1.The first thing that you need to do is build your own platform. You do this by getting email addresses.
Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Linked in and the rest are making billions of dollars. The core concept behind their massive ability to do this is because they invested time in getting email address. Amazon has taken this a step further and obtained credit card information. If you can acquire and email address and a credit card or some other means of payment from a client, you have the same potential to grow your business just as they did.
- Communicate with your list. You can do this by:
Creating a newsletter
Offering a give away
Offering a contest
Taking surveys
Providing news and updates
Inviting people to your Google Hangouts through your newsletter
The list becomes your personal advertising channel. If you communicate with your list and your list loves engaging with you, then every time you create a new product ask your list to support it. The more you expand the list. The more people you can sell too. Amazon, E Bay and other players have millions on their list.
- Build engagement with your list. You can do this by:
Inviting people to your Google Hangouts through your newsletter
Gift people on your list free ebooks
Ask list members what projects they are working on
Support their projects
Create a fan page for your main book character and get the list to chime in with their thoughts
Invite them to an online author party
- Create a responsive website.
A responsive website will contain information that will:
Capture an email
Have a call to action
Have a widget that can be duplicated
Have a QRC code that can lead to another place of sales
Have an interesting blog
Have social icons that people can like or share
Have places where you can be contacted throughout the site
Display your Twitter feed and Facebook widget on your website
- Always have information that you can repurpose.
Repurposing means taking old information and putting a new spin on it. You can:
Take old blog posts and create a book
Take your fiction books and rewrite them into a series
Take your non-fiction book and set up speaking engagements about your core topic
- Figure out your brand.
When you become an author you become a brand. What do you want to represent yourself as? Allow your branding to become consistent. Don’t become an expert at everything. Find one or two things that you want to become known for and develop that. Your brand will outlast you.
Charles Schultz will always be known for Charlie Brown and Peanuts
Dr. Susess will always be known for his whimsical books.
- Be unique.
One of the pitfalls of authors is that they try to follow other authors. You have your own unique abilities develop them. Do not compare yourself to anyone. It’s okay to have a mentor, but don’t try to fit the mold. Every body might be using social media. That might not be a good fit for you. Every body might be doing online tours. That might not be a good fit for you either. Find your own path.
- Don’t forget about your local community.
Write a press release to your local paper about your new book.
Do a reading in your local library.
Ask to be interviewed on your local radio station.
Get your church or local churches to support your efforts.
Do readings in elderly centers and send a press release to your local community showing how you are supporting seniors.
Keep in contact with those that have been gracious and repeat the process.
- Find opportunities.
Get involved with HARO (Help a Reporter Out). They will send you daily emails from reports looking for people to use in their stories. Innovate how you can use their calls for people to tie into your book.
- Learn your craft. These books can be found on Amazon.
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