Categories
Marketing Sense

Your First Step to Expand Your Author Platform: Develop a Community Built Upon Service

Our author platform will never grow until we reach beyond our circle of family-and-friends to those in our target market whom we do not know…yet. Some feel the key to finding that specific group within the world’s population of more than 8 billion people is to YELL LOUDER. Uh, no…

Serving our audience in God’s name is the first step, and guess what? We can serve them long before our book is even published! Hooray!

If this sounds like madness, it’s actually genius, because as we serve, our audience is drawn to our message. They participate, ask follow-up questions, talk amongst themselves, and ask more questions. They want to know how our message applies to their specific situation.

This is called engagement, also known as building community. We want this!

As we create content: social media posts, podcasts, and Lead Magnets to name a few, we’re sharing MORE answers to the questions our audience is asking and helping them solve MORE problems they’re encountering today.

The real impact comes when they apply our message. We don’t offer information only. (You don’t, do you?) Our message must offer change. A synonym for change is transformation.  

Our audience comes to us–or stumbles upon us–and discovers we know what they’re going through. We offer solutions, not as an armchair quarterback but as someone who’s been down the same (or a similar) road. As we share our story and listen to theirs, commonalities spring to the surface that both parties recognize. Commonalities that we already knew existed but that they didn’t (at first). Those common traits, questions, challenges, or fears bind us together in (say it with me) community.

Now we’re not an outsider; we’re a trusted resource. We must do our utmost to earn and protect that description.

They’ll want to dive deeper or discuss a related issue and hear our solution for that. They’ll look to us for guidance, strategies, and encouragement. We can offer this as no one else can because of our life’s journey, which includes God delivering us over and over as we muddled our way through the maze of each problem. Our audience is in the same maze. Christ delivered us in part for our own sake and in part so we could guide them to freedom in His name. Hallelujah!

As they apply the wisdom in our message–which is God’s wisdom–stubborn problems begin to improve. Long-standing challenges shift, becoming less difficult. Their lives begin to change in ways that matter to them. They’ll remember that. They’ll remember us.

This is how we can build an online platform that will last for our ministry’s lifetime and not simply for the lifetime of one book.

This is why we don’t have to start over from scratch with every.single.project. Ack!

Once in relationship with audience members, we earn the right to let them know–periodically–how they can help us. Perhaps they can buy our book, attend our event, give their input on our next book’s cover image…the list goes on and on.

“Oh, no,” some say, “I don’t want to be one of those pushy authors always asking their audience to, “Buy! Buy! Buy!”

Does that thought weigh on your mind? Relax, Padawan (Star Wars reference there 🙂 ).

Remember, these people are in your community, and others are joining them. Why? Because you’ve helped them change their lives. So, they trust you and want to support you. You’re in their community now, too. Cool, huh?

And it all began when you started serving your audience for His sake and their benefit, letting Him bless your service as He saw fit, which, since He called you to write for Him, will likely include book sales. He’s so wise!

Part Two of this series next month.

Patricia Durgin is an Online Marketing Coach and Facebook Live Expert. She trains Christian writers and speakers exclusively, helping them develop their messaging, marketing funnels, conversational emails, and Facebook Live programs. Patricia hosted 505 (60-minute) Facebook Live programs from 2018-2020. That program is on indefinite hiatus. She’s also a regular faculty member at Christian writers and speakers conferences around the country.

Website: marketersonamission.com
Facebook: MarketersOnAMission

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Boost Your Author Platform with Newsletter Ninja

Authors need to grow their platform. Authors want to sell books. One thing the marketing experts usually agree on is that an email list is a powerful way for authors to grow their platform. And writers usually grow their email list through offering a newsletter. That’s where the helpful book, Newsletter Ninja by Tammi Labrecque comes in. As the subtitle explains the book will teach you “how to become an author mailing list expert.”

One of the first topics in the book is explaining why email lists are powerful. Here are two reasons:

  1. You don’t own your relationship with social media followers. You must work through the social media platform to interact with them, and the platform can change its algorithms whenever it pleases. If you quit the platform, those contacts are lost. In contrast you own your email list. You have the ability to contact those people directly, whenever you want. And you can take your email list with you if you choose to switch email services.
  2. Email marketing converts better than social media marketing. In marketing, “convert” means getting the customer to complete a goal. In the case of author marketing, this is usually clicking a link or purchasing a book. You will bet more conversions with 1,000 emails than you will with 1,000 social media followers.

Based on that information, it makes sense that an intentional writer would want to become an email list expert. This book will help you. As the back cover explains:

Newsletter Ninja is a comprehensive resource designed to teach you how to build and maintain a strongly engaged email list—one full of actual fans willing to pay for the books you write, rather than free-seekers who will forget your name and never open your emails.

What does Newsletter Ninja teach?

The author does a good job of clearly and simply explaining the steps an author must take to create an email list, grow the list, and maintain a healthy list. (Newsletters are not do-once-and-forget-it sort of task. The goal is to be consistent and build engagement between the author and recipients.)

Topics cover everything from choosing an email service provider and writing your first newsletter, to creating engagement and purging dead weight. (Why would you want to get rid of email subscribers after you’ve spent all that effort to get them? Read chapter 18 to find out.)

In addition to step-by-step explanations, I appreciate how the author explains the why behind email lists. As the author explains, a great newsletter isn’t salesy or annoying. Rather the goal is to create newsletters that the recipients want to open, because they have content that is interesting and useful. That concept alone will help you rise above the crowd.

In addition, I appreciated the author’s engaging and humorous style, and her ability to explain these concepts clearly and in plain English. At 136 pages, the book is short and to the point. I found it an excellent resource for understanding the basics of how to utilize email lists to build your author platform and engage with your audience.

Check out Newsletter Ninja today

Newsletter Ninja: How to Become An Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi Labrecque

For more helpful information, visit the author’s website, NewsletterNinja.net

Other resources to help you build your email list

The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Authors from Written Word Media

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Grow Your Audience from Kindlepreneur

How to Grow Your Fiction Email List Subscribers from The Creative Penn

Lisa E Betz

Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit lisaebetz.com.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

My Author Platform Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

You hear it at every writers’ conference—Platform Is Important! Long before you have a book published, you need to be thinking about and building your author platform.

True.

However, I wish I hadn’t rushed into into creating a website, blog, or author social media accounts without considering why I was doing it.

“I’m doing this to build platform” isn’t a sufficient reason

Maybe the root problem was I didn’t understand what building an author platform really meant. I thought it was about numbers. Create a bunch of social media accounts and collect as many followers as you can.

Done.

Except, after I created them, I had no idea what to do with them. No strategy. No purpose. No obvious topics or themes. Nada.

I was working on a historical mystery set in ancient Rome, but I’m not a history expert, or a writing expert. Thus, neither history nor writing tips seemed like the right content for me.

Which left … ?? (Scripture quotes? Flash fiction? Life lessons from my kids? Photos of the coffee I’m drinking while I write?)

Does my quandary sound familiar?

Understanding the real purpose of those platform components

Pop Quiz: The purpose of an author’s blog, website, and social media accounts is to:

  1. Amass impressive follower numbers
  2. Promote all my awesome writing stuff
  3. Tell the world about my writing process and show funny photos of my cat
  4. Serve the reader by offering helpful or inspiring content

The answer may seem obvious, but when I was a budding fiction writer, precisely what helpful or inspiring content I was supposed to be offering was anything but obvious.

I was clueless. I tried a bit of this and a pit of that, but nothing really clicked.

So I blundered around, trying a bit of this and a bit of that and by process of elimination I eventually narrowed my blogging focus to intentional living (which, you may note, has nothing whatsoever to do with either ancient Rome or mystery writing).

An author platform needs a firm foundation

Have you ever tried to write an article, and you can’t seem to get your thoughts to work together? When I have that problem, it’s usually because I don’t have the single main point clear in my head.

The same is true for an author platform. The more clarity you have in your specific target audience and the specific topics/themes/issues you are called to write about, the easier it becomes to provide content that is both relevant and builds confidence in your author brand.

Your author brand is the perception of what you are about, based on your content.  

If your content isn’t consistent, nobody can figure out what you stand for, so they had little reason to keep reading my stuff.

Here’s the key concept I was missing

The goal of building an author platform isn’t to collect as many random followers as we can. The goal is to collect readers who want to come back regularly to see our content.

Why do those readers choose to give their precious attention to our content instead of the zillion other options? Because they have learned they can count on us to consistently offer interesting, relevant, encouraging content on topics they care about.

We earn readers trust by consistently offering the content they find useful. That consistency only comes when we’ve discovered our content sweet spot and are intentional about focusing our content within that niche.  

Your platform isn’t built in a day

If you’re just starting your writing journey, you probably don’t yet have this all figured out. That’s normal. You might need to experiment with different types of content for a while before you find your stride.

However, experiment intentionally. Your goal is to zero in on the content that you are passionate about creating and identifying the specific audience that most benefits from what you write.

The sooner you find your sweet spot, the less time you waste writing meh content and the quicker you can begin collecting readers who are actual fans of your content and brand.

Your Turn

Can you articulate what your author platform is about in 1-2 sentences? If not, take a stab at it and consider that your starting point.

Pray about it. Ask God to clarify the specifics of what he’s calling you to write and who he’s calling you to write it for.  

Get in the habit of regularly asking yourself questions like these to continually hone your clarity.

  • Which subjects can I not help getting excited about?
  • What have I learned from coming through trauma that I can share with others?
  • When people think of me and my content, I want them to use words like ___ .
  • What is the common thread in the various things I love to write about?
  • What issues do people bring up repeatedly when they come to me for advice or help? (face-to-face or virtually)
Lisa E Betz

Lisa E. Betz is an award-winning mystery author, entertaining speaker, and an unconventional soul. She combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the world of the early church to life. She infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets, was recently named a finalist in both the Golden Scroll and Christian Market Book Awards.

She also blogs about the joys and challenges of living an authentic, purpose-filled life. Lisa and her husband reside in southeast Pennsylvania with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit her Quietly Unconventional website at lisaebetz.com or check her Facebook page at LisaEBetzWriter.

Categories
Platform and Branding

How to Create Branding That Lasts

Creating a brand that lasts can be a bit of an intimidating process. As a writer/author, you want to reflect your writing well, while also doing so in such a way you can keep up with your brand.

Your brand likely encompasses some, if not all, of the following: Running multiple social media accounts, a website, writing books, public speaking at conferences, interviewing on podcasts and TV, attending writing conferences, updating followers with book promotions, talking with editors and publishers, engaging with fans, etc. Doing all of this well could easily become exhausting.

If you create a brand that does not reflect who you are naturally, but is more of a highlight reel or façade, you could easily burnout. Building a lifestyle brand can not only help you avoid burnout, but engage your fans more than other types of branding might.

Even if you are a credible professional but want to build a lifestyle brand, you can do so.

Think of a lifestyle brand as simply focusing more on your life than your products. Instagram doesn’t only need to be inspiring quotes from famous authors, going live about your creative process, and posting stories about your writing deadline. Those are all great to share, but what happens when you’re not on deadline or you don’t have anything writing related to post?

Enter, the lifestyle brand.

Fans love connecting with the person behind the brand. The humanity behind the celebrity. The personality behind the grid. So how do you build a brand you can maintain long term?

Base your brand on your personality.

Search through different social media platforms to find authors using their own personality as the platform for their brand. If you don’t have a specific author in mind, search hashtags such as #WritingCommunity or the genre you write to help you get started.

Once you find 10-15 authors, browse their social media sites, website, and Goodreads to see how they engage with their followers and what they post. Take note of what type of content they don’t post as well.

Then step back, assess your own writing goals, your personality, and what you feel excited to share. Choose different aspects from the different authors, add in your own, and do a trial run for two weeks. Assess your analytics on all social media platforms. Choose the platform that’s done the best and continue working on it. Consider trying new things on the platforms not doing as well.

As you grow, don’t worry if you need to fine tune your brand. This is healthy and allows your fans to grow with you.

Put the time and effort in, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the process. You are a writer, and this is your journey.

Have fun with it!

Sarah Rexford

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Building Your Platform

One of the biggest fears of mine and a lot of people with disabilities is that our voices no longer matter in society, almost like we have become irrelevant to the world. This goes beyond depression and inabilities. Sometimes disabled persons struggle to find their purpose within the larger community.

Recently, I discussed with a fellow writer with health issues about how our struggles can either silence us or make us stronger. The truth is, disabilities can give us another perspective on life—one that matters now more than ever! Our lives are forever changed, I like to think we haven’t lost anything but, gained more insight into life.

  • Perspective.
  • Empathy, not sympathy.
  • More to say.
  • A new audience/community.

When I had my accident I became part of a new community, the brain injury community. Each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI.1 One in four Americans lives with a disability, 61 million adults in America who want to believe they still matter.2 Each year I add more friends within the brain injury community.

My circle of influence has grown thanks to my disability, it hasn’t become less important —quite the opposite. This serves two purposes. It allows me to learn from others and allows me to share with others what I have learned. In the writing world, we could call this my platform.

Platform!

Over the years the definition of platform has changed. In the beginning, it was all about the social media numbers, but social media can be manipulated. Nowadays it encompasses who you are, who you know, and who cares about what you have to say.

Your platform is your visibility as an author and/or speaker. It can be used to sell your products, book speaking jobs, and share what you have to say.

Altogether, these factors work together to get your message out. It’s easy to understand the importance of having a platform as a writer or speaker, disabled or not. The following are a few building blocks to help writers build their platform:

1. A website and/or blog with a large readership.

2. An e-newsletter and/or mailing list with a large number of subscribers/recipients.

3. Article/column writing (or correspondent involvement) for the media—preferably for larger outlets and outlets within the writer’s specialty.

4. Guest contributions to successful websites, blogs, and periodicals.

5. A track record of strong past book sales.

6. Individuals of influence that you know—personal contacts (organizational, media, celebrity, relatives) who can help you market at no cost to yourself, whether through blurbs, promotion, or other means.

7. Public speaking appearances—the bigger, the better.

8. An impressive social media presence (Twitter, Facebook, and the like).

9. Membership in organizations that support the successes of their own.

10. Recurring media appearances and interviews—in print, on the radio, on TV, or online.3

Having a brain injury not only gives me more to say in a different way, but it also gives me a new audience to share it with: people who understand me. All writers write to communicate with others. It is human nature to connect with others, even with those we do not know. Each of us has a message or story to share.

Your Story!

When I first began writing, one of my writing mentors always asked a question, “What’s your story?” Author Jerry B Jenkins teaches writers how to share their stories with their voices. Regardless of who you are, as a writer, you have a story and a voice.

It always reminds me of the saying in the brain injury community, “Every brain injury is different.” Although each is different, each has a specific purpose and audience. Each writer writes for a different reason and purpose, such as:

  • Inform.
  • Persuade.
  • Goodwill.

Regardless of why we write or who we are trying to connect with, we can each do it through our platform.

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJonhson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.


1  https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/pubs/tbi_report_to_congress.html

2  https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html

3  https://www.writersdigest.com/improve-my-writing/building-a-writers-platform

Categories
Platform and Branding

How to Speak…Before You Say a Word

At some point in your writing career you’ll probably step on a stage and be expected to speak. It can be an intimidating prospect.

Many writers prefer to sit behind the screen at the keyboard. But stories are meant to be told. Audiences love to hear from the writer, and sometimes being onstage is the best way to communicate your message.

But nerves are understandable! To help you get over those nerves, leverage your personal brand to help you communicate before you even say a word.

Published or not, you have a brand. What you wear is part of that brand. So yes, let’s talk fashion.

Your fashion is the first impression your audience receives as you step onstage. What you choose to wear speaks for you before you ever say those first words. It communicates something about you: Are you laid back, professional, artsy, creative, relaxed?

Here are a few tips to help communicate your brand, while making you feel more at ease in the process:

Wear Something You’re Comfortable In

This is not the time to follow the old adage, “no pain no gain.” You want to put your audience at ease and you can’t do that very effectively if you yourself aren’t comfortable. A few days (or weeks, if you’re type A!) before your speaking engagement, look through your closet and notice the types of styles you usually wear and feel most comfortable in. Base your outfit off these styles.

Reflect Your Writer Brand

If you write books on how to be a standout business leader, you probably don’t want to show up in a multi-colored sweater with a mismatched scarf. However, if you write fantasy, this isn’t the worst choice you could make. Take note of what you write and who your audience is, then choose your fashion accordingly.

If you write children’s books and are going to speak in a classroom, maybe pass on the business suit and choose the teddy bear sweater instead. But imagine showing up to a conference to talk to CEO’s wearing the same outfit. Choose your fashion based on what you write and who your audience is.

Don’t Leave Your Personality Behind

While your fashion should reflect your writer brand and enhance rather than detract from your message, at the end of the day your brand is based on you, the individual. At the risk of being cliché, there’s only one you. Don’t let assumptions or your own nervousness keep you from being yourself. This doesn’t stop at fashion. Wear something you’re comfortable in so you can set your audience at ease, let your clothing reinforce your brand, and choose something you simply like wearing.

And then enjoy!

Enjoy the opportunity to share your passion with a live audience. Enjoy capturing the room. And enjoy vocalizing what you’ve worked so hard to take from your head, to the page, to the stage.

Best wishes out there!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Platform and Branding

The WHY Behind Building Your Platform

Have you lever listened to Simon Sinek’s TEDx Talk, Start With Why? If not, I’d highly recommend you do. Sinek explains the importance of understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing. And when it comes to platform building, your WHY is just as important.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: If you’re writing for the sake of great success and fame, I’d highly recommend that you pursue it through something other than writing. That said, from my interactions with writers, most of us write for love of writing. Assuming that’s the case with you, let’s continue.

Author platform is hugely important for writers today. It can also be hugely frustrating. You may be feeling like you’re trying to sell something that doesn’t even have a contract yet. Here’s the secret: Don’t build a platform to sell a book.

What?

Just as it’s important to think reader-first when writing, it’s essential to think reader-first when building your platform. People don’t like getting sold to. It strips individuals of their humanity and reduces them to a conduit for a cash flow that has nothing to do with them. So how do you build a platform? Share what’s important to you. Share your passion, specifically, the passion that has something to offer your reader—your book.

If you write nonfiction, sharing your book could look like sharing bullet points on social media that will directly help your reader’s pain point, whatever that is (baking, self-help, wellness, etc.). Maybe it’s creating a shortened work book eBook that readers get for free when subscribing to your email list. Maybe it’s a short video series of you talking through each chapter (I’d probably save this until the book is out).

If you write fiction, sharing your book could look like offering giveaways if readers subscribe to your email list or follow your other social media platforms. It could be going live on Instagram and talking about your process for writing your book, and giving away a free copy for whoever asks the most interesting question at the end.

In all of these instances, you’re giving readers free content, streamlined for their interests and needs, while engaging them as individuals and as a bonus, building your platform.

At the heart of writing is storytelling, not sales. If you want to make sales, there are many, many jobs out there that will help you succeed much faster. But if you want to bring helpful content to individuals, share your passion, and influence people for the better, an author platform is a great place to start.

Set aside the idea that building a platform is about self-promotion and making sales, and instead think reader first. You’ll be off to a great start. Just as your book isn’t about you but rather about your readers, so is your platform. Best wishes out there!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Platform and Branding

Branding and Twitter

Raise your hand if you’re a writer on Twitter! Same. Twitter is a great place for building that writing community and growing your visibility. However, simply building your brand through a follow-for-follow plan can cheapen not just your brand, but your writing.

So how do you build your platform and build the credibility of your writing?

As I’ve mentioned before, personal brand is not just what you write. It’s who you are. Your public, personal brand is what you decide to portray of who you are to your audience. Who are you impacts what you do or don’t write, how you engage with others on social media, and what you do or don’t post.

If you scroll through writers on Twitter, you’ll quickly see users who are there to promote their work, gain followers, and call it a day. Other than linking their book or blog, they don’t appear to be there to bring you, their potential reader, quality content.

Then you’ll see the few diamonds in the rough. The users who post quality content over and over, engage with other users, and work at pouring into the writing community, not just build their platform.

The great thing is, when you post quality content and genuinely engage with other writers, they’re apt to follow you. Thus, you build your platform.

So how do you bring your brand to Twitter? Ask yourself some questions:

Are you on Twitter to share what you’re learning from a come-alongside perspective, or to give writing advice from the standpoint of an expert? If you choose the come-alongside approach, you can share anything writing-related that you’re learning. If you choose the expert approach, to maintain brand integrity, only share advice you are an expert in. Do you write YA fiction in a specific genre, and have you sold thousands of books? You’re probably on your way to becoming an expert. However, you probably want to steer clear of handing out nonfiction advice.

Next, there are countless ways to engage with the writing community on Twitter. Choose what group you want to invest in, and go all in. Retweet pinned tweets, offer retweets on pitch fest days, jump into the comments to offer your expert advice, or share your own tweets as you progress through the writing journey.

Twitter is a sea of advice, book and blog promotions, writers’ lifts, etc., so choose carefully where you want to invest.

If you choose the expert sharing advice approach, writers’ lifts probably aren’t the best place to jump in. Twitter users who almost only engage in writers’ lifts, follow-for-follow trains, and endless promotions of their work are going to be viewed differently than those who genuinely engage, share writing advice, and provide great content every day.

Yes, follow writers, tweet, retweet—do all the things! Just choose how you choose to engage. What does what you tweet, retweet, and promote say about your writing brand?

With that in mind, happy tweeting!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Platform and Branding

Where You Are and Where You Want to Be

When it comes to building a platform, numbers fly around conversations like flies on leftovers. Some may say you need 50k followers on a single social media outlet to have a platform, others may say platform isn’t as important for fiction as it is for nonfiction. Others may say 30k on one platform is sufficient.

For a moment, set aside those numbers and listen to one freeing reality: Where you want to be is not where you need to be right now.

Yes, you need a platform, but if you write fiction crime novels your platform in this moment does not need to consist of fiction crime novel readers.

In some capacity, everyone is more talented in one area than another. When you’re looking to build your platform, start with where you are, not where you want to be.

Let’s say you are a stay-at-home mom and love cooking healthy dishes. Recently you’ve taken to learning the craft of writing—you’re working on your first romantic fiction and trying to build a platform.

You might think you need to start a blog on your romantic fiction, but I would urge you to think again. Instead, start using Pinterest to share your favorite recipes, or start a blog with a similar focus. As you naturally build a following around this passion, you’ll gain loyal fans.

How does that translate into a following for your book?

During the time it took you to write your manuscript and land your first contract, you’ve shared quality content on a regular basis for your followers. You’ve shared the best recipes you have and other than the usual requests of subscribing, sharing, and liking, you’ve never asked for a thing from your followers. You’ve provided free, quality content again and again.

They know all this time you’ve loyally provided what you said you would, and they’ve benefited. You’ve built a loyal following. At this point, they most likely won’t mind if you mention you’ve written a book and just signed your first contract. In fact, they’ll likely want to know!

And as an added bonus, maybe one of your characters loves cooking and you can mention he or she uses your most popular recipe as a second-date dinner in your romance novel. Now they’re really intrigued!

Whatever your current passion or talent, focus on building your following there. Once you have a loyal fan base and your book is about to be published, let them know. You’ll probably be surprised how many fans of your cooking blog turn into fans of your book.

With this type of platform, you don’t need to overmarket yourself or spam your followers with promotional material. They’re loyal to you, and if you have a new passion, they’ll likely want to support it as well.

Best wishes out there!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Guest Posts

How To Promote Your Writing On Instagram

In 2020, social media is a vital part of our lives. We use it to communicate, to share stories, and for entertainment. However, studies show that businesses that want to promote their brands use social media the most.

Instagram is a social and marketing platform that can help you grow your brand. In this article, you’ll find how to promote your writing on Instagram and become a successful writer.

Create An Appropriate Profile

If you want to promote your writing efficiently, you might want to improve the marketing aspect of your artistry. Start treating your work as part of your brand. So, complete your bio and profile with the following elements:

1. A good and catchy name. Since you’re trying to create a brand for yourself, you need a name that is easy to remember. Try using one of your names and pair it with a word that reflects your artistry. For example, if your name is Alexandra, your brand username can be “Alexandra’s Writing” or “Alexandra’s (adjective) Blog.” Form different word combinations and find the one that sounds best. Alternatively, you don’t need to put your name in your brand. It can be something witty, that stands out, and in the formula of “(adjective) (pertinent keyword)” such as “The Honest Blogger ” or “Unknown Author’s Commentary.”

2. A professional bio. Social media management is about helping people reach you without any difficulty. So, when you write your bio, try to keep it simple yet interesting. Start with a short description of what you write about and who you are. Whether you’re a blogger, a writer for an online assignment help service, or a novel author, specify your work. Then, add your contact info such as email, blog, and other social media accounts. Remember that, on Instagram, the only place you can post a hyperlink is in your bio. So make sure to update the link every time you post.

3. A high-quality profile picture. The profile photo should have you in it or the emblem of your blog. People like to associate a blog to a face, so don’t forget to show yourself on posts even if your profile picture is about your blog.

Create A Story Of Your Work

The key to reaching your audience is storytelling. People like to follow a story with a message and a constant flow. Think of your posts as chapters of a book. Each one talks about an episode, but they all connect to form a novel. Therefore, when you start posting, try to follow a guiding line.

For example, begin by telling your audience about how you started writing. Then talk to your followers about how you posted your first blog entry. Share knowledge and fun facts about you, all while you subtly advertise your artistry.

Don’t be too persistent with promoting your brand. For example, try adding a “new article on my blog (link in bio)” at the bottom of every post. This way, you encourage your followers to read your blog, without being pushy.

Lastly, make sure your posts are coherent, and don’t forget about the editing and proofreading of your captions.

Perfect The Aesthetic Side Of Your Brand

Instagram is an incredibly visual app. The majority of the content on the app is photos, videos, boomerangs, and stories. Therefore, you might want to create an aesthetic page that invites people to check it out. Here are the visual elements you should consider on your Instagram profile:

  • Post high-quality pictures. Try to use a good camera when you take photos. Having clear images on your feed is crucial because people understand that you are putting effort into your work, and you deliver top-notch content. From a marketing stance, clear photos show that your business is real and professional.
  • Use consistent filters. When you edit pictures, try to maintain the same look. Find the most flattering filters for you. If you are a novel writer, maybe you need a vintage filter. On the other hand, if you’re a freelance writer at college paper.org reviews, you may need a slightly blue, clear filter. Moreso, use the same filters in your stories.
  • Use consistent fonts. When you’re posting a story, use the same colors and fonts. This way, people will recognize your brand.
  • Don’t post just one type of content. You should try to post photos, pictures, and videos. Take advantage of the full range of things you can put up. For example, you can post a photo of yourself holding your book. The next day, you can post a visually pleasing image of a word definition. Experiment with Instagram tools like IGTV, boomerangs, and stories.

Engage With The People Who Support You

As mentioned before, Instagram is a social platform. So, you need to keep people engaged in your content. You can do that by communicating with them through the social tools of Instagram.

For example, stories are a quintessential way to make people engage in your writing. You can show sneak peeks of your work, and anticipate posts. This way, you encourage people to click on your “Swipe Up” link and read your blog.

Don’t forget about the tags and hashtags. Try to learn SEO tactics: use pertinent hashtags that describe your work and add keywords in your caption.

Additionally, you can make a Q&A every couple of weeks. Your followers can ask questions about you and your work. So, people get to know the author behind the artistry.

Lastly, remember that you can increase your chances to stay relevant by posting regularly.

Try Marketing Methods

The business part of your work involves marketing. You may want to employ social media management strategies to invite more followers on your page.

The first method is to collaborate with other influencers. This way, you can mutually promote yourselves and grow your following. It’s a win-win situation, and you can come up with creative ways to collaborate. For example, you can work with other types of writers: creative authors, custom papers writers, or travel bloggers. You could create a series of Instagram stories where you ask each other questions and compare your work schedules.

The second method is to collaborate with brands because, after all, Instagram is an advertising platform. You can contact businesses and sign a deal: you promote them while they pay you. Also, the company can help with exposure if they have social media.

The third method is to advertise yourself. If you’d like to grow your following, consider paying for ads. This way, Instagram shows your posts on the feeds of potential followers. This technique is not cheap, but it’s effective, especially when you just started your account.

Conclusion

If you wish to promote your work with the help of Instagram, try to treat your work as a brand. Use a catchy name and write a good description. Next, write posts that tell your story. Don’t forget to put up photos regularly and to maintain your brand’s aesthetic. Lastly, engage with followers, other writers, and businesses.

Remember that even if you’re a comic book writer, a paper service freelancer, or a journalist, the world is your oyster. So, now that you know how to promote yourself, start posting.

Kurt Walker is a skilled freelancer and editor at a professional writer service in London. He is one of the many UK essay writers specialized in essay writing and assignment help. In his spare time, Kurt plays the guitar and takes his dog Shay for a walk.

Categories
Platform and Branding

3 Ways a Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Writer Platform

When building a writer platform, few of us consider hiring a virtual assistant, or VA. Most of us are DIYers, learning the ropes so we can understand what’s happening in the online world.

Not everyone, however, has the desire, time or ability to continue doing it themselves. In those cases it’s wise to enlist the help of someone with experience. A virtual assistant can be a godsend for a busy writer struggling to grow their platform.

3 Ways a Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Writer Platform

Saves time.

Creating social media content, formatting blog posts, responding to comments and messages, facilitating online discussions, etc. takes time and focus. A virtual assistant can perform many of these tasks for you, leaving you with time to write and engage in the places you enjoy.

Saves money.

Some content requires premium images and designer fonts, and that content often needs to be formatted for different social media networks. Many virtual assistants have access to these types of and can work with you to create a custom look that enhances your brand.

Some VAs are also savvy with WordPress and Blogger, and may be able to help with minor website modifications.

Saves sanity.

Sometimes you need a social media respite due to travel, health, family demands, or deadlines. A VA can help keep things moving forward when you need to take a break.

Other times you may need help because of changes in social media networks. Not only do the networks change, but your audience also changes. What works one year may not engage your audience the next. An experienced VA may also help you brainstorm new strategies.

virtual assistant

Where can I find a virtual assistant?

Finding a good virtual assistant can be challenging but it’s not impossible. Beware of economy sites as many of their sources live outside the US and may not have good English skills. Premium sites do a better job of pairing you with a VA who’s a good fit, but many require you to schedule interviews and pay fees.

A reliable way for a writer to find a VA is to crowdsource. Post the question in a Facebook or LinkedIn group. Ask your writer friends if they’ve worked with a VA or can recommend a VA.

Being able to outsource the things you dislike will not only reduce your frustration level but it will also give you margin. Hiring a virtual assistant can enable you to do what only you can do—write and share your message.

If you’re a writer who loves social media, has good content creation skills, and enjoys keeping up with trends, maybe YOU should be a VA! It’s a great way to hone your skills, help your fellow writers AND earn a little money!

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Categories
Platform and Branding

3 Can’t-Miss Tips For Steady Platform Growth

Smart writers invest in workshops, courses, and conferences. Smart and savvy writers will also invest time in building their platforms. These three steps repeated weekly, monthly or quarterly will ensure your platform grows at a steady rate.

Review Your Strategies

Look back over your blog and social media analytics. What content performed best for you? What networks gave your best results? Build on those strengths while taking a critical look at what didn’t perform as well. Should you make tweaks and try to improve, or abandon a failing strategy?

Numbers don’t lie, especially analytics, and so you’ll discover which social media networks fit best in your platform. Where are your readers? Where and how are you getting the best engagement? If a network isn’t getting the engagement you expected, what tweaks do you need to make?

Set SMART goals

Peter Drucker’s SMART management tool works well when setting platform goals:

  • Specific – Determine how much and what you will write, how you will network, what skills you need to learn, etc.
  • Measurable – Set goals for word count, number of articles to submit, posts to publish, manuscript progress, etc.
  • Attainable – Decide what works for you and your schedule, being careful to strike a balance that’s ambitious but also realistic.
  • Relevant – Goals must be timely and meaningful, moving you toward an identified objective.
  • Time-bound – Give yourself deadlines: daily (if appropriate), weekly, monthly, quarterly.

Don’t Neglect Relationships

Writing requires a good bit of solitary confinement, and it can be easy to retreat into your writing shell and neglect relationships. I need a good balance of non-writing friends who I can relax with, but I also deliberately cultivate friendships with other writers who understand the struggles and challenges of writing.

Consider joining a writing group or getting a critique partner. Find writer friends who will understand your goals and hold you accountable. Connect regularly to check progress and encourage each other.

 

Steady platform growth

Building your platform requires an investment of time and energy, along with regular evaluations. Set goals, connect with others, and know where you want to go with your writing. If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

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Categories
Platform and Branding

5 Questions Your About Page Must Answer

One of the four must-have features of a website is the About page, but it’s overlooked by many writers. It can be uncomfortable to write about ourselves, and so we often slap together a short bio, upload a headshot, and go back to our projects. But a high percentage of first-time visitors to your site click on your About page, so consider the questions a newcomer would ask.

Platforming - blank manWho are you?

Introduce yourself in a few sentences and include a recent headshot. Don’t be afraid to add some interesting or unexpected facts (and pictures) about yourself.

What do you write about?

Describe your writing niche. Is it historical fiction? Technical articles? Devotions? If you’ve published a book(s), share a brief synopsis with a link to purchase or download.

Let visitors know what they can expect to find when they visit your site. Share a couple of “teasers” with links to your most popular posts. Linking within your site not only highlights some of your best writing, but it also helps boost SEO.

When can they expect updates?

Tell how often you post, even if it’s infrequently, and ask readers to subscribe. Direct them to your sidebar subscription section or include a link/code within the body of your text. If you have a newsletter, explain how it differs from your posts, how it benefits them, and ask them to subscribe.

Where can they find you? 

Platforming - social media

Add links to your social media networks and invite visitors to connect with you there. You can insert these links in the body of your text, but also consider adding a widget or gadget to your sidebar so they’ll be visible from multiple pages.

Include a contact form or tell them how to contact you by email. To cut down on spam, thwart bots by breaking up the address: yourname {at} domain {dot} com

Why should they follow you?

Platforming - question markWith millions of blogs and personal websites on the Internet, remember that you offer a unique voice and message. How does your writing benefit your readers? Add a couple of testimonial quotes pulled from reader comments (get permission first) or ask a couple of fellow writers for a short endorsement.

Review and update your About page at least every six months, and monitor your site’s analytics to see how many hits this page receives. As Michael Hyatt advises, don’t think of this page as an obligation but as an opportunity.

YOUR TURN: What would you add to this list?

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Categories
Platform and Branding

Does a writer really need a self-hosted website, or is a free site good enough?

One of the cornerstones of an author’s platform is a personal website or blog. (Because these terms are used interchangeably, I’ll use “website.”) After all, this is the only place online that’s all about you, and is the best place for readers and publishing professionals to get to know you. Consider your website as your online business card.

Most writers start out with a free website through WordPress.com or Blogspot.com. Those are both great options because you can learn helpful skills such as how to

  1. use a text editor (most of which have a similar feel to composing an email),
  2. incorporate graphics and visual elements,
  3. tag or label your posts for SEO (Search Engine Optimization),
  4. schedule posts, and
  5. build a list of subscribers and followers.

Other benefits include

  • no annual fees,
  • no need to worry about technical details such as backups and updates, and
  • the potential for added visibility if your host features free sites.

Many writers maintain free websites for years with no problems. Maybe they’re established in the industry and their blog is just an online playground. Or maybe they’re savvy and backup copies of all their posts and images. Free websites are fine as long as we understand the limitations:

  1. restrictions for the overall look and feel of your website (customizations, themes, plugins, layouts, gadgets, etc.),
  2. limited storage,
  3. monetization controlled by the host, and the worst:
  4. the host owns and controls your website.

Angry Executive ShoutingAnd the host can take down your free website at a moment’s notice.

If your site is reported as “objectionable content” or someone somewhere thinks it violates the company’s Terms of Service, they will act first and ask questions later, leaving you to deal with the fallout.

Self-hosted websites, particularly those using WordPress, have thousands of customization options, many of them free or inexpensive. You can buy additional space when you need it and you have more options for monetization.

Hosting packages range from $5 monthly (and you do all the backend work) to managed hosting* options (and they handle all the technical details).

Whatever your budget, consider your website as an investment in your writing career. Be informed about your options and create an online home represents you well and shares your message.

*Check out hosting by Fistbump Media, one of our advertisers. They offer managed hosting options especially for writers and bloggers.

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Photo Credits
Angry executive image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net ImageryMajestic

Categories
Publicity

Why every author needs to build a strong website – Part 1

Do you need a website as an author? Let’s think about this for just a moment. In this day and age when you are curious about something don’t you resort to Googling it? The internet has dramatically changed how you research something you are interested in. What happens when someone types in your name to see if you are a Christian author? What’s the first thing they see in the search results?

I challenge you to Google yourself if you are not sure of this yet. You may be surprised by the results! Articles you haven’t thought about in months, perhaps years. The page your publisher put up that perhaps you don’t love the copy from? What does your Google search show about yourself?

An author’s website is a critical tool that is a central platform for many items that can not only help you build your brand but also to sell your books. However, a poorly constructed or “unplugged” website can also do detriment to your brand. Having worked with many publishers I can tell you that when a publishing house is looking at signing you one factor is your potential market. An author with a solid website that is socially integrated and has followers is a major bonus for a publisher or agent. This means you will be easier to market and therefore they are taking less of a chance in signing your book.

How do you get a great website? Well, first let me just say that not all websites are equal and they don’t always have to cost a fortune to be effective. I have personally run across people that prey upon authors to get “quick cash” by being webmasters that do very little or designers with price tags that cost into the $1500-$2000 range. These are more likely than not never going to make your ROI (return of investment) back. Also places that charge like that are more likely to require you to go through them for every single small change will only add onto that price tag.

Here are some tips on avoiding being put in a negative situation when having your website built:

  • Make sure you have control – With all of my authors I make sure that when my group builds a site that my business doesn’t own any of the domains or hostings. This is all done in the clients name. This protects you in the event something ever happened to the vendor. If you legally own the domain and hosting directly then you can always get someone to fix it. When someone else owns the hosting you could be left in the dark if your vendor disappears.
  • Create a site you can update/post from on your own – All the templates we use we teach authors to use. The reason for this is simple. If you want to change a color of a certain text or add a new post you are not stuck waiting for the webmaster to do it.
  • Make sure the vendor offers support – You wouldn’t buy a brand new car without the warranty would you? Make sure the vendor is able to offer support for everyday issues without too much fuss.

In my next post I will cover self-hosting on your own and the benefits of WordPress as a hosting platform for your website. If you have questions or would like a free assessment of your website please contact me at www.Meetme.so/MeaghanBurnett.