Author Jillian Jacobs shares her knowledge of marketing.
What is the one thing authors have a hard time with???
Marketing! I have been in the marketing business since I sold my first radio ad
in 1994.
Here are some tips I hope will help you with any advertising
issues.
As a media buyer, I look at viewing/listening in average
quarter hours. Consider how many messages you see every fifteen minutes? What’s
the last message that stayed with you and why?
How do you create an ad for your book that’s memorable?
That’s the zillion dollar question.
And no one knows the answer…which is why an effective and
efficient marketing plan matters!
- TOMA
– Remember Top of Mind Awareness!
- Tell
strangers about your books.
- Speak
at meetings/book clubs about writing or be genre specific. Announce you’ll
be there to relevant groups!! Bring books for sale after. Offer articles
to magazines like RWA or Writer’s Digest…maybe even Romantic Times mag.
- Always
have an elevator pitch ready- and I mean elevator- don’t drone on and on
- Always
have a biz card with you. Include all social media/website/email –
consider photo
- Gather
reviews to put on blog or website
- Set
up readings at local events or bookstores
- Get a
professional photo taken- Adds to your brand and can be added to all
pages.
- Do
YouTube videos or short films about your books. Link to FB and Twitter.
- If
someone offers you an opportunity to spread the news- TAKE IT!
- Do a
Blog Tour- Cover reveal/Release
Write a
blog post about your book. Add keywords
Offer
bloggers ARC’s
- Do a
Cover Reveal
- Build
a user-friendly website. Make sure you add an SEO option and use! Add a
“store” page to website. Do you have sale buttons on your site? Social
media buttons? When you type in your name what comes up?
- Is
your author bio up to date? Goodreads profile? AMZ profile? (add review
quotes) Website?
- Create
a newsletter – Giveaways, book launch, special offers, excerpts prior to
release –make personal by doing things for your bday or fav holiday, offer
ARC’s. Consider offering ads in your newsletter and “sell” to other
authors.
- FB
boosts
- FB
Ads Manager
- Twitter
ads (Link twitter to your website)
Write
Tweetable quotes and ask friends, bloggers, newletter readers to share
- Amazon
ads – available from your Author Dashboard.
Click
Promote and Advertise
- Goodreads
Promo
Add
Goodreads widget to your Website.
- Instagram,
Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat
- Allow
friends to put blurbs in the back of your books
- Take
friend’s swag to book signings.
- Use
Sale sites
- Do a
sale
- Free
- 99
cents
- Write
a great book. When released include a fun hash tag and include everywhere!
#mktgqueen
- Write
an interesting blurb – If you don’t hook the reader, then poof…sale
gone. Very hard but crucial.
- Create
eye catching ads – or hire someone to do them. If you don’t have a
professional looking ad, it really sticks out!
- Make
a video for your YouTube page.
- Write
“advice” blogs. Guest blog. Add keywords to blog. Allow guests on your
blog. Do you have a blog on your website?
- Make
a slide show and post it
- Create
a Google+ Page. Host a Google Hangout.
- Create
an author logo
- Be
your brand
- Are
you reading? If so, do you suggest these books to your friends? Engage!
Word of Mouth is a HUGE motivator.
- Always
say your sales are good
- Be
positive about your product. Offer fans sneak peeks.
- Offer
deleted excerpts. Do a fan of the month. Do a best illustration of scene
contest. Do a best book trailer contest. Best ad contest.
- Poll
readers likes and dislikes. Get to know them. What they like to read? Etc…
- Write
next book
- Attend
events. Smile. Put your phone down! Banner-Name most prominent so readers
can find you. Swag that is brand consistent. – Footballs Make sure events are listed on GR, AMZ,
website
- Donate
your books to local libraries. Write YA? High schools. Camps. Contemp?
Women’s shelters. Retirement communities
- Write
press release for local media about YOU and what you’re up to that’s
relevant to city or another relevant options.
- Think
outside the box on events- Farmer’s Market, Covered Bridge festival
- Attend
events even if you’re not signing.
- At
events, place book in buyers hands
- Join
RWA genre groups and volunteer – expand your sphere of influence
- Listen
to the Novel Marketing Podcast – novelmarketing.com
- Become
a HARO source – Become a source for journalists - Help a Reporter Out
- Create
a Meetup group. – www.meetup.com local opportunity to meet with people
with same interests OR meet up with readers when traveling or at a signing.
Do a special event just for them.
- Enter
writing contests if only to get your name in front of new people.
- What’s
your angle? Open up your target demo – very important. Keywords encompass
entire book, switch them up
- In
email signature line, include all your info and when you sign your name
always use full author name.
- Part
of PR is Volunteering- get your name out as a helpful person
- Themed
merchandise- add to website. Model and promote.
- Host
a Book release party – Ava
- Link
to a cause- Thistle Farms
- Don’t
be negative about author world or get caught up in drama
- Indie
Book Channel on YouTube- or other book channels. Young people are not on
FB. Where are they? SnapChat, Instagram
- Keep
a list of bloggers you meet and send them your info when you have exciting
news
- ARC’s
are advertising
- During
any sort of “event” be sure to respond to all and quickly
- Write
a press release and post on PRWeb – will send for fee
- Post
excerpts on Scribd.com –digital subscription service
- Hire
someone from Fivver to promote your book on free book sites. Site has
entire Digital Marketing section
- iBooks
- Kobo
- Ask
for Reviews.
- Do
your ads and covers match your brand?
Pick a font, use same cover artist. Same feel across all books.
- Ask
for Sale!! Always include links.
- Hire
A PR Firm.
- Have
your audible voice person come with you to events.
Believe in YOU!
If you don’t believe in your product no one
else will.
Website:
www.jillianjacobs.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GreenMooseProd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenMooseProd/
Amazon
Author Page: http://bit.ly/JillianJacobsAMZAuthorPage
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/JillianJacobs
Who is Jillian Jacobs?
I like hot tea,
mooses, and polish pottery.
I write Paranormal
and Contemporary romance. Both genres include suspenseful elements. I tend to
include a villain POV, because I love delving into the dark side.
I’m the co-founder of Healing
with Words—a not for profit agency established for
healing survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking, and prostitution. The
mission is to bring together readers, authors, and survivors in a positive
manner that affects change and relief from negative influences. Writers on The
River, an author event in Peoria, Illinois is hosted by Healing With Words.
What
happens when a lonely water-girl finally finds her shore?
In a tourist town at
the base of the Tetons, Maya Conway, a mythical being known as an Elemental,
stands at a crossroads. On her current path, she is content using her life force—water—to
protect humans and the environment. Her direction is altered when Mother Nature
taps her to guide Terran Forrester, an analytical scientist, on his journey to
become the next Elemental—Earth. If Maya crosses into his world, will her
lonely heart find a partner or will his rational mind reject her otherworldly
existence? When an ancient evil evolved from dark matter shadows their steps, which
path will they choose—logic or love?
Water’s Threshold FREE for
a limited time!
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1wOqeXg
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/WatersThresholdBN
iBooks: http://bit.ly/WatersThreshiBooks
7 comments:
Thanks so much for the feature today! Hope the info is helpful to your readers>
You have a perfect list and I'm exhausted just reading it. Great and thorough.
Excellent list. I've done many of the suggested items but still have a lot to do. Thanks for joining us.
Thanks for all the great marketing ideas, Jillian!
Wonderful marketing tips. Thanks for sharing!
I hope I live long enough to carry out half of your great suggestions! Thanks so much for the wonderful insights>
Francesca Quarto
Wow, what an extensive list! I struggle with promoting my book in person- it's easy to "toot my own horn" behind the computer screen. Thanks for all the suggestions!
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