Once you've gotten your newsletter started, and you're feeling more comfortable, it's time to step up an "onboarding" sequence for new subscribers.
1. What is "Onboarding"?
Onboarding the process of bring a person or client into your "way of doing things." Imagine you've hired a new employee. You don't just throw them into the middle of a board meeting and expect them to be able to contribute in a meaningful way. You start them off with...
What they need to know first. (What the company is, what products or services it provides, what the employee's role is.)
What they need to know next. (Best practices, etc.)
And what you need to know next....
You get the picture.
That whole process you go through, all the way up until your new employee is smoothly and competently performing in their position, is onboarding.
2. What is Email Automation?
The best way to imagine email automation is to think of a funnel, or drip campaign. It's triggered by a new subscription, and begins a series of emails you've designed that will go out to your new subscriber within a period of time.
The benefit is that you'll know that every subscriber on your list got all the same info right up front. They know about all your books, where to follow you online, and how to contact you. Or whatever else you'd like them to know.
It might look something like this when you're done:
3. Let's Do It!
Go to your email automation tab in your email provider's system, and create a new automation. Call it whatever you like; Automation, if you only plan to have one onboarding sequence, or the genre if you plan to have several sign-ups for the various genres you write in. Then, begin to build your automation chain.
Make it as personable and true-to-you as you can, and know that you can always change it up when you want to. Don't be afraid to give it a try!
And, I've got comment capability now, so feel free to ask and I shall answer!
