Amazon Marketing Services Offers Cheap Ads for Self-Publishers

by Lois Wickstrom

 

For the self-published author, Amazon is the single easiest and least-expensive way to get your book in front of readers. Amazon lists self-published books from many sources, such as IngramSpark, Lulu, CreateSpace, and Kindle Direct Publishing.

 

But once our books are created, published and up on Amazon, the next question is: How can we get customers to find and buy our books? Most advertising for self-published books costs more than it brings in.

 

Amazon Marketing services now has an advertising program for Kindle books that links in the paper editions (printed) of those books as well.  You do need to make sure that the Amazon listing for your Kindle book also shows your paperback and/or hardcover versions.  If they don’t, just contact KDP Customer Service, giving them the links to all versions of your title, and they will combine the listings.

 

My Kindle books were lingering in the 2 millionth most popular on Amazon for Ladybugs for Loretta and 4 millionth most popular for Oliver, A Story About Adoption. This means they were selling one or two copies a month combining all forms of each title, and had been selling that slowly for about a year.
Then I decided to try the Amazon Marketing Services.

 

This is a program that lets you buy sponsored positions on Amazon’s search pages.  Ladybugs for Loretta is about a girl who finds ladybugs under rocks and behind tree bark.  I want people who are looking for books about ladybugs and books for girls to consider my book.

 

Amazon Marketing Services is designed to let authors choose their own search terms (you can buy a pre-selected list, but I don’t recommend that.) The AMS site also offers a default price of $0.25 per click, calculated when people click on the link to view your book. I changed that to $0.15.  Sometimes a click only costs me $0.06. (The actual price depends on what other sellers have bid for the selected search terms.) Also, AMS lets you put a daily cap on how much money you will spend.  I capped my costs at $2 per day.  I rarely spend more than $0.20 per day per title.

 

I selected the key words I wanted and I wrote the short description of each book that will appear beside a small version of the cover, when people search for my key words.  My books now appear on the top pages of an Amazon Search – maybe not the top 10 listings, but in the top 40 listings. That’s a reasonable number for a customer to look through.

 

Amazon will display my ad when people search for my key words. I only have to pay when somebody clicks on the ad.

When you set up an AMS account, you will be able to see how many times your book ad was displayed and how many times people clicked on each of your key words.
The bottom line here is that my books have gone from selling one or two a month, to selling about 13 a month.  This doesn’t sound like much, but it means that my Ladybug book is now in the 200,000s and Oliver is in the 600,000s. This is a huge jump in rank. I figure the increases can become cumulative.  The higher my books are in rank, the more often people will see them and the more often people see them, the more copies I will sell. And my marketing costs remain less than $10 per month.
The most important aspect of selling on Amazon is the number of reviews your book gets. But you can’t get reviews if you don’t have readers. Amazon Marketing Services is one easy, inexpensive tool you can use to start building readership for your book. It’s not the only tool you should use, but it can help generate some buzz. And once people start talking about your books, you’ve found the best advertising of all.

 

Lois Wickstrom’s books include:

 

Ladybugs for Loretta

Bees in Loretta’s Bonnet

Loretta’s Pet Caterpillar

Oliver, A Story About Adoption

Invisible Magic Wand

Hot Chocolate Underpants

Rooster Under the Table

The post Amazon Marketing Services Offers Cheap Ads for Self-Publishers appeared first on   WriteForKids - Writing Children's Books.

Visiting Book Fairs and Conference Exhibit Halls —Why, Where, and How?

By Guest Author

by Lionel Bender

 

As a regular visitor to many major conference exhibit halls, book fairs, and publisher exhibits over some 28 years, I firmly believe that these events provide unique and unequaled opportunities for children’s book authors and illustrators to learn about their industry, the marketplace, and to network with publishers, freelancers, and others on whom they depend for successful careers. However, I am aware that many authors, editors, and illustrators don’t realize they can attend these events; believe that, if they have an agent, they don’t need to attend; are dissuaded from going; or believe the investment of time and money is not worthwhile.

 

In the States, there are national and regional book fairs and exhibitions held throughout the year organized by the American Library Association (ALA), National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), National Council for Social Studies (NCSS), National Council for Teachers of English (NCTA), American Association of School Librarians (AASL), International Literacy Association (ILA), education boards, and others. There is also Book Expo. Internationally, there are major book fairs in Bologna, London, Frankfurt, and Beijing. Attending the major book fairs may be costly for travel and accommodation, but local or regional fairs are easily accessed and affordable—entrance fees for the exhibit halls are usually less than $50. [Some publishers and publishing people do attend book festivals, but few if any of the following opportunities arise at such events.]

 

At book fairs and in conference exhibit halls you can achieve all or some of the following:

 

1. see what publishers have produced and, in many cases, are about to publish;

 

2. discover the most likely publishers for your work;

 

3. identify the editors or art editors you need to approach and get their contact details;

 

4. determine publishers’ procedures for submissions or applications;

 

5. collect publishers’ catalogs and sample books or have them sent to you or your school;

 

6. identify non-traditional outlets for your work;

 

7. attend author signing sessions and get an insight into book marketing and social networking;

 

8. sense new trends and get ideas for new projects by reviewing what others are doing;

 

9. see some digital developments on display and test them out;

 

10. attend workshops, presentations, and panels given by industry leaders;

 

11. network with other authors, illustrators, and freelancers and share information and experiences.

 

Do bear in mind that you can’t just turn up and expect success. You need to prepare in advance; have a plan of action on the day; and follow up after each fair. Also, you need to respect and acknowledge the business of fairs, and be friendly, polite … but a little pushy and firm! If you decide to visit a book fair, do find out about the format and focus of the fair before you go, and do seek as much advice as you can about how to try and achieve the maximum benefits. I find each and every book fair rewarding and, in one way or another, well worth the time, effort, and expense.

 

For details of key conference exhibitions and book fairs see the following websites:

http://ift.tt/ldWAbr

http://ift.tt/2jPBWPe

http://ift.tt/JwzE4C

http://www.ala.org

http://www.nsta.org

http://ift.tt/2jPu1Bd

http://www.ncte.org

http://ift.tt/JwzE4C

 

Lionel Bender is an author, editor, and director of book packager Bender Richardson White (see: www.brw.co.uk), which produces children’s illustrated nonfiction. His company offers an in-depth guide on maximizing opportunities at book fairs and conference exhibit halls. For details to purchase this contact Lionel at lionel@brw.co.uk

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Visiting Book Fairs and Conference Exhibit Halls —Why, Where, and How?

How to Plan a Great School Visit

By Laura Backes

The Ultimate Guide to School Visits Webinar with Teresa Funke is coming on September 21st!  This will be an amazing workshop that will allow you to start booking school visits right away – even if you’ve yet to be published.

 

Spaces are limited, so head over to http://ift.tt/2c99h7O to reserve your spot (and get ensure access to the video replay and the handouts)

 

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School visits are one of  the best things about being a children’s writers.  Meeting young fans, being treated like a star (which you are, of course!) and yes, making some extra income are jsut some of the benefits of bringing your work into schools.

 

That’s why we’re happy to offer this special audio interview (and transcript) with an author who’s conducted many visits.  Laura spoke with children’s author Rachel Rodriguez about how to plan and execute a great school visit.  Enjoy!

 

 

Download the Podcast

 

Download the Transcript

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: How to Plan a Great School Visit

Self-Published Author Assembles Magical Team

By Guest Author

by Tracy Bryan

 

From the moment I began writing my new release, Put Away Your Phone! I had imagined bright and vivid pictures to give it a real traditional feel. How was I going to find an illustrator for my book that fit these needs?

 

I first began searching for an illustrator towards the end of the final draft of the manuscript. Up to this point, I’d been writing picture books mostly about mental health and other diverse and social issues that affect kids. Although I consider myself a creative, I have absolutely no training in visual art. Besides, I wanted my first fiction picture book to be more conventional, with a hand drawn and painted look in the illustrations.

 

I’m a member of the Society of Children Book Writers (SCBWI) and I have access to a gallery of illustrators who are also members. Naturally, I looked here first. There are dozens of talented and professional illustrators in this database and each one has their own unique and distinctive style. I knew what look I wanted for my book, so now it was just a matter of finding someone that suited my budget, my project intentions, and my creative process.

 

As for my budget, I needed to do some research first. The industry rates of services for a children’s illustrator are based mostly on the time it takes to complete the project, materials needed and the artist’s level of experience.

 

According to the creativepenn.com: “The current industry rates for children’s picture books (based on a 32pg book) estimates range from $3,000 – $12,000, plus royalties. To break it down another way, if you estimate that an illustrator is creating 20 original illustrations for your book and you are paying them $3,000 for art that is $150 per illustration.”
Before I made a final decision about my budget projections, I wanted to ask myself a series of important questions regarding the criteria of this project (my book) and my objectives for it.

 

WHAT is the project?

 

I was creating an illustrated children’s book. This was the number one question I asked in the beginning because it helped me focus on exactly what my intentions were. I didn’t necessarily want a graphic designer who only created digital advertisements to work on my project. They probably wouldn’t understand my market like a picture book artist would. Also, it’s essential to me to see previous work done by any artist so that I can get a feel for what their level of expertise and style is. I wanted to see evidence of what my pictures might look like.

 

WHO is the project for?

 

My book is for kids aged 4-8. Age group criteria can really matter when seeking a children’s illustrator. While most illustrators are happy to get the work, there are certain artist’s that specialize in creating pictures that appeal to a certain age group. I was looking for someone that could relate to kids of this age and possibly even know young kids that they could work from.

 

WHEN is the project needed?

 

A timeline is a definite must on both sides of the working agreement. In most situations, this is based on the artist’s skill level. I had a time frame in mind, but from being a creative myself, I wanted to respect that my illustrator would need to work at a speed that was in balance with their process. Although it’s critical to establish a set time for publication in a written contract, I also know that putting too much constraint on the end date can kill the creative flow.

 

WHERE will the illustrations be used?

 

I would be using the illustrated artwork in my book, but I also had to consider some of this art being used on my website, in guest blogs, in my book trailer, and on social media. With all the copyright laws now, it’s vital to know each party’s rights in the project. Again a written contract is absolutely necessary in order to protect all of those involved, establish clear boundaries for the project and to make it fair on both ends.

 

My husband is my agent so I had him assist in drawing up a document that worked for me. There are many resources available to authors and illustrators with regards to contemporary user rights (and other legal issues) and I highly suggest setting out these guidelines before any project is started. As a side note: Just to protect the artists and their work that I would use, I kept in mind to make sure to purchase rights to the work, ask permissions and/or insert a copyright image on any artwork (and stock audio) that I was using, if it wasn’t there already.

 

So…HOW MUCH?

 

Because I’m an Indie Author and I self-publish myself, I had to keep a budget in mind. Also, I knew that if I chose a “professional” artist, (someone that was already established, had a reputation and was getting paid according to the industry rate) I would have to consider their asking price first and then begin negotiations there. Pretty standard stuff. However, because I was a novice in this industry, I had a feeling that what I wanted to pay and what I actually would have to pay might be different figures.

 

If an illustrator asks for a price that fits your budget, sometimes negotiations aren’t even necessary. This is exactly what happened with me. I accepted the price because it seemed fair and I was the novice after all. My illustrator had been in this industry for longer than me and they had much more experience.

 

I had created a business and marketing plan for this project and cost of an illustrator was on it. I figured this final fee into my author/illustrator contract agreement, where I pay half up front for services and the other half upon completion of the project. This was going to be a flat fee and that meant there would be no “add on” service fees later when the project was finished. The fee included the purchase of all rights to the illustrated pictures and even if the book became really successful, there would be no future royalty payments either. This was really confusing details and legal information for me, so I had my husband/agent explain some of this to me and I did a lot of research too.

 

Finally…WHY do this project?

 

Above all, the most important question I needed to ask myself. Why was I doing this? I wrote Put Away Your Phone! two years ago and I still feel as much passion for it now as I did then, if not more! There is a message in my book that I believe the world needs to hear-especially kids. I knew I couldn’t do this alone, I still don’t. Some projects just need collaboration in order for them to be the absolute best they can be. My project would be bland without my illustrator… David Barrow.

 

I feel so grateful to have found David that day, when I was searching through the gallery on SCBWI. Several emails later, project complete and book launched, and I can genuinely say I’ve found someone that I hope to continue doing projects with for a long time. Working with David has been exciting, rewarding and enlightening. Looking back at all the questions I initially asked myself, he has met all those criteria and more! Together, we have created a complete book with our own unique styles combined. I think we are a small, magical team.

 

In an industry where some creatives massively produce according to the market demands, I like being a part of something that produces exclusively for those in which the work was intended…the kids!

 

Follow this link to return to Tracy’s website and continue on her virtual Book Tour!

 

 

Tracy Bryan is a self-published author for kids aged 4-12. She writes whimsical picture books about emotions, mental health, mindfulness and social issues.

 

Tracy’s latest release is called Put Away Your Phone! and is now available on Amazon. This quirky and important tale about modern technology stars a little girl and her dislike for grown-ups who are always on their phone.

 

View the book trailer for Put Away Your Phone! here. To learn more about Tracy, please visit tracybryan.com

 

 

 

David Barrow began by drawing pictures on the floor in front of the family TV. Mostly self-taught, he pored over the books and images of the world around him. Throughout his career, he has been known for his congenial attitude, innovation, creativity, and drive.

 

Eventually, the pull of visually telling stories drove him to strike out on his own, illustrating, animating and designing for local and national clients. Today, David has built a wide-ranging portfolio and a reputation for fairness and excellence. David also writes a personal blog.
To learn more about David and to view his blog and portfolio, please visit drawingdavidbarrow.weebly.com

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Self-Published Author Assembles Magical Team

Tips for Working with a Self-Publishing Company

By Guest Author

Editor’s Note: If you’re considering self-publishing your book, you can research and piece together the process entirely on your own, or you can hire a publishing company like Mascot Books that assists authors in the production, marketing and distribution of their work. In this post, Naren Aryal, CEO of Mascot Books, explains the format picture book authors should use when submitting their story to a self-publishing company.

 

These days, it’s not uncommon for an author (whether a newbie or seasoned pro) to choose to self-publish.

 

So you have a good idea for a children’s picture book. Now what? I’m often asked what form the manuscript should take. In the world of children’s books, manuscript style can vary as much as the subject matter of each book. Here’s some practical advice from someone that’s reviewed countless manuscripts over the years.

 

First, you should know that most picture books are thirty-two pages, and after you’ve allocating space for end pages, copyright page, and title page, you’re typically left with twenty-four pages … or twelve spreads of artwork. A “spread” is comprised of the left and right pages when you open a book. A spread is sometimes referred to as “scene” which is also an appropriate term, but here we’ll stick with the term “spread.” Sure, some books may have more or less than twelve spreads, but twelve is most common.

 

You’ll want to divide your story into twelve spreads, and for each spread include your text and your thoughts regarding accompanying illustrations (to the extent you have strong feelings about the illustrations). I find it helpful to know what an author has in mind for illustrations when reviewing a manuscript. The final illustrations rarely end up being exactly as described in the initial manuscript, but it is a good starting point for discussions among the author, publisher, and illustrator. The final script almost always changes from the time of the initial submission to the printed book … but that’s okay! There’s editing that occurs, and after the illustrations are done it’s normal for lines that seemed to work previously to end up requiring some tweaking when coupled with artwork.

 

It’s not necessary to use actual page breaks when formatting your manuscript, but spread headings (usually as simple as Spread One, Spread Two, etc.) are useful. If you prefer the spread to consist of two unrelated illustrations, you can indicate that by creating sub-headings on the spreads listed as “pages,” (for example, Spread One would consist of pages 1 and 2; Spread Two would consist of pages 3 and 4, etc).

 

Remember, these are general guidelines. Since substance always trumps form, don’t be shy about submitting your story. The publisher will help with formatting if needed.

 

Write away!

 

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Naren Aryal co-founded Mascot Books in 2003. Mascot Books is a full service book publishing company that works closely with independent authors in every phase of writing/editorial, book production, book marketing, and book distribution. Their roster includes bestselling authors who have previously traditionally published, first time authors, and authors at various levels in between.

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Tips for Working with a Self-Publishing Company

Sneaky Marketing for Self-Published Authors

By Laura Backes

If you’re a self-published author, the idea of being writer, editor, publisher, art director and promoter for your book can be intimidating. But when it comes to marketing, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. If you don’t have a marketing staff, take a look at what the big publishers are doing, and put your own spin on the process.

 

Here’s one terrific example:

 

In order to create a buzz for the paperback edition of Dreams of Gods and Monsters, the final installment of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone young adult fantasy trilogy, Little, Brown devised a way to give readers a window into the author’s writing process. The publisher is asking fans to tweet their favorite quote from the series, with the hashtag #UnlockLainiTaylor. Once 613 hashtags are reached (the same number as the page count of the book), the publisher will unlock a bonus chapter written by Taylor, which has never been released.

 

Using Genius (the company that started “Rap Genius“, which allows users to annotate rap lyrics), the unlocked chapter will have Taylor’s own annotations about her writing. By clicking on highlighted bits of text, fans gain insight as to how this early chapter inspired the series, and see comments on her process as she developed the story and characters.

 

Of course, this works best if you’ve got a fan base to start from. It’s a natural for series, but could work for a first book if you have an online following before the book comes out. For tips on the one best way to build a fan base, check out Jon Bard’s Easy Author Marketing video.

 

Another publicity trick (which works especially well for picture books and easy readers), is to show video of young fans enjoying your book. These videos can be embedded on your blog or website, Tweeted, or even posted on an Amazon review. (Note: Always get signed permission from the child’s parents before you post anything online, and remember that someone else has to post the review on Amazon. It can’t come from you.)

 

Take a look at this adorable two-year-old gleefully “reading” Not a Box by Antionette Portis in this Amazon review. I defy any grandparent to watch this and then resist immediately purchasing the book for their grandchild. It’s physically impossible!

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Sneaky Marketing for Self-Published Authors

Free eReport – Overcome Your Fear of Author Marketing!

By Jon Bard

A few weeks back we talked about author marketing. Many of you have made great strides since then, but I know that marketing is still an intimidating proposition for most writers.

 
 

So, I’ve got a freebie for you…

 
 

It’s my new free report:

 
 

 
 
 

It’s called The 10 Minute Turnaround: Overcome Your Fear of Marketing and Start Connecting with Readers Now!

 
 

It’s 100% free and I think you’ll really like it. Hopefully, it’s what gets you over the final hurdle and helps put you into action.

 
 

To download your free copy right now, go to http://ift.tt/1UJ2dvc

 
 

Enjoy!  (And tell anyone you know who might benefit from it.  This report is free for everyone.)

 
 
 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Free eReport – Overcome Your Fear of Author Marketing!

Sneak Preview: The Full First Unit of Easy Author Marketing!

By Jon Bard

Are you ready to change your mind about marketing once and for all?   Great — let’s do it!

 

Here’s the complete first unit of my new program Easy Author Marketing.   It’s just the tip of the iceberg, but it’s filled with ideas that will inspire and motivate you to take your writing career to the next level.

 

Click Play and let’s begin this exciting journey.

 

For more information about the Easy Author Marketing system, click here

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Sneak Preview: The Full First Unit of Easy Author Marketing!

Terrified by Marketing? Then Don’t. Do This Instead…

By Jon Bard

I get it.  You’re a writer, not a marketer.  You’re not excited by the notion of “hawking your wares” or “pushing your book”.  You think that, every time you ask someone for money, a little piece of your soul dissolves.

 

In today’s publishing environment, those who get the shakes at the thought of self-promotion have been given two choices when it comes to their fear of book marketing:

 

1. Get Over It

2. Become extinct.

 

May I offer a third choice?

 

 

Forget about book marketing, forget about promotion, forget about selling.

 

 

Instead, focus on advocating.

 

 

Here’s what I mean:

 

You’ve written (or you’re planning to write) a book, app or eBook that will bring something meaningful to the life of readers. Perhaps you have a message to share, important information to teach, an inspirational tale to tell or you just want to give your new friends a few giggles to brighten a day.
That’s a pretty important contribution, and it deserves to flourish.

 

So let me ask you this: How, exactly, will that reader ever be impacted by your work if no one tells her about it? How will her life be changed by your words if you keep everything to yourself?

 

It’s up to you to reach her. In fact, you’re doing her a great disservice by not reaching her!

 

How do you reach her? By marketing. No, scratch that — by advocating for your work.

 

By bringing people together with a goal not only to sell your book, but to improve their life experience. By going to where your prospective readers are hanging out (or, perhaps where their parents are hanging out) and becoming part of their world. (And then having them become part of your world.) By moving forward with a certainty that you have something important to share and you’re bound and determined to share it.

 

Let me be clear:  if you have created something that will enhance another person’s life, you owe it to them to tell them about it!

 

If you’re truly a writer, the opportunity to advocate for yourself and your work should thrill you.  Heck – it’s right in your wheelhouse.  You’re a communicator, and this is about communication.  You’re a wordsmith, and this is about putting words together on a  blog, on Facebook and on Twitter.  You love young people, and this is a further opportunity to connect with them and learn from them.

 

What’s so scary about that?  In fact, if you’re like most writers, you’ll find that advocating for your work is rewarding, fun and full of surprises.

 

So, there it is — if you’re not cut out to be a marketer, then don’t become one.  Instead, become an advocate.

 

And then go change the world!

 

 

Tomorrow, I’ll be back with an exclusive video sneak peek from my new course Easy Author Marketing.  I think it will really open your eyes — so stay tuned!

 

 

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: Terrified by Marketing? Then Don’t. Do This Instead…

The M Word Revisited – Marketing’s Most Important (and Overlooked) Element

By Jon Bard

Photo by Sam Howzit. Creative commons licence

 

 

Well, well, well.  Looks like my hypothesis was correct:  writers really are freaked out about marketing.

 

And that’s fine.  In fact, that’s great.  Because it tells me that you understand how important it is, and that you’re desperate for some clarity.  And that’s an excellent place to be!

 

 

Today, I want to introduce you to the most important aspect of successful marketing.  And it’s something almost no writers pay attention to.  (Perhaps that’s why most writers fail at marketing).

 

Here it is:

 

 

Your success in any marketing endeavor is directly related to the amount of value you give your customers.

 

 

Now, by “value”, I don’t mean money.  I mean things like:

 

* memorable experiences

* positive feelings

* connection

* usefulness

* reinforcement, and so on.

 

Think about the artists, musicians, authors and businesses you really enjoy.  Does the value they provide you begin and end with the price you pay for their goods and services?  Or is there something deeper, something bigger that your relationship with them provides you?

 

 

Here’s a classic example:  Jimmy Buffet hasn’t had a hit record in more than 30 years.   And yet, his concerts sell out large venues.  He’s built an empire of restaurants, music venues and merchandise (including his own tequila brand) under the Margaritaville umbrella and he’s an icon to millions of fans.

 

How’d he do it?   By giving massive value.  And by building a Tribe to keep the connection growing.

 

When his Tribe (Parrotheads) gather, folks who may have had a rough week in the office get to put on Hawaiian shirts and silly hats and feel like they’re on a beach in the Caribbean.  The feel connection with each other (for which they are eternally grateful to the man who set the Tribe up) and they feel connection to the artist.

 

Between shows, the value continues.  Videos, Tweets, blog posts, books, emails — all reinforcing the common bond that draws his fans together.

 

 

Now consider how most authors market their books:

 

They start by releasing their book and then just flail around trying to get some attention. If you ask them “What value are you giving prospective readers?”, they might say “The value is in how good my book is!”

 

Well, that’s nice.  But no one has read your book yet.  And so, you’ve given absolutely zero value.  No wonder you aren’t selling books!

 

 

Now, let’s look at a different scenario:

 

The same author develops a Tribe and showers them with value.  Fun tips, great quotes, freebies, a platform for Tribe members to share their feelings and experiences, a place for likeminded folks to meet each other, and so on.

 

Then the author releases her book.

 

And what happens?

 

Her Tribe repays the value she’s provided them many times over.  They are rooting for her.  They are excited for her.  They buy her book and go on a  quest so that others will buy the book (and join the Tribe).

 

 

I’m going to be blunt here, so forgive me if this rubs you the wrong way, but….

 

No one cares about you and your book.  At least they don’t right now.

 

You need to make them care.  And you cannot do that if you spend all day posting your book’s Amazon link all over Twitter and Facebook and expecting people to buy it.  And you can’t do that by setting up a blog and then posting one article a year to it.

 

The way to make them care is to give them value before you even talk about your book.  If you can get someone to say “Boy, I’m really glad this person is in my life”, you have officially achieved a status 99% of writers never reach.

 

 

Look, if all I did was spam you with “SUBSCRIBE TO CBI!” messages all day, you wouldn’t be reading this right now.  You’re here because I give you value.  You’re here because (I hope) I add something to your writing life and you appreciate that.  And when I do have a product I think you might like to know about, you receive the message with an open mind, knowing that you can trust me to always give you value — whether it’s something you pay for or not.

 

 

 

So right now, you need to ask yourself this very important question about your current marketing efforts:

 

Are you giving prospective readers any value, or are you just pushing

your book in their direction in hopes they’ll buy it?

 

If you’re doing the latter (and almost every writer is), you need to stay tuned for what’s coming next week.

 

 

I’ll be back on Monday with more thoughts about marketing.  In the meantime, use the comments section to share your takeaways.

 

 

PS: Those of you who write for young children may be asking “how do I grow a Tribe of 6 year olds?”  The answer:  you don’t.  You grow a Tribe of parents, teachers and librarians — the folks who are the purchasing decision makers when it comes to books for children and pre-teens.

 

 

PPS:  A fair amount of the feedback on yesterday’s post was from authors asking if this or that technique works, and what they should be doing.  I understand where you’re coming from, but I’m going to ask you to relax a bit.   Here’s why:  right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on a new course that will explain the simplest author marketing technique imaginable.  And since it’s the same Tribe-building technique that Laura and I have used to grow Children’s Book Insider into a  successful business (we just celebrated our 25th anniversary doing this!) I know it works. It’s not theory, just fact.

 

So stay tuned.  Clarity is coming, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg, I promise.

 

 

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: The M Word Revisited – Marketing’s Most Important (and Overlooked) Element

We Need to Talk About the M Word

By Jon Bard

Let’s talk about something most of you would rather not talk about.

 

It’s the “M word”……  Marketing.

 

(cue the sound of wailing, moaning and gnashing of teeth!)

 

Now, deep down you know that, to succeed as a writer in today’s environment, you have to market yourself and your work.  And you’re probably not too thrilled about that.

 

Look, I get it.  You want to write, not promote.  If you’re like a lot of writers, you view marketing as being pushy…inauthentic…kind of “icky”.

 

And when you add to it all the stuff that’s been thrown at you about social media and blogging and author platforms and all kinds of other things, I expect you end up looking something like this:

 

 

 

So, I’d like to help you out a bit, and see if I can change your mind about marketing.

 

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing some thoughts about marketing that will help you see things in a  new light.  One that will hopefully get you inspired to go out and spread the word about you and your work.

 

Before I launch into my first set of thoughts, a bit of background about me that you may not know:

 

Before partnering with Laura on Children’s Book Insider, I was the creative supervisor at a major NY public relations firm.  I then co-founded my own PR agency (we helped promote clients like Pictionary, Ertl and Little Golden Books).  For the past 25 years, I’ve been consulting with and mentoring entrepreneurs on marketing and promotion.

 

But I have one big secret weapon:  you guys.  Because I spend my life helping writers, I understand your unique issues with marketing, and why it can be so difficult for you.  In other words, I get you. And I think I can help bridge the gap between where you are and where you need to be.

 

 

OK then, let’s begin….

 

 

THOUGHT 1:  AUTHOR MARKETING IS NOT ABOUT PUSHING THINGS AT PEOPLE.  IT’S ABOUT DRAWING PEOPLE TO YOU.

 

This is a major hangup for lots of folks.  They say “I don’t want to be pushy” or “I don’t want to hawk my wares”.  Well, that’s good. Because that’s not what you should be doing.

 

The point of author marketing shouldn’t be to sell a particular book.  It should be to develop a fan base.  A community.  A Tribe.

 

You can only do that by giving folks the opportunity to get closer to you — not force yourself upon them.

 

And how do you draw people to you?  By giving them things they enjoy.  By giving them points of connection.   By demonstrating shared values.

 

To put it another way, it’s about honoring them as human beings and inviting them to be part of something bigger, and wonderful.

 

That’s connecting.  And yes, it is marketing.

 

 

 

THOUGHT 2: THE TIME TO START MARKETING YOURSELF IS BEFORE YOU’RE PUBLISHED.

 

This is one of the greatest secrets I can share.  Most writers think “I don’t have to worry about marketing — I don’t even have anything published yet!”.  What a huge mistake they’re making.

 

Here’s why:  When the day comes that you first book, app or eBook is released, what would you rather the situation be:

 

a.  You have no fanbase, no way to reach potential readers (or their parents, if you write for young children) and no one to help spread the word about your wonderful new release.

 

or

 

b. You announce the release to your devoted Tribe, who eagerly buy copies and then start spreading the word.

 

Pretty obvious, isn’t it?  Start building your Tribe now.  You’ll thank me later.  

 

 

 

THOUGHT 3:  MARKETING SHOULD BE SIMPLE, AND IT SHOULDN’T TAKE MUCH OF YOUR TIME AT ALL.   AND IT SHOULD COST VERY LITTLE.

 

There’s so much nonsense surrounding marketing.  Flashy new techniques, the “hot social network of the week”, massive websites with all the bells and whistles that need to be built….

 

Balderdash.

 

You don’t have time for all that, and you don’t need to worry about it.   If author marketing is really just about building a Tribe, than that’s what you should focus on.  And it’s not brain surgery.

 

I’ll have more to say about what works in upcoming posts.  But, for now, I just invite you to relax and trust me when I tell you that marketing isn’t that hard at all.  In fact, if you do it right, it’s fun, rewarding and very, very human.

 

Keep an eye out for more thoughts on this vital subject tomorrow.  And, oh yeah, thanks for being part of our Tribe!  

 

PS: Please don’t fret about the hows and whys of this kind of simple author marketing, I’ve got all of that covered.  I’ll have more that I can share with you next week about that…..

 

This is a post from writeforkids.org. Read the original post: We Need to Talk About the M Word