And who doesn't want free taste.

Learn. Learn from other email advertisements. Subscribe to a variety of mailing lists and observe the way they reach their market. Learning from others can improve your marketing campaign.

Observe. Don't just watch other book marketers. Look at the marketing messages people are sending to you. You may just find inspiration for your own book marketing message in that e-mail ad you just received.

According to the 2008 Channel Preference Survey, 66% of their respondents had made a purchase because of a marketing message received through email. This survey alone indicates that email advertisements prove to be an effective marketing method.