Book Marketing

Book Marketing

  • 14
    Aug 18
  • 0

Book Marketing Tip: Not Everyone is Your Audience

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Kids. Who doesn’t love them? They can be some of the most loving, funny, forgiving, and brutally honest little human beings.  But they can also be quick to ignore a request if it’s not something they want to hear. Let me explain. My first husband and I raised two amazing daughters. When they were first born, I stayed home with them before creating The Book Professor and our book marketing division. Any parent can recall that feeling when your precious, darling little angel, first decided to ignore you. Argh! If it’s something they don’t want to hear and have determined in their little mind that your message is most certainly NOT for them, you’ll know it when they ignore you.

I laugh at those early days because my daughters are now grown and have children of their own. But it reminds me of some writers I’ve met who tried to write a book for the wrong people. Of course, as parents, our kids aren’t always going to like what we say or ask them to do (even if they need to hear it). But if you’re writing a book and it’s for the wrong audience then the response will be the same: they will ignore you. In the case of writing, that “ignore” translates into zero book sales. Not the book marketing goal most writers have in mind.

Research First, Then Write

All too many authors write their book without defining the target audience, and defining your audience is particularly important when writing nonfiction. And yet, if you narrow in on something too niche, you might discover that your audience is simply too small. For example, you might write a riveting book about how to maintain antique farm equipment, but will enough people be interested in that topic? It’s possible, but you want to be confident that you have solid book marketing plans before you start to write. You must think about your target audience when planning your book, as well as throughout the writing process.

Here are some questions to ask yourself regarding your target audience:

  • How old are they?
  • What is their gender?
  • What’s their education level?
  • What concerns/problems do they have?
  • Do they live in one specific geographic area?
  • What shared interests will they have?

Self-published authors, especially those who write memoirs or biographies, may think that their target audience are people like themselves, when in reality, your audience may be quite different from you. It’s important to identify what your audience actually wants and needs, not what you think they do.

Book Audience vs. Market

For example, if you are writing a book for children, children are your audience, but they’re not your market. Your market is the person with the pocketbook—the parents.

Be specific when defining your primary market. Picture the person who will buy your book. Is it a woman between the ages of 30 and 50 who is unhappy with the signs of aging? A target audience of all women between the ages of 30 and 50 is too broad, so it’s important to consider what subset of that group you want to attract. Ask yourself what will draw them in. How do you hope to influence and/or interest these women?

It’s also important to consider secondary markets. Secondary markets are those are the people/organizations/institutions who will also purchase your book, like educators who might be writing or teaching about your topic, or mental health practitioners if you’re writing about a topic like depression. Think hard about all the different groups that might benefit from your book. Try to come up with at least six markets for your boo—a primary market and five secondary markets. You’re going to use this information when you start reaching out to customers, so be thorough.

Define Your Goal

It’s important to know what you hope to accomplish with your book. You should know what message you are trying to send, and whom that message is supposed to reach. Book marketing is about knowing who will benefit from your book, and then focusing your marketing efforts on that audience.

When it comes to marketing your book, choosing your target market and audience is essential to your book’s success. Consider all the possibilities to ensure that a proper audience and market exist for your book, and then create your plan to grab their attention.

If you or someone you know is ready to write your book for the right audience, please contact us today. We can help you take the next step and market your book to the right people when it’s complete!

 

  • 23
    Apr 17
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How Print On Demand Works [Infographic]

This article originally appeared on BookBaby.com

In “Print On Demand: The biggest advance in publishing since Gutenberg,” we detailed the benefits of print on demand books for the independent author, and how digital printing hasn’t just leveled the playing field, but changed the nature of the game. It is now cost-effective to print books as needed, not relying on offset printers to churn out thousands of books to justify the fixed costs. We also pitch the value of BookBaby’s BookShop program, where independent authors are paid a 50 percent royalty for all printed book sales, the latest boon to our Print On Demand offering.

Now our designers have made this fun infographic that walks you through the seven steps of how Print On Demand works.

print on demandRead more on the BookBaby Blog about Print On Demand:

Print On Demand: Your Timeline To Maximize Book Sales
We have an unofficial mission statement around the BookBaby offices: “We make the little guy (or gal!) look big.” What does that mean? It’s really quite simple. We help our self-published authors from around the world create and publish a book that looks every bit as good as those produced by big-time authors from the large publishing houses.

Print On Demand: All You Need To Know About Book Pre-Sales
Every online book retailer has its own schedule and process for handling the ingestion of new books. Some are on a weekly schedule; others are on a monthly routine. Because this involves the shipment of a physical book, there is a lot of prep work involved for each store to set up an inventory number in its own store catalog database. As your book enters into the various systems, your listing will start appearing on retail websites around the globe. This is usually two to three weeks after you have finalized your files. Now starts your critical pre-sales period.

How To Use 100 Print Books To Promote Your Self-published Book [Infographic]
You’ve finished your novel, you’re ready to self publish, and you’re considering print books for promotion and giveaways. How many should you print? Make it an even 100 to start with!

BookShop and Your Print On Demand Success
BookBaby has expanded its POD program to better serve indie authors. In sum, our new program: pays authors more – 50% of their list price; pays authors fast – in just a few days; promises in-stock status 24/7/365

 

About BookBaby

Based in the Philadelphia-area, BookBaby is a team of authors, poets, bloggers, and artists — so they know the thrills and challenges of bringing a book into this world.

Since 2011, BookBaby has helped thousands realize their publishing goals by offering the largest eBook distribution network, including Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and many other popular retailers in over 170 countries around the globe.

Learn more at www.BookBaby.com.

  • 10
    Jan 17
  • 0

Your Online Reputation And Author Brand

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This article was originally guest posted to BookBaby by Caroline Black

Your online reputation can be your most powerful marketing tool and beacon for your author brand, as long as it’s properly monitored.

Once upon a time, authors could hide behind the pages of their books with no one knowing much about them aside from the name on the front cover. We now live in a very different age.

Many readers want to know as much about the person writing the story as they do about the content. For better or worse, the Internet has provided a platform for exploration that makes it easy for fans to delve into your background, and if you aren’t properly vetting what a Google search of your name brings up, it could lead to disaster for your career.

Representing your author brand

Representing your author brand covers more than just going on book tours and signings. A plethora of online platforms can be harnessed by authors as promotional tools. However, sloppy practices when producing websites, working on social media, or messaging your mailing list could cause more harm than good.

If a prospective new reader, or even a long-term fan, doesn’t like the way you present yourself online, it’s highly likely she won’t pick up another copy of your work ever again. The author brand you chose to promote is up to you, but there are questions every author should ask when considering his or her online reputation.

1. Are you marketable?

Even though the product you’re looking to sell is yourself – or at least your talents as a writer – it’s still important to consider the marketability factor of the personality you’re promoting. To begin with, it’s essential to have a comprehensive grasp of yourself as a writer; consider what themes, ideas or message you’re trying to portray with your work and what emotional response you’re trying to elicit.

After this has been established, it’s time to check whether your online reputation reflects these ideals. Consider colors, graphics and font type when setting up webpages, and be stringent about the wording and emotional weight of the things you post.

2. Are you authentic?

There’s no rule stating your online reputation has to be a positive one; plenty of public figures have found notoriety through controversy and scandal. However, if you are endeavoring to be a provocative online figure, it is important to ensure that your author brand has been properly planned and considered.

It might seem fun to play the femme fatale or outspoken critic on the Internet, but if that sort of personality is far detached from who you are, then it’s only going to be a matter of time before your readership sees through this. “Fake” is a buzzword that pops up regularly on the Internet, usually inspiring a cutthroat response.

While your online presence as an author may be more carefully fabricated than your personal social media profiles, you’re still trying to present an authentic front. Audiences want to know who you are, not who you are pretending to be.

3. Are you engaging?

It’s not enough to post a single tweet or only update your website around the time of your book release or other significant event. The key to growing a fan base is to provide regular, engaging online content. This is why so many writers have set up personal blogs.

Writing relevant posts about topics related to your work or your goal as an author means your name and face are potentially popping up in the feeds of your fans and new readers. Staying active in this way also does a lot to increase your Google ranking. Both of these things are essential to a good online reputation and continued success in your career.

Look into Google Adwords or other SEO strategies in order to better structure your blog posts to attract more traffic.

4. Are you trustworthy?

For anyone who religiously uses the Internet, there’s a constant balance of trust and risk. You’re sharing your personal information with people you don’t actually know, so, by default, a presumed level of faith between you and those you are interacting with has to be established. However, this is fickle and can easily be broken.

There are many harmless hacks that are common for regular users of social media and blogging platforms. Most often, they manifest as spam links sent without your knowledge to your followers. Although they pose no real threat, many Internet users will avoid an infected domain once they’ve seen a problem.

There are lots of simple strategies to overcome this – password management, use of secure networks, etc. – but by far the best solution is the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). As one of the leading security programs on the market, a VPN encrypts all of your data and makes it very difficult for hackers or malware to gain access to your accounts. Secure Thoughts provides reviews of some of the best options on the market for those who want more information.

Your online reputation can be your most powerful marketing tool and beacon for your author brand, as long as it’s properly monitored. Ensuring you always have the questions outlined above in mind when setting up online accounts means you are positioned to get the biggest promotional benefit.

If you’ve had any insights related to an online reputation you’d like to share, be sure to leave a comment below. We’d love to hear your ideas!

 

About BookBaby

Based in the Philadelphia-area, BookBaby is a team of authors, poets, bloggers, and artists — so they know the thrills and challenges of bringing a book into this world.

Since 2011, BookBaby has helped thousands realize their publishing goals by offering the largest eBook distribution network, including Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and many other popular retailers in over 170 countries around the globe.

Learn more at www.BookBaby.com.

  • 14
    Oct 16
  • 0

Identifying your Audience: Don’t spin your wheels with those who aren’t interested in what you have to say

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When you start to write your book, it’s essential to know your audience and your market. Identifying your audience will help shape your book throughout the writing process and ensure better sales when it comes time to market and promote your nonfiction book. If you think your book is for everyone, you are setting yourself up for failure. No matter how great your message, it simply cannot appeal to every person! Just like in life, if you try to please everyone, you’ll end up stretching yourself too thin and the result will be a bland final product. When you identify your specific audience, you can reach the people who will be most interested in your story.

Who do you want to reach?

identifying your audienceYour book has a purpose. You wouldn’t be writing it if you didn’t want to reach someone, so exactly who is that? Many people make the mistake of thinking that their audience is just like them, but that’s not always the case. Your ideal audience may be very different from you, so take the time to think about who will be most impacted by your book. Are your readers women between 20 and 40? Can you narrow that down to women who have also been to college? It may seem counter-intuitive to narrow in on a specific group, but when you target a specific audience, you can increase your following within that niche group and reach more people than if your audience is too broad.

Pick a genre

Part of identifying your audience is selecting the correct genre. A genre is a general term that refers to a particular classification or type of book. We already know that your book will fall into the nonfiction genre, but where else does your book fit?

Remember, bookstores categorize books by genre, so the genre you choose is critically important. What section of the bookstore will your ideal reader go to in order to find the kind of help you offer? Make sure your book ends up on the right shelf — the one that best suits your ideal reader.

Identifying your audience and market, is there a difference?

Audiences and markets often overlap, but not always! Your audience is the people who will read and benefit from your book. Your market is the people who will actually purchase the book. Take a minute to picture your book buyers. Are they in your target market? For example, if your target reader is a child, your market is probably the parents, the people who have the money to spend on the book.

Identify secondary markets

Many books will have a primary and secondary market. Secondary markets are people/organizations/institutions who will also benefit from your book. Secondary markets may include mental health practitioners if you are writing about depression or a particularly difficult time in your life, or educators if you are writing about children. If you are writing about money management, high school and university counselors could be a secondary market because they might recommend the book to their students. If you are writing about blogging for business, parents of hopeful bloggers could easily become a secondary market. Think about every possibility! You should have several secondary markets, so be sure to analyze which people, organizations, or groups could benefit from your book.

Start with an audience, finish with a successful book

Keep your target audience in mind every step of the way. Write for your audience, identify your markets, and reach out to them with your solution!

  • 11
    Oct 16
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brand yourself

How establishing a clear purpose as a speaker is essential in getting booked

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When you head to the movie theater, chances are you’ve already read about the plot or watched a trailer or two. If you purchase a book, you may have heard about the basic premise from someone else or you read the back cover. The point is, before you commited your time and money to either of these, you had a good idea of what you were getting into. No one wants to invest valuable time or money into something before they know what to expect. The same is true when it comes to booking public speakers.

Brand yourself to show people what you are all about

If you want to prove yourself as a desirable speaker and land more speaking engagements, you need to establish a clear purpose. When you try to appeal to every audience, you don’t stand out as an expert in anything. If you brand yourself as an authority in a specific field, you are more likely to get booked to speak at relevant events.

So how can you decide on your personal brand and purpose?brand yourself

It’s important to take a closer look at who you are, what you do, and what messages you hope to convey through your public speaking. If you are a personal finance expert, maybe your purpose is to help the average person better understand their finances and manage them. If you are a domestic abuse survivor, maybe your purpose is to tell your story of survival and help others recognize dangerous situations and see that they are strong enough to get out.

Be unique

Your personal brand and purpose might be similar to others within the same field, so what makes you so special? When you brand yourself, make sure that your purpose sets you apart from the rest. Make your message one that people will be dying to hear. If you want to get booked, you need to be like a great movie trailer — catch people’s interest and leave them wanting more.

Show the world you are available

You could be an excellent public speaker with a wealth of knowledge, but how will anyone ever find you if they don’t know you are available? If you want to brand yourself as an expert and public speaker, you will need to put information about your skills online so that the people who are interested in booking you can find you.

A bio is essential, as people will want to know your background, including relevant personal, professional, and academic achievements. There should be a clear statement, separate from your bio, stating the topics that you address for your public speaking engagements. That clarity alone will give a valuable preview of your unique message.

Visuals are always useful to catch people’s eyes, so whenever possible, include videos and photos of yourself in action. You want to demonstrate that you are confident and captivating in front of an audience.

Find your purpose and be the best you

As I always say, you are the only one who can tell your story. Explore yourself and your story to decide what your purpose is as a speaker, and then commit to the brand you have put forward. Clarity and confidence are sure to lead to more speaking engagements on your calendar.

Of course, one of the best ways to establish yourself as an expert in your field is to write a book, and it would be my privilege to show you how.

 

  • 05
    Aug 16
  • 0
market my book

Can Conferences Help Me Market My Book?

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In order to be a successful author, you need to take writing seriously. Even if you are already a talented writer, you should always be looking to improve upon your craft. Plus, there is a lot more to being a published author than simply writing good books. Attending conferences can help you learn more about the process of marketing your book, while also helping you enrich your writing. So if you are still asking yourself, “how can I market my book?” it’s time to sign up for a conference or two!market my book

Publishing is an industry

If you want to be a published author, you have to be both a writer and a businessman/woman. Finishing your novel is a huge step, but it’s one step amongst many that you’ll have to take in order to become a successful author. Conferences can guide you through what to expect from the publishing process. You can learn valuable information such as average costs, timelines, and common mistakes to avoid. Industry professionals and successful authors can discuss the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and help you get on the right path.

 

Can conferences really help me market my book?

Conferences allow you to surround yourself with like-minded people. The entire environment is designed to help you thrive. Conferences allow you to connect with other authors and, more importantly, connect with industry professionals. Experienced industry professionals have set aside time to work with aspiring authors and offer their expert advice. If you had a chance to have lunch with a successful published author and a popular publisher, wouldn’t you take it? Think of conferences as that lunch, just on a much larger scale. These authors and publishers actually want to talk to you and hear more than just your elevator pitch. Take advantage of the time that they have dedicated; ask questions, present ideas, and take advice from people who have been exactly where you are now.

 When you attend a conference,
you connect with people who can connect you
with people who can help you!

Talk to people at conferences that can help lay out your path to becoming a successful published author. Make sure you talk to as many people as you can. You will be surrounded by a wealth of knowledge, you never know when one connection could lead you to an incredibly valuable new connection in the future.

Learn more about marketing your book

Attending a conference can assist you in finding your target audience and get you brainstorming on how to attract that audience. You can sit in on a variety of talks by experienced presenters who will cover different marketing strategies. Find out if book reviews, public speaking engagements, agents, or a combination of any of those things are the right way to go when it comes to marketing your book.

Don’t miss out

Remember: no one in their right mind would pass up a chance to chat about their book with a publisher over coffee, so why would you miss out on a chance to be attend a conference full of industry professionals? Conferences are a unique environment, full of knowledge, experience, and people eager to discuss your ideas. Take advantage of these opportunities and learn how to market your book more effectively.

  • 19
    Jul 16
  • 0
book promotion promoting your book

Budget enough time and patience for your book promotion

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This article courtesy of BookBaby.

book promotion promoting your bookWhat are the most important elements of book promotion? Here’s my five-part answer!

It’s THE question. The one I’m always asked, whether I’m speaking at author conferences or doing webinars. It’s top of mind for all those would-be authors who are itching to give self publishing a try. Though phrased a little differently each time, it goes something like this:

What’s most important when it comes to book promotion?

My response is always the same – a five-part answer. The first four parts are, quite frankly, pretty predictable. The last one might come as a bit of a surprise.

Here are all of the must-haves:

  • You wrote your best book. Hopefully it’s a great book. But it’s your best effort and you can’t ask for anything more.
  • Your manuscript was edited by a professional. Not by your sister, the part-time English teacher. Your book deserves to be edited by a pro who has devoted her lifetime to the unique craft of book editing.
  • Your book cover is eye-catching and appropriate for you genre. It requires the talents of a graphic artist who specializes in book design. The fastest way to condemn a book to the bottom of the heap is to give it an amateur-looking cover.
  • Your book is being widely distributed. That means creating an eBook, print books and print-on-demand distribution. Maximum eyeballs, and that’s not just Amazon!

Like I said – it’s pretty much the standard stuff you read everywhere. And finally there’s this:

  • You’ve factored time into the equation. Publishing requires patience. Many of the mistakes a novice author makes revolve around time. Either they rush into the marketplace, or they give up too quickly.

Publishing experts like to say, “Publishing is a marathon and not a sprint.” I buy into that, but I like this better: “Good books don’t have an expiration date.” Authors need to realize that overnight sensations are rare. Patience and persistence are essential to a great book marketing plan for self-published authors.

Here are the five ways that you can put time on your side:

1. Publish when YOU are ready.
Of course that means taking the proper time to finish your best manuscript. But it also means you need to allow time for editing (3-6 weeks) and creating a great cover design (2-4 weeks). But there should be a limit to your patience when it comes to picking your publishing path.

First-time authors who want to be traditionally published  should expect 18 to 24 months to pass before their book is on the market. And that’s if they’re successful in finding both an agent and publisher – no sure thing. But if you choose to self publish, it takes only a fraction of that time, in some cases as few as six weeks. An easy choice, don’t you think?

2. Make pre-sales your priority.
A lot of authors miss out on the single most important marketing time period for their eBooks and print on demand books: Pre-sales periods on Amazon and Barnes &Noble. Pre-sales are when books are listed for sale in advance of the official release date. Customers can read sample teasers and place orders (and their credit cards aren’t charged until the release date!)

Pre-sales time frames have tons of benefits, but not all of them are apparent to first-time authors.

  • Collecting these pre-release sales can provide you a better chance of making the best seller lists on many retailers, including iBooks, B&N, and Kobo. (It does not influence Amazon charts).
  • Having a future release date means you can orchestrate the availability of your book, and use this launch date as a centerpiece of some marketing efforts.
  • Behind the scenes, pre-sales activity has a huge effect on your positioning on retailers such as Amazon. Their algorithms measure activity on your selling pages – the more page views, traffic, and sales during that period mean your eBook could come up higher in searches and other referral methods. With print on demand, Amazon will take a more aggressive inventory position based on strong customer activity.

3. Let me be the first to say it: Book Launch, Book Smaunch. It’s not all that.
This goes against a lot of popular book marketing thinking today. What’s the real value of a book launch? It really depends on who you are. If you are an established author with a built-in audience, a book launch can be a powerful selling starting point. But what about the typical self-published author searching for those alpha readers?

I understand that your book launches might be a nice personal milestone or accomplishment to commemorate that first book. Am I advising against having a book launch? Certainly not. But I advise you to put this opportunity to good use:

  • Use the opportunity to interact with your readers – even if only a few – as well as other authors. Get close to them – they can be a tremendous resource.
  • Measure each and every one of your marketing efforts surrounding the event. Try to learn what works and what doesn’t.
  • Don’t get stressed out if your launch doesn’t sell hundreds of books. I’ll tell you right now – it most likely won’t, but that doesn’t mean your book will fail. Don’t let this deter you from future efforts.

4. Take your time when marketing.
Lord knows there are no shortage of book marketing opportunities — getting reviews, going on “blog tours,” sending press releases, posting on all the social media platforms. And don’t forget spending time on Goodreads.

For most authors it can be completely overwhelming to do it all. So don’t. That’s my advice. Focus on one channel at a time. This month you can work on your Twitter campaign, follow the right people, add new followers. Then next month you can devote to Goodreads, and so on. If you buy into the concept of book publishing being a marathon, these short-term marketing targets are like the shorter legs of that long race.

5. When is it time to give up? Never!
A great, and very recent example of how persistence can pay off is the amazing story of The Rabbit Who Wants To Fall Asleep. Most folks have heard the story of the self-published book that suddenly shot up the New York Times Best Seller list in late August. Written by Swedish psychologist Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin, the book attracted the attention of all the major traditional publishers, resulting in a reported seven-figure contract for future titles.

And now for the rest of the story. Ehrlin originally published the book in 2013 (with BookBaby) as an eBook. He posted very modest sales from the launch all the way through 2014. This lack of early success didn’t slow his enthusiasm for the book, and he had it converted into five languages and gave away over 45,000 eBooks! Ehrlin called in to the BookBaby customer service team quite often for advice and encouragement. He completely believed in his project and never stopped promoting it.

Later, Ehrlin created a printed book version and added Print On Demand distribution, with modest sales through 2015. Suddenly last summer, his sales started to climb. All of those free eBooks had created tremendous word-of-mouth marketing. A few stories appeared in European newspapers, and the story soon spread across the globe of his unique parenting techniques.

The moral to this story: After three plus years of hard work and effort, this “overnight sensation” was really anything but. Ehrlin used his marketing time wisely and he’s now reaping the rewards.

In the words of French dramatist Jean Racine: “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” The key to your best book promotional effort could be revealed tomorrow, next week, or maybe next month. Be patient and give your book every chance it deserves to succeed.

Image via ShutterStock.com.

 

About BookBaby

Based in the Philadelphia-area, BookBaby is a team of authors, poets, bloggers, and artists — so they know the thrills and challenges of bringing a book into this world.

Since 2011, BookBaby has helped thousands realize their publishing goals by offering the largest eBook distribution network, including Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and many other popular retailers in over 170 countries around the globe.

Learn more at www.BookBaby.com.

  • 06
    Jun 16
  • 0
How to Market a Book Online

How to Market a Book Online

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Your book probably will not reach too many people if you don’t learn how to market a book online. Take a look at these ideas and helpful tips to get your book in front of more people!

How to Market a Book Online

Meet Amy Porterfield

Amy produces a weekly Podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy, which is full of great information and easy-to-implement advice that can help you successfully market your book on Facebook. If you think Facebook ads are a waste of time and money, I guarantee, Amy can change your mind!

Before you completely write her off because you don’t think you have time for Podcasts, hear me out. I used to avoid Podcasts because I didn’t believe I had the time to sit down and dedicate my attention to a full Podcast. Then I realized how much “dead time” I have throughout the day when I am in the car, getting ready in the morning, cooking, cleaning, etc. These are all perfect times for putting on a Podcast and getting some great information. I now listen to so many Podcasts in my car that I call in my “Auto University.”

Not only is Amy herself a wealth of information, she also uses her Podcast to introduce you to other online marketers and their Podcasts. All of these marketing gurus can teach you so much, all while you multitask in the car, in the kitchen, or anywhere you can tune into an episode.

Here are a few of my favorite online marketing Podcasts:

Let David Siteman Garland show you how to create online courses

If you feel like you have valuable information to share, but aren’t sure how to get it out into the world, David can help you. He offers a step-by-step proven system for creating, promoting, and then profiting from your own online course. His free video series: How to turn your ONLINE PLATFORM (blog, web show, Podcast, etc. (into REVENUE by creating your own ONLINE COURSE, can be found right here. Follow his advice and you’ll be turning a profit in no time.

Learn about mobile marketing from Greg Hickman

Anyone who has a smart phone of his or her own knows that mobile marketing is essential. Greg can help you incorporate mobile marketing strategies for your retail business and show you how to be successful with that marketing. He’s all about making use of his extensive network of marketing expert friends to help you dominate mobile. Greg’s web show gives you access to free, uncensored interviews with some of the world’s top experts and most successful mobile marketers. Listen in and take advantage of their experience, insight, and expert advice about how to help retailers and marketers completely dominate mobile marketing.

Figure out how to outsource your online marketing with help from Chris Ducker

If you consider your book a business, the New Business Podcast is for you. This weekly show introduces you to top minds within the “new business” realm. You’ll hear discussions about everything from branding, strategy, business growth, and much more. Chris is known as “The VA Guy” (VA, as in Virtual Assistant) so when it comes to the world of outsourcing, he really knows his stuff.

Create a successful Podcast with John Lee Dumas

Ready to strike out on your own and create your very own Podcast? John Lee Dumas, the founder and host of EntrpreneurOnFire, can help. This award-winning Podcast covers the inspiring journeys of successful entrepreneurs, every day of the week. This Podcast generates over $250,000 a month in revenue, which in itself is a pretty solid argument for you taking the free 15-day course on Podcasting.

Get to know social media marketing with Michael Stelzner

If you are looking for a Social Media marketing guriu Michael is your guy. His on –demand talk radio show, Social Media Marketing Podcast is designed to help business owners and marketers figure out what works and what doesn’t when it comes to social media marketing.

 

Marketing a book online is an essential part of book promotion, so make sure you are armed with the best tips and information!

  • 15
    Mar 16
  • 0

How to Define an Audience for Your Book

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When it comes to book marketing, knowing your audience is essential. You need to figure out who your book is for—and there may be multiple audiences—but please know that your book is not for everyone. Not everyone will benefit from or even enjoy your book, so don’t try to appeal to the masses. Hone in on your intended audience and get your book on their radar.

So how do you define that audience of book readers?

how to define an audience for your book book writing classes online book coach

Do your research before writing your book.

All too many authors write their book without defining the target audience, and defining your audience is particularly important when writing nonfiction. And yet, if you narrow in on something too niche, you might discover that your audience is simply too small. For example, you might write a riveting book about how to maintain antique farm equipment, but will enough people be interested in that topic?  It’s possible, but you want to be confident that you have solid book marketing plans before you start to write. You must think about your target audience when planning your book, as well as throughout the writing process.

Here are some questions to ask yourself regarding your target audience:

  • How old are they?
  • What is their gender?
  • What’s their education level?
  • What concerns/problems do they have?
  • Do they live in one specific geographic area?
  • What shared interests will they have?

Self-published authors, especially those who write memoirs or biographies, may think that their target audience are people like themselves, when in reality, your audience may be quite different from you. It’s important to identify what your audience actually wants and needs, not what you think they do.

Book Audience vs. Market

For example, if you are writing a book for children, children are your audience, but they’re not your market. Your market is the person with the pocketbook – the parents.

Be specific when defining your primary market. Picture the person who will buy your book. Is it a woman between the ages of 30 and 50 who is unhappy with the signs of aging? A target audience of all women between the ages of 30 and 50 is too broad, so it’s important to consider what subset of that group you want to attract. Ask yourself what will draw them in. How do you hope to influence and/or interest these women?

It’s also important to consider secondary markets. Secondary markets are those are the people/organizations/institutions who will also purchase your book, like educators who might be writing or teaching about your topic, or mental health practitioners if you are writing about a mental health topic like depression. Think hard about all the different groups that might benefit from your book. Try to come up with at least six markets for your book – a primary market and five secondary markets. You’re going to use this information when you start reaching out to customers, so be thorough. 

What is the goal of your book?

It’s important to know what you hope to accomplish with your book. You should know what message you are trying to send, and whom that message is supposed to reach. Book marketing is about knowing who will benefit from your book, and then focusing your marketing efforts on that audience.

When it comes to marketing your book, choosing your target market and audience is essential to your book’s success. Consider all the possibilities to ensure that a proper audience and market exist for your book, and then create your plan to grab their attention.

Get the help you need to get your book published.

If you need help to write your book, consider one of my nonfiction book coaching programs:

author-coaching-book-coach-online-writing-class-get-my-book-outAbout Nonfiction Book Writing & Publishing Expert Nancy Erickson

Nancy Erickson is better known as “The Book Professor,” a writing and publishing consultant who specializes in helping aspiring nonfiction authors bring their book ideas to market. Nancy works as a book coach assisting authors that write self-help books, biographies, business books, and other nonfiction books through online courses and book coaching. Contact Nancy with questions or to have her speak at your upcoming event by clicking here.

 

  • 09
    Feb 16
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DOWNLOADABLE-GUIDE-BOOK-MARKETING-DIGITAL-SOCIAL-MEDIA-AUTHORS

Free Guide: Social and Digital Media Marketing For Authors

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DOWNLOADABLE-GUIDE-BOOK-MARKETING-DIGITAL-SOCIAL-MEDIA-AUTHORSThe hardest part about writing your book is making the decision to do it. The second hardest part for many is the self promotion required to sell that book. 

Marketing yourself can feel uncomfortable and inauthentic. You worry about how your work will be received, and how your promotion will be as well. However, marketing is something you’ll need to master – and something you absolutely can. 

For published and self-published authors alike, it’s imperative to start marketing well before your book is available – to build a recognizable brand and to build that suspense for your book. The marketing process starts around the same time you decide to endeavor to write your book.

Billy Coffey, Author of Snow Day, said “Whether fair or not, getting your story into the hands of the public now depends in large part upon your reach, and your reach depends in large part upon your savvy with blogs and social media. This can be a scary thing.” Indeed it can be terrifying for some, but I’m hoping to help make the process of marketing your book a bit easier for all of you.

This month, I’ve created a guide for all of my aspiring authors to help clarify where they’ll want to put their focus – to help them make sense of digital and social marketing.

  • 08
    Feb 16
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nonfiction book writing coach book writing and publishing consultant DESIGNING-YOUR-EXCEPTIONAL-STORY

Design your exceptional story for your nonfiction book

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nonfiction book writing coach book writing and publishing consultant DESIGNING-YOUR-EXCEPTIONAL-STORYIt is my honor and my calling as a non-fiction book coach to help a great many people including business and community leaders transform their experience into a story that moves people to action. I am a believer that the wisdom and power to create real change is trapped in the minds and experience of leaders, community builders, and everyday people all over the world. 

As a book writing and publishing consultant, my role is to connect people like these, who have solutions for the world’s problems, with the people who need those answers. I do this by coaching them to write a nonfiction book that makes an impact – a book that will give them a broader platform to share those ideas.

I had the great honor of speaking at an Arête – HPA event in January. Arête is a truly exceptional group of leaders who have exceptional stories to tell.  In this presentation, I talk about how to go about designing your exceptional story.  

Enjoy!

What about your story? You’re the only one who can do it.

If you would like support, consider one of my nonfiction book coaching programs:

author-coaching-book-coach-online-writing-class-get-my-book-outAbout Nonfiction Book Writing & Publishing Expert Nancy Erickson

Nancy Erickson is better known as “The Book Professor,” a writing and publishing consultant who specializes in helping aspiring nonfiction authors bring their book ideas to market. Nancy works as a book coach assisting authors that write self-help books, biographies, business books, and other nonfiction books through online courses and book coaching. Contact Nancy with questions or to have her speak at your upcoming event by clicking here.

Find out more about Arête HPA

Arête provides the most essential life, leadership and relationship tools for your personal growth and the development of your business.  We believe that the best way to build long-term relationships is to actually develop and establish real authentic connections.  Our Exceptional tools help you do that, click below to start Designing Your Exceptional Life, Company, Story, Idea, Network and Career.

  • 08
    Feb 16
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a simple formula for telling your story non-fiction book consultant how to write a book learn how to write a book

A Simple Formula For Telling Your Story

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a simple formula for telling your story non-fiction book consultant how to write a book learn how to write a bookSo, what’s your story? Has anybody ever asked you that?  It kind of sounds like a pick-up line, doesn’t it?

Maybe nobody has asked you that exact question, but they have asked that question in other forms. They say things like:

  • What do you do?
  • What line of work are you in?
  • Where are you from?
  • Do you have any children?
  • What does your company do?
  • Where did you go to school?
  • What do you sell?
  • How do you differentiate your product / service / self?

How you tell your story is just as important as the story itself.

How To Craft Your Exceptional Story

You can apply what I’m about to teach you to any story you tell, whether it’s about you, your company, your product, or your family.

The first step is to build its foundation, and you can do that by answering these two questions:

What’s the purpose? AND Who’s the audience?

  1. What’s the purpose?

You probably have a general idea of what you want to tell, but I challenge you distill it down to a single Purpose Statement before you start. Your Purpose Statement should say, “The purpose of my story is to ___________________. 

Complete that sentence. Bear in mind that it’s one sentence, not a paragraph.

Let me give you an example using my own purpose statement: The purpose of my story is to give people the courage to tell their truth and the tools they need to write a high-impact nonfiction book that will save lives, change lives, or transform society.

  1. Who’s the Audience?

If you don’t know your audience, it’s like playing spin-the-bottle in the dark. Don’t you want to know who you’re going kiss before you pucker up? Likewise, you need to envision your audience. Who do you interact with? What’s their age, demographic, marital status? Are they male or female, conservative or liberal? How do they identify themselves? Complete this sentence: The audience for my story is __________________.

Example: The audience for my story is everyday people.

  1. Pull it all together.

Now pull these components together to craft a single statement.

Example: The purpose of my story is to give everyday people the courage to tell their truth and the tools they need to write a high-impact nonfiction book that will save lives, change lives, or transform society.

Now that you have your Purpose Statement, you’ll want to write your story from your audience’s perspective, not yours. What do they want to know? What information are they seeking? What new message or perspective can you deliver? Compelling content always meets the need, and your job is to deliver what your audience is seeking.

Three Elements Of Your Story

Now I’d like to teach you the three elements of telling your story – and, no, it’s not beginning, middle, and end!

Stories are powerful, but only if they have a point. Your challenge is to think about your audience and convey what would be meaningful to them. Resist the temptation to tell them everything – you’ll bore them to death! Pare your story down to your purpose, and leave the rest behind.

Here’s a simple formula that you can use to tell your story:

Part 1. What it used to be like

Before you were where you are now, your life/work/health was a certain way. What was it like?

  • Was it pleasant and peaceful? 
  • Was it stressful and harrowing?
  • Were you broke and despondent?
  • Was there something missing in?
  • Something frustrating?
  • Was it seemingly perfect?

Example: I was trapped in a high-paying high-tech job that I hated but couldn’t leave because I was too afraid.

Part 2. What happened?What it used to be like

This brings us to the pivotal point in YOUR story. The pivotal point is the “what happened” of your story.

Change usually takes place due to one of two things. Perhaps you had an aha! moment and were internally motivated to try something new or move in a new direction. You realized something and made some changes. Those changes were internally motivated.

However, for a lot of us, change is forced upon us by external factors such as an illness, death, divorce, a marriage, new baby, or a lost job. What happened in your life that caused you to seek a new direction and put you on a different path?

This is the turning point in your story. It’s the event/circumstance/situation that bridges the before and after. What happened that changed everything? What was your pivotal moment?

Example: My dad was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and I shut everything down and traveled back and forth to Florida to be with my parents. After he died, I had the opportunity to start over, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I always loved to write, so I went back to school to get my Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing. After I graduated I joined the faculty to teach writing, then started a small press to publish nonfiction books. I realized that most of the powerful stories were not being told, they were trapped inside of people, so I took what I knew as a university professor and a publisher and created a step-by-step methodology to turn people who aren’t writers into authors.    

Part 3. What it’s like now

This is the “After” portion. What is your life like now? How are you different now?  What are you doing to add value to your world?

Example: Now the people I work with have become the voices of hope and help. They are reaching out and changing people’s lives, simply by telling their stories.

When you write your story using this formula—what it used to be like, what happened, and what it’s like now, then seal it with your Purpose – then you have crafted your exceptional story.

Let’s take a look at all the elements pulled together.

I was trapped in a high-paying high-tech job that I hated but couldn’t leave because I was too afraid. But then my dad was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumo,r and I shut everything down and traveled back and forth to Florida to be with my parents.

After he died, I had the opportunity to start over, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I always loved to write, so I went back to school to get my Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing. After I graduated I joined the faculty to teach writing, then started a small press to publish nonfiction books. I realized that most of the powerful stories were not being told because they were trapped inside of people, so I took what I knew as a university professor and a publisher and created a step-by-step methodology to turn people who aren’t writers into authors.    

Now the people I work with have become the voices of hope and help. They are reaching out and changing people’s lives, simply by telling their stories. The reason I do this is to give everyday people the courage to tell their truth and the tools they need to write a high-impact nonfiction book that will save lives, change lives, or transform society.

That’s MY story and I’m sticking to it!

What about your story? You’re the only one who can do it.

If you would like support, consider one of my nonfiction book coaching programs:

 

author-coaching-book-coach-online-writing-class-get-my-book-outAbout Nancy Erickson

Nancy Erickson is better known as “The Book Professor,” a writing and publishing consultant who specializes in helping aspiring nonfiction authors bring their book ideas to market. Nancy works as a book coach assisting authors that write self-help books, biographies, business books, and other nonfiction books through online courses and book coaching. Contact Nancy with questions or to have her speak at your upcoming event by clicking here.

 

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