Ep. 9: Effective Newsletter Opt-ins for email list building

Authentic Online Marketing with Ruthie Gray

Have you ever wondered what it would take for you to begin writing effective newsletter opt-ins? Today's interview is with Sarah Geringer, an author, speaker, podcaster, artist and coach for Christian creatives. She has two solo podcasts: one called Finding Peace in God's Word, and one for adult children of divorce called Heart in a Drawer. Sarah is a wife and mother of three from Missouri. She is active on several social media platforms each day, which you can find on the front page of her website. Click below for show notes! https://ruthiegray.mom/effective-newsletter-opt-ins-email-list-building/ Click below to visit Sarah's website. https://www.sarahgeringer.com/blog/ Healthy newsletter opt-in list 1. R: Do you have a healthy newsletter opt-in list? S: I started my list back in 2016 when I launched my first self-published book. It has steadily grown over the years, and my Tea on Tuesdays are a key part of my writing platform. If you are seeking to be a traditionally published author, your email list is a must. The time you invest in it is worth your investment. To check my list’s health and growth, I track my list numbers weekly. It’s easier to see growth month-to-month rather than day-to-day or week-to-week. I hold it loosely and prayerfully, surrendering it to God every week while I craft a new email for subscribers. I also recently sent out a random email on Saturdays with a few quick updates, and I had the highest open rate ever. So I’m planning to send a once-a-month Saturday Sips with monthly highlights, since my subscribers responded so well. Utilizing printables for opt-ins R: What types of opt-ins do you offer? Which ones do you think work most effectively? S: When people sign up for my weekly Tea on Tuesdays email, they also get access to my Library of printables as a bonus. It has dozens of printables. Sometimes I put a printable in there only for a limited time, like a Christmas short story only during the holidays. Offering the Library as a bonus shows my subscribers there is more return for their email than just a single printable. Trial and error for newsletter opt-ins R: What are some email list opt-ins you’ve offered in the past that haven’t worked and why? S: I have two email list drip campaigns that haven’t worked as well as I expected. Drip campaigns send one email per day over a designated time frame, such as 5 days. Things have changed since I first offered these back in 2018. I think now, unless it’s for a summit or event, people want the whole enchilada up front. I still have those free courses available, and I’m fine with still offering them, although people were more willing to receive drip campaigns a few years ago. Promoting your opt-in on IG R: How do you promote your opt-in on Instagram? S: Video works best. A simple video of my desktop screen to show people what’s available in the Library makes it more enticing. Instagram, along with every other social media platform, boosts videos more than static posts. As I launch my next book soon, I’ll be experimenting with making Reels to promote signups to my list for exclusive content. I’m hoping to get a fresh group of subscribers with the free discussion guide I’m developing based on two of my books. Weekly subscribes & unsubscribes R: How many people subscribe would you say in a week? S: The number varies because when I publish a devotion with Proverbs 31 Ministries, I get a large amount of subscribers in one day. I would guess if I average that out, I get between 30 to 50 new subscribers per week. However, I also have about 10 unsubscribes per week. I’ve learned to accept that as a form of rejection in the publishing world. A wise writer once told me rejection is a sign that you are a professional, since you don’t get rejected if you aren’t putting your stuff out there.