self-publishing — Blog — Editor Sally Glover

“I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you.”

It’s been 18 years since Meg Ryan dialed up her AOL account in anticipation of email from Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail. HBO’s recent Nora Ephron doc, Everything Is Copy, reminded me not only of Ephron’s wonderful, singular voice, but that much has changed in the world of bookselling in the past two decades. The mid 90s saw the rise of the big-box—the Fox Books mega-chain in You’ve Got Mail was a loosely veiled Barnes & Noble—and the subsequent demise of the independent bookstore. Fortunes have once again shifted, thanks to technology, which has both ushered in the era of e-books and, conversely, inspired the shop-local movement taking shape in cities around the world.

This Saturday, April 30, is Canadian Authors for Indies Day, when authors show their appreciation for independent booksellers by volunteering at local bookstores for the day. Last year, over 120 indie bookstores and 700 authors participated in the event, which was responsible for an 18.5 percent increase in book sales, making it one of CBC’s 10 biggest book stories of 2015. Authors for Indies was inspired by the American Booksellers Association’s annual Indies First campaign of activities and events in support of independent bookstores in the United States.

The independent bookstore is experiencing something of a renaissance. Munro’s Books in Victoria, BC, was recently recognized by National Geographic as one of the world’s top 10 bookstores, and Toronto’s much-loved Type Books turned 10 years old this week. Three young entrepreneurs in Queens, NY—who met while working at a Barnes & Noble—just launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring a bookshop back to the borough. Line-ups are business as usual at Shakespeare and Company, an historic shop housed in a seventeenth-century building facing the Seine in Paris that has hosted Henry Miller, Allen Ginsberg, Martin Amis, Zadie Smith, and many, many others. And this March, The Ripped Bodice, the first romance-only indie bookstore, opened in Los Angeles—complete with a Fabio guest appearance and a Mother’s Day tea.

Not to mention the democratization of book producing and selling brought on by the ease of self-publishing. Self-published books accounted for an astounding 31 percent of all e-book sales in the Kindle Store in 2014, with 40 percent of revenues going to indie authors. A shout-out to lady writers, too: Indie bestsellers are twice as likely to be written by a woman than traditionally pubbed bestsellers.

What does it all mean? A dozen years ago, you’d have been an outlier to predict today’s rise of the indie—it seemed only a matter of time before they went the way of dial-up internet. These days, it’s the big box in peril—Barnes & Noble’s sales have seen significant declines over the last several quarters. Book lovers are supporting local indie bookstores and self-published authors in droves. On Authors for Indies Day, I hope you’ll do the same.

I have signed up for a few newsletters that sincerely inspire joy when a new issue arrives in my inbox—a tall order in an era of email fatigue. One thing I know for sure: it doesn’t take much to send me running for the “unsubscribe me” button on a poorly branded, poorly designed, or overly sales-y email.

Let’s face it: email newsletters are a seriously powerful marketing tool—no matter your endeavor. The common thread among my favourite subscriptions is not in market category—they arrive from a varied range of senders: authors, wellness brands, retailers, bloggers, and, yes, an occasional celebrity. These senders aren’t just emailing me run-of-the mill sales pitches or “Dear Diary” journal posts. They are bringing me thoughtful content that is engaging and provides actual value, all wrapped up in a beautiful design.

So what sets apart these shiny, can’t-get-enough-of-’em emails from the ho-hum crowd? Three words: brand, message, and market.

1. Consistency is king. Determine your audience and speak to them in a similar way every time you engage, including font styles, background colours, template design, voice, and even images. Your consistency will inspire trust, and that trust will build loyalty. Imagine receiving 18 newsletters from a single company over the course of year, each with different fonts and colours. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

2. Brand it, baby. Something I love about top-notch email newsletters is that they’re familiar. Their design is perfectly in sync with the company’s branding, website, and social media presence. Someone has taken the time to make sure the links are functional, the columns are aligned, the content is well spaced, and the images are thoughtful. They’re nice to look at. Keep in mind that your images are just as important as your text—spend a bit of time (and money, if necessary!) to make sure your message is visually appealing.

3. Keep it clean. Decide on your key messages at the start (five tops), and create an element or section in your newsletter for each. It’s tempting to include the kitchen sink of all that you’re working on, but the idea is to make it easy for your readers to pick up what you’re puttin’ down.

4. What’s in it for me? Ask yourself what value you can provide to your readers. Have you written the book of the summer? Will your pear kimchi recipe improve their digestion? Whatever it is, your audience is more likely to engage when they can see a benefit—what’s in it for them.

5. If you need something, just ask already. Are you asking your audience to do something? Be clear and open about what it is and how they can do it. Let's say you’re in the running for best historical romance. Straight up ask for votes—and provide easy instructions for how to do so.

Need help with your newsletters? Let’s talk.