Introduction

Hey authors,

I understand. Not everyone has a monthly budget of a thousand dollars to spend on ads. Nowadays, the cost of gaining email subscribers for our readers’ list has increased dramatically.

But no worries.

We’ve gathered our top five methods. So you can 10X the size of your email list without spending a dime.

That said – let’s get started!

Setting The Scene

Now, first things first. To make the most of these strategies, you need to make sure you have the following top-notch.

1. A free book to offer on your website’s landing page.
2. A great description on the landing page to make readers want your free book.
3. A clean and simple landing page design to make it easy for your readers to follow.
4. Clear instructions on the landing page to manage expectations.

Making sure the landing page is top-notch is important. So make sure it’s polished and ready to go before you do anything else.

If you need help polishing your landing page. Remember! Google and YouTube are free, and our goal is to NOT spend a single dime.

Having said that, let’s get your landing page in front of readers!

Social Media

I know, I know. I’m starting to sound like every other article on this topic. But hear me out. Unlike most articles, we’re not here to tell you to be on social media and post every day, and BANG, you get readers!!

It doesn’t work like that!

Instead, you need to decide which social platforms are currently the best at organic growth. And then you hop on and start creating content. Here is your cheat sheet.

As of the writing of this article, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the best at organic growth, meaning you get the best for your time invested. You can look into them and pick one to two that best match your book niche.

Strategy time!

Below is a list of content ideas you can create for your readers online.

• Share snippets and excerpts of the book: This can give readers a taste of what the book is about and encourage them to read more.
• Share behind-the-scenes content: This can include the writing process, character development, or inspiration behind the book.
• Share personal stories or anecdotes: This can give readers a sense of the author’s personality and make them more invested in the book.
• Create infographics, memes, and other visual content: This can make the author’s social media more engaging and shareable, encouraging readers to spread the word about the book.
• Hosting online Q&A sessions and book clubs: This gives readers an opportunity to interact with the author and discuss the book with other readers.
• Share other authors’ books in the same genre or niche: This can help authors build relationships with other authors and reach a new audience.
• Share reviews and testimonials: Positive reviews and testimonials can be a powerful way to promote a book and encourage readers to read it.

Remember! Your goal is to tease. Get them interested so they will go to your landing page and join your list so they can read your free book.

Join Online Communities

Everyone is online. Your readers too!

Random fact about me. I love mystery and thriller anime. And I love being in Reddit groups and chatting with my fellow anime fans.

Now, the same is true for your potential readers. There is an online community for everything nowadays. So join them, participate, be part of the community, and then, when the time is right, promote your free book.

This is a long-term strategy. But when done right, you will earn yourself thousands of loyal fans. Now, below is a list of online resources where you can start looking for your community to join.

• Discord
• Facebook Groups
• Reddit

Remember! The order of action should be:

1. Identify the right groups
2. Join the groups
3. Participate in group discussions

….one month later (in that SpongeBob narrator’s voice).

4. Promote your free book

Reach Out to Influencers

Influencer marketing continues to be an effective way of marketing. In recent years, the cost of it has ranged from the properly priced to overpriced. But none of that matters to us because we’re not here to spend money!

Influencers in our genre or niche can help us get lots of attention to our free books really quickly. And we can turn their following into our email subscribers. A fantastic way to reach new readers. But having them promote us for free is the tricky part.

With the right influencer. The result is almost guaranteed to be good. But getting your foot in the door is what will take lots of planning. That said, below are some ideas to increase your chance of getting a free promotion from influencers:

• Reach out to micro-influencers (AKA influencers with 10k-100k followers)
• Reach out to nano-influencers (AKA influencers with 0-10k followers)
• Offer your free ebook for influencers to review
• Offer your free print book for influencers to review
• Exchange promotion (you promised to promote them to your audience as well)

Asking someone to do something for you for free can be hard. So to increase the chance of getting a yes, make sure you review their social media accounts before contacting them. That way, you can craft a personalized message for them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, growing an email list as a self-published author doesn’t have to be expensive. By utilizing social media, joining online communities, and reaching out to influencers, you can effectively gain new subscribers without spending a dime.

It’s important to remember that these strategies take time, but when done right, they can lead to a large and engaged readership. Additionally, make sure that your landing page and free book offering are top-notch to maximize the results.

By following these tips, you can definitely 10X your email list without breaking the bank.