{"id":232,"date":"2008-04-21T05:27:57","date_gmt":"2008-04-21T13:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=232"},"modified":"2008-04-21T05:27:57","modified_gmt":"2008-04-21T13:27:57","slug":"how-do-you-sell-books-through-a-spam-filter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=232","title":{"rendered":"How Do You Sell Books Through a Spam Filter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Those Annoying Spam Filters <\/strong>
\nDon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spam filters drive you batty? I think I dislike spam filters more than I dislike spam\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a lot. No, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a spammer. The reason why I hate the filter programs is because they interfere with the transmission of legitimate email. Because you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to bother with deleting unwanted email, I must take the time to jump through your hoops in order to communicate with you EVEN WHEN YOU INITIATED THE CONNECTION.<\/p>\n

It happened again this morning, a customer placed an order for my ebook, The Author\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Repair Kit <\/em>at Matilija Press (thank you very much). When I attempted to send the ebook, however, I immediately received a response stating that I had to click on a link, sign up and copy some silly letters and numbers before this person would agree to accept my email\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwhich included the PDF file for the ebook that he ordered!!! <\/p>\n

Folks, even when you expect a message, it sometimes comes from an email address that your system is not familiar with. <\/p>\n

When I see an author or hopeful author use this sort of system, I cringe. Why? Because the chances are that they will miss some great opportunities. For example, <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tSomeone reads about your book and wants to review it.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tAn events organizer wants to invite you to speak about your book.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tA bookseller wants to order books.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tA potential customer has a question.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tAn editor or blogger wants to interview you.<\/p>\n

How many of these people might decide not to click on that link and go through the extra trouble to reach you?<\/p>\n

What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the alternative? Allow spam to collect in your spam box and delete those that you can identify as spam. <\/p>\n

When to and When Not to Delete<\/strong>
\nSome authors delete everything that lands in their spam box. This is not a good idea either. Sometimes I find a real gem among the stones of spam\u00e2\u20ac\u201da treasured new client, a friend or colleague I often communicate with via email (how they land in the spam box, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll never know), an author seeking information or a potential customer with a question. <\/p>\n

Because of this, I look at the name and subject line of each of the 150 or 200 emails I receive in my spam box every day before deleting them. And every day, I find something of value there. This is where Angela Hoy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Writer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Weekly Newsletter <\/em>lands, for some reason. This is where I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve found some of my favorite clients. This is where I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve discovered some marvelous opportunities related to my career.<\/p>\n

So my message today is, if you want your book to be noticed or if you are trying to establish a business, <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tDon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t chase away a percentage of your potential customers\/clients through an unfriendly spam filter. Make it easy for these people to get to you.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tDon\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t indiscriminately delete, delete, delete that spam. <\/p>\n

The All Important Subject Line<\/strong>
\nAnd, while we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on the subject, pay attention to the subject line. Keeping in mind that everyone receives a lot of spam every day, when you contact someone who doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know you, make sure that your subject line message is crystal clear\u00e2\u20ac\u201dor it just flat might be deleted. <\/p>\n

Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say that you are emailing me for the first time (I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know who you are) with a question about getting your book reviewed. If you type the following in your subject line, it is likely that I will overlook it: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Question.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Please Help me.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Review?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or, heaven forbid, you leave the subject line blank. <\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you type, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Question about getting my book reviewed,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How can I get book reviews,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Author with a question,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Book review question,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for example, I will open your email, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll respond to your question.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d love to hear your opinion on email spam blockers. Do you use them? Why? Do you avoid the process of getting approved by someone else\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s spam blocker? I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m taking a poll. Talk to me. PLFry620@yahoo.com. (No spam blocker here.) <\/p>\n

And if you like this blog, you will definitely LOVE my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.<\/em> Order your copy now at http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Those Annoying Spam Filters Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t spam filters drive you batty? I think I dislike spam filters more than I dislike spam\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a lot. No, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not a spammer. The reason why I hate the filter programs is because they interfere with the transmission of legitimate email. Because you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to bother with deleting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t