By Jethro Wegener
As a writer, you need to know the best way to sell yourself and your products.
It could mean the difference between feast and famine…
Selling almost nothing in a lifetime and becoming a bestseller in a couple months.
And it all comes down to your first major marketing decision…
Which Email Marketing Service Do You Use for Your List?
There are probably a million questions rolling around in your mind right now…
Including:
- Which is best?
- How much money do you need to spend?
- Why do you need an email service?
But that’s why I’m here.
To help you choose the ideal email marketing service for your needs.
Why You NEED An Email List
The answer to this is simple…
Because it is the best way to sell your work.
In 2019 alone, over 3.9 billion people were using email.
A number that is set to grow to 4.3 billion in 2023.
That means that billions of emails are being sent every. Single. Day.
Those in the marketing world have been quick to take advantage of this…
Nine out of ten of them, in fact.
On average, you are likely to make a whopping $42 for every dollar you spend on email marketing. That’s just an incredible return on investment.
Your business will grow faster and you will be able to increase your customer base by at least 50% – if you work hard at it.
Think about that for a moment. 50% MORE people reading YOUR work and buying YOUR writing.
Just from sending emails.
But the first step is to get yourself an email marketing service that works for you.
Choosing Your Email Marketing Service Provider
1. MailChimp – For Beginners
MailChimp is one of the most popular email marketing services out there…
So much so that even I use it! But so does Gary V, Steven Pressfield, and other writing superstars…
For good reason too.
Benefits include:
- Totally FREE for your first 2,000 subscribers!
- The ability to set up email automation, even with your free account…
- Easy integration with almost every email marketing app or website plug-in on the market…
It’s not all sunshine and roses though.
Downsides include:
- You can’t set up automation emails easily on a free account…
- Their sign-up forms tend to be kind of plain, making life more difficult for those of us without design degrees…
But if you’re just starting out and are on a budget (as I was when I first went freelance), that free for the first 2,000 subs is hard to beat.
2. ConvertKit – For Established Writers
ConvertKit touts itself as the best email marketing service for professional bloggers…
And they’re not far off. If you’re serious about making writing your career, this is a good option.
Benefits include:
- Easily customisable sign-up forms that allow you to create gorgeous ones without needing to spend three years learning web design…
- The ability to tag and segment your individual lists…
- Easy automation set-ups so that you can get your campaigns running in no time…
Downsides include:
- Price. It starts at $29 a month and if you’re just starting out as a freelancer, that seemingly small sum can add up to a hell of a lot in the long term…
3. AWeber – The Old Workhorse
AWeber is like that popular long-time colleague at your office…
Reliable, always willing to help, and knows the ins and outs of office politics. Except with email marketing.
Benefits include:
- Easy integration for most platforms…
- Ready-to-use templates, list management, and autoresponders…
- A workhorse of a service that’s usually reliable…
Downsides include:
- It’s FREE… but only for the first 500 subscribers…
- After that, you’re going to have to fork out $19/month…
- Deliverability can sometimes be an issue…
Choose One Now… Change Later
These are just three of the ton of email marketing services out there…
I chose these as they are the ones I’ve personally had the most experience using.
And I still have a soft-spot for MailChimp, because their marketing and ad copy is pretty rad.
You need to choose what works best for you. You can always change providers at some point down the line and import your list over.
BUT whatever happens…
You NEED to get yourself a list.
It’s the first step to bestselling success.
The sooner you take it, the sooner you’ll get where you need to be.
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