Every day I spend a significant amount of my work day online. If not creating a client’s mar-comm materials, networking with my contacts, or researching & obtaining more pr opportunities, I’m analyzing my deliverables.
What tangible milestones can I bring back to my clients that shows that we are moving steps forward on our book marketing campaign?
There are a few deliverables that make the grade for authors:
- print media placements
- broadcast interview placements
- retweets with links attached
- click thrus on buy back buttons
- book festival placements
- public library requests
- bookclub president rtps
- many others
However, before I bore you with tips on obtaining such desirables, I want to have an honest conversation with you about book marketing. If you let me…
The purpose of book marketing [social network/online marketing included] is to obtain and maintain your ideal customer: book buyers. Period.
So ask yourself this. Is what I’m doing online helping me obtain and maintain my ideal customer?
Let me throw you a life-line. These things below will not:
1. Adding your graffiti [Facebook Notes] to a friend’s Facebook wall that looks like this: “please buy my ____ book…you fill in the blank)
That’s advertising. It’s improper to advertise on someone’s wall without their permission.
2. Adding uninvited strangers, whom you’ve stalked on another author’s guestbook to your email list, then spamming them with #9.
3. Begging.
Newsflash: Book buyers purchase books and donate to charities. Decide which one you are, then act accordingly
4. Complaining about bookstores online.
5. Complaining about book reviewers online.
6. Tagging someone who is not in your picture or video.
Tagging inappropriately is backdoored spam and can get you kicked off Facebook.
7. Bad-mouthing other authors and cat-fighting with other authors online.
Really?!
8. Not having buy buttons on your site and Facebook fan page.
I’ve lost count of the evites and blog tours that don’t have a Buy Now button on them. Come on You’ve convinced us now close the sell.
9. Sending boring email newsletters.
That includes Facebook Notes. Learn how to craft better copy or hire someone. Pam Perry, Ty Moody, LaShaunda Hoffman, and Marina Woods are great at this.
10. Forgetting that authors, bookstore manager, librarians, publicists, editors, and book reviewers buy books, too, so be careful, who you alienate online
Now, if you honestly don’t know whether your book marketing efforts are working, hit me up in the comments. I’ll tell you, honestly. And come back later this fall; I’ll tell you what things work. Also, check out my E-lunch show Media Candy Radio which airs every Wednesday at noon at http://blogtalkradio.com/mediacandy. It’s devoted to marketing techniques and answering your questions live. Also subscribe to our station for news about our other shows. Dee and Marina return this fall, as well as a new fun show with Dee and Martin Pratt of Rolling Out Magazine.
-Dee Stewart
I’m a mom, pr boutique owner, editor, book critic, and published author (Miranda Parker.) Google me or Find me
Dee, thanks so much for sharing this article with us today and joining us to answer any questions which might come up regarding it. I think you’ve touched on a lot of great points and I’m so glad you mentioned the Facebook portion. I’m constantly deleting inappropriate things from my wall, posted normally by an authors, and my first thought is normally “go write a book or something.” LOL.
The book reviewer one touched home too as I’ve had numerous conversations with disgruntled authors over their reviews and my advice remains: “not everyone is going to like your book. Take what you can use from the review to improve your next project and discard the rest.”
-Tee
Tee, I find myself dumbfounded by what I read sometimes. Social network services like Facebook can be seductive to some, myself included. The challenge for authors–one I have to remind myself since I’m writing my next contracted book now– is to use to have online activity budget. How much time can I spend online? What must I do online today to complete a task? What online services are daily, weekly or monthly musts? And then stick to those parameters.
Next month I am hosting a Book Marketing Guide to Facebook Workshop at SORMAG. I hope authors sign up and learn some valuable knowledge about the platform. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107721759282627&index=1
Dee, thanks again. This goes to more than authors. I’m not an author, but I spend a lot of time on mostly FB interacting with other literary folks, sharing information and I’ve had to stop myself a few times from posting certain stuff. LOL! Who really cares if somebody left my gas tank on E? Ahahha. Yeah, I almost posted that earlier this week. It is all about balance on FB. I like seeing the human side of folks, but it needs to be a good mix of that and the writing/literary or your profession for business-minded folks who are using it as a networking tool.
-Tee
Great advice, Dee!!
Thanks for your article Dee!! I don’t Tweet anymore, but the Facebook posts are just simply too much. I have a problem with authors promoting their book by leaving one post, but when it’s 5 posts a day…that’s a bit much and annoying.
Also, I’m a reviewer and it just floors me when some authors get highly upset when they aren’t given a favorably (5 star) rating. Come on…as Tee stated…not every reader is going to enjoy your book. Take the constructive criticism and hopefully apply it toward future works or not. There’s isn’t a need to get upset, claiming the reviewer don’t know what they’re talking about, because at the end of the day…I still don’t find your book favorable.
I meant…I don’t have a problem
thanks, naleighn.
sharon, true. and they should be very careful to not complain about a reviewer online, else it may make it hard for other reviewers to accept their submission in the future. no one wants to deal with drama.
Good tips. I have family, friends, and readers as friends on FB so my comments are a combination of personal info and things about my books.
Shelia, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but within your friends list, you can set up personalized lists. This way, if you have something just for family members you can use the personalized list and send only to them. I do this sometimes when I want one group of folks to see something others can’t see. (I don’t think you can do it from your smart phone though.)
-Tee
Tee, you’re right about lists. i hide my list from friend view because right now my family is organizing our family reunion via Facebook and there have been some times where an author has befriending my family and tried to sell to them.
This was a good article and thanks for the tips. I know a author that does that and I will be forwarding this article to her.
thanks, regina!
I am guilty of not using the net effectively to market my book. There is so much I don’t know about online etiquette and marketing. I appreciate the article and the knowledge you are sharing.
Hi, Cynthia.
You have come to the right place. RAW will get you right about your writing.
Dee,
Per usual, great article.
I particularly like the advice, “Forgetting that authors, bookstore manager, librarians, publicists, editors, and book reviewers buy books, too, so be careful, who you alienate online.”
There are some authors who forget this and definitely alienate influencers who are also book buyers who are also influencers. In other words, authors should remain mindful that those in the category you mention, will either support you, or not. If they support you they will tell others, and if they don’t, they won’t tell others.
In other words, some authors may think, “oh, he/she is just one person,” but they forget the number of people and possibly other influencers that this person knows. In the world of book sales word of mouth is King and Queen!
Great job, Dee.
True, Marina. Most of us are heavy book buyers. We buy books as gifts for family. We buy books for ourselves as treats. Sometimes authors forget that. Hopefully, this will be a sweet reminder.
Great article. I like that it is so matter of fact and does not hold back. Thank you!
Thanks, Wanda!
Great article…now if only more authors read it and follow the advice. As a reviewer and book-a-holic, I’ve stopped purchasing certain authors because they hijacked my email or flooded my FB with shameless promos.
I understand. Unfortunately, I’ve had to unfriend some authors who spammed my wall or tried to sell to my family. I so understand their logic. However, its unethical and that’s the challenge. Understanding proper etiquette and wanting to act appropriately using social network services. I believe the ones that want to know how to do this right will, and the others will do what they do, which will not help them in the long run.
Hi Dee, this is an informative piece. I wasn’t aware that you’re not supposed to tag someone whose not in the photo on FB. Thanks for the heads up.
Ok, as for marketing books. I like this topic b/c I’ve written an e-book on online marketing and at some point I hope to actually launch it. A few of the tools that I am considering including in my ebook marketing arsenal are:
Keyword rich sales letter page-with buy buttons
relevant site content
speaking
paid search engine marketing
online PR
linkedin
facebook fanpage
relevant forums
That isn’t really an all inclusive list but those are at the top of my list. Again, great post glad I learned about this site.
Hi, Benin.
Thanks for sharing. Yes, photo or videotagging should be reserved for those who are actually featured on the photo or the video. If you want to share that photo with someone then use the share feature.
Moreover, if you send an email message to a group of people, make sure you remind them to use the blue reply link next to the message instead of the “reply all” button. This act of kindness keeps others tagged on the message from receiving your message in their inbox. Many times facebook users don’t respond to group mailings if they believe that their email inbox will be jammed with your replies.
Dee, once again, thank you for stopping through and sharing with us! I’m looking forward to the next article.
uh oh. lol.
Thanks for clarifying that Dee. By the way I meant to add that another powerful online promotional medium for books is affiliate marketing. Take care!
Great read Dee!
Thank you SO much for sharing.
I am especially refreshed that you discussed the point about sharing on other people’s walls. I don’t mean to be rude, but if you post an add for your book or cd or whatever on my wall, I’m deleting it. Especially if I haven’t read it, don’t know the content, and MOST of all don’t know you! LOL.
My other pet peeve is when I ask people what they are reading on my status and they use that as a plug for their own book. Sometimes I read my own books, but it’s only as research to write the next book in the series that I am writing. It’s not REALLY what I’m reading. Sheesh!
Essentially a huge part of marketing is building relationships. I am going to share this because a lot of people really need to read it.
Thank you.
MMJ
Thanks, Marie. I’m glad you found it helpful.