Guest Jillian Jacobs on Marketing @GreenMooseProd

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.

            https://www.goodreads.com/author/program

• 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

            https://www.kobo.com/us/en/category/advertising-promotion

• 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

newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/q2h3g1

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.

www.writersontheriver.weebly.com

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/WatersThresholdKobo

iBooks:  http://bit.ly/WatersThreshiBooks

Guest Author Jillian Jacobs Talks Elementals and WATER'S THRESHOLD

I'm pleased to introduce our guest today - Jillian Jacobs!

Here’s a little about Jillian: In the spring of 2013, Jillian Jacobs changed her career path and became a romance writer. After reading for years, she figured writing a romance would be quick and easy. Nope! With the guidance of the Indiana Romance Writers of America chapter, she’s learned there are many "rules" to writing a proper romance. Being re-schooled has been an interesting journey, and she hopes the best trails are yet to be traveled.

Water’s Threshold, the first in Jillian’s Elementals series, was a finalist in Chicago-North’s 2014 Fire and Ice contest in the Women’s Fiction category.

Jillian is a: Tea Guzzler, Polish Pottery Hoarder, and lover of all things Moose.

The genres she writes under are: Paranormal and Contemporary with suspenseful elements. 

Spotlight Book Title: Water’s Threshold

Series Name: The Elementals Series, Book: 1

Blurb: 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?

Short Excerpt:

A low beat of classic rock came from the backyard as Maya stood on Terran's front porch. Always one to forge her own trail, she fought the notion that this pull toward him was predestined. Hadn't she, so many years ago, left behind her birthplace to begin a new life? At eighteen, she had traveled across America by train to California. Forever frozen at age twenty-one, she fought the notion this relationship was chosen for her. Fate did not have her at Terran's doorstep-hope did.

At the door's threshold, indecision raced through her mind. Should she cross into his life and get release for this pent-up need, or should she walk away? If she left, could she keep him safe and ignore the pull attempting to anchor her in place? Could she stand still, neither in, nor out?

Veronica: What prompted you to start writing?

Jillian: Honestly, I needed an addition to my current career. I love, love, love to read, and as I mentioned in my bio, I thought writing would be easy. I quickly discovered being an author is very challenging. I’ve spent the past year and a half learning craft from some very wonderful fellow authors. My goal now is to create work that I enjoy reading. I hope others will enjoy, as well.

Veronica: Which five people would you invite to dinner and why?

Jillian: Elvis, because he’s Elvis.

My grandmother, because I’d like her to meet my son.

Freddy Mercury, because I love his music, and I’d like to hear the truth of his life.

Lastly, a panel of women throughout time, how did they ever make it? Specifically a few brave gals who survived on their own while their loved ones fought in the Civil War. Women who fought for our right to vote. Women who fought for our health care. A glimpse into their strength and persistence would be fascinating.

Veronica: That would make for an interesting and wide ranging discussion. Which word or phrase do you most overuse in a manuscript?

Jillian: Super easy—THEN.

Quickfire:

Must watch TV show: Justified- aka that show with Timothy Olyphant

Cats or Dogs: Cats

Favorite Flower: Yellow roses

Tea or Coffee: Tea

Book or books I reread most often: Until You by Judith McNaught and To Tame A Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning. I could go on and on.

Veronica: How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?

Jillian: I don’t really celebrate, because there is still so much to do. I imagine I will celebrate when I get my first royalty check. I’ll probably tell my immediate family, and then get my writing pals together for a mani/pedi.

Veronica: What are you working on next?

Jillian: I’m in final edits for Ember’s Center, the first in my Contemporary series, The O-line. The hero is a professional football player, and NO, he’s not the quarterback. I wrote this series because I feel like all the other players on the team deserve a story. We hear enough about quarterbacks, don’t we?

I’m also in the final chapters of the second in this Elementals series, which will be Flint and Violet’s story. Fire’s Field is the working title.

Where can your readers find you online?

Website: www.jillianjacobs.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GreenMooseProd

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorJillianJacobs

Buy Links for book:

Amazon   Barnes & Noble  All Romance eBooks   KOBO

Jilian: Thanks, for this opportunity to reveal a little more about my story and myself.