One of the first things writers should do, but don't always think to do (or want to do) is start developing a mailing list. Believe me, you want to start on this early... there's nothing worse than having a future publisher ask you for your network contacts and not being able to respond with a solid list (or stopping all work on a project that's on deadline to generate a half-a#$ mailing list).
Listen, I get it, it's not the most exciting and glamorous part of the writer's platform. But it's necessary and super worthwhile to start now, even if all you do is set up a cursory list. You have to start somewhere!
The Mailing List
Really, what I'm talking about are two lists. One is for digital contacts; it includes basic identifying info plus URLs and email addresses. The other is for traditional contacts: identifying info plus surface mail addresses and phone numbers. Why the second one? If you want to do trade in print books, you'll need this info to send out ARCs (advance review copies), for one thing. Also, postcards are still a decent and inexpensive way to get the word out, so don't discount direct mail as part of your bigger plan.
The good news is you can incorporate both the digital and the traditional contacts into a single file. How to do that? If you're familiar with setting up spreadsheets and/or databases, then you already have your favorite software in mind. Use that. Seriously. And if you already have something resembling a contact list in a web mail manager like Constant Contact, then you can export the data there to start a more comprehensive list in a database or spreadsheet file that resides on your home computer. Use whatever you've already got (Google Spreadsheets, Microsoft Access or Excel, FileMaker Pro). Don't waste your energy learning new tricks if you don't have to. Building a platform will be enough of a learning curve; save the rest of your brain space for your writing.
Luddites, it's not too late!
If you have NO IDEA what I am talking about when I say "spreadsheet" or "database," that means you DO have a learning curve. You can't really do this part of your platform without this kind of basic knowledge. I know, I know, I hear you cursing my name in the darkness, but the fact is that writers can no longer rely on "just writing well" to sell books. These strategies aren't really optional anymore for writers who want to publish even just one book. This is 21st Century publishing, after all.
My suggestion? Take a class at a local college or follow an online webinar that teaches the basics for these kinds of software options. You may just discover that these hard-working computer tools can help you in myriad ways besides the writer's platform, too! And today, these computer programs are super easy to learn (when compared to what they were 15 years ago), so don't be intimidated.
Or, you can be intimidated, you can decide you don't need this extra busywork, and I'll just say, well, good luck to you then. Your choice. But do you really want to be the odd man out in the increasingly competitive and disrupted world of publishing?
Setting up the list
Okay, so how do you set up your mailing list? It's important to set up your system before adding contacts so that you can be as thorough as you can when performing the data entry necessary to complete each contact. Basic identifying info should include:
- Contact first and last name
- Contact job title
- Contact place of business, organization or other affiliation
- Contact surface mail address (street, city, state, zip); international contacts should have separate "cells" for their postal codes so you can spot them at a glance when preparing mailing labels, etc.)
- Contact email address
- Contact phone numbers (work, cell, home as appropriate to your project)
- Contact URLs (relevant to your project: their workplace website, their blog, their social network landing page, etc.)
- Also useful: a cell indicating where and when you met this contact (if you do a lot of conferences or other networking) and/or any other info that will help you remember them later
Filling up the list
It won't take long to set up your mailing list with these basic categories. What takes longer is filling in the blanks. Thankfully, if you have that info more or less close at hand, then you just have to spend some time with data entry until you get everyone "plugged in."
Note: There will always be people you want to include, but you won't have all their information right there. That's okay. This first stage is just to plug them into the list, even if all you have is a name.
The next stage, then, is to research the missing information and plug it in. This is a good thing to do between writing sessions; you use a different part of your brain when researching than you do when writing new narrative (or revising). Think of this rather tedious job of mailing list development as a way to keep your brain muscles limber and that should help you get past the fact it's pretty boring work (because it is).
Once you have a beginning mailing list, pat yourself on the back. This is not a project you start and complete in one day. It's an ongoing information "trap" that you will, with the luck of a publishing opportunity, use as a critical part of your publicity campaign. Trust me, you'll be glad you did the work ahead of time. My suggestion? Spend your time entering or updating contacts while watching your favorite TV show. Storage Wars and I have become good friends this way!
Who to include?
This might be the most pressing question for many of you. Whether you do a lot of networking or just have a small circle of contacts, it's important to include anyone who might have an interest in your book (either because they want to read it, they want to sell it, they want to promote it, they support your ideas, they are your best friend, etc.). That means everyone! How do you approach your "keeper" list without overwhelming yourself?
I break things down into smaller parts all the time, not only in mailing list development, but in writing, in household tasks, everything. Learn to compartmentalize and you can get your mind around just about any monolithic project.
I had four areas of focus when I first developed my list. These subcategories still exist as I maintain my lists. (Yes, that's plural: I have separate lists because I have some really disparate projects that demand I keep contacts separate; while these lists have some crossover, they don't include each other's lists in their entirety). These lists, as I've deconstructed below, are probably not exhaustive, but they do offer you jumping off points for thinking about who to include. If you can think of other subcategories to include, by all means, go for it. Also, you may have people who fit into more than one subcategory. Great! They might be some of your best advocates down the road. The point is to include them in the master mailing list somewhere; no need for repeat entries.
List subcategories
1. First, there is the Personal list, which is comprised of people you know (for real):
- Personal friends
- Family members
- Neighbors
- Writing peers
- Classmates
- Alumni
- Writing group members
- Coworkers, past
- Coworkers, present
- Your published writing friends
- Your want-to-be published writing friends
- Those friends with a personal interest in your subject matter
Intimidated by the idea of approaching people with your book or book idea? You need to learn to get over that and be your book's best advocate. Your confidence will generate confidence in others. But cold calling is a rough place to start if you're not the most extroverted person in the world. The easiest way to practice this is to approach people you know.
Think of approaching them like you would job interviews. Let's say you have 3 interviews. You really want job #3, but you interview with jobs #1 and #2 first, anyway, because you would still take those jobs if you didn't get job #3. Practicing during those first two interviews is a great opportunity to polish yourself for that third interview, right? Practicing on people you know offers the same opportunity to get the nerve and confidence you need to move forward in promoting your book or book idea.
Use your judgment, all the same. Your contact list shouldn't be arbitrary (just like your short-form submissions shouldn't be blanket submissions; nobody likes to be carpet-bombed!). Make sure you include only and all of those people you know who might have an interest in your book.
2. Second, there is the Industry list, which is comprised of people you probably don't know, but can find information for:
- Agents
- Editors
- Publishers
- Writers in your field who you don't know personally
- Experts in your subject matter
- Publishing bloggers
- Writing magazine columnists
- Mentors or teachers
- Media members (newspaper editors, radio program contacts, contact managers for websites, YouTube and Flickr contacts)
- Special interest organizations and affiliations
- Independent booksellers
- Librarians
This list will require some research. But in researching all of these people, you will also gain a bit more insight into the publishing industry, into your specific subject matter and into the inner workings of publicity. People on this list will change frequently, so keep your radar up as you do your research so you can keep their information up to date.
Another way to increase additions to this list category is to ask for the business cards of relevant people you meet during conferences, workshops and other events.
3. Third, there is the Network list, which is comprised of people you may or may not know but who you have opportunities to network with in real life or online:
- Writing conference organizers
- Writing organization contacts
- University department heads
- Book groups
- Members of sister or separate writing groups from your own
- Literary events
- Author readings
- Writing retreats
- Like minded bloggers
- Social network “friends” (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and the like)
Again, collect those business cards wherever and whenever you can "in real life" and pay attention to those people you interact with in social media on a regular basis. Those with whom you have an affinity could become great advocates for your work, even if you've never met them in person.
4. Finally, the last list is the Business Community list, which is also comprised of people you may or may not know but who you have opportunities to network with in real life or online:
- Charitable organizations who could benefit from your book
- Local businesses or organizations who could sell your books
- Partnerships with local or regional experts/celebrities
- Collaborations with "known quantities" (local or regional artists, co-writers, web developers, etc.)
This is not the same as stalking, by the way... but if you just happen to take a workshop and meet a semi-famous person, ask them if they'd like to stay in touch. They'll deliver the boundaries that work for them. Honor those boundaries. Keep regular contact with them. Don't overdo it, though. Have a purpose. For instance, offer to help them with their own projects wherever they intersect with your interests. Remember, your goal is to find advocates, and your best way to inspire people "in the know" to advocate for you is to be square with them, passionate about your project and earnest in your intentions. Being an authentic person will grab many more word-of-mouth referrals than being someone out to sell a book without a thought toward those who might best help them. At some point, your book will grown into something bigger beyond you, anyway. These advocates can be a critical part of that gestational process if you respect what they have to offer as well.
What's next?
Get busy! Once you have your list up and filled out, schedule a regular time to spend updating it. You will, I hope, be culling more contacts for your list. Start a hard copy file (I use a basket for collecting business cards and leads and toss them in there) until you are ready to make additions. A cellphone app can also come in handy here, digitizing new contacts as you go.
Maybe you will add new contacts to your list the first of every month according to a reminder you set in your preferred calendar. Or maybe you will sit down on Monday morning after a weekend of conferences, readings or classes and add new contacts then. Or maybe you do the additions on a daily basis. Whatever you do, just keep doing it.
Updating also means periodically checking the old contacts to make sure they're still "live." An easy way to check up is to click on the URL/s for each contact to ensure they are still "live." People change jobs, move to different websites, replace old email addresses with new ones (thanks to hackers). I'd say do this maybe twice a year, and keep a special eye out for those contacts you really desire to maintain, whether you know them personally or not (a celebrated editor, for instance, or a favorite teacher or expert in your subject matter).
Updating is WAY easier than starting fresh, so you'll come to look forward to seeing your list grow. Believe me, once you're there, you'll begin to really feel like you have a writing life. You'll know more about the business of writing, industry networking, the Who's Who in your genre. This, like studying your markets, will serve you well over time.
But the only way you can get there is to start building a list. Good luck!
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Note to Readers
I hope to offer readers an e-book they can download from Writer's Rainbow at the end of 2012 which will approach all of these topics in deeper detail for those writers who have started developing their platforms but are ready to move beyond basics. The extended e-book version of [the writer's platform] series will be sold for a nominal fee, but ALL WRITERS WHO COMMENT ON THE POSTS FOR [the writer's platform] SERIES WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE COPY AT THE END OF 2012, when I plan to give away a baker's dozen.
You can start commenting right now by dropping me a note in the comment space below and letting me know what your biggest platform development challenges are. The more I know about your challenges, the more precisely I can tailor the series' posts and the final e-book.
Good luck writers, and I hope to hear from you soon!
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