by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting
There are many ways and strategies to market, but let’s look at 5 main areas writers can develop. All areas are boosted when you apply SEO (search engine optimization) where you use words or phrases people use when searching for your topic or brand. These areas can overlap or can be used interactively. So, you may write an article or be a guest on a podcast and then post about it on your social media.
Many people build up one area but also work on activities in other areas. At times, such as COVID, it helped to have multiple means of marketing as those who relied heavily on speaking found their normal marketing almost disappeared unless they pivoted and spoke online.
Each method relies on understanding the reader (avitar) and what messages resonate with them. All these methods allow people to follow you and join your email list, if you invite them to join.
5 Areas for Marketing Books
1. Print Activities
Print includes articles you write, one-sheets to advertise speaking, handouts created, and even business cards. These are written materials although many can also be digital (magazines are both print and digital).
Start with a business card and then develop other materials such as postcards and bookmarks to send and handout, as well as tip sheets, and speaker one-sheets.
In addition, write articles and submit them to magazines. Also consider pitching columns to write regularly for the audience. Try to write for magazines that focus on your audience. Write downloadable freebies and tip sheets people can access from your website and print.
2. Speaking Activities
This includes small and large events, courses, workshops, retreats, and even booths at events where you can talk with customers who come to your table. The best ones include a book table for sales. They can be in person or online, but the in-person generally results in more immediate sales.
Start locally at church groups, local meetings, and branch out. Anytime you speak, ask for an endorsement. Use referrals where you ask the meeting planner to recommend you or give you names of a few other meeting planners to contact.
Develop a speaker one-sheet and speaker postcards to send out. Post these on your website. Ask for feedback from your audience. This is best done by filling out a simple form that serves as an entry for a door prize and gives you permission to add them to your email list.
3. Media Interviews and Appearances
Media includes TV, radio, podcasts, YouTube, and even Facebook live. This is where people can listen or watch you talk about a topic generally related to your books or brand.
Start locally by volunteering for media telethons and get to know local media personalities. As you get to know the people you can pitch to be a guest. Another way to break into interviews is to hire a publicist. Check who authors who write in your genre hired.
Develop a one-page press kit to send out and add to your website. The media pages on your website can be longer with links to past interviews, articles, and statistics related to your topic, as well as photos and profiles of you speaking and being on media.
4. Social Media
This includes any online network that allows you to post. The posts can be photos, video, reels, tips, comments, and more. Some limit the length while others do not. Pinterest is a search engines more than social media outlet because they are structured so people can search by a word of phrase to find information they want. Pinterest provides a great showcase for people to find information about your topics and you.
Check what demographics on various social medias to find ones your audience uses. Experiment to find what social media you are comfortable using. Follow best practices for the social media you use, and be consistent. Keep track of what posts elicit the most engagement and do similar ones.
5. Expertise
This is where other people quote you or seek to interview you as an expert in a specific area that can be as general as parenting, marriage, or theology but also as specific as hurricane recovery, step-parenting, or the theology of Paul. It starts with developing a website to showcase your expertise.
Build on your expertise with credentials such as coaching, new books on your topic, interviews, and articles on your topic. Post your expertise on sites such where reports can find you to interview and quote you in articles and books. These include HARO (Help a reporter out) at https://www.helpareporter.com/about/ and a professional network at https://profnet.prnewswire.com/ProfNetHome/What-is-Profnet.aspx
This also includes the newsletter or information sent to your email list. You build your expertise with every email sent. Be sure it is valuable and worth opening.
Developing the areas starts with doing the activities mentioned, taking training in any area you want to grow, and being consistent in what you choose to do.
For the marketing section of proposals and developing a marketing plan, look at each area and list any activities you can do in each area or have experience and promotion success. It can help you organize your marketing ideas and inspire new ones.
TWEETABLE
Karen has a heart to grow tomorrow’s wholesome families today. She has written more than eight hundred articles for more than sixty publications and loves to let creativity splash over the pages of what she writes. She writes for Crosswalk. Connect with Karen on Twitter @KarenHWhiting Pinterest KarenWhiting FB KarenHWhiting.
Featured Image: Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash
Excellent suggestions!!
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