Adding Joy to Author Marketing

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

For one craft book I wrote during COVID I made zoom calls with children to make the crafts with me. I included a young cousin being treated for leukemia. When we made a simple paper Easter basket she jumped for joy and laughed with glee. She decided to make them for every guest coming to her home for an upcoming celebration. She put a gift in each basket to surprise guests. Everyone smiled and laughed at the lovely baskets and the unexpected gifts. 

Sharing that story gives readers anticipation of joy that inspires a purchase. It's a great story to use in marketing that resonates with potential buyers because it uses story to show that the purchase can bring joy. Humans tend to feel first and then think, so it's important to engage readers with joy and other positive feelings to foster positive emotions about your book.

The joy you share in marketing engages readers and gives them a sense that they'll discover joy in your book. A study by Sonja Lyubomirsky concluded that 93% of Americans are on a quest to experience more joy in their lives. That's why some famous brands have used themes like, "I'm lovin' It" and "Joy will take you farther" and "open happiness." It's time to consider joy as a basic ingredient of promoting books.

Identify how you can link joy to your book or brand

That begins with tapping into the joy you experienced in writing and joy about the topic or take-away for the reader. Ask yourself a few questions that help focus on joy with your book:

• What in your words delights the reader or inspires them to recall good times or the joy of knowing God? 

• What went wrong that became a bit comical? 

• What story connected to the book or message can bring a smile or laugh? 

• Did anything amazing happen while writing the book that brought you joy?

• What made people rejoice as you shared about the book during the writing process?

• How did launch team members express joy about the book?

• What experiences did readers share that expressed joy?

Share Joy While Marketing

Your tone and greeting, filled with joy, will also attract the readers. In a hurting world we can sprinkle in joy to lift spirits. Craft and look for stories that will bring smiles to add into the promotional posts.

• Post testimonials from readers on how the book solved a problem that brought joy.

• Share stories from readers and your experiences that connects to the book.

• Use positive images that bring smiles and chuckles.

• Create a downloadable benefit list to give customers of how to increase joy, hope, or love from the book.

• Think of a way to add the word joy to a slogan for your book.

Offering joy in a troubled world creates a sense of empathy with your audience and shows you care about their needs. That brings a sense that your book offers simple pleasures and a spark of fun. Sharing stories that express a good feeling and share your values connects with them.

For moms, I often open with a story about my youngest son:

I kissed my two-and-a-half-year-old son Daniel goodbye and watched as he turned to go off with his big sister. He wiped the kiss off his mouth and patted his chest. I sighed, thinking how he already felt too big to want my kisses. He twirled around and asked, "Do you know what I just did?" 

Kneeling down to his height I asked, "What did you do?"

He grinned and said, "I put your kiss in my heart. So if I feel sad and mad, I can take it out and I'll be ok."

Mom are with in feeling that little sadness turn to joy. I can follow it with how our little ones have a way of sprinkling joy into our lives and those are the types of stories I like to capture in my book.

Capture the Joy

Listen to your audience and their stories. Reflect on your own stories and what ones make you smile. Choose ways to capture and connect those stories to your book. I use the above story in a different way when I am marketing a Bible study, with connecting the end to how God feels when we put His word in our hearts, knowing it's there for when we need to uplift our emotions. That shares the promise of joy we get when we hold onto scriptures. If readers believe your book will show you understand them or will provide a promise that will bring joy, they will want your book.

• Help them connect to you as a person who has gone through similar experiences, and share what brought joy in those times.

• Make them laugh with sharing a funny mistake that ended with choosing joy in spite of the problem.

• Connect with a promise, such as a promise to listen better after sharing how miscommunication led to a mix-up or difficulty.

Listen up to what people say about your book that gladdened their heart and use those ideas to start your next joy marketing campaign.

TWEETABLE

Adding Joy to Author Marketing, insight from author @KarenHWhiting on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Karen Whiting (WWW.KARENWHITING.COM) is an international speaker, former television host of Puppets on Parade, certified writing and marketing coach, and award-winning author of twenty-seven books for women, children, and families. Her newest book, The Gift of Bread: Recipes for the Heart and the Table reflects her passion for bread and growing up helping at her grandparent’s restaurant. Check out her newest book Growing a Mother’s Heart: Devotions of Faith, Hope, and Love from Mothers Past, Present, and Future. It's full of heartwarming and teary-eyed stories of moms.

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.