Marketing Yourself 101: Get Personal

 

        We've heard a lot from authors talking about marketing being the downside of self-publishing, and while that is true in most cases, there are ways to make it fun. I stated in my last post that I believe most authors don't enjoy the marketing side of things because we are creators, not accountants. We don't care about revenue, we care about art. However, marketing is necessary if you want to be successful. 

    Think of your readers as a lake. This lake is constructed by the effort you put into your book and the fish population is determined by the number of readers you reach. If you only tell your friends and family about your book, you'll have fish in your pond, but the pool will be shallow and easily overused. You don't want to rely on 10 people to buy your books. You want to create an enriched reader pool that is constantly producing new fish. Marketing is how you do this. 

    There are many ways for self-published authors to market. You can enroll your books into Kindle Unlimited, Expanded Distribution, purchase ads in newspapers, and purchase ads on social media sites. However, the best marketing is done face-to-face.

    Readers love interacting with authors. So, the more personal you can get (without becoming too personal. Watch your boundaries) the stronger connection you'll form with readers, which will encourage them to spread the word about your books and ultimately increase your reader pool. 

    How can you get personal, though? Ads always come off as impersonal. You don't know anything about the people publishing them or purchasing them. They're nothing but an information dump. What I've found has helped me, is focusing on marking myself in fun ways, in public, where anyone can approach me. 

    Here are some ways you can do this.

   

1. Set up a public Facebook Page, Tik Tok account, Instagram account, Twitter account...become one with social media:

    It can be tempting to run these types of accounts from your personal account, and that's all fine and dandy, but I highly recommend creating a barrier. My reader group on Facebook is the only place I post from my personal account. The reason is twofold. Firstly, I write under a pen name and don't need stalkers coming after my personal profile and getting access to my friends and family. Secondly, there are some things in my life that no one outside of my friends and family needs to know. Specifically in regards to foster children, health issues, and such. 

    You need public pages and you need your personal pages, but be sure to monitor what you post on which. 

    Each one of your pages should have different content. Your personal pages are for personal matters and whatever you want to post. Your public pages are dedicated to your public image. 

    My Tik Tok account has book reviews, Sims 4 gameplay, Cosplay, information about my books, and general book content. 

    My Instagram has book reviews, information about my books, and little snippets of my personal life.

    I don't have a Twitter because I never checked it when I did have it. Which led to me becoming overwhelmed with notifications and messages. 

    My Facebook page has only content about my books and reviews of books from authors I know personally.

    My reader group has behind-the-scenes content from my life as a writer, access to this blog, all of my book reviews, guest authors, games, and just general fun book posts.

    You want to have different content on each site because you want people to follow you on each site and if someone follows you on Instagram and gets the same content you're posting on Tik Tok, they aren't going to follow your Tik Tok. 

    Have fun and be creative when you're coming up with your content. Think outside of the box and find a way to express yourself to your readers that you enjoy and that makes you stand out.

    

  2. Reader groups:

   Facebook groups are a handy tool. You can use them to create a group from your author page for your readers. Unlike your page, this group should be private. You want your page to be accessible to the public, but you want your group to be monitored so your readers don't get spammed.

    I set my group up so those wanting to join must either request to join or be invited.

     If they are invited to the group by one of the group's members, Facebook will automatically approve them. 

    If they request to join, I have some questions they have to answer that help me determine whether or not I should approve their request. I clearly state the group's rules in this application, and on the group, so no one in the group can say they didn't know they couldn't be a 'dick'. 

   3. Create your own website:

     Creating your own website sounds like a tedious task, but it's actually simple if you use the right base. There are plenty of platforms out there that let you create your own unique websites. You don't have to have any prior knowledge for this, usually, they make it pretty easy for you to design. You can hire a professional website designer if you want, but if you're on a budget you might want to just learn how to do it yourself.

    I use Wix.com, which broke down the parts of the website design process. Wix lets you pick a template, then walks you through how to change color themes, add text/photos/gadgets, and create menus. I use my website as my primary base. If anyone asks me for a link to my books, I give them my website link because links to all of my pages are on it. It's become my headquarters and, to be completely honest, I've had a ton of fun designing my webpage.

    4. Go live: 

    Going live can be a scary concept to some, especially if you have social anxiety (see me), but it's a great way to engage your readers. 

    I rarely go live on my Instagram and I haven't unlocked live capabilities on Tik Tok yet, but I try to go live every once in a while in my reader group. Especially if I'm getting ready to host a party or release a book.

    During live streaming, you can read chapters of your books, host giveaways, and do question and answer sessions. Going live shows your readers the person behind the pages and since it's live you'll seem more real than if you had the chance to edit the video. 

   5. Parties: 

    Oh my goodness, you don't want to skip this one. If you skip any of these pointers, don't let it be this one.

     Hosting book release parties is the best way I've found to reach new readers and support your fellow authors. You can create an event on your Facebook page to host an online party, or go advanced and plan an in-person event. I favor online parties because they allow me to bring in guest authors from all over the world.

     Also, something to note, while you can host a party yourself and do all the planning, paying for a party planner is worth it. I just finished a release party for my book The Strange and Unusual History of Eden Estate and I hired Angelina Kerner to plan the party since I have a full-time job and am always stressed out because of the details. Kerner made my life so much easier and the party was the best one I've ever had. She organized the guest authors, built graphics, scheduled the event, scheduled welcome posts, and did a bunch of general organizing. We hosted my party in my reader group and I pulled in several new readers, plus I got to know some authors through Kerner that I hadn't met before.

    Parties are a way for you to promote your book. You can do a solo party where you are the only author present, or you can do what I prefer and invite a ton of guest authors to take a half-hour time slot. I guarantee you that your readers would prefer the second option. It lets them get to know other authors and lets them hear from others a little about your book. 

    Giveaways are a must at parties. You can give away ebooks, signed books, swag packs, gift cards...literally anything. Giveaways draw readers in and encourage them to interact.

6. Blog: 

        Blogs are a marketing tool that sometimes gets overlooked simply because it's a form of writing. Let me tell you this, though, blogging displays you in a way that other sites don't.

    When you blog, you are using your voice. 

    Blogging isn't fiction writing. It's a conversation. It's one person talking to another. If you look at my past posts and you look at my books, you'll see that my voice is different in each. I write my blog like I'm sitting at a table having coffee with you. I want these posts to feel like we're friends meeting up to chat during a busy week. 

    We all need friends who understand what we're going through and that's the whole reason I started this blog. I wanted to be able to share what I've learned with all of you in a way that didn't feel textbook-like. 

7. Vendor Events:

    Last but not least are vendor events. Vendor events are probably my all-time favorite way to market myself.

    Most communities have their own little vendor events, such as spring flings, harvest festivals, farmers' markets, and craft shows. What you want to do is connect yourself to the Chamber of Commerce. 

    The Chamber of Commerce can tell you when your place's vendor events are and will be where your register to participate.

    Vendor events are great because they are done at festivals and during times when people are out and about in the streets. They let you personally meet with your readers and get to know each other human to human. I adore them. I'm counting down the days for a couple I'm planning on attending this summer and fall. 

    At vendor events, you'll want to have business cards and inventory. That's all you need. Set your prices reasonably (I lower mine so that it encourages patrons to buy directly from me instead of through Amazon) and smile. 

    Also, take a friend with you to the event, because you're going to want to get away from your booth and look around at what the other vendors have. You might even find a new author friend this way. Or someone to partner with for character prints and such. Vendor events are hit for creators of all media. They are a great place to build connections. Then, at the end of the day, reward yourself with a pizza.