THE WRITER-AUTHOR-MARKETING SPECIALIST – Week III

How do we go about finding the PR Marketing Specialist who fits? I’ve done a lot of listening to successful authors, writing conference speakers, and the publishing consultants who’ve supported me. Here are criteria I’ve developed.

• GET REFERRALS from authors you know. Every well-known author I’ve approached at conferences is happy to give me the name and contact information of their marketing assistant. However, if talking with other authors makes you nervous, you can always contact them through their websites.
• Talk with Literary Agents. These folks have a list of book campaign specialists that they rely on and most of the time they will share a name or two with you.
• Research! A quick Google search using keywords such as book marketing strategies will lead you to multiple resources. I know that you’re already doing hours of research on the writing project you’re working on—so—pick a day of the month to look up and read one or two of these resources. Then, create your own computer file of the ideas you find most interesting. Yes, these ideas are things you could do on your own, but in reality do you have the time? This file will be a great help when you listen to the ideas of the prospective marketing partners you’ll be talking with.
• For you and your book(s) it’s all about Personal Connection. As you interview potential assistants, make note of their responses in the following categories:
  • working with authors (ask for references from authors they’ve assisted)
  • the specific genre of your book (what is their familiarity with your genre)
  • the types of market analysis they will build for you
  • their pattern of contact with authors (how often will they update you on what they’re doing and/or what they need you to do)
  • the specific social media elements they use and their success rate within each of those online sites (for other authors)
  • their skill and ability to design promotion pieces—both written and visual (ask for samples)
  • what marketing schedules or plans have been most successful for them (get samples)
• LISTEN to your own publishing consultants. Whether your book is published through a traditional house or you’ve self-published you’ll work with people whose focus is to present you and your book in “bright lights.” They become successful only when their authors do well so it is in their best interest to match you with an excellent Marketing Specialist.

Remember the guy who asked me about what my campaign strategy was? Well, he also made another statement that I’ve greatly appreciated. “The marketing piece of being an author can be compared to building a football Super Bowl team. They don’t win that title without a whole team of coaches teaching them how to be the best.” So it is that I’m building a library of resource books (such as the Marketing Coach one shown here) and a computer file of ideas—and questions—that I’ll be asking the Marketing Specialist I hire. I hope you will do the same. ⚓︎

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.