The email list is an author's best asset. With your list you alert the people who have already asked for information about new releases and forthcoming books. Your list can help you out if you need to change something quickly, garner ideas for your next project, or alert your followers to updates in your platform.

There are many ways to manage an email list including some FOSS options on your own server such as MailTrain or DadaMail, or you can use a paid service such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. The choice is yours, just pick one of them. While your list does not technically distribute your books (unless you give away a book for signups), it is the single best way to drive traffic to your various distribution platforms.