Tag: Marketing while waiting for publication

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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

Categories
Book Proposals

Create a Fascinating Marketing Plan

Many would-be authors are surprised to see this element in the component of an excellent book proposal. They think to themselves (and some of them verbalize), “I’m not self-publishing my book. Isn’t the publisher supposed to be putting together a market plan with a specific commitment of dollars?”

Here’s the problem

Every publisher has limited marketing and publicity dollars to promote their list of books. The bulk of the money will go to the top authors, and if you are a new author, you can expect that your book will receive minimal treatment—unless you show the publisher that you deserve something different.

I met Jacqueline Deval, publisher at Hearst Books, who has also been a director of publicity at several publishing houses. One of the best resources for authors is Deval’s book called Publicize Your Book!, An Insider’s Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves (Perigee Books). From the opening paragraph in the introduction, Deval provides authors with the following realistic expectation:

The reality of book publishing is that there are too few resources to support every book.

This means that some books will get publicity campaigns and budgets while others will go without. Additionally, most publishing houses are not staffed with enough publicists to mount a full-fledged campaign for every book. Because of this, editors must compete with one another to lobby the publisher, and the marketing and publicity departments, for the funds and staff attention to promote their books.

What type of marketing ammunition can you include in your book proposal so your editor can champion your cause? Because of the expense of publishing a book, a publisher will expect you to actively work at marketing your book to your connections. Many writers are stumped about what to include in this section of their proposals, so they write, “I’m willing to do radio, television and print interviews to promote my book.” Of course, you will be willing to do these interviews. If not, you have no business even taking the steps of creating a book proposal and writing a book. Publicizing your book comes with the territory after the book is published.

Other authors will write, “My book should be featured on The Today Show.” Every publisher long for their books to be featured on The Today Show because these appearances help drive books to the bestseller list. The reality is few authors get this opportunity—even though their publisher may try. The producers at The Today Show (or Good Morning America or any other talk show) are bombarded with literally thousands of new books. It’s not realistic to include such plans in your proposal.

To achieve success in your marketing plan, you need to get into a different mind-set.

As Deval says in the first chapter, “An author who thinks like a marketer, and who starts thinking about marketing before the book is even completed, will help the book toward a successful publication. The author is in the best position to offer suggestions for marketing that the house might have overlooked and sometimes to help bridge any difficult internal relationships among the publishing team that might impede the book’s success. (In-house squabbles do happen in business, and while in a just world they shouldn’t interfere with a book’s progress, sometimes they do.) Most important, the author can be the catalyst to motivate a house’s enthusiasm about a book (page 4).”

Deval’s perspective in her book is valuable to anyone writing a book proposal or with a book to be published. As an insider, she understands the stresses and limitations within a publisher. She helps the author come alongside the publisher with creative and cost-effective ideas without being a pushy, high maintenance author (yes, they exist).

Take some time to creatively think about the topic and the book that you propose.

Which specialty groups are potential targets for this book? Do you have a connection to these markets through an organization or network to reach them with your book? If you don’t presently have a connection with the target group, how can you acquire one? You have the passion and drive for your particular topic, and you need to pass this passion on to the publisher. Through the marketing section of your proposal, show the publisher that you understand the marketing for your book and your willingness to be involved.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success
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
Guest Posts

How to Use the 4-P’s of Marketing While Waiting for Your Book to be Published by Lauren Crews

I heard a recent statistic. It takes three to eight years to publish a book. For a writer, especially a newbie, that statement can be a deflating. The wait can be challenging, but in the world of building platform, the wait is worth it. There is vital work to be done while waiting to be published.

Gone are the days when we wrote a book and sat back as the “professionals” took over our sales and marketing. Today, publishers require us to work as hard as they do in promoting and selling our book. This can be a daunting task, and if you self-publish, the job becomes even more paramount. So where and when does one begin? It may be helpful to start thinking of yourself and your book in marketing terms-Product, Price, Promotion, and Place and take steps now towards the work of marketing and promotion before you have a book to offer.

  1. Begin Fine-tuning Your Brand Immediately.

Your brand is you not your latest project. Your book may be fabulous, but your branding image is attached to it. Consider this your Product. Fine tune your brand by asking yourself – What is my passion? Does it show? Then, create a brand statement to use in your bio and all your promotional work.

Your brand statement should include:

  • 1-2 Sentence
  • What you do best
  • Who you serve
  • How you do it

For example, my passions are digging deep into Bible study, the Hebrew language and culture and teaching what I learn to others. So, my brand statement is – Introducing Christians to their Hebrew roots.

Stay true to your brand in your blog writing, your online presence, and promotional material. This includes a consistent headshot, use of colors and if possible profile names. Take time developing how you want to be received by the market because their perception moves with you into your next project. Until your book hits the market and becomes a bestseller, you are the visual and the voice of your brand.

  1. What Price are You Willing to Pay?

I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “You have to spend money to make money” this applies to marketing your brand. These are items you may want to spend money on to begin promoting your brand now.

  • Business cards
  • Bookmark
  • Pens
  • Banners
  • Website
  • Items to leave as giveaways when you speak. I had rubber bracelets made with my hashtag #StrongWomanA2Z. I also splurged and had silver cuff bracelets made with the hashtag, and I use one per speaking engagement as a door prize.

Before being published, be sure the focus of these items is your brand, not the book. This is because the title of your book will likely change – several times. You will want a base of products to use book before during and after the book is out. After you are published, you can always reorder book specific items. Be sure to include your website, a headshot, brand statement and contact information.

  1. Begin Networking Now.

The goal in marketing your brand is to establish yourself as an authority. You want people talking about you in a good way. This is Promotion. Some aspects of networking you can do now are:

  • Post a positive book review for another author and share the link across your social media. You’re promoting someone else, but your name is getting out there.
  • Write a more in-depth book review as your blog post and share it.
  • Be a guest blogger for others.
  • Friend everyone you meet at writer’s conferences.
  • Follow like-minded people on social media and interact with them.
  • If you open your social media profiles to public, remember your “brand” is now out there for everyone to see. Be sure to represent that brand well, and all that you post, share, or retweet reflects your brand.

I’m in year three of the publishing journey, but it has been worth the wait. I started as an unknown in the Christian writing world with a private Facebook page. Networking has been my most significant area of growth. Last year I began applying these strategies to my brand, and in one year my social media following grew by 2,000% (really!). I have a solid foundation of subscribers on my blog, and I’ve guest blogged for others which has put me in front of more than 2,300 additional blog subscribers. My platform would not be considered record-breaking, but I’ve come a long way, and I’m delighted with the growth. You will be pleased when you see tangible results as you update your book proposal.

  1. Hone in on Your Target Market.

Where can you find your target market? Publishers will work to get you in stores, but where else can you focus on sales? This is the Place you will target to find customers. If you’re trying to reach women, they are often involved in home-based businesses like Pampered Chef, Mary Kay or LuLaRoe. These groups often meet in public places for monthly business meetings. Find a sales consultant, find out where they meet and ask if you can speak with them. Offer a copy of your book as a drawing prize through which you have collected their contact info. (Hey, they do it to us at those home gatherings!) Then follow up. Sometimes they will share additional contacts or networks. Other locations you might find your target market are:

  • The Coffee shop
  • Library
  • Trade shows
  • Craft/Farmers markets
  • The Gym
  • The Gun Range
  • City Rotary networking events
  • Rotary club
  • Women’s clubs
  • Men’s clubs
  • Country clubs (golf and tennis)
  • Readings at school, colleges, bookstores, club meetings, scout meetings
  • Can you take advantage of the book’s setting, your character’s interests or hobbies?
  • Where would you find your character?

Once you’ve identified where to find your market, mingle with them. Set up an informational table, leave promotional material, read for them or write for a website that reaches them. Do whatever you can to get your information in front your market.

Marketing starts well before your book is published. I was asked by a publisher at a writing conference, “what do you want in a publisher?” My answer, “I want a publisher who will work as hard as I do and let me show you what I’ve already done.” If you begin to refine these skills early, you will become an asset to your future publisher-one harder to resist.

BIO

As a Bible teacher and speaker, Lauren encourages Christians to explore and understand the Jewish roots of their faith. She lives in north-east Florida with her husband and two chocolate labs. She is mom of three fantastic young adults and recently welcomed a daughter-in-love to the Crews crew. She is represented by Credo Communications and working toward the publication of her books Rethinking the Proverbs 31 Woman: Breaking the Myth and Revealing her Legacy and Jesus: The Alef and the Tav. You can connect with Lauren on the web at www.laurencrews.com.