This is a guest post I wrote for Chris, the Story Reading Ape’s blog, and it describes my marketing strategy – which is really very simple. In fact, it can be summed up as follows:
- Be real,
- be fun,
- be helpful.
If you do that, people will buy your books simply because they will like you and will want to support you. In other words, “if people like what you’re saying, they’ll buy what you’re selling.”
I have read many marketing guides, but have come to realize that it all boils down to how people perceive you. In marketing speech, your brand.
Having a consistent author brand is liberating. It allows you to publish pretty much anything you like, irrespective of genre. People will read your books because you have written them – and they trust you to offer them a good time.
That’s great. How about some real tips now?
The other day, a visitor to my blog asked me for some marketing advice. She has published dozens of work, but they encompassed anything from poetry to Bible studies. She had had little luck promoting these, as her marketing efforts spread too thin to be effective.
After taking a look at her social media and her work, I suggested she used her blog as her main point of reference. She has a lot working for her there:
- She has an engaging, fun style of writing that makes people leave comments.
- She promptly responds to said comments, which is the best way to be real.
- She offers interesting and helpful information.
- Finally, she offer freebies, and uses those to get people’s email addresses. So, she can keep in touch with visitors.
In other words, she is already following my real-fun-helpful advice and has built what is, effectively, a great shop front. Now, all she needs is bring more people in.
The first thing I noticed working against her, is post frequency. Her latest post was last week, but before that she had posted in late October. And before that? In August.
One needs to post at least once a week for a blog to be an effective means of brand-building. Even simple reblogs help, although fresh material always carries more punch.
Second, she needed to connect her posts to the rest of her social presence. The first step is to announce her posts across her social media whenever she publishes something. This can be set up to happen automatically. But that’s just the beginning.
One also needs to repost your posts on a regular basis. For example, post on Google+ backlinks to your blog every week – heck, every day if you can! Choose a different post each time, and backlink to it. Google will immediately push your blog up in searches, thus generating easy (and free) visibility.
I’m stressing Google+ here because of the way Google allows its content to influence its search results. I’ve noticed that I might need to post a link on Facebook ten times to achieve the increase in visibility a single time on G+ guarantees.
You can also schedule automatic tweets to do the same thing, using a service like SocialOomph.
Whenever I promote an older post, I immediately notice the uptick in visits. Posts that nobody would read, suddenly receive comments and reblogs – and bring in new visitors. This is an easy way to make your content work for you.
All this will bring more people in. It’s is then up to you to provide them with fun and helpful content, and to interact in a real manner. This will help boost your brand, and, indirectly, sell your books.
And that will work?
I made this on Quoizio.com
You’re probably wondering just how effective this can possibly be. Well, let me offer an example. You may remember that the other day, I hosted a Facebook party for an hour. The organizer had told me to use that hour to promote my books. Instead, I invited my friends and asked them to talk about their books.
It took some convincing, as they did not want to steal my moment on the spotlight, but they did. This was followed by a fascinating discussion on the present and future of publishing. The hour flew by, and I still had not uttered a single word about me. The poor organizer kept sending me private messages: “You now have 45′ to discuss your books.” “30 minutes left!” “Ten minutes!”
Five minutes before my hour was up, I posted a couple of links with a simple “if you want to find out about me or my work, here’s the links” kind of message.
The next morning I saw that I had sold eight copies, without even trying!
So, my marketing secret is simple: don’t sell your books – sell yourself. And the best way to do that is (repeat after me):
- Be real,
- be fun,
- be helpful.
Fine print
There is just one caveat with all that: I start with being real because humans have a remarkably sensitive bull#$ meter, honed to perfection by eons of practice. So, don’t pretend to want to help, then ignore people who ask you for your advice. Don’t even bother if you don’t like the idea of connecting with people.
Being fun and helpful is great even if you don’t sell books. They will make you new friends, and that’s even more precious. Plus, it does wonders for your karma! 🙂
From anicaaah.tumblr.com
The original version of this post first appeared on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s blog as a guest post.
Read my children’s book, Runaway Smile, online for free!
I’m away on business until the 14th. Apologies if I’m late in responding to your comments, as it will all depend on our hotel’s Internet connection!
Nicholas – I have been advised that it is better to use pen names if you write in more than one genre so as not to confuse your fan base. However, I have seen other authors do this with success while using their real name or at least just one name. Any thoughts?
Hi Debra, many thanks for the great comment, and welcome.
I can see both sides of the argument. To me, writing under my name provides me with the artistic freedom to explore various genres. Some day I might only write in one, but until then I do enjoy my freedom.
Had I chosen to publish under a different pen name for each of my preferred genres, I would have had three times as many social media to support and maintain. This would have been impossible, for simple lack of time.
So, what I do instead is build a brand around my name. That way, hopefully will come to associate my name with high-quality, clean writing, no matter the genre.
It’s a gamble, but as long as all genres I write in are equally “clean” I hope to pull it off.
Having said that, if I were to explore a genre outside my brand, say erotica, I would have done so under a pen name. It’s all about the brand 🙂
Thanks for the great info. I’m determined to get this Twitter thing down. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels. Who knew being an introvert in face-to-face social setting would translate so absolutely to social media?
Lol – that’s great! 😀
You have mentioned great tips Nicholas, and ones that are user friendly ;D Posting regularly is very important, one that I must admit to failing at present. My question is: what if you are doing all you’ve outlined above and still the sales are fledgling?
Then write some more! The more books you have out there, the more your chances of readers discovering you, especially when you’re doing everything above.
Working on that ;D
I think this is so true, Nicholas. I love Twitter because I just try and interact with people in the way I would if they were stood in front of me, like a real human being. I think writers are very generous and supportive and if I can give back some of the support that has been given to me, that is a great reward. I confess to being confused by Google+ but would like to try and use it more. I have a great body of blog posts and I write a new one every week so I get a fair amount of traffic but it would be great to get even more. Thanks for the tips 🙂
A pleasure – and welcome 🙂
Reblogged this on Terri Herman-Ponce and commented:
More inspiration from a great writer and marketer. But you know what? Being real isn’t something just for marketing books. It applies to anything and everything any of us does, every day.
So keep it real and be real. And enjoy your day!
I totally ignored G+ at first, then read how it helps with getting your name into search engines, specifically Google. Since I’ve linked everything to it I’ve gone from a couple of entries on Google to several pages. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your experience (especially since it support my point) 😀
outstanding advice and practical theory to the right direction!
Thank you, Mihran! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
Reblogged this on Books and More.
Excellent article, Nicholas! I remember reading it over at Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog! Great marketing strategy just being “real”. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Patrick! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
You too! 🙂
Excellent REAL advice. I especially appreciated knowing that G+ links to blog posts carry more weight than Facebook ones.
Thanks! I was quite surprised when I realized it. One of our bigger clients lost almost 30% of their traffic when Google started doing that, as they had put all their eggs in the Facebook basket. As soon as they started posting on G+, their stats returned to the previous numbers. Shocking, right?
Awesome advice, Nicholas! I did that this week with an old editing post and it really worked! I got a lot of responses. 🙂 Love that bullsh*t meter! LOL!
Lol – yes, the meter is great. Although don’t stand next to any politicians, or it will deafen you 😉
Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
LOL! So true! 😀 Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Electra! 🙂
Uh oh. Now I have to learn how to use Google+. I’m still trying to figure out Twitter. Will the learning never cease? To be serious, great advice that I will put to good use. Thanks!
Hi D. Wallace,
I have the same problem. Every piece of advice i’ve received from Nicholas has been great. He, unintentionally though, makes me feel so ignorant.
Lol – that’s so sweet, Juliet! However, I have been working in Internet marketing for some 20 years, so… 🙂
Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
Lol – it’s a bit of a nightmare, isn’t it? 😀
Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
Great advice. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks, Craig! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
You too.
Great advice as always, and the piggy picture is so cute! Sharing on twitter with my friends:)
Thank you, Kylie! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
You too!
Fabulous, down-to-earth advice! 🙂
Thank you, Tess! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
You are welcome. <3. Same back at you.
Great advice, as always.
Thank you, Michelle! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
Great advice. Never thought about the reposting of a blog post on other social mediums. I seem to get more activity on Twitter than Google+, so can that work under the same system? Maybe find the link and add some hashtags? Also, how do you pick which posts to repost?
I usually promote the ones that will be of most interest to other authors. They’re the ones that tend to get shared the most. Once people reach my blog, they learn about my books, but it doesn’t work the other way around.
Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
I’ll have to try that at some point. I’ve done a few ‘revisits’ from the most viewed list on my blog, which have been hit or miss.
Have a fun Valentine’s Day.
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
This is great stuff.
Wonderful advice! You always manage to think of something we overlook. Thanks.
Such a sweet thing to say, thank you! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂
Great advice as always!
Thank you! Have a lovely Valentine’s day 🙂