Tag: marketing

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Conversations: 7/1/2016

WISE COUNSEL—WITH MUSCLE I

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Writers write because they have to.” If you’re reading this blog, I know you’ve not only heard this statement, you’re feeling it right now. So it is that the world will never be without writers and the works they produce. Sadly, however, too many of these excellent and noteworthy pieces may never reach the hands of the Readers who will enjoy them and/or benefit from them. Why?  Because we’re writers not publishers or marketing experts.

Not long ago, I was talking with a friend about my newly self-published book which took me nine (9) years to finish. He asked me for my business card so he could remember the title and purchase it online. Business card? I wrote the title on a sticky note and we parted as he congratulated me on completing such an extensive project. Today, I have a business card showing the cover of my book on one side, the title and my contact info on the other side.

That conversation really got me motivated to get my book marketing plan on track. But, of course, first I had to develop one! I did a quick google search, and found this illustration. I’m one of those visual/tactical learners, so this picture of what I needed to do has really helped me. I hope it will give you some focus, too.

Immediately, my eye went to the circled word: SUCCESS. Yep, that’s a main goal I’m reaching for. And the next word I noticed is the underlined word strategy. Okay, I know the definition of the word—to develop a plan, or approach. However, my writer’s idea box about just how to go about doing that was empty. And all those other words listed on this illustration intimidate me even more—except for the word PEOPLE. A definite goal of mine is to introduce this book to everyone!

marketing

Reviewing the remaining words, I took a yellow notepad and started making a list. Media. Promotion. Campaign. Advertisement. Branding. Communication. Business/Profit/Budget. Research. Sales. Customers. When I reached the word SOLUTION, I realized that I was not the solution to my marketing dilemma. Even if I went back to school and took hours of marketing classes, I realized that marketing is not my natural gift. I needed specialized assistance and I needed it now. Then I recalled a conversation I’d had with my publishing consultant when self-published my book. She told me that she could help me connect with one of their Marketing Specialist! Why I hadn’t thought of that before, I don’t know. But I was already feeling a big sense of relief.

I am now happily back to work on my next book. No longer am I anxious about spending all my time plotting and planning the ways and means of promoting my book. Plus, with everything my Marketing Assistant—and new friend—is doing, I’m learning more about being an Author Entrepreneur. Much like my neighbor, who is a photography artist, I’m now showcasing my work in multiple unique book galleries. Those PEOPLE I was hoping to connect with are now reading my book. Being a writer/author has become fun again. ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT 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.
Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Marketing Master Strokes Episode 4: Play Well With Others

We launched into a new series three weeks ago, the moment when we agreed to stop thinking about the many ways we can mess up the marketing process (Marketing Missteps) and pivoted instead to thinking about the many ways we can succeed instead (hence, this series: Marketing Master Strokes).  Our first master stroke required us to  be all ears (listening to the stories of others, and keeping an open mind to actually changing your own approach), and our second required us to  be willing to reach our readers where they live (setting aside the ego in order to adapt our outreach methods to best suit our readers), and our third master stroke was all about the incentives!  Or rather, why making your work look appealing as a product using special deals, discounts, and giveaways is a good idea.

But that’s all boilerplate.  What you’re really here for–what you’re really interested in this week–is figuring out what our fourth master stroke will be. And no beating around the bush, here it is:

Playing Well With Others

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,” wrote Jane Austen in the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice. But an even more pertinent truth, one that is in fact played out over the course of Austen’s novel and every other masterpiece of the global literary canon is this: Success, no matter how a person defines it, relies upon building human connections. Smart men and women, business leaders, and CEOs of major corporations know that this means playing well with others–even though this doesn’t mean pandering or compromising your vision and work ethic.

playing

So what does this look like for the self-publishing author?  Building personal connections with fans and fellow authors and industry experts over social media is one thing, but that isn’t all a person can do, right?  Partnership is more than just tweeting at each other occasionally and tagging each other on Facebook posts.

Partnership Means Collaboration–Real Collaboration

And most self-publishing authors, no matter where they’re at in their publishing journey, could benefit from strong, dynamic, and useful collaboration.  It’s important not to neglect social media–it’s a vital and important step in reaching out to other authors and figuring out what your common interests are–and there’s a lot to be said for other surface-level inquiries to local bookstores, libraries, and event venues.  (And don’t neglect nonprofits, PEO groups, and other passion/interest groups–they may not have a permanent physical address, but if they choose to back you as an author, there’s no one better to have in your corner than a set of really capable, really driven people–like those who run these groups!)

Collaboration can look like:

  • pairing up with another author or multiple authors to host a book discussion or workshop together;
  • gathering several other authors together and applying to run a booth at a local book fair, or a panel at a “con” (convention);
  • conducting interviews with other authors and sharing them on each other’s websites, providing insight into the authorial process; and
  • co-writing short stories or novellas together, to be distributed as giveaways or free to the public online.

I’m sure you can think of many other good ideas!  The point is to think outside of the box, and to predict what your readers will want before they want it–and of course, to have a lot of fun while at it.  There’s nothing more refreshing than discovering like-minded authors and building a community that supports and champions each others’ work.  Trust me: even the most introverted and anti-social author needs people, and on terms that benefit everyone.  Playing well with others isn’t just some buzzword or catchphrase to get your attention.  Successful authors all point to collaboration and partnership as one of the hallmarks of their process, and that’s why it ranks as one of our master strokes.

Go play!

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line atselfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com. 10:00 AM
Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Marketing Master Strokes Episode 3: Incentivize!

Two weeks ago, we stopped thinking about the many ways we can mess up the marketing process (Marketing Missteps) to thinking about the many ways we can knock this marketing thing out of the park–and so this series, Marketing Master Strokes, was born.  Our first marketing master stroke?  Being all ears.  (Which is to say, listening to the stories of others, and keeping an open mind to actually changing your own approach.)  And our second?  Being willing to reach your readers where they live, which we elaborated upon to explain involves setting aside the ego in order to adapt your outreach methods to best suit your readers.

But what about a third Marketing Master Stroke?  Well, it’s going to be one that rings a few bells, plucks a few strings, or sets off a few sparks of memory–because we write about it a lot here on Self-Publishing Advisor.  We use a lot of different names for it and we come at it from all kinds of different angles, but what we’re here to talk about today is the deceptively simple concept of incentivization–about motivating your potential readers to become actual readers, in point of fact.  How do you make purchasing your book an inviting proposition?  How do you make it an inevitability?

The format of your book makes a big difference.  If you offer both digital (e-book and in many cases, audiobook) and analog (physical paperback or hardcover) copies of your book, I recommend breaking down your approach into separate fronts.  Incentivization by way of promotion and marketing looks so dramatically different between those two categories that it’s almost worth–or rather, probably worth–doing one at a time, so that you can throw the sum total of your energy and concentration into addressing each format separately.

Digital Formats

Whether we’re talking about an e-book or an audiobook, digital formats offer some truly exciting possibilities for incentivization.  Amazon automatically offers the first ten or so pages for free (the so-called “first chapter freebie“) and you can replicate this on your blog and with other online retailers.  Curating your own freebie chapter isn’t an option with Amazon, but it is when you choose the method of delivery via blog or email, and I highly recommend taking the time to edit what makes it in to your freebie–this gives you an edge over the Amazon preview, which often cuts off in the middle of a paragraph.  Make sure the freebie ends with some sort of natural cliffhanger or emotional hook, to keepyour readers coming back!

Perhaps the greatest weapon in your digital arsenal is the option to offer timed discounts and sales.  Because you control the base price as a self-publishing author, you get to shape your own sales!  You can time them to coincide with events of national interest (say, Father’s Day or the anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s final fateful voyage–you know, only relevant to you and your work) or you can use the calendar as a guiding star.  Sales tend to find success when they close on the last or first day of a month, holidays, and so on.  Why are sales so important?  Because they create a sense of urgency.  Offering a constant “discounted” price does nothing but soften the impact of your sales pitch, but a timed sale?  Readers often just need that last little bit of motivation to move from “thinking about it” to “take my money!”  Or at least, that’s my experience in bookstore checkout lines.

Physical Formats

We’ve talked a lot about these strategies, and I don’t want to bore you to tears, but don’t forget to work your way through the entire checklist:

  • Book Readings (a great centerpoint for a sale, by the way)
  • Book Fairs (ditto that!)
  • Giveaways & Merch (you don’t want to leverage these as bribes for reviews, but you can certainly use them to incentivize coming to other events where your books are sold, or to encourage the sort of general enthusiasm for your work that will naturally lead to reviews!)
  • Limited Edition Offers & Bundles (comic book authors have created some really good models for bundles that you can use for inspiration, and creating short runs of specialty covers is also a specialty of theirs; don’t hesitate to mix it up to build demand)
  • Insider Access (readers want to feel special for being your fans, and you should reward this impulse; maybe the purchase of a book becomes a ticket to an author interview via Google Hangouts–or maybe it gives them access to a limited-access “behind the scenes”  page on your website? The options are endless!)

comic con booth

Go find your readers!

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line atselfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com. 10:00 AM

 

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

In Your Corner : The Side Benefits to Starting Early

I woke this morning to grey skies and a half-mowed yard.  As I write this, the rain keeps coming down in a steady drizzle, leaving the roads slick with oily puddles and my lawn thick and green and completely wild-looking, with weeds poking up through the grass in some kind of chlorophyll-rich reminder something along the lines of you really should have thought this one through before we got to this point.  It’s not that I haven’t put thought and a little muscle into mowing my yard–I picked up one of those engine-less little reel mowers that require a lot more pushing because I thought it would be a good and simple way to incorporate a little more exercise and a little less carbon exhaust into my routine … but the end result has been I mow a lot less, it takes a lot longer to finish the yard, and the lawn looks like an overgrown mess.  Sometimes a retired neighbor of mine will even take pity on me and use his ride-on lawnmower to take care of my jungle while everyone else is away at work.

mower

You might be thinking, what’s the big deal?  Why the long monologue about your yard, Elizabeth?  How could this possibly relate to self-publishing?  The answer lies in the planning:

Making publishing decisions early will help your end result.

I’m talking about editing and putting together a strong, custom cover design.  These things will make a book far more successful than a book without–and putting them together at the last minute or even in the frenetic rush of the middle of your publication process can hamstring your ability to create a truly high-quality, attractive final product.  But your book’s appearance isn’t the only beneficiary of planning ahead: as others have said before–and no doubt with more panache–you simply can’t wait to start marketing until after you’ve published your book.  I mean, you can wait, but your plan is likely to fall apart under the pressures of the day-to-day realities of working, writing your next book, promoting your current book, and managing all of the other intricacies associated with sales … if you don’t have a sound plan and well-established marketing strategies.

Your marketing plan will help you to determine if your targeted audience is going to want a paperback or a hardcover, for example–and this knowledge creates a feedback loop to how you approach the publishing process which is far easier to exploit if you’ve started your marketing and planning process in advance.  What kind of cover design would appeal to your targeted audience?  You’ll know a lot more about them if you’re already in contact, before your book rolls off of the (digital, sometimes) printing press!

Perhaps this subject is only on my mind because I’m staring out my window at my soggy excuse for a yard, and wishing I’d had the foresight to have a plan for days like today–days where I don’t have the energy to mow a large lot with a little reel push mower, and when the weather exacerbates all of my finest procrastinatory tendencies.  Or perhaps it’s part of a larger whole–a larger set of decisions that I, and every other person working in the self-publishing world, face every day.  We can either let life get ahead of us, or we can feed those parts of ourselves that give us the foresight and energy to get ahead of it!  Some days its harder than others, but I hope you always feel convinced that …

 

You are not alone. ♣︎

 

ElizabethABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Marketing Master Strokes Episode 2: Be willing to reach your readers where they live.

Last week, we pivoted from the back foot (thinking about the many ways we can mess up the marketing process) to the front foot (thinking about the many ways we can knock this marketing thing out of the park).  Our first marketing master stroke?  Being all ears.  (Which is to say, listening to the stories of others, and keeping an open mind to actually changing your own approach.)

In thinking back on what I’d written after the fact, I realized it might strike some readers as strange that I would start a series centering on positivity and proactivity with a piece of advice that, at first glance, serves as a passive act.  Listening.  But that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?  We think of listening as passive, and allow others to think the same as a consequence, when really–really listening is the most revolutionary and active thing we can do.  I’ll keep off the soapbox now, but think about it: how much better could our world be if we refused to let listening be passive?

On to today’s master stroke:

Be willing to reach your readers where they live.

http://www.gettyimages.com/license/496460698
[ source ]
This isn’t the same thing as reaching your readers where you think they live–the process of marketing requires meticulous research and a willingness to set aside the authorial ego (“I Have an Important Message and I Know How Best to Share it Best”) in order to put the reader first.  Writing a book may indeed be a selfish process (I’ve heard good arguments both for and against this statement) but marketing has to be a selfless one.  Sure, the premise of making money is necessarily self-serving, but so is the process of shopping.  Right?  Both consumer and seller/marketer can’t be selfish at the same time, or else we’re talking about a complete disjointure.

Step One to making sure you reach your readers is, then, to let go of the assumption that you already know everything you need to know about the people you’re writing for.

Step Two is to research them.  Thoroughly.  What are their demographic details?  How old are they?  Where do they live, geographically speaking?  Are they diverse in terms of ethnicity and gender?  What social media platforms do they use and which have they discarded or never picked up to begin with?  In the case of younger readers, are they old enough to be in command of their own savings–or will purchases be made by parents and caregivers?  (If so, you will have to market to the parents and caregivers as well as the children, which is a very different proposition.)  What subjects occupy their waking thoughts?

Step Three is to actively go out and reach them.  Carefully and effectively.  With precision.  (Time will become your most threadbare resource, I guarantee you.)  Draft a well-thought-out, targeted marketing strategy that pares back on the manifold possibilities open to you … to just the ones that will reach your core readership.  Once you have established a sustainable system in place, you can begin experimenting your way through additional marketing strategies and see what is sustainable.

And there you have it!  Start reasonable, but keep ambition in the wings.

Go find your readers!

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line atselfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com. 10:00 AM