Getting potential readers/customers to subscribe to your newsletter isn’t always easy. One way to do this is through an “ethical bribe” – this is when you give something to get something. Giving away a valuable freebie to get an email address is a great way to build your list. When we started offering our ethical bribe on the AME website we quadrupled our sign-ups!

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If you’re trying to figure out what your ethical bribe is going to be related to getting readers to subscribe to your ezine or mailing list make sure it matters to your reader. A lot of folks are fond of giving away free ebooks or books in public domain. Who cares about getting another copy of Moby Dick if it has nothing to do with your book? Consider the following possible subscriber bonuses:

Tips – tip sheets are great. Giving your reader something they have to keep is a fantastic way to not only get them into your “marketing funnel” but also keeps readers reminded of you if the tip sheet is something they are always referring back to.

Forms – if your book offers a lot of forms, you may want to put one or two of them up as your ethical bribe. Especially if it reminds readers that you have this great book that they really need in order to really maximize the effectiveness of the forms.

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Checklists – another great ethical bribe are checklists. Especially the kind that need to be referenced again and again.

Contact sheets – Our site offers “52 Ways to Sell More Books.” This PDF can be used and referred to again and again, thereby offering valuable information and a way to remind readers about our company. If you have a similar contact list you can offer, put one together and offer it as a freebie to your readers.

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