Tag: marketing for writers

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Marketing Sense

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

Marketing sense

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

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Marketing Sense

Sell a Paid Program Using a Free 21-Day Challenge

Marketing sense

Serving Your Audience for Free Always Opens the Door to Opportunity

You’ve created a paid program. “Now all you need to do is send an email to your list with a link to your sales page, sit back, and watch the money roll in!” Or so some experts say.

Have you noticed that those same “experts” only serve people who already have an established tribe? Their training doesn’t help people who are working to build their following.

A 21-Day Challenge is the perfect way to attract your ideal target market by serving them live, using Facebook Live. While you share great content for free, the Holy Spirit will draw those in your audience—many who don’t know you today—to your message. And thus, your platform will grow.

Let’s Break the Process Down

A 21-Day Challenge lasts longer than 21 days for you. Surprise! Those 3 weeks are only the free training portion. During those live sessions, you’ll deliver nuggets from your best content—for free—using Facebook Live.

Here’s a sample schedule (change the numbers shown below to suit your needs):

  • 21 days of free, valuable content,
  • 5-7 days when your sales cart is “open,” (when your paid program can be purchased) and,
  • 21 days to deliver your paid training.

There are 3 additional, behind-the-scenes tasks.

Before your challenge goes “live,” you’ll want to determine what content you’ll offer for each day of both your free training and your paid program.

You’ll also want to create eye-catching promotional graphics to share on your various social media accounts before and during your challenge. Those promotions will intrigue potential audience members, drawing them to your Facebook page so you can help them reach their goals, escape their pain, build a better mousetrap…whatever results your message offers.

Let’s say those 3 items take 2 weeks total.

That’s 9 weeks—on the high side—to create a life-changing challenge that, once everything’s in place, you can offer for sale again and again, ideally making money each time you offer it. Sweet!

You’ll also have more readers on your email list—people who want your message—and in the long run, those results may be more beneficial than your first sales.

What If You’re Not Ready to Sell Anything Yet?

You can still benefit from a 21-Day Challenge, because serving your audience is always a wise choice. And since they’ll be able to ask follow-up questions and share comments while you’re “live,” you can help them solve their problem that very day! Of course, they’ll want more from you after that!

Each day, invite them to join your email list, so you can continue serving them with even more great content long after the challenge is over. This further strengthens your relationship with them.

Then when you do have a paid product, they’ll be the first to be interested in it. And since their name will already be on your email list—because you’ve been serving them via email since your challenge—you can contact them directly to promote your product.

Facebook Live is the tool that can make this happen, and make it happen faster.

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

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Marketing Sense

How To Create Your Website’s Content Hub

Marketing sense

Creating a content hub is the best way to organize your website’s content IF your topics coordinate with one another. I’m sure yours do. 🙂

Content hubs benefit both you and the reader by giving you a content plan and by giving your readers an easy way to access all your great content. It takes time to build a hub, just like it takes time to build any body of work.

You’ve visited many websites organized with a hub, though you may not have realized the website used this internal infrastructure tool.  

Imagine a website that offers recipes for appetizers, brunch, desserts, salads, and snacks. Their Home page, perhaps titled Quick and Easy Dishes, would list the various types of food. That’s level one. Let’s say those options are shown in five columns across the Home page, one column per food type.

Each column would link directly to a list of dishes shared under that food type (level two), with a direct link to the specific page with that specific recipe (level three).

***

Readers would select one food type. Let’s say they choose Desserts (which is level two). The reader neither knows nor cares which of our organizational levels they’re on. All they know is they’re getting closer to the recipe they want. Hooray!

They’re taken to a page with all the desserts available on that website. They choose one. Let’s say they choose banana pudding (always a winner). Now they’re on level three.

Draw a map or make a graph to show which topics, sub-topics, and sub-sub-topics you plan to offer your readers over time. Then create that content beginning with your main topics and build out from there.

A hub still allows you to create content on your schedule, and each new blog post adds more and more value to your reader.

More people will stay on your website longer if: 1) your content fits their need and 2) it’s easy to find.

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

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Marketing Sense

Do You Really Need to Use Email? (Part Two)

Marketing sense

In Part One we discussed how very valuable email is to our platform, and why using an email provider such as Aweber, MailChimp, Active Campaign, or others, was the best way to experience continued growth. Let’s continue the discussion in this article.

Is There a Charge to Use an Email Provider?

Virtually all bulk email providers offer a free level to start. Fees are based upon how many subscribers are on your email list.

The more subscribers–whether they open your emails or not–the higher your monthly fee. But don’t fret. For most of us, it takes years to get enough subscribers to warrant a significant monthly fee. (NOTE: It’s relatively pain free to move to another email provider if you so desire.)

Though free, don’t use Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo to send emails to your subscribers. In the early Internet years, these services were safe and free. They were the cool kids in town. 🙂

Years ago the marketplace, weary of spam, made room for better options. Along came MailChimp, Aweber, Constant Contact, and Active Campaign, among others.

Email regulations became stricter as the decades added up. The latest round of regulations, released in February of this year, tightened email requirements even further, in part to reduce spam, which is rampant.

So…Is It Hard to Learn How to Use Email?

The Big Dog email companies like Active Campaign, Constant Contact, etc., offer free training, usually via video, which I prefer. You, too? 

As you research these companies for yourself, consider not only their cost but also their customer support. Sooner or later, you’ll need help. So find out what each offers before you sign up. This will reduce frustration ahead of time.

Is their support available 24/7 or only Monday-Friday? Can you reach them by phone day or night? Is there an additional charge for one-on-one assistance? Or do they only offer help via email? This information could make the difference between email success or failure.

Also be aware that some email providers only offer help via text on FAQ pages, so it’ll be up to you to dig through their documentation to figure out how to use their service. I don’t care for that approach. I’m guessing you don’t, either.

After choosing a provider, don’t let your new account lie fallow. The majority of these companies offers a free 30-day trial period. Take advantage of that time to learn the basics.

And conduct trial runs during this time. Ask up to 6 friends to be Test Subjects (guinea pigs). 🙂  Go through the full process of writing, uploading, scheduling, and sending perhaps 3 emails over a week’s time to these volunteers, to get comfortable with the process.

You’ll experience glitches here and there. We call that “learning.” 🙂 Give yourself grace, keep moving forward, offer great content, and your audience will grow.

Last step?

Close your computer and take a well-deserved break. Happy emailing!

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.

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Marketing Sense

6 Benefits of Serving Your Audience In a Private Group Online or Off

Marketing sense

This 3-part series focuses on growing your author platform in 2024, specifically, via an online community such as a private Facebook group. Note that each article applies to any group, online or offline.

You’ll be surprised how valuable serving your audience in Christ’s name can be to both you and your audience.

It’s easy to feel we’re simply delivering the message God’s given us and letting it fall upon the ground where it may, as in The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.

But in a group where members join because they want your message, it’s a bit different. You can offer your knowledge without hesitation or equivocation, knowing it will fall upon good soil. Your readers, listeners, or visitors want your message, and want to apply it. That frees you to communicate with more confidence, creativity, and boldness than you may have previously communicated. To answer a question and receive a heartfelt thanks in minutes is more than gratifying. It energizes your soul!

Let’s explore six specific ways serving your audience in Christ’s name directly benefits you.

Benefit #1

Promising to show up regularly will pull you out of your writer’s cave mentally, physically, or both. The more that thought makes you squirm in your chair, the more necessary it is you do it. Your audience–and mine–needs us to engage with them. And though we may not realize it yet, we need to engage with them, too, as a Christian communicator and as a human being.

Benefit #2

By definition, such a group gathers like-minded people together. Both parties are blessed. As you and I show up to serve our audience, they show up to learn from us.

In that back-and-forth process, they serve us by asking additional questions, requesting further clarification, sharing insights we haven’t experienced, and by talking amongst themselves, which confirms our point was understood (or not).

Benefit #3

As members apply your message (which is really God’s message in you) their lives begin to change. They’ll mention that to those they know, some of whom are also in your target audience. Thus, your community grows, and in some cases, your expertise is recognized even outside the group.

Benefit #4

Some both serve and promote their products or services in their group.

Benefit #5

Whatever your preferred method of serving, it fits a group: in-person, online, via posts on your social media only, short or long videos offering short or long content or training…and so on.

Benefit #6

All of the five options above refine your message. How so? No matter how often you’ve sat in your office reviewing your content in your mind, there’s no substitute for discussing it over and over (and over).

As new members join, they’ll ask the same questions “old-timers” asked when they joined, giving you yet another opportunity to share your applicable answer. Over time, this polishes your message in ways that delivering it once, such as in your book or speaking presentation, never will.  

The result?

Your message becomes deeper, richer, and more on point. You’ll share it more succinctly, with new, clearer examples than before. You’ll notice patterns previously unseen, and the organization of it will become a visual in your mind, ready to be drawn upon instantly.

Those benefits will make you a better communicator, which in turn will make you a more interesting interview guest. And dare I say it? That gives you an opportunity to grow your audience even further while also–if Christ allows–selling more books.

No wonder so many successful Christian authors host a private Facebook group!  

(This concludes this short series.)

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

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Marketing Sense

Use Free Events to Grow Your Audience

Marketing sense

Your book is launching in 6 months. Reviewing your email list, you see 37 active subscribers (people who currently open your emails) and 236 dormant subscribers (people who subscribed long ago but then stopped opening new emails, so while they’re on your email list, you’re basically strangers).

This is not good. Your subscribers are VIPs…Very Important People. Other than your family and friends, they’re the ones most likely to buy and promote your book. It takes time to attract new subscribers and then 2-4 months to develop a relationship by serving them regularly via weekly or bi-monthly emails. So you’re tight on time. But don’t panic. You can do this!

Of all the potential options to build up your email list, consider offering one or more free online events.

That might mean one event. One every month. One every other month. One each day for a week. You choose.

You’ll need to make a basic plan, write several emails, promote each event in its turn and give people time to respond to your invitation. The cost to attendees? They only need to share their first name and email address to be added to your email list for one or more events. This allows you to serve them well before the event, keep them up to date about the events as they get nearer, and to follow-up afterwards to stay connected.

Event suggestions

Webinars (a “web-based seminar” focused on your book’s subject), free trainings (to teach attendees how to complete a single, basic task connected to your book’s topic), live Q&A, or interviews (with you as the host, or ask a friend to interview you) are all good choices.

The purpose of these special events is to attract potential book buyers, not by using sales tactics but by offering free, valuable education directly related to your book’s content.

If you don’t have many email subscribers or social media followers, most attendees won’t know you, so they won’t value your offer…yet. Some will attend just to get your free stuff. Then they’ll decide if they want to hear more from you. They’re expecting to see you in action offering your version of humor, help, and wisdom.

You don’t need to be a professional presenter; you need to be prepared.

Think of these events as an online get-together with friends who don’t yet know each other but they’re all interested in learning what you’re offering. Lord willing, they’ll warm up to you and each other as the event progresses. 🙂

A few tasks must be completed before you begin promoting and well before your event begins. Expect to work these tasks into your schedule for 2-4 weeks. You’ll be soooo glad you worked ahead.

You’ll want an “email provider,” a company that stores your attendees’ info so you don’t have to, which allows you to send out emails to all your attendees at once rather than emailing them individually from your personal computer (don’t ever do that!).

Invite interested parties to “sign up” or “opt in”

Create a page on your website dedicated for this purpose or by contacting your email provider (Aweber, Constant Contact, MailChimp, there are many to choose from) and requesting their help to build a “landing page.”  That’s super-simple once you know how to do it, and miraculously, most email providers offer to do it for you at no charge. Check with your provider.

Once created, that page will have a unique URL (link) you can share in your emails and social media promotions. You must get the word out if you want people to attend! Ask friends to share your promotional graphics on their social media.

It’s important to include subscribers who’ve gone dormant.

They were interested in your message once. Give them a chance to reconnect by sending a re-engagement email. See How to Reactivate a Dormant Email List.

After that email goes out, send them your regular weekly or bi-monthly emails so they won’t go dormant again. You want them on your email list to let them know about your upcoming free events.

For new subscribers, write a short series of Welcome emails and upload them to your email provider. For help with content ideas, see Welcome Email Series Part One and Parts Two-Four.

Write in your voice.

Help readers “see” your personality. Offer valuable advice. All in one 4-part email series. These emails should be roughly three short paragraphs. Then, with help from your email provider if necessary, send all your readers weekly or bi-monthly emails that you’ve written and uploaded ahead of time. Ask your email provider about an “email automation.”

Must you be the leading authority on your subject matter for your events to succeed? No, though it’s wonderful if you are. 🙂

Remember that you know more about your topic than your audience does. That’s why they’ll attend. They’ll want your content.

Free events require preparation time on the front-end, but by completing the various tasks mentioned above, you’re less likely to need paid ads (though they’re wonderful if you have the funds).

Book launches–and free events–have multiple moving parts. Do what you can, as you can, even if it’s less than you’d hoped to do. Christ sees all you’re juggling personally and professionally. Have peace that He knows you’ve done your best. That’s all He asks.

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

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Marketing Sense

Write Blog Posts Readers Read

Marketing sense

The most engaging blog posts have five elements: content, a title, subheads, images, and white space.

If you haven’t already, break your primary topic down into 6-8 secondary topics, those subjects you consistently offer your audience. If you use WordPress, these subjects can become your blog categories.

Then dissect each secondary topic into a tertiary topic as a “mini topic.” These can become your blog’s tags…still a vital part of your message but lower on the food chain.

If you’re new to blogging, first create blog posts about your primary topic, then each secondary subject, and finally, your tertiary material. Working from the center out allows you to offer a broad range of helpful information without straying from your primary message.

After you go broad, go deep next. Choose one of your three content levels (primary, secondary, or tertiary) and take your reader on a deep dive focused on a single point. A short blog post that’s utterly clear is more valuable than a long one that bounces back and forth, getting nowhere.

There are no rigid rules here. This is a simple way to offer valuable content without covering your office walls with content ideas. Even a content plan as simple as the one mentioned above can keep you on track. Offer what you know your readers want to know, and they’ll return, bringing their friends.

Create a Great Title to Catch Your Reader’s Eye by Revealing Your Content’s Direction (Not the Content Itself)

Be careful your title doesn’t include every pertinent morsel or your reader won’t need to, well, read it. 🙂

Here’s a fictional example for an article about a prisoner’s escape and subsequent financial gain: How I Escaped Alcatraz and Became a Millionaire.

No reason to read that article! The title reveals all the main points.

What if we changed it to… The Last Man to Escape Alcatraz. There’s some intrigue in that headline, yes? The title reveals enough about the article’s content without revealing everything. Curiosity would draw readers to this article.

Why Are Subheads Important?

Everywhere we turn, we’re exposed to content. Usually it’s too long, too boring, and disorganized. So we’ve learned to scan before reading.  

Subheads–bolded words sized slightly larger than your content’s text–seen above–show readers your post’s structure at a glance.

Without subheads, readers have two options:

#1: read the entire article to discover what it’s about, or

#2: leave your website.

Guess which one they’re more likely to do? Subheads help readers scan. Use them.

Images Support Your Content

Photographs, diagrams, maps, and so on increase your content’s value by supporting it. Even a basic visual is better than none, “pulling” readers down the page so (say it with me) they will keep reading.

Why Readers Like “White Space” Even if They Don’t Know What It Is

Blank, empty space gives readers a visual break. We’ve both landed on a website crammed with paragraph after paragraph of single-spaced text. Don’t we leave immediately? Our eyes need space to differentiate one point or paragraph from another.

White space increases readability. We’re more likely to understand-and share–content when we can read it, right?

These five elements, used together, can transform a “so-so” blog post into one your readers will savor for years. Write one. Then another. And another. And watch your audience grow.

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.

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Marketing Sense

Are You Making This Costly Email Mistake?

Marketing sense

It seemed like such a great idea. Last summer, with four Lead Magnets offered on my website’s Home page, I created five more (private) Lead Magnets, each coordinating with one of my five-part continuing sessions at a Christian writers’ conference.

Nine active Lead Magnets! Sweeeet, right? Read on!

Content, design, and creation went smoothly. At the end of each continuing session at the conference, I shared the link to that session’s Lead Magnet with class attendees. (They were not made public.)

A few conferees opted-in for one session-related Lead Magnet. Some for three. Some for all five. It was smooth sailing until (cue the scary music)…my 4-part Welcome email series, unique to each Lead Magnet’s topic, ran its course.

That’s when I realized I’d goofed. BIG TIME! My email well had run dry because though I’d worked ahead and had my Welcome email series uploaded, I stopped working ahead without realizing I’d pay for it.

One bright morning, having already posted a well-thought-out email for each of my four Home page’s Lead Magnets each week, it hit me…I’d need an email for each of the five new Lead Magnet subscriber groups, too.

Nine weekly emails, each requiring content unique to that Lead Magnet’s topic.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Every week. Along with my many other duties. Ack! But I met my obligation.

I rode that horse for four months. Then, exhausted, I merged all nine Lead Magnet subscriber groups together and sent the same email to everyone.

But that’s not a long-term solution. In my *Welcome email series, I’d promised to guide new subscribers deeper into the topic of their chosen Lead Magnet. I couldn’t keep that promise if I stopped writing nine separate emails.

In a revolving door of poor choices, I had to choose one.

So I’ve been sending one weekly email to all subscribers of all nine Lead Magnets,
rotating topics each week. Not just a short paragraph or two; a fully developed article. But only one per week. Not nine.

Subscribers are getting powerful content, but it’s not focused on their unique interest, revealed by the Lead Magnets they requested. Sigh. 🙁

I’m asking Christ for a better solution. (He is The Perfect Marketer, you know.)

Unintentionally trapping myself into this content corner is a valuable lesson I’ll not forget. Plus, it’s embarrassing. Then why share it here…publicly? To help you avoid such a slip-up.

Does That Mean You Should Only Offer One Lead Magnet at a Time?

No! Lead Magnets are your most effective marketing asset…and they’re FREE! Done well, each one helps you grow your online platform by showcasing a different slice of your knowledge to your ideal audience. Show them you know “your stuff” via this short content piece, and they’ll want more from you including, perhaps, your just released book. 🙂

Here’s the Secret to Getting It All Done on Time

Create your Lead Magnet: design, content, and great title. Next, write your Welcome email sequence. Then plan and write your next 4-8 weekly emails. Upload everything…BEFORE promoting your lead magnet.

Continue working ahead. This healthy habit gives you room to breathe, to address unexpected issues in your personal or professional life, and to enjoy peace of mind. BIG payoff there!

This is how you can avoid the costliest email mistake I’ve made in 20+ years.

Click here read part 1 of my Welcome Email Series and here for parts two-four.

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.

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Marketing Sense

Welcome Email Series Example: Parts Two-Four

Marketing sense

Last month I shared Email #1 of my 4-part Welcome email series example. Here are the remaining 3 emails and the strategies associated with each. Create your own Welcome email series and include whatever you’d like. Be sure they’re short, clear, and welcoming to your new subscriber.

Why bother? It sets the stage for your email relationships. Be helpful. Be yourself. And connect serve your new subscriber.

In each of the three successive emails below, you’ll first see the content of my fictional email series plus red asterisks to identify which words / phrases / paragraphs have a specific strategy. Then in a separate section directly below each email, one-by-one, the strategy itself.  

Here we go!

Strategies for Email #2

In the Strategy List below, you’ll find a duplicate of every sentence above shown with a red asterisk, then my strategy, so you don’t have to scroll up and down the page constantly. You’re welcome. 🙂

#1: [*Info you requested]

When sending information your new subscriber requested, it’s very important to include this phrase, or one like it, as part of your title.

Why? They may have forgotten their request. Can that really happen…after all, it was only 24 hours ago! Yep. It happens. Not because they’re stupid…they’re B-U-S-Y. We need to cut through the never-ending noise in their mind to get their attention.)

#2: **Slide Deck

This tells the subscriber what to expect when they open this email. Scammers have taught us not to open emails that don’t explain what’s in them first.

The phrase “slide deck” does that. It’s not cute. It’s clear.

#3: Publish (send): One day after Email #1 (***unless it’s Sunday, then send on Monday)

(Shown to the reader in the Welcome Email #1, this need not be shown to them again. It does show you–as MY reader–when to send your second Welcome email to YOUR reader. 🙂

#4: ****As promised, here’s the download link to the Slide Deck.

Clear as a bell so the reader cannot miss it but some will. See #XXX below.

#5: *****What’s your biggest frustration when creating a title?

My goal here is to start a dialogue. I don’t want to be the only in this two-way conversation. We can’t make our readers respond, but we want them to know we welcome it.

#6: ******Tell me what’s challenging you in this area and I’ll respond in a future email that will help everyone.

This sentence explains what will happen if they do respond. They’ll help other readers by asking me a question others might be timid to ask.

#7: Enjoy the slide deck, and *******I’ll talk to you in a few days!

A duplicate link to the slide deck so my reader doesn’t have to hunt for it.

After they’ve received the promised / delivered Slide Deck, what can they expect going forward? They can expect me to continue staying in touch with them!

Some send the promised resource then never send another email. Bad! B-A-D choice!

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Strategies for Email #3

#1: *When We Do Our Part We Set the Stage for God to Do His Part (See Strategy #3 below.)

#2: Publish: **3 Days after Email #2 (unless it’s Sunday, then send on Monday)

This point has been mentioned already. Repeated here for clarity. Yes, you’ll see it again in Email #4. 🙂  (Shown to the reader in the Welcome Emails #1, this need not be shown to them again. It does show you–as MY reader–when to send your third Welcome email to YOUR reader. 🙂

#3: ***It’s another beautiful day to serve Jesus!

New subscribers see immediately that I write for Christians. They can guess I’m a Christian. This is core to my message, so I reference God three times before the content even begins. That doesn’t have to be your strategy. Follow His leading. What or who is most important to you related to your audience? Identify that person or concept early on in your email relationship.

#4: ****Questions? Comments? Hit reply and I’ll answer.

Another invitation to new subscribers, letting them know I’m open to a two-way relationship.

#5: *****In case you haven’t had time to download my FREE RESOURCE TITLE GOES HERE yet, here’s that LINK GOES HERE again.

Many of us intend to download that great “thing” we requested, but we get distracted and forget. So I’m gently mentioning it again to help my reader remember…without badgering or chastising them.

Strategies for Email #4

#1 (Last time to see this… *3 days after Email #3 (unless it’s Sunday, then send on Monday)

This point has been mentioned already. Repeated here for clarity. 🙂  (Shown to the reader in the Welcome Emails #1, this need not be shown to them again. It does show you–as MY reader–when to send your third Welcome email to YOUR reader. 🙂

#2: **Grab a pen and paper so we can make two short lists.

In this fourth Welcome email, my reader sees that I don’t offer fluff. We’re here to work while having a good time. I’ll walk them through the task step-by-step so they can 1) see the value of it and 2) know how to do it themselves next time.

#3: *** Write down 3 (three) strengths your audience has on the first list and 3 (three) weaknesses they have on the second list. (See #2 above.)

#4: **** Now, create one piece of content (blog post, social media post, email, Reels, whatever) for each strength and each weakness. (See #2 above.)

#5: ***** Do you have another free or a paid resource that could help further? Mention it and share the link to it.

Many people have content already created in a blog post, an interview, a free resource called a Lead Magnet, but they don’t think to offer access to it in another medium. Do it! 🙂   

#6: ****** No resource that fits? That’s okay. Find someone else’s applicable content on this topic and share the direct link on their website.

My reader may be brand new to writing / speaking, or highly accomplished. Sharing someone else’s content–if applicable and spot on–tells their subscriber they’re primary goal is to serve them, not impress them.   

#7: *******P.S. Last invitation to download my FREE RESOURCE LINK GOES HERE Enjoy!

The goal is to give readers every chance to download the free resource. Added this last time separately, away from other content so it’s not lost to the reader.

If you haven’t used a Welcome email series before, give it a try!

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Welcome Email Series Ends

Regular Email Content Begins Next Email

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
Marketing Sense

Will Your Book Be the Best Kept Secret Online?

Marketing sense

Nondescript, the small store named *Joe’s Mattress! lay nestled in between two, more active businesses. Its blandness caught my eye, inspiring me to study it while waiting for its next-door neighbor, a popular restaurant, to open.

A tasteful Labor Day Sale notice written in the same white text as the store’s name was unviewable because of the Handicapped Parking sign. Nothing about the sign attracted attention, a guarantee that few noticed it. Their “marketing” is making them our area’s best kept secret.

Back in the Dark Ages when I was a child, my parents purchased new mattresses from the leading hometown department store. Yours probably did, too.

Then 20 or so years ago, direct from the factory mattress stores popped up across the country.

Local “Mom and Pop” retailers are tired but still in there pitching. Factory-direct stores have an advantage over local locations with regional or national marketing. Deeper pockets offer opportunities unavailable to the “wing and a prayer” marketing approach. But often, locals prefer to do business with home-town folks.

Do you have deep pockets to fund your book’s marketing efforts?

How far is your “wing and a prayer” approach taking you?

Which low-cost marketing efforts are you utilizing?

Do you present short “live” trainings on social media to attract new audience members?

Do you promote your book on a regular basis via email without wearying your subscribers?

Do you belong to one or more online groups where up-and-comers and professionals join together to create an event that can, collectively, promote each member’s book more than if each were to go it alone?

Do you request a guest spot on podcasts that fit both your audience’s needs and your message?

The beauty of online marketing is that most of it is free, or nearly so.

Social media videos are short and can gain a lot of traction–and an audience–quickly.

Ignore the myths suggesting you must have years of video hosting experience…your target market wants to see the real you, not the “perfect” you.

Goofs, slip-ups, and hitting the wrong button when closing out your video help your audience get to know the real you. Ask me how I know. 🙂

You can become a pro on video without paying a professional video company.

Do you vomit at the thought of being on camera? Ask Christ to give you opportunities so you can become comfortable. Video communication is here to stay. Don’t get left behind.

If you need to, ease into video. Open a free Zoom account. Want to be benefit from video but not ready to be interviewed yet? Interview others instead! Practice with friends using a free Zoom account. Share those videos or don’t, as you wish. The first goal is to become comfortable on camera and with the software.

Host a webinar or other live event offering content to benefit your audience. It can be a public event or in a private Facebook group…yours or someone else’s. Either way, promote it!

This has a double benefit. As you help others become comfortable sharing their message, other interviewers are more likely to invite you to be their guests. Now you’re talkin’ baby!

What are you doing to help your audience find you in the crowded marketplace?

Or will your book be the best kept secret online?

*(Names were changed to protect the innocent.) 🙂

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
Marketing Sense

What’s the Big Deal About Lead Magnets?

Marketing sense

A Lead Magnet is a marketing tool. “Lead Magnet” is marketing speak for what is typically a 3-10 page PDF. It should answer a single question or solve a single problem 1) your audience is experiencing that 2) ties into your message.

No need to give away a fantastic resource that has nothing in common with your topic. Sharing the first 10 questions for readers to ask when booking a ski lodge won’t attract your ideal target market if your message focuses on homeschooling. Can I get a witness? 🙂

You’ve seen scads of Lead Magnets throughout your years online. A 5-day challenge. A 3-part video training. A webinar. Some other type of event (the sky’s the limit) that your ideal target market will find useful. Plus, the basic standard mentioned above (a 3-10 page PDF).

By default, Lead Magnets are free.

Why go to all that work only to give it away to strangers?

Because our goal is to attract people who do not yet know they’re in our target market!

Marketers give away valuable resource(s) to draw the attention of new readers. We want them to sign up to our email list so we can stay in touch with them consistently (not constantly!). The long-term goal is to develop a relationship via email.

As we serve our subscribers regularly, offering practical, actionable information to make their life easier (related to our message), they get to know us, and vice-versa. We serve them. Serve them. Then serve them some more.

And occasionally, we share our latest or greatest CD, book, product, or course. Whatever we’re offering for sale at that time.

It’s much easier to share such info with a friend you’ve helped every week for years, isn’t it?

Pitching our products to people we don’t know and who don’t know us is an expensive, uphill battle.

Make it easier for yourself and your reader by giving them a taste of your knowledge, personality, wisdom, and so on, in only 3-10 short pages filled with content that HELPS THEM.

This could be the start of a beautiful relationship. 🙂

Including a free Lead Magnet offer on your website’s Home page “above the fold” is wise. More visitors look at that section of your website than any area other. If they like what they see there, they’ll explore further. (See last month’s article to discover what to include in your Home page’s “above the fold” area.)

Creating a Lead Magnet isn’t rocket science, though it can seem to be when first starting out.

A few examples I’m offering right now listed below. Each is a short PDF.

Title: Platform Audit

Subtitle: Discover your platforms assets and liabilities in 6 key areas.

Title: Write Emails That Get Opened!

Subtitle: 35 Content Prompts to Write Great Emails Every Time

Title: Podcast Prep 101

Subtitle: 20 Questions to Nail Your Interview!

Title: Your First (Product or Program) Launch

Subtitle: Steps 1-5

There are more. That’s enough to give you an idea of the free resource’s content and your interest level in it.

That’s what we want to do with all our Lead Magnets.

Great title and subtitle. Helpful content that matters to your audience and is directly tied to your message, and an invitation to sign up for it using one of those itty-bitty boxes called an “opt-in” box. You’ve filled out 100s of them.

“But what if my Lead Magnet turns out to be a flop?” I’m often asked. It happens!

Get up off the floor, dust yourself off, and try again.

Keep creating new, fresh Lead Magnets until readers respond to first this one and then that one. Their response–or lack of it–shows you what they’re interested in. Make more like that.

And watch your email list (and your platform) grow!

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
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for August, Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

The Importance of a Writer’s Pitch with Edwina Perkins

In this episode of Writers Chat, Edwina addresses the daunting task of crafting a writer’s pitch. She breaks down this important task into simple, actionable steps and shares how creating a memorable pitch can help a book go a long way in a crowded marketplace. To hear more on this topic, check out the replay.

Watch the August 15th Replay

Edwina Perkins is the co-director of Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. She is the acquisitions editor for Harambee Press, an imprint of End Game Press. As an award-winning writer, experienced teacher, speaker, freelance editor, and sensitivity reader, she has been published in numerous publications. One of her passions is to address the need for diversity in the publishing industry.

Marketing for Gummies with Becky Antkowiak

You may not know the name, Hans Riegel, but you’ve likely enjoyed his creation: gummy bears. In a time when other companies tanked, the Haribo company’s gummy bears bounced (here and there and everywhere) to fame as a household name. In this episode, Becky uses gummy principles to make marketing stick and find creative ways to leave our world a little sweeter through writing.

Watch the August 22nd Replay

Becky Antkowiak (ant-KO-vee-ack) is a writer, speaker, editor, Compassion International advocate, enthusiastic Grammar Floozy, and the Chief Encouragement Officer of 540 Writers Community. A lifelong serial extrovert, Becky believes strangers are friends she hasn’t met. Fair warning: make eye contact only if you want a friend for life.

The Power of an Accountability Group with Kim Miller and Jennifer Jennings

Writers often work in isolation, yet creativity thrives within an encouraging community. Kim and Jenifer join us to share what they’ve discovered about building a welcoming community as well as accountability tools they’ve created to help each writer on her journey. Also, they will talk about how you can join Write at Home’s eight-week session that starts September 11.

Watch the August 29th Replay

Kim Miller is a writer, wife, mother, Granna, and follower of Jesus. She graduated with a degree in journalism in 1991. Kim’s award-winning writing ranges from articles to essays. Since retiring as a homeschool mom, she’s been studying fiction writing. Kim is currently editing her historical novel and writing a contemporary one.

Jenifer Jennings writes novels that immerse readers in ancient worlds filled with Biblical characters and faith-building stories. Jenifer has a degree in women’s ministry and graduated with a master’s in Biblical languages. When not writing, Jenifer can be found on a date with her hardworking husband or mothering their two children.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Marketing Sense

What to Include in Your Home Page’s “Above the Fold” Area

Marketing sense

Are you pleased with your website’s Home page? The way it looks, its design, and most important, its effectiveness? If not, read on!

Beneath your Menu bar (sometimes called the Navigation bar–it’s at the top of your web page) is your most important real estate anywhere online. It’s referred to as the area, “above the fold,” or “above the scroll,” meaning the part of your Home page readers can see without having to scroll further down the page to see it all.

More visitors will see this area than any other on your website. Ever. It has a vital job: to get your visitor’s attention and inspire them to sign up for your free resource (called a Lead Magnet in marketing speak).

Within this “above the fold” area, the most effective websites include two columns. They’re not visually separated into columns, but you want each column’s contents to take up approximately the same amount of width and height.

Include the following elements in either the right or left column areas:

A great, color photo of YOU that takes up that area of the page “above the fold,” along with your name and title (Author, Public Relation Expert, whatever’s applicable). That should fill the entire “above the scroll” space but not spill out from it.

In the second, opposite column, include four short areas of text and an opt-in button:

#1: a short description of your audience (my audience is Christian writers and speakers).

#2: your main headline for this area addressing the frustration or goal your audience seeks to change, OR a strong statement that will resonate with your audience.

#3: a single line of text shaped in the form of a promise or a result.

#4: two short paragraphs–only 1-2 sentences each–identifying the frustration or goal you know your audience is seeking to change.

Plus:

– an opt-in box that includes two small text boxes, one each for your reader’s first name and email address, and

– your CTA (call-to-action) button for readers to click or press after they’ve “signed up” for your free resource (added their name and email to receive it).

You’ve seen 100’s or 1,000’s of these opt-in boxes through your many years online.

It’s very important that the text on your call-to-action button is not the word, “SUBMIT.” No one wants to submit. To anything. Particularly not to a total stranger.

The Website Police aren’t going to drag you out of your home at 3AM if you use SUBMIT, but since we know readers find it offensive, why use it?

There are so many other, non-offensive options! In fact, text that’s related to your giveaway (called a Lead Magnet) is much wiser.

Say you’re giving away a checklist of various sizes and uses of skillets for gourmet cooks. Your CTB button text could be, “I need to use the right skillet!”  Or if it fits your personality, consider, “Gimme the checklist!” or, “Checklist, please!”

You could also use a phrase as simple and direct as, “Sign me up!” or “I need this info!” Use whatever seems best to you.

Note that your website theme may have a limit on how many characters (letters) your CTA button allows. So, if you have a fun phrase but it has too many letters, simply experiment until you find a shorter version and you’re all set!

Studies show that filling your Home page’s area “above the fold” with an offer your audience considers a “must have” will spur growth.

Fill the balance of your Home page with pertinent content that seems right to you.

The options are limitless. Research competitors and near-competitors for fresh inspiration. No need to copy anyone. Christ is creative enough to give each of us a unique viewpoint for the message He’s gifted us to serve.

But keep your Home page’s area “above the fold” exclusive, using it only to showcase your current free resource (Lead Magnet).

Try it! You’ll like it! So goes the Alka-Seltzer marketing phrase from the early 70’s. 🙂

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
Marketing Sense

How to Serve Multiple Audience Categories via One Email

Marketing sense

(NOTE: This doesn’t apply to multiple audiences. They rarely have sustainable, overlapping needs.)

Serving multiple audience categories via email is one of our most challenging goals as marketers. So why is it necessary?

“THAT is the right question, Detective Spooner,”

(I,Robot reference there). 🙂

Unless you’re a brand-new marketer (if you are, welcome!), you likely have more than one audience segment, sometimes called an audience category. If we regularly send one-size-fits-all emails, subscribers won’t stick around long. There are too many others who will offer them what they specifically want. Generic won’t do.

Let’s back up and start at the beginning with an oversimplified example.

Let’s say our audience, in one word, is “mothers.” And our topic is also one word, “relationships.” There are roughly, oh, about a gazillion intersections between those two descriptions, agreed?

So, let’s break it down further, separating all mothers in our audience into groups called “categories” or “segments” in email lingo.

We want to identify the strongest commonality between them.

That might be their age, ethnicity, nationality, marital status, income…the list goes on and on. When we dig deeper, we see a clear distinction not in their ages, but in their children’s ages.

We can further separate them into–in this case–three groups: moms with toddlers, moms with elementary age children, and moms with high school / college age children.

In this fictional scenario, these mothers want content related to their children’s relational development.

While each group has unique differences from the other two, collectively, they have intersecting needs, goals, pain points, and interests, too. Instead of one generic email that doesn’t fit anyone, we can send a single email to focus on one specific question, goal, etc., the entire group is asking or working toward. It will fit each of these mothers individually…with only one email. Sweeeet!

But how we identify their common points of interest?

Picture a 2-circle Venn diagram. Each circle is independent of the other, except for a small area where they overlap. That overlapped area is what both groups have in common.

Now add a third circle to make a 3-way Venn diagram. Each circle is still independent of the others, yet there’s one 3-way overlap (it’s obvious if you ask Google to show you an image).

That single section where the three circles overlap represents your audience’s common challenges, obstacles, dreams, joys, etc., for their children and their children’s relationships.   

If your goal is to write ONE email that’s applicable to each of your three audience groups, draw from that small, intersecting area in your 3-way Venn diagram for an idea, and it will fit every reader in these three categories to a “T.”

Suppose you want to send a Special Notice of some kind to only one of your three audience groups, and you want the remaining two groups to get a “regular” email?

Send that specific group a unique email (separate from the other two groups) with the Special Notice that pertains only to them.

Follow your normal process (based upon your 3-way Venn Diagram’s overlap) to write one email for the remaining two groups and send.

Next time, return to the overlapping obstacles, dreams, etc., shown in your diagram, and continue sending readers your best content!

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
Marketing Sense

6 Benefits of Serving Your Audience In a Private Group Online or Off

Marketing sense

This 3-part series focuses on growing your author platform in 2023, specifically, via an online community such as a private Facebook group. Note that each article applies to any group, online or offline.

You’ll be surprised how valuable serving your audience in Christ’s name can be to both you and your audience.

It’s easy to feel we’re simply delivering the message God’s given us and letting it fall upon the ground where it may, as in The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.

But in a group where members join because they want your message, it’s a bit different. You can offer your knowledge without hesitation or equivocation, knowing it will fall upon good soil. Your readers, listeners, or visitors want your message, and want to apply it. That frees you to communicate with more confidence, creativity, and boldness than you may have previously communicated. To answer a question and receive a heartfelt thanks in minutes is more than gratifying. It energizes your soul!

Let’s explore six specific ways serving your audience in Christ’s name directly benefits you.

Benefit #1: Promising to show up regularly will pull you out of your writer’s cave mentally, physically, or both. The more that thought makes you squirm in your chair, the more necessary it is you do it. Your audience–and mine–needs us to engage with them. And though we may not realize it yet, we need to engage with them, too, as a Christian communicator and as a human being.

Benefit #2: By definition, such a group gathers like-minded people together. Both parties are blessed. As you and I show up to serve our audience, they show up to learn from us.

In that back-and-forth process, they serve us by asking additional questions, requesting further clarification, sharing insights we haven’t experienced, and by talking amongst themselves, which confirms our point was understood (or not).

#3: As members apply your message (which is really God’s message in you) their lives begin to change. They’ll mention that to those they know, some of whom are also in your target audience. Thus, your community grows, and in some cases, your expertise is recognized even outside the group.

#4: Some both serve and promote their products or services in their group.

#5: Whatever your preferred method of serving, it fits a group: in-person, online, via posts on your social media only, short or long videos offering short or long content or training…and so on.

#6: All of the five options above refine your message. How so? No matter how often you’ve sat in your office reviewing your content in your mind, there’s no substitute for discussing it over and over (and over).

As new members join, they’ll ask the same questions “old-timers” asked when they joined, giving you yet another opportunity to share your applicable answer. Over time, this polishes your message in ways that delivering it once, such as in your book or speaking presentation, never will.  

The result? Your message becomes deeper, richer, and more on point. You’ll share it more succinctly, with new, clearer examples than before. You’ll notice patterns previously unseen, and the organization of it will become a visual in your mind, ready to be drawn upon instantly.

Those benefits will make you a better communicator, which in turn will make you a more interesting interview guest. And dare I say it? That gives you an opportunity to grow your audience even further while also–if Christ allows–selling more books.

No wonder so many successful Christian authors host a private Facebook group!  

(This concludes this short series.)

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
Marketing Sense

Reach Your Audience in 2023

Marketing sense

This month’s edition of Reader’s Digest (Dec ’22 / Jan ’23) included a section near the back called To: Book Lovers, New releases on our wish list, which shared the title, cover image, and a short paragraph about each book.

Two were immediately added to my mental Wish List: The Space Shuttle: A Mission-by-Mission Celebration of NASA’s Extraordinary Spaceflight Program  by Roland Miller, a mission-by-mission log of NASA’ space shuttle program, and Our America: A Photographic History by Ken Burns, a pictorial record covering 180 years of U. S. history.

Wow! Both titles intrigued me so! How to choose? Should I purchase one, both, or invest my funds elsewhere?

Your audience asks these same questions as they compare your book with other books and other non-book items.  Sometimes they’re comparing apples to apples; sometimes apples to giraffes.

We compete with a bazillion products for our audience’s time.

How can your book get the attention it deserves?

Consider focusing on the quality of your writing, the title and sub-title of your book (as well as the back cover copy), and your marketing plan.

My expertise lies in the latter two categories.

Every author has scads of tasks, but these three rise to the top because they will–or won’t–attract your ideal target market.

Without interested readers, even a perfect book won’t gain traction.

You may wonder, “But what about my website, email, social media, Lead Magnets, and the other seemingly endless items everyone shouts for me to do?”

Yes, those items (and more!) need your regular attention. 🙁

But you’ll want to keep The Main Thing your primary focus. Christ first. Family second. Your ministry and book third. The other things next, listed in the order He identifies.

Beginning next month, we’ll dig deeper into ways to market your non-fiction book.

Let’s address one myth right now. The old, “My book is for everyone” myth. If you haven’t yet released that idea, let it go today…please.  

God is the only One who can write a book that fits the needs and answers the questions of women in the armed forces, oncologists recently diagnosed with cancer, homeless veterans with school-age children, entrepreneurs and company CEOs, and so on.

No human being can address every potential issue in a single book.

God’s already done that flawlessly in the Holy Bible. He is the perfect Author. 🙂

I believe every non-fiction book’s audience must have a common thread with each other and for a Christian book, the author needs that same commonality. Our writing is more powerful and more effective when we’ve experienced the issues and/or goals of our audience. This is God’s way.

The experience, pain, challenges, and deliverance should be in our past. How can we guide our audience to a solution if we don’t know the path to freedom? How can we discover that path if we haven’t been on our version of their journey? And how can we assure them He is trustworthy if we haven’t yet been delivered ourselves?

God shapes us for His service tomorrow by applying His principles to our lives today.

Your book must stand out not only from other books on your topic, and not only from other books in general, but from other products whose makers cry for your audience’s attention. You’ll never know what those other products are, but you can make choosing YOUR book amongst all the options a no-brainer.  

The good news? While it takes a long-term, focused approach, it can be done. Yay!

So, which of the two wildly divergent book(s) did I choose? In the end, wisdom prevailed. Since I’m not scientifically minded and unfamiliar with the language and concepts of space exploration, I removed The Space Shuttle from my list. While I would definitely enjoy digging into NASA’s mission logs, that book wouldn’t become a new treasure on my bookshelf.

But Ken Burns’ Our America would be an instant treasure. Why? I’m a history buff, particularly American history. I could picture myself getting lost for hours in that one!

It’s the same with your audience. They’re attracted to YOUR non-fiction book for several reasons: they share common traits with you, they enjoy your communication style, your personality, and your sense of humor, and the clear, results-oriented words you use to describe how your book will help them have a better life in ways that matter to them.

In the coming months, we’ll discover how to sharpen your focus, increase your clarity, and attract your ideal target market.

We have lots to do in 2023. Are you in? See you next month!

Patricia Durgin

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
Marketing Sense

Yay or Nay: Should Your Blog Be on a Separate Website?

Marketing sense

If your website is on Domain A’s URL (web address) and your blog is on Domain B’s URL, the Google police are not going to come get you. Hooray! But let’s back up a step. Is it wise to have two websites? Consider the following facts.

(NOTE: If you’re using a free website service, ignore Point 2B below.)

Point 1

Think of your website as your digital home…where anyone who wants to know about you or your message can find info about both in one place.

If you have two digital homes (one with your website and one with your blog) seekers will have to (or feel they have to) visit both locations to fully grasp who you are, who you serve, and so on.

How often do you visit two websites to learn about the same person or ministry? I’m guessing your answer is, “Rarely.”

Point 2A

Two websites (even if one’s your blog) cost twice as much, because digitally, they’re separate entities. Both will need to be hosted, maintained, protected, and so on, which requires cold hard cash or its equivalent.

If your blog is on your main website (as a separate, designated area instead of as a separate website), you’ll only pay for one of everything.

Point 2B

Unless you’re using a free hosting and maintenance service, which makes point #2A moot, yet still helpful when making future website decisions.

Point 3

Two websites–whether free or paid– confuse readers accustomed to finding blogs as part of a main site via that site’s URL (web address) by default.

They’ll have to remember to visit your blog’s address for new, fresh articles and your website’s address for the more permanent content such as your mission statement, about page, and the like.

Point 4

Maintaining your website and blog (on two digital “homes”) adds an extra burden to your marketing. How so? Every promotion must include not just your main website’s URL but your blog’s as well, with an explanation about which is which. More potential confusion.

Reader confusion is not good.

“But,” you might say, “that’s not a problem for me. My regular readers know how to find my stuff.” True. But in order to reach new readers–and we ALL want new readers, right?–it’s our responsibility to help people who don’t already know us…find us. Online. Easily. Oh.

Point 5

It’s very important not to have duplicate content on two websites, even if they’re both yours. Experts disagree about the importance of this point. Do your research and decide for yourself.

Point 6

Your Google rank is a real thing. We could both spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to understand SEO. Let’s not do that today.

Instead, let’s talk about incoming links (made when a “BIG DOG” links from their website to yours). This is different from an outgoing link (made when you link from your website to another website, BIG DOG or not).

Why are incoming links so much more valuable? Because the BIG DOG / important person / well-known influencer is a proven entity. They have an established audience made up of loyal fans. They’ve already paid their dues, SEO-wise.

If Martha Stewart, Elon Musk, or a highly regarded leader in your field links to your website, your life could potentially change overnight. That’s not the goal of this article, but it’s a great way to show why incoming links are more valuable.

Imagine turning that around, where you or I link to such a person. Not the same effect, according to Google. So, while it’s good to use outgoing links, they don’t pack the punch that incoming links from important people do. (Google decides who those important people are; we have no voice in the matter.)

Point #7

Let’s imagine you have two sites, using one for your official website and the other for your blog. Incoming links begin pointing toward your sites. Hooray again!

But if those links don’t point to the same site–your website or blog–their power will be diluted, weakening their impact. The link-er gets to choose which site to point their link toward.

Far better to have one site so that ALL the SEO “juice” is given to one site and not randomly split between the two.

Point 8

If you chose two sites long ago and are well established, leave things as they are until, and if, Christ leads you to make a change.

Point 9

Creating your first website is SO exciting! In no time, we hope, the world will be our oyster. But it doesn’t usually happen that way.

There’s lots to learn, including marketing strategy.

But rest easy. As a Christian communicator, God is watching over you, guiding you forward, drawing your audience to you as you serve them in His name.

He doesn’t expect you, me, or anyone else to know everything.

He is our good God, yes?

With His help, you can do this!

Patricia Durgin

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
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for November Part One

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Featuring…

What I Would Tell My Younger Writer Self

In this episode, our cohosts, Johnnie Alexander, Jean Wise, Brandy Brow, and Norma Poore share what they’ve learned over the years as writers and what they would tell their younger writer self. Are you discouraged in your writing journey? This episode is a great shot in the arm to spur you on. For more information check out this week’s replay.

Watch the November 1st replay.

What’s New at Book Brush to Make Marketing Fun and Easy?

Kathleen Sweeney joins us for an energetic, fast-paced, episode on how to use Book Brush to market your book. She shares great tips and ideas (using our own Melissa Stroh’s debut novel) to help your graphics shine in social media ads, fun swag, and animated signatures. Kathleen also shares how to make stacked images like what’s seen on Amazon Plus. Be sure to catch the replay for more information and resources.

Watch the November 8th replay.

Kathleen Sweeney is the Manager of Marketing and Customer Service at Book Brush. She has over 20 years of marketing experience and has presented Book Brush How-To sessions to over 200 author groups. She thoroughly enjoys working with authors and helping them create eye-catching images and more with the Book Brush tools. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, three busy boys and two handsome cats. Her hobbies include eating tacos and turning socks right side out.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Endorsements, Reviews and Testimonials

The intentional writer

When I’m considering a travel destination, a purchase, or even a new recipe to try, I usually read reviews before making my decision. I bet you do, too. Which proves that reviews and testimonials are powerful tools in today’s market.

That’s why they’re important for us as writers, teachers, or speakers. Endorsements, reviews and testimonials are three ways to prove the validity and worth or our work.

What’s the difference?

While endorsements, reviews and testimonials are all similar, here is my attempt to define the differences.

  • Endorsement: a statement given by an expert or professional that gives validity to a product or service. A person of note endorses the product by citing why it is beneficial or legitimate.
  • Review: An opinion from a customer about a product or service. A reviewer can focus on anything from the features they like/dislike to a discussion of the plot, to how well something lasted (or didn’t).
  • Testimonial: A statement from a customer about how a product or service benefitted them. Instead of being focused on the product or service, it is focused on the personal benefits of using the product or service.

Why do I need endorsements?

Endorsements are commonly included with a published book, either on the cover or in the front matter. These endorsements may also be used on book sales pages and other marketing materials. They validate the worth of your book. While savvy consumers may not trust them as unbiased reviews, they do serve an important role by showing that knowledgeable people endorse the content.

If you are a Christian author of fiction or nonfiction, you should get a few endorsements from ministry professionals to prove to readers that the theological content of your book is sound. In addition, nonfiction authors should include endorsement from persons with experience in their topic, while fiction authors should get a few endorsements from other published authors (preferably in a related genre).

Endorsements are often collected before a book is published, although authors can also gather more after publication.

Why do I need reviews or testimonials?

These are what potential buyers want to read before making a decision to purchase your product (or not). Consider two books on Amazon: One is rated 2.5 stars and another is rated 4.6 stars. Which one are you more likely to buy?

Or consider this scenario: Both are rated 4 stars, but one has three reviews and the other has thirty-six. Which one are you more likely to buy?

Reviews are critical for your book’s success in today’s e-commerce  world. That is why book launch strategies include getting reviews ahead of the launch date so when your book goes live, there are already at least a few positive reviews for potential buyers to read.

Since testimonials focus on how the consumer benefitted, they are not critical for fiction authors. Here are some areas where testimonials are useful for authors.

  • You write nonfiction and want to prove your book helps people facing a certain problem
  • You are a speaker or workshop teacher
  • You’re involved in additional ministry efforts (coaching, counseling, etc.)

How do I get endorsements, etc?

By asking.

Who can I ask?

  • Friends, family and peers. Anybody can read and review your book, although Amazon frowns on close family members posting reviews.
  • Your pastor or other church staff
  • Friends or acquaintances who have relevant expertise
  • If you don’t know anyone with expertise, try friends of friends
  • Someone you interacted with while researching your topic
  • Authors and writing professionals whom you’ve met at writing conferences or other writers’ groups.
  • Audience members. Pro Tip: Every time you give a speech or teach a workshop, ask for testimonials from both the audience and the event planner.
  • Customers who use my ministry or services

How do I ask?

For reviews, simply ask anyone who has read your book to post their honest review.  Assure them that reviews don’t need to be long. One or two sentences that explains why the reader enjoyed the book is sufficient. You can offer a few sample sentences to assist friends in what to write a review if you like.

If you want to use a review in your marketing materials or website, ask the reviewer for permission. Alternately, ask some friends to write reviews for the sole purpose of you using them in your website/marketing.

Here are some things to include when asking for endorsements and testimonials.

  • If you are asking someone you don’t know well, mention how you met them.
  • A deadline for submitting the statement, if applicable.
  • A brief explanation of where the statement could appear (in the book, on your website, marketing materials, handouts, etc)
  • Ask them how they would like their name and title to appear. For testimonials, you can suggest they add a description such as “satisfied customer” or “a weary young mom.”
  • Ask them for permission to shorten their statement as needed for space constraints.
  • Thank them for taking the time to consider your request.
  • You may want to include some examples of how to word a testimonial.

A final note. If you receive testimonials or endorsements that are too long or awkwardly worded, you may consider editing the statement and then submitting the edited version to the endorser for approval.  

I hope these tips help you gather the endorsements, reviews and testimonials you need to help your writing succeed.

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
Mastering Middle Grade

Inside the Ten-Foot Line: From Conception to Publication (Part Two)

Last month, I detailed the first half of my journey to publication for my MG/YA sports novel Inside the Ten-foot Line. I discussed where my idea came from, knowing the genre, and drafting the story. This article focuses on what happened next.

Remember, every author’s path to publication differs. My experience might resonate with you or provide an ah-ha moment. You can also visit Kelli’s article on lessons she learned on her way to publication.

Pitch

One of the best ways to get your work in front of an editor’s eyes is by attending a writing conference. Beyond offering classes on the craft of writing, attendees can meet editors and agents and pitch their work. For an extra fee, many allow you to submit a manuscript for feedback. Conferences also hold contests. Winning a category gives you exposure. Best of all conferences allow writers to network with other writers.

I pitched the idea for my series first at the Write-to-Publish conference. At the time, there were few sports novels geared toward girls available. A year later, I pitched it at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writing Conference. This time, I found a publisher who, like me, recognized a gap in the market, and requested a proposal.

Action: Set a goal of attending one writing conference this year.

Contract

After that initial pitch, it took almost another year before a contract went to my agent.

But let’s touch on the debate between traditional publishing and self-publishing. In today’s market, both are valid options. With the traditional route, writers share the profit with their publisher, but they don’t have to carry the burden of cost to produce the product. A good publisher will also handle most of the marketing, something I appreciate.

Self-publishing means writers keep the profit, but they also must hire an editor, illustrator, and do their own marketing. If you’re a go-getter, this may suite you best.

Action: Find out more here to find out more about these options.

Edits

Shortly after turning in the completed work, the manuscript underwent several rounds of editing. That’s all I’m saying on this aspect.

Action: If you are traditionally published, be easy to work with. Listen to suggestions from the professionals assisting you. If you are self-publishing find an affordable and competent freelance editor.

Marketing

“It doesn’t matter how well written your book is if you can’t sell it.”

Truth.

Publishers need to make money. As an author, you must do your part to help your book succeed. That’s where platform comes in.

Even before its release on September 20, 2022, Inside the Ten-foot Line  had earned three #1 bestselling banners on Amazon. How? My publisher knows how to market. Among other things, they targeted Amazon Ads and leveraged their newsletter and Instagram accounts to reach my target audience.

On my part, I organized a book launch team, posted on my social media sights, and contacted people with podcasts and or book review sites. I even coordinated ideas with my friend Kelli McKinney since our books were scheduled to release the same month. Her encouragement relieved some of the stress and anxiety I felt over marketing.

Action

If you have not started working on your platform, start! For more marketing ideas, check out this article and/or this one.

I hope seeing my journey helps encourage you on your way to publication. If you have any more ideas to share, please leave them in the comments.

Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lame jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/dogs/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing.

Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 175 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori also contributed to over a dozen books.

Lori enjoys speaking, leading workshops, and visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Stories.by.Lori .

Categories
Marketing Sense

How to Grow Your Audience Using Online Workshops: Part Six

Marketing sense

We’ve almost finished preparations for our online workshop! If you’re just joining us, you may wonder…

“Why bother with a live webinar? Can’t I just send that information in an email series?”

Yes, you can, but a live webinar is about more than transferring information. It’s about new and established audience members engaging not only with you…live…but with each other.

And in this, our final segment, we’ll talk about when and what to send in both your pre-launch and post-webinar email series.

Here’s our breakdown of this series so far…

In Part One, we chose our topic.

In Part Two, we identified and researched various title resources.

In Part Three, we chose our title (it’s a dandy!).

In Part Four, we discussed priming our audience for our upcoming webinar using what’s called “pre-launch” emails.

In Part Five, we confirmed our goal and our plan to reach it.

This “live” component is more powerful than it appears. Your readers will also experience community. YOUR community. While learning information they have sought from YOU. Boom!

They’ll learn. They’ll laugh. They’ll value you. They’ll want more. Voila! Your audience has just grown! Now, serve them well, and as Christ leads, periodically promote a paid product or service. Do that once a month or once a year–whatever your marketing plan is–and you’ll have a larger, loyal following. (Hint: That’s a good thing.) 🙂

The last step before our online webinar is our launch email series.

This is a group of emails (usually) created ahead of time and scheduled for release pre-webinar. It’s imperative that readers understand the benefit your free webinar offers, as that will help them choose to attend. It’s up to you to tell them in both your title (Survive These 3 Treacherous Ice-Fishing Dangers) and your email’s content (below).

First email: Send your Webinar Announcement email 14-30 days out.

You want to give your audience time to adjust their schedule if necessary. Better yet, sharing the date early will prevent conflicts altogether. Include all the normal information: date, time, location, topic, and your event’s URL, along with a clear benefit.  

These days most of us present on Zoom. You can set your webinar up in your Zoom account weeks in advance and share the details in your announcement email.

You don’t have to include your Zoom link in this first email, but it’s a good idea because some readers are meticulous about details. You don’t know who those readers are, so go ahead and send the full details in this email and plan to add them to subsequent emails as well, for those readers who’ll wait till the last minute to take note of them. It happens. 🙂

Second email: Send a Webinar Reminder email 7 days out.

Simple. Clear.Almost a duplicate of your Announcement email, adding another benefit for those who attend. Consider placing your webinar’s URL, date, day, time, and so on in your postscript instead of the body this time, as scanners will read a postscript (a P.S.) when they won’t read anything else.

Third and Fourth emails:

One day before your webinar begins, and a final reminder email 30 minutes before your webinar begins. Isn’t that too many? No. We all get busy and miss important meetings without gentle reminders. You’ll be doing them a favor with these last two emails. Add one more benefit, please, or repeat the benefits you mentioned in your previous emails.

Fifth email:

Send a Thanks for Joining Me! email within two hours after the webinar is over. (Another  reason you want to create this simple email series ahead of time.)

Share a recap of the webinar’s content and its benefits. Offer a limited-time replay link if that’s part of your marketing strategy.  

It’s over! Serve your new readers as well as you’ve served your current readers. Offer them life-changing content that will draw them to your message and to Christ.

Create new webinars as you desire, and watch your audience grow. Offer your knowledge for free or via paid products or services and reach more people for Christ around the world!

Patricia Durgin

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
Guest Posts

10 Effective Marketing Strategies for Authors

Guest posts

____________________________________________________________________________

Source: InviteReferrals

It has become difficult to stand out in this competitive era, especially for small entrepreneurs, like authors. Therefore, you need to come up with unique marketing strategies if you want to stay ahead of competitors.

Although the traditional ways of marketing a book is still important, merging that with new strategies helps you reach a broader range of audiences. Not only this, understanding the 5 Ps of marketing will help you better shape your business strategy.

10 Effective Marketing Strategies 

1. Pair Your Strategy With Google Ads

Google Ads is one of the effective online marketing channels. Although it may be a bit expensive, it is competitive, and once you master this platform, you can get a lot of benefits. Also, keep in mind that doing your on-page SEO perfectly, will give you the relevant search results to stimulate traffic.

2. Explore Content Marketing

Source: InviteReferrals

You should generate relevant content that showcases what your book is about and answer any queries or dilemmas you think might come up.. Then, spread the content through a wide range of channels online. This way of content marketing is a powerful tactic to direct traffic from varied sources.

However, content marketing requires patience, as the results will take time to evolve. Therefore, don’t forget to leverage content marketing for the sustainable growth of visitors and readers of your books in the long term.

3. Partner With Publishers

Authors need to reach out to more publishers for expansion by partnering with other ventures, like anthologies and other collaborative works. This is a powerful way of marketing your writing  or services as you promote yourself and your books. Moreover, leveraging pragmatic marketing becomes important here as it allows you to relate with not only your readers but with other publishers’ audiences as well.

4. Use Social Media

Source: InviteReferrals

Most of your target audiences are on distinctive social channels. In addition, most of your target audience is utilizing social media for customer support. Therefore, your books need to be showcased on all the significant social platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

Therefore, you have to ensure that you devote effort and time to the growth of your social media audience. Several smart marketing professionals invest a lot of time and money toward developing their social media presence.

5. Create Facebook Ads

Facebook advertising is an effective social media strategy that your book can benefit from immensely. In addition, Facebook is an affordable platform to reach out virtually to a wide audience.

You can set Facebook ads to target your particular set of consumers based on their location, online behavior, sex, age, etc. Facebook Ads Manager will lead you through creating, running, and testing various ad tests so that you can see which ad formula is getting the attention of your readers and audience.

6. Promote On Ecommerce Platforms

eCommerce sites such as Flipkart and Amazon have a huge number of your target audience. Therefore, you must explore marketing opportunities offered by these sites. Even big companies allow limited-time discounts to their members on these sites.

You can efficiently target your readers. As a result, it encourages brand awareness amongst the audience, grows manifold, and new readers come exploring your newly launched books.

7. Email marketing

Source: InviteReferrals

An email marketing campaign is essential to your cold outreach marketing strategy. Since customers get numerous emails per day from marketers, you should make a plan that stands out from the rest and transform your leads into followers and buyers of your book.

First, your emails should be customized for all recipients along with a responsive and device-friendly design.

Today, with the help of automation, it has become easier to create an effective email drip campaign and send emails to numerous people with ease.

8. Start Writing Blogs

Blogging is one of the most effective ways to engage your audience. Now you must be wondering why? Because writing blogs is a great way to showcase your expertise and produce leads. Blogs are intriguing because they involve interesting topics and let viewers see what you write about and that you care about your audience. When they feel connected to you and encouraged about their particular problems, they also feel special and fulfilled.

9. Podcasts

Source: InviteReferrals

Podcasts are a great way to gain insight into books and spread information on other aspects of your writing business. The content you or a business representative highlight in a podcast is another way to share your entertainment or encouragement with your followers. The best part about a podcast is that you can make use of other people’s audiences while still marketing your business. You further get affirmation from various audiences and build your online authority.

10. Launch a referral program

Referral marketing, also known as word of mouth (WOM), is one of the most powerful forms of marketing. Referral marketing statistics show around 92% of consumers worldwide believe referrals from their peers. A referral program is where businesses incentivize people to refer their products or services to others – a particular type of promotion. Simultaneously, referral programs facilitate you to recognize its loyal customers to do word of mouth for your book. 

Conclusion

In today’s time, there are a lot of marketing strategies that you can leverage for your business. In this post, we have enlisted some of the best strategies that are affordable and proven business tactics. Further, word of mouth is an organic way to drive new customers to your products and services. 

Shivani Goyal is a content writer at InviteReferrals, which provides referral software that allows businesses to attract new customers from existing customers through referral campaigns.

You can find Shivani on social media. Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat recap for January Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Bow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

How to Be a Healthy Writer

To be effective as writers we need to take care of our physical health. Studies prove physical activity improves one’s well-being. Unfortunately, writing is sedentary. Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS shows you how to add movement into your daily writing routine. And of course, she throws in a few tips about the foods you should avoid to ensure you have clarity of mind.

Watch the January 18th replay.

Susan Neal, RN, has a masters in health science and an MBA. She lives her life with a passion to help others improve their health. After suffering a health crisis, she became an author and health coach to provide others with the tools they needed to heal their bodies and reclaim their ideal weight.

Her award-winning #1 Amazon best-seller is 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates. The third book in her Healthy Living Series, won the Golden Scrolls award “2019 Best Inspirational Gift Book.” Learn more about Susan at SusanUNeal.com.

Creating Your Annual Marketing Plan

Writers need platforms. Platforms need a plan. Author and marketing strategist Bethany Jett shares ideas on creating an annual marketing plan that will increase your social engagement. Whether you are pre-published, newly published, or multi-published–whether you’re traveling the indie, traditional, or hybrid path–this is the info you need to inspire you to create a workable plan for 2022.

Watch the January 25th replay,

Bethany Jett is a multiple award-winning author, ghostwriter, and marketer earned her Masters in Communications focusing on marketing and PR. 

Bethany co-owns Serious Writer and Platinum Literary Services and loves everything about the publishing industry…except the rejections! She is a military wife to her college sweetheart and a work-from-home momma-of-boys who loves planners, suspense novels, and all things girly. Connect with Bethany at BethanyJett.com.

Join Us

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Marketing Sense

Create a Lead Magnet for Your Upcoming Interview

Marketing sense

Will you be the guest on an upcoming podcast, TV, or radio program? You’ll have access to that person’s audience for FREE! Make the most of that opportunity by creating a Lead Magnet that coordinates with the episode’s focus. This free resource encourages their audience members to become your audience members, too. This is marketing at its finest!

I’ll be the guest on an upcoming episode of the podcast, Your Best Writing Life, hosted by Linda Goldfarb. She invited me to present a two-part workshop on how email works and how to make it work for you. I’ve created a coordinating Lead Magnet to offer her listeners.

What Is a Lead Magnet?

At its most basic, a Lead Magnet is a 3–10 page document, typically in PDF format, that answers a single question or solves a single problem your audience is asking or struggling with right now. New and established subscribers who need the content your Lead Magnet offers are the most likely candidates to opt-in (sometimes called “sign-up”) for it.

The purpose is to offer a valuable, free resource with a title that includes a promised result they can’t resist, then to deliver content so useful that they’re eager to open your future emails, too. Both parties benefit. New subscribers receive what they’ve been searching for, and you have another reader on your email list who wants to hear more from you. Sweet!

The 3 Most Important Questions

I’ll answer the three questions below based upon my hot-off-the-presses Lead Magnet as an example, then I’ll cease referencing it.

Substitute the word “interview” for “training” where necessary; the principles below fit both.

Q #1: What’s the main topic of my training?

A: Understanding how email works and how to make it work for you.

Q #2: What free resource can I offer (that ties directly into my training’s topic), designed to help readers conquer the challenge they’ll run into AFTER they’ve applied my training?

A: Email topics that will be interesting to their readers.

Q #3: What title / subtitle combination will catch their attention without being smarmy?             A: Write Emails Your Readers Will Actually Read! / 35 email prompts to write great emails every time.

Design Elements Needed for Your Lead Magnet’s Cover

#1: Your logo

#2: Your chosen title and sub-title

#3: Your footer text (your name, your Lead Magnet’s title, your website, and the copyright symbol (©)). They should be at the bottom of each page, small but obvious.

#4: A visual, photo, or graphic for your cover graphic that’s interesting but doesn’t draw attention away from your text

#5: Your Lead Magnet’s color palette…3 colors pulled from your Lead Magnet’s visual

Pages to Include in Your Lead Magnet

#1: Cover graphic (of course) ��

#2: About the Author page

#3: Your content: 1-10 pages

#4: A CTA (call-to-action) on your last page

About the Author Page

This may be the first time readers have encountered you, so help them get to know you a bit. Show your personality without getting off track, and how your great content will apply to their situation.

Why Limit Your Lead Magnet to 10 Pages?

It’s not necessary to limit it, but it’s wise, because you’re not writing an e-book. The goal is to give your reader a “quick win.” That’s short, helpful content that moves them from where they are to the next step. A 37-page e-book can’t do that.

Get in, get the job done, and get out. They signed up to get the results your promised. Give them that and they’ll be pleased. Don’t give them that—or bury it amongst 4,000 other words—and they won’t be.

If you ramble now, they’ll assume you’ll ramble in the future, too, so they’ll be more likely to just grab your Lead Magnet content and then unsubscribe immediately.

What Should Your Call-to-Action Be?

That depends…what’s the next action you want your readers to take? Buy a low-cost offer? Sign up for a Wait List because your product or service isn’t available yet, but you want to capture their info for the future? Join your FB group? What? Decide that and prepare for it ahead of time.

NOTE: Your Lead Magnet doesn’t have to include a call-to-action. In that case, remove the Call-to-Action page (your lead magnet’s last page as discussed above), and you’re finished! Upload it to the landing page you’ve created for it on your website and you’re ready to rock’n roll. ��

Once Your Lead Magnet is Prepared, How Do You Make It Available?

Let’s talk about that next month.

Patricia Durgin

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
Guest Posts

Why You Should Try Email Marketing

Guest posts

Email marketing is a tried and true practice in the marketing space and has been for a long time. This practice is used to attract and generate a list of potential customers. While some think it is a dead practice, it is hard to ignore its relevance. It is a cost-effective strategy that can lay a framework for an entire campaign or business plan. 

Email marketing is an umbrella term for two main categories of emails. Cold emails are prospecting emails to help introduce your business and engage the reader. Warm Emails are Marketing emails designed to build relationships with contacts and increase website traffic and conversions. 

The use of marketing automation goes hand in hand with an effective email campaign. Understanding the benefits of using emails and using marketing automation in your campaigns will give you an edge against your competitors. 

What is marketing automation?

Marketing automation is an important part of digital marketing, especially when it comes to emails. Marketing automation is the use of software to automate repetitive tasks with email marketing campaigns. The process of marketing automation usually begins when the customer provides their contact information when purchasing a project or signing up for a newsletter/updates. 

The implementation of marketing automation can help capture new leads, turn leads into customers, and help potential clients develop an affinity for the brand. You can tailor which emails are sent to which clients based on if they put items in their cart, or if they continuously spend more time on one page than another. This personalization that can be created by marketing automation helps your potential customers through the buying process all autonomously. 

The Benefits of Using Email Marketing 

Email marketing campaigns can have a lot of valuable benefits for your business. They allow you to easily communicate with a large audience and make sure everyone on your list gets updated on your business. It also gives you the ability to personalize your emails with the individual names so they are more likely to open their emails. Like previously mentioned, when used with marketing automation you can tailor your emails based on what page they spend time on.  

Email marketing has a great ROI (return on investment). For every $1 you spend, email generates a $42 return on average. The ROI is one of email marketing’s biggest advantages, and that return is only growing as time goes on.   

The importance of quality

The source of the email campaign is the quality of the email you are sending. If you are sending an email that is poorly worded and does not have a strong call to action your campaign will yield negative results. You want to make sure that you are providing relevant content for the reader. Having a strong/compelling subject line with beneficial content only increases your chances of converting prospective clients or buyers. 

Working in content from your website into your emails is also a great way to keep your brand cohesive through your various networks. You can benefit from natural link growth and brand visibility from having a strong and consistent brand narrative in your email campaigns. 

Off to the Races  

Now that you have an idea of how email marketing campaigns work, it is time to go on and start your own! Using carefully crafted emails and a little bit of help from marketing automation you can create a very strong email campaign to get your name out there and convert prospects into sales.  

A true digital nomad, Emma Davis spends her time writing and traveling the globe in pursuit of her next great adventure. From travel guides to career advice, she hopes to help readers see the world as she experiences it—helping others craft a life where they can work hard and play often.