Promotion Tips for Authors

     I recently attended two events for authors. The first one discussed the crucial steps needed to have the best author website. The second meeting discussed self-promotion techniques for authors to incorporate into their marketing platforms. Both workshops contained excellent information to support authors in gaining exposure that leads to book sales. Below are my brief takeaways.

     There is so much information available on the Internet for any given topic. Becoming a writer, book selling, and brand formation are no exception. I will do in this article what I do with movies. I will provide you with the best action steps to take now to propel you forward towards your goals as a writer.

     Bob Baker, a former president and longtime member of the St. Louis Publishers Association, generously taught authors the best ways to turn their website into a "book-selling machine." Here are the action steps I recommend from two hours of great information:

 1. Get a website which will be the hub you use other social media platforms to drive traffic to. Of course it goes without saying that you also need to add your voice to the world of social media. Research Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Give social media at most an hour of your time each day as you navigate the promotion process. This can be an hour a day on just one or split that hour into 10 minutes for each site. There are so many that it can lead to a huge time suck of your day. With this, as in life, only do what works.

2. Create an email list (stop reading and begin this now). Bob stresses that email still provides    
authors with a direct connection to their readers/customers.

3. Manage those emails using a service. There are some free ones out there, some cater to authors. Do your research. I plan to use MailChimp.com ASAP.

4. Lastly the advice that helped me the most was Bob's assertion that "there are 3 types of fans and book lovers: a.) Eager book buyers, b.) Freebie Loving Tire Kickers, and c.) Undecided Fence Sitters." Your best website activity is for the sole purpose of converting the undecided into buyers.

5. Bob Baker can be found at www.FullTimeAuthor.com and www.TheBuzzFactor.com

     Joan Stewart referred to as "The Publicity Hound" is well versed in the best ways to garner free publicity for your products or services. She was easy to talk to and listen to. She shared 3 hours of great information that can easily keep authors productively promoting for some time. I have a list of ten action steps to focus on for the rest of the year:

1. Create an author profile on Goodreads and Amazon

2. Go to www.Bublish.com to create a book bubble.

3. Go to www.TweakYourBiz.com to get the best wording to create what Bob also recommends which is "hypnotic" phrasing for your Internet content and email subject lines.

4. Join LinkedIn groups where your readers may be found not where other writers are found.

5. Use a private host company for your website so you own that Internet real estate. Also use your brand as your email address e.g. Joe@LightsCameraTakeAction.com

6. Market yourself as an expert in your field when giving your opinion, service, book info, or input to any forms of traditional media,  i.e. radio, TV networks, press releases, other bloggers, and freelance writers. Check out HARO.com

7. Always have a "call to action" in your marketing materials.

8. For those who want to offset their income by working in the publishing industry, you can get paid for your know-how on these publishing topics the way Bob Baker and so many other seasoned writers do. A new profession out there now is called a "Book Shepherd." This is a person who guides a newbie through this whole publishing process. After you get savvier at social media, you can also offer services to web shy writers as a "Social Media Manager."

9. Go to www.Gravatar.com to create an avatar that will show up while you create and leave your Internet footprint all over social media and the web.

10. Joan Stewart can be found at www.PublicityHound.com or JStewart@PublicityHound.com

Best of luck to you writers and entrepreneurs out there. Remember to create balance boundaries as you pursue knowledge around the best ways to promote yourself and your writing within the vast audience that is the Internet. Use those notification buttons religiously. My job as your virtual life coach is to remind you to enjoy the journey while pursuing any goal.

Take care of you,
Movie Coach Joe.