Have You Thought of Starting a Book Club?

Starting a book club for a book you've written can be a great way to engage with your readers and build a community around your work. Here are 15 recommendations to get you started:

1. Identify Your Target Audience:

Determine who would be most interested in joining your book club. Understanding your target audience will help you tailor your approach and activities to their preferences and interests.

2. Select a Platform:

Choose a platform for hosting your book club meetings. Popular options include in-person meetings at libraries or cafes, virtual meetings via video conferencing tools like Zoom, or online communities on social media or platforms like Goodreads.

3. Create a Schedule:

Decide how often you want to meet. Monthly meetings are common, but you can choose a schedule that suits your availability and the preferences of your potential members.

4. Set Up a Registration Process:

If you're using an online platform, set up a registration process to collect information from interested participants. This will help you keep track of members and communicate with them effectively.

5. Promote Your Book Club:

Spread the word about your book club through social media, your author website, newsletters, and other marketing channels. Use eye-catching graphics (don’t forget your graphics at this link) and compelling descriptions to entice readers to join.

6. Prepare Discussion Questions:

Create a list of discussion questions related to your book. These questions should encourage thoughtful conversation and analysis of your work. You can include questions about how the content relates to the readers, any connections to current events or real-world situations, themes, and your writing process.

7. Engage with Members:

Be an active and engaging moderator. Encourage members to share their thoughts and opinions about your book and ask open-ended questions to stimulate discussion. Respond to comments and participate in the conversations.

8. Incorporate Multimedia:

Enhance your book club experience by incorporating multimedia elements. Share behind-the-scenes insights, deleted content that didn’t make it into the book, author interviews, or related articles and videos that provide additional context to your book.

9. Giveaways and Prizes:

Consider offering book-related giveaways or prizes to encourage participation and engagement. This could include signed copies of your book, exclusive merchandise, or other incentives to keep members excited about the club.

10. Be Open to Feedback:

Welcome feedback from your book club members. Use their input to improve the club's structure, content, and overall experience. This will help you build a stronger and more engaged community.

11. Plan Special Events:

Occasionally, host special events such as Q&A sessions with the author (you), guest author appearances, or themed discussions related to your book. These events can add variety and excitement to the club.

12. Stay Consistent:

Consistency is key to maintaining an active book club. Stick to your schedule, and don't lose momentum. Regular meetings and interactions will keep members engaged.

13. Respect Different Opinions:

Remember that not everyone will have the same opinions about your book. Encourage diverse perspectives and respectful discussions, even if they include criticism or negative feedback.

14. Celebrate Milestones:

Celebrate milestones such as book club anniversaries, the completion of your book, or reaching a certain number of members. It's a great way to show appreciation to your book club community.

15. Stay Connected Beyond the Book:

Keep your book club engaged even when you're not discussing your book. Share updates about your writing process, other books you recommend, or personal anecdotes to maintain a sense of community.

Starting a book club around your book can be an excellent way to connect with your readers, gain valuable feedback, and foster a sense of community among your fans. Be passionate about your book and the discussions it can inspire, and your book club is likely to thrive.

BEFORE YOU (RE)LAUNCH YOUR BOOK, READ THIS

What is the pivotal moment when all of your countless hours of writing, creativity, and hard work come together?

Yes, my friend—your book launch.

It’s here.  And it’s time for you to not only introduce your book to the world and celebrate your accomplishments but to step into new connections.  Expand your network.  Find your place in this rapidly growing, literary community.  This is the time to get excited about what comes next.  It’s time to start planning for when your dreams become your reality.

I watch authors pour themselves into their work for months and even years to get to this point—just like you’ve done.  Planning a book launch event takes time and preparation, but for a lot of authors, this is the fun part.  This is for my party people!  You’re down to socialize, celebrate, and soak in those feel-good vibes from a finished masterpiece.  (Droppin' it like it's hot is purely optional.)

Full disclosure—I'm not the partying type. BUT ... I’m here to give you all the tips I’ve learned along the way from expert book launch peeps and what it takes to plan a successful book launch event.  From detailed planning, venues, and advertising—all the way down to choosing the perfect outfit.  I have you covered.

And don't feel like your book needs to have just hit the shelves in order for you to have a launch. You can have one whenever you're ready, or if you already had a book launch and weren't satisfied with the results, then you can have a do-over.   

Before we get started, bookmark this article.  You’ll want to reference it to make sure you’ve got all your tiny ducks in a row.  Create an outline for your event using these steps.  Be specific, get those creative juices flowing, and have fun!  Let’s start planning.

Iron Out All of the Fine Details for Your Book Launch Event

First things first—what are you wanting to achieve from this launch?  

Sales, Bridgett… what else would I want?

I feel you.  But believe it or not, some authors aren’t specifically looking for sales. At least not right now.  Some authors want to plan a launch before their book hits the shelves to create buzz, build hype, and fill their readers with anticipation.  This gets peeps talking about your book and sharing with their network of peers.  

Are you wanting to build your author platform?  Are you looking to connect with fellow authors or publishers?  Or is your focus primarily on sales?  Have a very clear vision.  Structure everything else around your desired outcome.

Other details to consider:

• Entertainment: This differs from the genre, the theme of your book, and even your target audience.  It’s a popular tradition for authors to read excerpts from their books.  Other options you might want to consider are Q&A sessions, live music, themed activities, photo booths, or interactive workshops.  If your book is about finance and budgeting—set up papers, pencils, and calculators at different stations and walk your audience through samples of your principles.  If you have the secret to becoming a successful business owner, create an activity that guides folks along a small journey of interactive tasks.  

• Have a guest speaker: Do you have a well-known name in your industry to back up your work?  Have them as a guest speaker.  Do you have someone who’s found success with your strategies?  Ask them to come and share their experience with your audience.   

• Date and time: Pick a date and time at least three to four months in advance.  This gives you plenty of time to plan the specifics.  And it gives your readers a considerable amount of time to make arrangements to be there.

• Food: Well… because you can never go wrong with good food.  You don’t have to wine and dine with a 5-star meal.  A variety of tasty finger foods will do the trick.

Choose a Venue to Host Your Book Launch Event

If you’re hosting your book launch event in a familiar city or town, you most likely know of suitable venues or locations you could use.  (And quite honestly, that's what you will want to do—host a launch in a place where you are a familiar face, where you are known, or where you have a following or a team that can drum up excitement [and attendees] for your launch.) If you want to stick to a traditional venue, check out local libraries or bookstores that will work with you.  

But what if you dig into your creativity and take it a step further?  For example, if your book is about cooking and your target audience is chefs or restaurant owners—think about a nice restaurant you could use.  If you’ve written a children’s book, brainstorm locations such as a kid's museum or an aquarium.  

I have a space in my hometown that was built as a co-working space.  They used one of the old historical buildings downtown and turned it into an extraordinary space for people who work 100% remotely to use as office space.  Some people have monthly memberships and can go anytime they want or some pay by the day when they’re up for a change of scenery.  It’s a beautiful space.  Utilizing a space like this for a business-themed launch would be perfect.

Find a place that’s welcoming to your ideal reader.  And be sure to secure your date and time with the venue at leastthree months in advance.  

Create Buzz Around Your Book Launch

Advertise and tell the world.  Shout it from the rooftops.  Send notes by carrier pigeon.  Do whatever you can to create buzz around your event.  

Look into creating a book launch poster.  Get 20-30 copies made and post them around local libraries, bookstores, and businesses within your target audience (with approval, of course).  

Notify local media outlets and provide them with the details of your event.  Some outlets require ample time in advance to add events to their local calendars or announcements.  Be sure to provide plenty of notice.  Procrastinating on your book launch doesn’t do you any favors. 

Assemble a book launch team. These are people in your tribe who are going to beat the pavement—physical and virtual pavements—to get the word out for you.

You didn’t put all of your blood, sweat, and tears into building an author platform for nothing, did you?  Use that.  Reach out to your entire entourage and watch word of mouth do its thang.  Use social media to your advantage.  Post on your different platforms and include a CTA to share and tag people who may be interested.  

Have you been building your email list?  Send out a broadcast message and let the invites land directly in their inbox.  

Who is your target audience?  Send personalized book launch invitations to businesses, restaurants, stores, and organizations that align with the theme of your book.  There are so many options for spreading the word.  Be creative.  I can’t say it enough.

Do a Giveaway... Or Three

One of the easiest ways to create hype around any event is to give people a reason to come.  They may not initially realize the amount of resources they’ll get by coming, but if a free giveaway sparks their attention—they’ll show up and leave with more than they expected.

Once again, think about your ideal reader.  When you’re brainstorming book launch ideas—what are some unique giveaways you can do that will ease a specific pain point?  Or help alleviate a common struggle?  Of course, throw in some small, fun items, too.  The purpose of having giveaways isn’t to simply give away free stuff.  Think of it as an appreciation to your attendees.  Or a unique way to build your fan base and email list by having them fill out this information when they sign up.  

The more you work to encourage audience engagement, the more excitement you’ll generate amongst your readers.

Don’t Be Fashionably Late—Just Fashionable

What do you even wear to a book launch event?  ‘Tis a question I’m asked more often than you might think.  

I have a simple answer for this—don’t overthink it.  Chances are your brain is borderline mush from finally getting your book done and now also from planning a killer party.  If your book is about fashion and all the latest trends, then you already know—you's better show up in something that’ll give the crowd something to talk about.  But if fashion isn’t your forte, don’t make it complicated.

Most likely your event is going to fall somewhere between formal and informal.  Grab something that’s classy yet casual.  This can include a flattering dress or elegant pantsuit for women or a button-down shirt and nice jeans for men—whatever it's your usual style but turned up a notch or two.  (My go-to is a black pencil dress or skirt suit with a snazzy pair of shoes.) You want to make sure you’re presenting yourself in a professional manner.  Show up clean and polished—but stay true to your style.  You already have an audience that loves you for you.

Don’t Forget the Goods… And Have a Blast!

This wraps back to the first point we talked about with planning.  If you’re shooting for sales—don’t forget your books.  And bring a plethora of them!

But ... shoot more for connections and conversations. That's far more important.

In 2019, I spoke at a conference in Washington. I packed my bag with ALL the things and included copies of the first book I had ever published to sell at the conference bookstore.  Within minutes of speaking to a room of more than 600 people—my book sold out.  They were stocked one minute and gone the next.  That wasn't my plan. I had NO idea if the book would sell or not. Only because my best friend, Simone E. Morris insisted I pack a few extra copies with me did I actually do so. I was more focused on giving a great presentation and connecting with the audience. Do that—connect with your audience through conversations at your launch. When you focus on that instead of focusing on sales, sales will take care of themselves. So ... be sure to pack the gift of gab and pack enough of the goods!

And even if you’re leaning more toward expanding your author platform, networking, or building hype about a future release date, consider taking some to include in a giveaway.  Or use it as a lead magnet for pre-orders and to build your email list.

As you plan for your big day, jot down questions you have and send me a message. 

And the most important thing to remember is to enjoy yourself and soak up the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another.  You’ve worked hard to be where you are.  Savor this moment.  Celebrate your success.  And have a blast introducing your perspective to the rest of the world.

7 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY FROM NON FICTION BESIDES ROYALTIES

Many people dream of writing non fiction and living off the royalties. And while some people actually can write and sell enough to make that dream come true, it doesn’t come to fruition for many others. That isn’t to say you can’t make money, lots of money, from non fiction. Writing non fiction can be the basis for generating a lot of money besides royalties. If you’ve been under the assumption that royalties are the only way to make income from a non fiction book, you are in for a pleasant surprise. There are many ways to use your book to generate income. And as an author, it’s wise to maximize the revenue for each book you produce. Many people with a client-based business can use a book to bring more clients to their business. But it can also work for people who are experts in a field without having a business outside of writing. Whichever your situation, you need to understand at least some of the ways a book can help you make money without depending on royalties. The following are seven ways you can make an income besides royalties.

Speaking Engagements. Speaking at events is an excellent way to earn fees and attract new customers. If you want to speak on your niche (at conferences, events, and workshops), and it’s a popular and high-demand topic, you can make good fees. In addition, it’s a good idea to have your book available for sale at the venue. You can add book sales to the fees. Speaking will also help you establish yourself as an authority in your niche. Writing a book and speaking on your niche topic is a great way to show your expertise and build authority. This can potentially drive a lot of sales and earn very good fees. If you’re comfortable speaking before an audience, this could be a perfect fit for you.

Develop one or many courses from your book. Courses are super-hot. And a book can be used to develop a single large course or multiple small courses from the content. There are several options for developing and delivering courses. You could use one of the popular platforms to host your course. Or you could develop it and deliver it through email, videos, webinars, or other platforms. You might need to create workbooks, PDFs, or other material. There are a lot of options and ways to make money with training.

Corporate sponsorships. Have you ever considered doing business with large corporations in addition to sales to individuals? You need to find one or more companies that align well with your topic. Maybe you can make bulk book sales to their employees and/or their customers. There might be speaking opportunities with companies, as well, or possibly training or webinar opportunities. They might use your book to give out at events or to charities. Always remember big companies have big budgets. Build relationships with these companies before approaching them for sponsorships.

Content licensing. This is a sibling to corporate sponsorships. Content licensing is when you license some of your content to companies for them to repurpose and republish. Again, you will need companies closely aligned with your niche to make this work. They might use your content in blogs, webinars, newsletters, emails, white papers, etc. If you work it into your deal, you could also receive credit for the material you license to the company.

Affiliate marketing. Do you recommend products, services, or training from third-parties in your book or website? If so, you can use affiliate links to collect a commission on each sale coming from your links. This is a great way to make money. Only use affiliate links for things you can personally recommend. Some high-dollar items could include training or software. But there are many items of all cost ranges available for affiliate sales. Once it’s set up, this is a nice passive income stream.

Consulting. You could offer consulting services if you’re an expert in your book topic. Clients could be individuals or businesses. Consulting usually involves giving guidance/advice on a goal or problem. It’s possible to make good money from consulting.

Start a paid membership site. If you’re an expert on your topic, you can use your book to drive new potential members to a monthly, paid subscription site. Some membership sites have a free level to introduce people to your site and paid levels offering higher levels of information or help/training to members. This can be an excellent method for generating a lot of money.

This is just a handful of ways a non fiction author can use their book to grow their income. For a creative author, there are many more ways to derive money from a book besides royalties. The more books you write, the more money you can make. Books can help you be seen as an expert. And you can use that status to open doors to grow your business and income. Some take more work than others, but the financial payoff makes the work and time worth the effort. As authors, you don’t have to depend on royalties to make a great income and living from your non fiction books.

Credit: J. Coy

EMAIL DELIVERABILITY: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW PT. 3

Another area that will cause problems lies in poor list hygiene.

What is list hygiene?

It’s the practice of cleaning out subscribers who cause more harm than good to your list health. You should clean your list at least once a year.

What things signal a need for list cleaning?

If you notice negative changes (when you are sending valuable emails) like increased unsubscribes, decreased open rates, a drop in click-through rates, and increased spam complaints, you probably need to clean your list.

So what affects list health?

List building. If you have purchased your list, this is a hard stop. You need to build a list of people who want to be subscribed. People on a purchased list are not going to interact with your emails. Additionally, these lists often have spam trap email addresses in them for the express intent of trapping list purchasers. A spam trap is an email address owned by an ISP. You do not want to send emails to a spam trap. The result is a negative impact on your sender reputation. This is a big deal, and you want to avoid hitting these traps. Do not purchase lists. Ever.

Double opt-in. The very first thing you need to protect a healthy list begins with requiring a double opt-in for subscribers. Double opt-in is a process when someone clicks a link to join your list. They should receive an email informing them that they need to confirm that they wished to join your list. This is a check to make sure someone doesn’t subscribe someone else to your list. It also gives a way out for someone who may have accidentally clicked the subscribe link and then went ahead and put their email address in. Yes, it’s possible for someone to mistakenly do that.

But even with double opt-in, you will still have people who subscribe just because they want your free lead magnet. Sometimes these people will use an email address they set up just for this purpose. Otherwise, it is a dead email address. They will never engage with your following emails. Remove them. You will find them through your email statistics.

Hard bounces. A hard bounce happens when there is a permanent reason the email cannot be delivered. A common cause for a hard bounce is when the email address doesn’t exist. If your email service provider doesn’t automatically remove addresses that hard bounce, you need to remove them from your list as soon as you see them in your statistics.

Inactive subscribers. You should remove subscribers who have not opened your emails or clicked on anything in months. You may choose to send an email informing those particular subscribers that you are cleaning the list and letting them opt to stay in. It should be made clear they will be removed for inactivity if they don’t respond by clicking a link you provide for them to remain on your list.

Segment your list. Segmenting is done by using tags to put subscribers into groups. Most of the time, you shouldn’t email your entire list at the same time. For example, if you have a list made of avid gardeners, your subscribers will have different interests. Some may have house plants while others have outdoor gardens. And some will have house plants and outdoor gardens. These subscribers can be segmented based on what kinds of plants they are interested in, house plants, outdoor gardens, or both. You would not send an email advertising climbing rose bushes to someone who only has an interest in house plants. There is a high chance those people would not open your emails. And that is bad for your metrics. Segmenting is intelligent list management and everyone should use tags to do this simple grouping.

While many things can harm your email deliverability, some things can help.

Provide valuable content. Always send emails that give value, even if it is something as small as giving subscribers a good chuckle or making them feel good. Yes, that is value.

Add to contacts list. A good practice is to ask new subscribers to add you to their contact list or to hit reply and provide some small piece of information. Those are good for sender reputation. Those things indicate the person wants to hear from you. You can ask them any question. Such as just to let you know they received your welcome email. You can tell them why replying will help make sure they receive your emails.

Encourage interaction. Ask your subscribers to reply to questions. Ask them to forward emails to people who would be interested in the content. Ask them to click links in CTAs (call to action). You have to tell your subscribers what you want them to do. Don’t expect them to read your mind.

Favorite or star emails. This one is out of your hands, but it’s another good indicator for your emails. You can ask people to favorite or star emails that have extremely valuable, or necessary content. And you should always provide content they would want to keep.

As you can see in this article, many things can harm the deliverability of your email. But if you follow these tips, you will greatly decrease your chances of running into serious problems. Always keep in mind, it is far easier to keep your list in good shape than to try to repair the damage. It isn’t that difficult to do things the right way. And the best part is that even if you end up purging a large number of subscribers to keep your list healthy… You will have a more engaged list and better conversions. Even things that may sound hard to do, like culling the list, are beneficial. While it may feel hard to let go of large quantities of subscribers, it will benefit you and will give better returns than keeping non-engaged subscribers on your list. And it will keep you in good standing with the email overlords.

EMAIL DELIVERABILITY: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW PT. 2

Crimes of email are the things that can harm your email deliverability.

Bad email addresses. This includes sending emails to wrong, invalid, abandoned, non-existing, or spam-trap (more on those later) email addresses. When these are identified in your email stats, remove them from your list.

Sending frequency of email. Once you have welcomed a new subscriber, preferably with a welcome sequence of emails, it is critical to be on an emailing schedule and stick with it. Don’t send too frequently. In the writer space, emailing every day seems excessive and time-consuming. But emailing less than once a month is also a mistake. Another mistake many people make is in welcoming a new subscriber with automation and then not emailing again for months. By then, people may forget who you are and wonder why you are emailing them. And then they may mark your email as spam.

Sending irrelevant emails. Never email off-topic just to be sending something out to subscribers. Emails need to stay on topic. If you’re an author, there are plenty of things you can talk about that will interest subscribers. What’s off-topic? If it isn’t related to you personally, your books, or your niche? It may be off-topic. If you are a master gardener and your email list is comprised of gardeners, and you send an email about car repair, you’re off-topic. If you have a florist shop and your delivery van was struck by a bigger truck, and you lost $10,000 worth of roses, that is on topic. It is also an opportunity to use a story in your emails, which subscribers love.

Sending emails to people who have unsubscribed. There are tactics to try to bring some of these people back, but that is off-topic for this article. If you don’t have those tactics in place (or understand them) to try to win them back, stop emailing them. Let them know they’ve been unsubscribed and that you appreciate them. You should have an unsubscribe link in all outgoing emails to make it easy for people to remove themselves from your list. Many email service providers will automatically add it to your emails and you only need to customize the text. If you keep emailing these people, they may start marking your emails as spam. People’s interests change over time. Respect their desire to unsubscribe.

Not opening your emails. This happens for many reasons. Maybe subscribers get high volumes of emails and even though they subscribed to your list, they aren’t opening them. Maybe they forgot who you are because you waited too long to email them. Maybe they lost interest, and instead of unsubscribing, they just ignore your emails.

Deleting emails without opening them. This situation has the same causes as not opening emails, only this time, your emails are deleted instead of being ignored.

Marking emails as read without opening them. This sends signals that your content might be spam or isn’t worth reading.

Amount of time readers engage with your emails. Opening your emails isn’t enough. Subscribers need to engage with them. If they simply open and then close the email, it appears that the email lacks value. They need to spend time reading and engaging with your email.

Interaction with links. Subscribers need to click your links. Ignoring them can send signals of spam or low value.

Subject line, preheader text, footer text. If ISP spam filters find spammy or irrelevant text, the email will go to the spam folder. What things should be avoided in these areas?

• Using all capital letters. It is best to use a subject line that looks like a normal sentence. Capitalize the first letter of the first word only. Don’t use a period at the end of the subject line.

• Too many special characters. Be cautious of special characters (such as exclamation points). Be very conservative with these, if using them at all.

• Issues with links. This includes using link shorteners. And using HTTP:// URLs instead of HTTPS:// URLs. The S of HTTPS indicates security that HTTP links lack.

• Too many images. These are emails that have too many images or images with no text at all.

• Spam trigger words. There are many words and phrases associated with spam emails. Here is a list of words and phrases that are associated with spam.

EMAIL DELIVERABILITY: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW PT. 1

You have your email list. Your newsletter is set up. You’re ready to go. Nothing could go wrong now. Right?

Well, not exactly.

The truth is, many things can go wrong that will critically harm your email deliverability. You must be aware of these damaging factors and avoid them.

Why?

Because ignoring email deliverability issues can result in your emails going to spam.

You may have a huge email list, but if you have deliverability problems, it won’t matter how many people have signed up to hear from you. Because they won’t. Your emails will never make it to their inbox, which is where you want the emails to be delivered.

People often confuse email deliverability with email delivery. Or worse, they don’t know there is a difference. They are not the same.

Email delivery is the total number of emails sent out that aren’t bounced or rejected by the inbox provider (Yahoo, Google, etc.). Deliverability is how many emails actually land in the inbox.  A high delivery rate won’t matter if your deliverability rate is lower.

So what can happen to damage the deliverability of emails?

Many, many things. That’s the bad news. Some are highly technical, but these are issues experienced by companies running their own email servers. These are not issues someone using an email service provider (AWeber, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, etc.) will have to worry about. This is why email service providers have rules they strictly enforce. They have to protect their domain for the benefit of all their customers.

While email service providers handle the technical portion of keeping your email in good standing, the rest is up to you.

So what happens when you hit send on your email?

Your emails have to get past what you might call a gatekeeper. The email passes through filters that check for things like domain reputation, IP reputation, content authentication, sender legitimacy, etc. These filters are a first line of defense against spam.

What exactly is spam?

We know it as unwanted emails. But technically, spam is unsolicited emails sent in bulk. Bulk is key here. Spam isn’t a single email sent to someone who didn’t appreciate receiving it. If that were the case, then simply emailing a company to ask a question could be considered spam. Spam is comprised of commercial emails sent to a list of people.

Now that you know exactly what it is, how do you keep your emails from being considered spam?

Since reputable email service providers are in compliance with all national and international laws and regulations, you only have to worry about the actual email you send through their service.

And yet, there are many pitfalls the unwary can land in. It’s critical to play by the rules. Because if you don’t, the rules will crush you. Once you get into trouble, it’s difficult and time-consuming to repair the damage. Email deliverability is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth ten pounds of cure.

Some people mistakenly think if they screw up, they can move on to another email service provider and it will be okay. But that isn’t the case at all. Your sender reputation will follow you to a new service. Simply moving on will not work.

What do you need to do to keep your email running smoothly?

Obviously, you want to avoid having recipients mark your emails as spam. But the truth is, almost everything affects your email deliverability.

It should also be understood that negative engagement by email subscribers accumulates over time. This will eventually signal that your emails aren’t relevant and they will start going to the spam folder instead of the inbox.

So what are the crimes of email? These are the things that can harm your email deliverability. More on that next month!

EMAIL, YOUR HARDEST WORKING SALES FORCE

Of all the marketing options available, one stands above the others…email marketing. More specifically, an email newsletter if you’re an author. There are solid reasons why email works harder for you than other options. And it’s important to learn the ins and outs of using email to its fullest potential. This article cannot go in-depth on email because it is a huge topic, but it can get you started in the right direction. Remember, most people check their email every day, multiple times. So why is email your hardest working sales force?

Email is crucial to a good marketing plan. It’s low cost when compared to running ads and other marketing options. The ROI, on average, is $43 for every $1 spent. Used correctly, email can generate high conversions and sales. Every business needs to use email. If you don’t, you’re leaving money on the table.

So, if you don’t have an email list, it’s time to start building one. You’ll need an ESP (email service provider). You cannot email customers and potential customers from a personal email account such as Gmail or Yahoo. Doing so will land you in hot water fast. There are many international laws and regulations regarding marketing emails. ESPs know the laws and regulations and make sure your emails are in compliance before they will be mailed out. ESPs do this to safeguard their service and the other businesses depending on the ESP. They are incentivized to make sure you are in compliance with the law.

Additionally, most ESPs offer a free account until you reach a certain number of subscribers. Look for an ESP with many features, good documentation to help you use the platform, and a good support team. An ESP is not an option. You’ll have to find one that works for you. Some ESPs even have landing pages you can use to send traffic to if you don’t have a website.

If you do have a website, you need to have a signup form. There are many ways to use popups that won’t annoy visitors to your website. Done correctly, popup forms are the most effective way to get new contacts to join your list. You should also include a link on every page for visitors to sign-up for your list.

You will need a free lead magnet to offer in exchange for someone trusting you with their name and email address. Ideally, your lead magnet should be something short. One page is best. But it must give value to your subscribers. Many people use something like a checklist. Something that can be printed out or easily referenced is a good choice…as long as it’s valuable.

Implementing an email list isn’t difficult. Many good ESPs offer tutorials and have lots of articles to help you. All good ESPs have excellent support teams to answer any questions and assist with any issues in getting set-up and building campaigns. And you don’t need to know how to code. Good ESPs also make it easy to track and measure the success of your emails and campaigns.

Email marketing can be integrated with other marketing strategies such as social media accounts and content marketing. All you have to do is provide links and post reminders for your followers to sign-up for your newsletter. This brings in higher quality, more qualified leads. Be sure to let them know about your free lead magnet.

And don’t forget the one place outside of your website and social media that you definitely want to drive email sign-ups from. If possible, place a link in the front or back matter of your book. Make it easy for people to join your email list.

Once you start getting sign-ups, email has a wide reach. It’s limited only by the size of your list. And your list should always be growing with new sign-ups. You want constant growth, because you will need to keep your list healthy by removing inactive subscribers. After a certain amount of time, inactive subscribers can harm your delivery rates. This is an extensive topic that can’t be covered in this article, but you don’t want to keep people on your list who never open your emails after they have signed-up.

ESPs allow you to use targeting, known as segmenting, to send the right message to the right customer or prospect at the right time. This gives you high engagement as the email is sent to people who have opted to receive communications from you, and want to hear from you. This tactic makes it more likely that your emails will be opened. Segmenting your list allows you to make the most efficient use of email to the right people. This also makes it easy to build and nurture relationships with your subscribers.

There are many different kinds of emails you can send, too many for this article to address. But many authors develop a newsletter in addition to emails. Most ESPs have templates you can play around with until you find one you like that works well for your brand.

Some people elect to send plain text emails. And there are valid reasons for doing that. One issue you should be aware of is that sending a graphics-heavy email can result in the email being sent to spam. Authors tend to love sending pretty newsletters, which is understandable. And in reality, unless you have a huge backlist and for some reason want to showcase each book cover in a single issue with sales links, it probably isn’t going to be an issue. But you should be aware of the potential for problems with using too many graphics and sales links in an email.

Another thing you want to avoid is sending nothing but “buy my stuff” emails. That is not a good email marketing strategy and will do more harm than good in the long term. If that is all you send, people will start tuning out your emails and not even opening them. Or worse. They may start marking them as spam even though they signed-up to receive them. There is also the danger of having your emails hitting the promotions tab in Gmail. You don’t want that to happen either. Email marketing must be a balance between promoting and relationship building. Every email you send should provide some kind of value to your readers. That could be something as simple as making them feel good, giving them a laugh, or it could be a checklist or cheat sheet to print out and use. And when you write to your list, you should have a good understanding of your audience and who they are. Write as if you are writing to one person, a friend. This sets the best tone for most emails.

Once you start building your list, even if there’s only one person on it, set your emailing schedule and start sending email. You will have to learn how often you should email. Some people do it every day. Would that work for you? Probably not, but it depends on your business and how receptive your readers are. Many people opt to email once a week or every other week. At the very least, you should email no less than once a month. You don’t want to collect sign-ups and then not email them. This is a huge mistake. People may forget who you are and then wonder why you are emailing them. They may mark your email as spam. Once you start your list and get a sign-up, start emailing, and don’t stop.

All ESPs should have the ability to create workflows, also known as automation. Automation is a series of emails that are automatically sent out. The triggers to fire off an email series are typical behavior based (but not always). One of the first automations, and in some cases, the only automation used, is a welcome series. Many people think it is okay to send out a single email welcoming a new contact to their list and that’s all that’s needed. But this isn’t true. Even if it’s only a series of three emails, it will be better than just sending one. In the first email, welcome them to your list and tell them how to get the lead magnet. In general, selling in the first email is downplayed, but if you insist on doing it, place the pitch at the very end and make it a small part of the email.

Your second email in the automation could be sent the same day, perhaps an hour later, but no later than the following day. The second email is your message to your reader. It tells who you are, what you do, and why you do it. You might offer a discount code or coupon (you do not want to do this often or regularly though, people learn to wait for sales, discounts, etc. and you will end up losing money in the long run.) Can you sell in the second email? Absolutely. You also want to let your readers know what to expect. How often you will email them, and what day of the week you will email. Let them know upfront what to expect from you. Let them know how many welcome emails you will be sending. Be very upfront. If you will be sending ten emails in your welcome sequence, let them know.

Your next welcome sequence email can be about your product, with sales links, of course. If you have a backlist of books, send more emails in your automated sequence to introduce them to your readers.

Once you have your system in place, email marketing will work harder for you than any other marketing tactic. This is one marketing piece that is vital to get right. When you invest the time to get this right, the ROI will be more than worth the time it takes to implement.

Credit: J. Coy

THE ULTIMATE CHEAT SHEET TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR PLATFORM

To find success in becoming a published author, you must build a robust author platform. A strong author platform will help you establish your brand, grow your audience, and ultimately sell more books.

It may sound daunting, and googling the phrase “build author platform” may perplex you. We’ve got you covered with 15 simple tips to develop a successful author platform.

1. Start With a Clear Understanding of Your Brand

Before you ask how to build a successful author platform, take an inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.

What is your unique selling proposition as a writer? What literary themes do you explore in your books? What emerging demographic do you want to target?

By understanding your brand and what you want to accomplish, you can create a platform that represents your work and connects with target readers.

2. Create Your Author Website

Your personal website is ground zero for your online presence. It should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and contain everything readers need to know about your work.

Here are a few crucial elements for author website development:

• Clean and professional design that reflects your brand

• Bio that highlights your experience and expertise

• Contact form for readers and professional contacts to get in touch with you

3. Maintain A Blog

A blog is one of the best author branding tactics that showcases your writing.

• Write about topics that resonate with your readers and the themes you tackle.

• Create a content calendar and post consistently.

• Promote your blog posts on social media.

• Encourage comments and engage with readers.

4. Build a Mailing List

Email marketing is a powerful tool for authors to update readers about new and upcoming projects.

• Offer subscribers a free sample or preview of your work in exchange for their email address.

• Use a service like Mailchimp or ConvertKit to manage your mailing list.

• Send out a regular newsletter with updates on your writing, events, and promotions.

• Include links to your social media profiles and website in all of your emails.

5. Engage with Your Readers on Social Media

Social media for authors is essential to connect with readers and promote their work.

Building a successful social media presence as an author involves the following:

• Choose social media platforms that you are comfortable using.

• Post consistently and engage with your followers.

• Use hashtags to increase visibility.

• Share peeks into your creative process.

6. Participate in Online Writing Communities

Online writing communities connect you with other authors and provide valuable insights into the publishing industry.

• Join Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit groups relevant to your genre.

• Engage with other members’ posts and share your own work.

• Offer support and advice to other members of the community.

7. Attend Book Fairs and Literary Networking Events

At these events, you can connect with readers, network with other authors, and gain exposure for your work.

• Research the event and plan ahead.

• Bring plenty of business cards and promotional materials for distribution.

• Offer to speak on a panel or host a book signing.

• Engage with attendees on a professional and personal level.

8. Create Book Trailers

Book trailers are a great way to promote your work and capture readers’ attention. Creating a successful book trailer hinges on a few critical factors:

• High-quality visuals and audio

• Short yet attention-grabbing videos

• Text overlays that highlight key points

• Clear call-to-action

With a range of creator tools and platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, creating and publishing these teasers has never been easier.

9. Host Giveaways and Contests

Giveaways and contests can quickly increase engagement and expand your audience reach. Hosting a giveaway doesn’t need to be complex or costly. Simply follow these tips:

• Choose a simple prize relevant to your readers, such as a signed copy of your book or a consultation call with you.

• Promote the giveaway on social media and your website.

• Use a service like Rafflecopter or Gleam to manage the giveaway.

10. Write Guest Posts on Literary Blogs and Websites

This is the mother of all author marketing strategies. Guest posting increases your visibility among newer audiences, especially if the blog you’re writing for has many readers.

• Research blogs relevant to your brand and genre.

• Reach out to the blog owner with a pitch that will engage their audience.

• Write a high-quality post that showcases your writing and expertise.

• Promote the post on your social media profiles and mailing list.

11. Consider Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can help you reach a larger audience. Here’s how you can maximize results:

• Set a budget and choose platforms your readers actively use.

• Create engaging ads that showcase your work.

• Use targeted keywords and demographics to reach your ideal reader.

• Monitor your results and adjust your strategy as needed.

12. Collaborate with Other Authors

Collaborations further expand your reach and connect with new readers. It’s a fantastic strategy for content marketing for authors.

• Choose authors who share your interests and genre.

• Guest post on each other's blogs and promote each other's work on social media.

• Host joint giveaways or book signings.

13. Offer Exclusive Content

In a value-driven market, exclusive content can build excitement for upcoming works. Here are a few ideas for exclusive content:

• Sneak peeks of upcoming releases

• Short stories or novellas that tie in with published books

• Bonus content, such as deleted scenes or character profiles

14. Establish A Book Club

Book clubs allow you to connect with readers on a personal level. Here’s how you can do it:

• Choose a book relevant to your brand and genre.

• Offer discussion questions and engage with members.

• Host virtual or in-person meetings.

• Offer attractive promos to book club members.

15. Be Authentic

Be authentic and true to yourself. Your author platform should accurately represent your brand and personality.

Don't try to be someone you're not or force a persona that doesn't feel natural. Authenticity is vital to building a successful author platform and connecting with readers who will appreciate your work.

Conclusion

Building a successful author platform may seem daunting, but these tips and strategies will help you break the process down into smaller achievable goals.

Before continuously googling “tips for building author platform” remember to stay true to your brand and focus on creating valuable content that resonates with your readers.

Credit: K. Dinkin

HOW TO GET MORE REVIEWS AND SELL MORE BOOKS

Book reviews can be a powerful reality check for authors, especially in the self-publishing world where there may be less oversight or professional feedback.

That said, reviews can provide a valuable perspective from readers and help authors understand how their work is being received. While positive reviews can boost an author's ego and confidence, negative reviews can be a humbling experience.

Let’s look at just why reviews are essential, especially after you’ve published.

The Importance of Book Reviews For Self-published Authors

Positive or negative, reviews are an incredibly powerful tool for self-published authors. Here’s why:

Social Proof

Reviews from other readers serve as social proof that your book is worth reading. Potential readers are likelier to take a chance on your book when they see that others have enjoyed it.

Increased Exposure

Many online retailers and book promotion sites use the number and quality of reviews to factor their algorithms for recommending books. The more reviews your book has, the more visible it will be to potential readers.

Valuable Feedback

Reviews can provide valuable feedback on your book, both positive and negative. This feedback can help you improve your writing, understand your audience better, and make changes to your marketing strategy. They can help authors avoid the trap of thinking that their work is perfect or beyond critique and instead encourage them to keep growing and evolving as writers.

Marketing Leverage

Reviews can be used as marketing material in book descriptions, promotional materials, and on your author's website. Positive reviews can persuade potential readers to buy your book.

How to Get More Reviews For Your Book

Getting reviews can be challenging, especially for first-time authors. Here are some tips to get more reviews:

Utilize Your Author Platform

Use your social media channels and author websites to encourage readers to leave a review. Include a call-to-action in the back of your book, asking readers to leave a review if they enjoyed it.

Offer Free Copies

Consider offering a free copy of your book in exchange for an honest review. You can run a giveaway on Goodreads or social media.

Reach Out to Book Bloggers and Reviewers

Research book bloggers and reviewers in your genre and reach out to them to request a review. Read their review policies and follow their submission guidelines carefully.

Utilize Book Promotion Sites

Many book promotion sites offer paid and free services to promote your book and help you get reviews. Research and choose the ones that are most effective in your genre and budget.

Follow Up With Readers

If you have an email list, consider sending a follow-up email to readers who have purchased your book, thanking them for their support and asking them to leave a review.

Make it Easy

Make leaving a review as easy as possible for readers. Provide links to review sites, including instructions on how to leave a review. After you’ve received a review, don’t forget to express your gratitude for their time and effort.

How to Respond to Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are inevitable. Even the most successful and acclaimed books receive negative reviews. Different readers have different tastes, and it's impossible to please everyone.

On the bright side, negative reviews are not all that bad. In addition to providing constructive feedback and highlighting areas where an author can improve, negative reviews lend credibility to positive reviews, as readers may be skeptical of a book with only glowing reviews. They can help authors avoid the trap of thinking that their work is perfect or beyond critique and encourage them to keep growing and evolving as writers.

That said, responding to negative reviews is seldom easy. Here are how you can respond to negative reviews:

• Avoid responding to negative reviews with defensiveness, arguments, or personal attacks. This can further escalate the situation and turn off potential readers.

• Thank the reviewer for taking the time to read your book. This shows that you value their opinion and respect their feedback.

• If the reviewer raises specific concerns or criticisms about your book, address them directly and respectfully. This could even be a promise to address the issue in future editions.

• Sometimes, it's best not to respond to negative reviews at all. If a review is particularly harsh or unfair, it may be best to simply let it go and move on.

In effect, authors need to approach negative reviews with an open mind and use them as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than going gaga over them.

How to Leverage Positive Reviews to Sell More Books

Don’t take positive reviews for granted. And you don’t have to be too humble to stay appreciatively idle after receiving any positive review. Make the most out of your positive review to build your author brand, increase credibility, and ultimately, sell more books. Call it your book review strategy.

Promote the positive review you get in every way possible. Flaunt them as status updates, print them into your book in the next edition, and imprint them in any and all marketing materials. This helps potential readers see the value in the book and build trust in the author. And it is among the best book marketing tactics.

Sometimes, the positive reviewers see what you don’t. For instance, you notice a lot of positive reviews on your book highlighting, say, character development. You could perhaps use it as a ‘strength’ of your story (book) in your marketing material. This is among the lesser-known book review best practices.

Responding to the reviewer with a thank you and appreciation takes a long way in building a loyal reader base. Besides, it shows that you value your readers and their feedback and can help develop strong author-reader relationships. They could even be your unofficial ambassadors and advocates. Last of all, acknowledging and appreciating book reviews helps increase book reviews.

Getting book reviews is an integral part of promoting a self-published book, as it helps build credibility, attract new readers, and increase sales.

If you’re an aspiring author looking to self-publish, consider partnering with BMcTALKS for a well-guided publishing experience that’d garner worthy positive reviews.

Credit: K. Dinkin

WAYS TO MAKE YOUR BOOK STAND OUT IN A CROWDED MARKET

As much as your work is a significant milestone in your life, career, and aspirations, the feat is just a halfway checkpoint in the self-publishing marathon. In today’s day and age of bibliographic abundance—where about 300 million titles are launched each year—every great piece of work needs promotional leverage to grab the spotlight after it sees the light of day.

In fact, it is a best practice that writers brainstorm ideas and take steps to promote and market their book, even in the writing stage. Promoting self-published books is no walk in the park. Marketing and branding a book can take a significant amount of effort for a self-published author. They require a comprehensive understanding of the target audience, knowledge of the market, and the ability to implement effective marketing strategies.

Wondering how to make your book stand out in a crowded market? Here’s what the experts say.

Build and Grow Your Author Platform

As much as your book is what it professes, you are the face behind it.

Your author platform is your online presence as an author, and it includes your website, social media accounts, and other online profiles. Make the most of it in the following ways:

• Network with other authors, publishers, and industry professionals to uncover ways to promote your book.

• Your website should include information about yourself as an author, your book, and any upcoming events or promotions. It should be easy to navigate, visually appealing, and optimized for search engines.

• Explore content creation opportunities such as blog posts, podcast participation, video shorts, and more. Figure out creative book launch ideas.

• Don’t be idle on social media. Use social media to promote your book and share updates and insights about your writing process. Voice your opinions in social media and forums in matters that align with your book’s content and genre. This can help you garner more followers.

A strong online presence can’t be built overnight. Much like how you may have approached your writing, it ought to be a steady, consistent, and well-interlaced approach.

Strategize Pricing

Although your book may be a ‘single’ product that doesn't change in terms of its contents and value, it's incorrect to believe there aren’t ways to price to broaden its exposure. From offering your book for a discount to dynamically pricing it, the options are many. Here are a few examples:

• Offering discounted prices during initial launch and promotion to attract new readers, generate buzz, or garner reviews

• Offering your book as part of a fixed-priced bundle of similar books or resources can help you reach new readers and increase sales

• Adjusting the price of your book based on demand, competitor pricing, marketing campaigns, or sales trends can help you maximize its impact

By experimenting with different pricing strategies and monitoring the results, you can find the best approach for your book and readers.

Leave No Stone Unturned to Market and Promote Your Book

Establishing your author platform is but one stepping stone to many ways to promote your book. Apart from the aforementioned pricing strategy of offering discounts, here are some other book marketing strategies and book promotion ideas you can explore:

Leverage Book Reviews

The importance of positive book reviews, especially for first-time self-published authors, cannot be overemphasized. Encourage readers to leave reviews on online retailers like Amazon and Goodreads, and consider reaching out to book bloggers and reviewers in your niche to request reviews.

Run Book Giveaways

Offering free copies of your book can generate interest and attract new readers. You can run giveaways on social media or use a platform like Goodreads to reach a wider audience.

Be a Guest Blogger

Writing guest blog posts on websites and blogs related to your book's genre or topic can help you reach a wider audience and establish yourself as an authority in your niche.

Participate in Book Events and Festivals

Do not underestimate the power of networking and connections in propelling the success of your book.

Use Paid Advertising

Paid advertising on platforms like Facebook and Amazon can help you reach a wider audience and generate more book sales. The price points of paid advertising campaigns can be pretty affordable. However, it's essential to set a budget and track your results carefully to ensure that you are getting a positive return on investment.

Mixing and matching these strategies translates to unique book marketing ideas.

Take Special Care of the ‘First-Impression’ Bits

Calling them ‘bits’ may be an understatement- because the quality and content of your book’s cover design, title, description, blurbs, author bio, and branding are decisive purchasing factors- and even translate to effective book marketing.

With your book title being the first thing that potential readers will notice, you must choose a catchy, memorable, and relevant title to your book's content.

A clean and simple cover design is often the most effective in creating the right first impression. Ensure the images and graphics you use are of high quality and relevant to your tone, topic, and genre. If you have an author brand or a series of books, ensure your cover design is consistent with your brand's style and color scheme. This will help readers identify your books easily and make them stand out on the shelf.

You can also gather book branding tips from other established authors.

Your book's description should give readers a clear idea of what it is about and why they should read it. Ensure it is well-written, engaging, and accurately reflects your book's content. The same applies to the author's bio. It should also include relevant information about your background and writing experience.

Book blurbs should be concise, giving readers a taste of what they can expect from your book. Avoid giving away too much information or spoiling the ending. Choose the appropriate categories and keywords to help your book appear in relevant search results. It's a no-brainer that getting the categorization right better places your book under the radar of readers looking for books in your genre or topic.

 Need to talk through any of these ideas? Schedule a call with your award-winning publishing team today!

Credit: K. Dinkin

YOU WERE RIGHT TO SELF-PUBLISH

While having a traditional publisher is the goal of many authors, self-publishing is actually better in so many ways.

But authors need traditional publishers to get out to the public. It’s how to have a best-seller, right?

Absolutely not. There are plenty of self-published best-sellers on the market. The fact is that when an author is picked up by a traditional publisher, the only thing that author gets is bragging rights because they had one of the big six publishing houses publish their book. However, other than that, they have so much less than if they published themselves.

For example, unless you are a best-selling author already or a celebrity, the most you will probably get is your book published. It doesn’t mean that your book will be in stores or libraries. It means that these places can purchase your book if they chose to. You can do all that as a self-published author and without having a publishing company take full ownership of your intellectual property, your hard work.

Marketing, though, right?

Not normally. There is no budget for unknown authors. And you have to remember they are a publishing company, not a book marketing company. Sure, they may take a chance on your book, but again without a following or notoriety, you get little to no marketing budget. You have to do it all yourself so why not self-publish.

But it is a traditional publisher; they give advances, don’t they?

Maybe, but sorry again. Normally only big names get an advance. Plus, the problem with an advance, if you get one, is that you don’t get royalties from any sales until after the advance has been paid back. Since you’re probably not getting an advance, and they aren’t that great anyway, just publish the book yourself.

Speaking of—what about royalties?

So many traditional publishers pay only 5-10% of the royalties to their authors. They may have a scale based on how many books are sold, but it’s rarely more than 25% of the sales. This is fine for those best-selling authors, but for new authors, this means you may get royalty checks for only pennies, or royalty checks that are held until you reach a specific amount. Compare this to the up to 70% that you can get from some self-publishing companies, and there is no reason you shouldn’t self-publish. 

Sure the prestige is good when you publish with a traditional publisher, but the majority of your books should be self-published or published through an independent publisher for some very basic reasons. Let’s review:

First, you have more say in creative content and design. You decide your cover and accept or reject editor recommendations.

Second, with self-published books, you have control of the marketing just like you would if you were with a big traditional publisher. But here, you get to decide how you want to market yourself and your book.

Since you have to do it anyway and put out money up front, you might as well make better royalties. That’s right. Remember, when you self-publish, your royalties are higher from the beginning; some publishers give you as much as 70% of the sales from your book.

Big publishers take care of paying for so much that you probably don’t think about, but again, you lose creative control. Their cover designer decides what is best. Their editor makes changes you may not really agree with, yet you have to go with it. So, this is where the big drawback is. You pay for everything before you ever publish.

Between the loss of creative control and the lack of budget and royalties, is it really worth it? YES!

I know it sounds like I’m contradicting myself. Allow me to explain.

If you get picked up by a big traditional publisher, that is awesome! Get those bragging rights. Put them on your website. There is nothing wrong with using a traditional publisher. Having them accept a manuscript is not an easy feat and deserves kudos. However, use the best of both worlds. Give some books to the big leagues, but put your bread and butter in self-publishing. You don’t have to do one or the other, so have your cake and eat it, too.

STARTING THE NEW YEAR AS A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!

There are many ways to think about how to start the new year, but as a published author, people may expect something different from you. They may expect another book this year.

If this was in your plans previously or not, maybe you should consider if this is an option especially if you are a professional speaker or have a wide audience that you consistently work with in some fashion. Your audience will want more of your wisdom on your subject. If you’re a professional speaker or often speak at conventions, you need fresh material anyway. Or maybe you’ve been collaborating with several people on podcasts or on projects. Or maybe there have been great questions you’ve received from audience members at your appearances that have you thinking of more content you can create or points you can further explore. You could easily work these actions and events into a manuscript.

There are many ideas for a successful book, and you have already written one, at least. How hard can another one be?

Let’s talk about your options when it come to subsequent books.

• If your first book was an introductory level book or any level below expert, then the next logical step is to write the next book at a higher level. For example, 1st book introductory level, secnd book intermediate level, 3rd book expert level. There could be more, but this gives you the basics of this option.

• Create a book about how people can avoid common mistakes in your field of expertise. Yes, this is a real genre of nonfiction book. People make mistakes all the time. This would be a reference book on the most common mistakes and maybe how to fix them.

• What about a FAQ book on your subject? People look up FAQs on websites all the time. How about creating an FAQ book on the most trending questions in your topic? A little research and a little internet surfing, and your book will pretty much write itself.

• Maybe your topic is broad, and there are several ways in which to reach the ultimate outcome. Your first book may have discussed only one path to get to the end. If there are more, then what is stopping you from writing about other options or creating a book on the different ways to get to the final destination.

If you have been collaborating recently, consider some other options.

• Interview several experts in the field and create a book of interviews. You don’t need interview skills for this type of book unless you want to sit and interview the person directly. However, this isn’t always feasible with differing schedule. Email the questionnaire or ask them to answer a discussion question and use the response (with editing and their approval).

• Create a book of how other experts in the field got into those top positions or found themselves being successful in their field. You can include your own story, but that is up to you. This book is motivational and will have your audience excited about the topic.

The actual list is endless, but I’m sure this gives you a hint of what is out there and what you can do with your knowledge. Remember, you have an audience that is listening and wants more. You may think you are done, but unless you are really retiring, your audience would love to hear more.

YOU'RE PUBLISHED ... NOW WHAT?

Well, you did it! You published your book!

You may have a best-seller, or you may be working to get more books out to the masses. Either way, you attained a great accomplishment. So, what now?

There are many options to choose from that you may have considered but have not acted on just yet. This time of year, December through January, is a great time to think about your next moves and re-evaluate those options.

If you are not ready to write a new book, start planning your book’s birthday party! You know the day it was released!

There are several ways to do this. Some you may have already done; some you may have considered. Others may be a completely new thought but here are some options.

The first is to create a course based on your book that releases the same day as your book’s anniversary. Maybe offer a deal on the book when they purchase your course. You may be thinking that creating a course is really hard, but in all actuality, it isn’t. You have a great stating point in that you already have quite a bit of content—your book. All that you need to do is figure out how you are going to present it as a course and on which platform. Take the time to research and find the platform that works best with your topic. Not all course platforms are the same, so be diligent. Also, if you are unsure of how to create a course, some of the platforms will actually walk you through the entire process. Find one that works for you and create that course. Creating the course and promoting both the book and the course will give the book new traction and create new sales of the book and the course.

If you don’t want to go it alone, I have a colleague who does amazing work in the online course building space that I’m happy to introduce you to.  She’ll take good care of you.  Just let me know.

But maybe you’re not ready for a course, or you’re not sure how a course will look; however, you love doing interviews. No problem. Start booking your interview and conference presentations around the original release date/anniversary of your book. Sure, you can always do interviews, but really book yourself around that release date and pump up the book reminding people that it was release on that upcoming day or a day that just passed. Think of it as an anniversary to celebrate and share it in interviews, at conferences, and whenever you’re networking.  Check out this post for more on getting you and your book in the media.

Another option, especially if you have more to say on the topic or if you have something you want to say on another topic, is to write another book and become an author of multiple books! You already have the action plan in place from taking the steps to write the first book. You even already have experience with the publishing process. Start prepping now for the next big bestseller.  Try to work the process so that this new book releases about the same time as the previous book. Then market them together, especially if it is a continuation or next level type of topic.

There are lots of ways to keep the ball rolling and grow your audience. You just have to decide which option to chose or create a new option. Maybe write a new book and go to new conferences. Maybe start your own podcast. The options are endless now that you are an author. The important thing to remember is that no matter what you decided, you did something that many people only dream of. You are a published author, and you are only getting started.

WINTER HOLIDAY MARKETING!

Not everyone will agree with this, but the fact of the matter is one of the largest buying seasons is the winter holiday season. Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Christmas, Yule, Winter Solstice, or any of the other 29 winter holidays, it is always a good time to market your book.

Do you have to change up how you market your book? That is up to you. However, there are a few things that you should do a little differently to get the widest audience possible.

1.    Do not focus on only your specific audience. Instead, focus to the broader general public. They are the ones buying the book for members of your target audience—their friends and family that they think will enjoy your book.

2.    Talk about how great of a gift it would be. That’s right. Tell them why it is the perfect present. Do this by explaining what can be found in the book and how the recipient will benefit from this information.

3.    Don’t just put ads in one place. People are always looking for new and unique gifts. Run ads on various search engines, such as Edge and Google, and definitely hit at least 4 to 5 social media platforms. Run the ads from November 15, 2022, through January 5, 2023, to get the best return on investment.

4.    Don’t be shy about boosting yourself. Get on podcasts and be interviewed online to boast about your book, how it is helping people, and where they can purchase it. It’s an added bonus if you can explain how your book will help people get their year off to a great start. Maybe you offer a fresh perspective on life, relationships, entrepreneurship, spirituality, or career development. Think of how your book makes others better, and that is your ticket to selling it a a great gift for the upcoming new year because everyone wants to grow and be better.

November, December, and January are some of the best months to sell your book even if it has been out for a while. If you have another book releasing soon, boost that, too. During these months, you can’t be shy. While other industries slow down in terms of sales, book sales do not. Use this time to your advantage and focus on getting the word out that your book is available and ready to meet the needs of anyone who reads it.

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DO BOOK SIGNINGS REALLY WORK?

This is a tough question, and the answer will vary from author to author. In fact, most authors would probably say “No, book signings do not work.” Of course, you’d have quite a few say the exact opposite.

Why is there such a divergent view of book signings?

It is all in the marketing and presentation of the author and book. Let’s take a look at a few different genres and ways they are handled.

Children’s book signings are not usually popular; however, if you, as the author, offer to read your book during a story time, you will sell books. Why not offer a signing then? Because most children’s books are well loved and used and fall apart. It is not a bad thing at all, but not one conducive to book signings. Do the story time, sell the books, and forego the signing.

One of the best ways to make your book signing successful is to have the bookstore market along with your own marketing endeavors for the book signing. Also, if you have a large following locally, more people will show up to the signing. So prep for this. Before you even publish your book, start networking in the local area, especially with those people in the field if your book is non-fiction or through the library or reading groups if your manuscript if fiction. Find out what people are reading and become known. What will this do? It will provide you with a group of people willing to come to your book signing and buy your book. It will also help your word-of-mouth marketing prior to the books signing. In addition, if you are well known in the area, the local bookstore is more likely to market your event for you or in tandem with your own marketing efforts. Even local bookstores often have a pretty good marketing budget and know that sales of your book would be beneficial for them.

Another great way to have a successful book signing is to sell your books at public speaking events where you present ideas from your book. Remind your audience that you are selling signed copies of the books that goes into much more detail than your presentation. This will help you sell more books and increase your bottom line. Larger conferences oftentimes will have a bookstore and will handle the sales for you. Usually, this comes at a cost to you in that the conference will retain a percentage of the monies from your book sales, which is only fair given they are taking care of the logistic of the sales for you, freeing you up from having to attend to that task. These larger conferences may also have a book signing option available to you, too. Take advantage of it!

However, there are a few things to avoid we it comes to book signings.

Don’t try to build a following with book signings, and never use the big box bookstore. Look at the stores where well-known authors have their signings. Most are locally owned bookstores that have worked with the authors from their first book. These locally owned stores know that if they build a relationship with someone who has the potential to become a bestselling author, they are likely to be able to grow themselves. Sure, a lot of times they want to help authors in the community, but it is not completely altruistic in nature. It is a give and take one in which both hope to gain from and help the other.

So, do you want to do a book signing?

It all depends on you and what you have going on already in your network. Some people only use their public speaking events. Some only use local books stores. Some will have successful book signings; others will not.

There is no formula that promises a successful book signing. However, a lot of marketing and a lot of networking can’t hurt.

Ready to publish again? CLICK HERE to schedule your consultation today!

Content credit: C. Storm

ARE YOU AND YOUR BOOK ON TIKTOK

TikTok? Again?

My book isn’t for kids.

My book is high tech and no one on TikTok knows anything other than phone apps or figuring out what to wear for prom.

My book is about sales. What do people on TikTok know about sales?

Many authors are saying things just like this and more. They think TikTok is for a younger crowd. They think TikTok is only for people that have no time for important things like college, jobs, and such. But they are wrong.

TikTok is one of the biggest platforms out there for people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond. In fact, there are hashtags such as #over30 #over40, #over50, and so on that can be used with #booktok. And if recent trends in viewers are correct, then most viewers are in the over 30 age bracket.

Whether you are self-published or published through a traditional publisher, you need to be on TikTok because BookTok is changing the way books are marketed, and it is also influencing the types of books publishers are interested in pursuing and publishing.

What does this mean for self-published authors? You can follow the trends to figure out what to write next.

The fact is everyone can use TikTok, and unlike other social media platforms, you don’t have to create new content consistently. You can create content and share on other platforms, like stories on Instagram and reels on Facebook. You can stitch content to other influencers and get yourself out to their following. You can also repost old content for a fresh hit on the For You Page algorithm.

The possibilities are endless. However, you want organic content not paid ads. Most TikTok users don’t watch ads, swiping through them quickly which removes them from the algorithms. Creating interesting organic content just once a week can bring more readers into your audience than TikTok ads or other social media platforms. Yes, even in the older audiences.

If you’re not comfortable making a lot of content, get your finished books out their to #BookTok influencers in your niche. They are out there, and they are talking about books daily. It is the same concept as using Bookstagrammers or BookTubers to talk about your book. Finding influencers on any social media works, but on TikTok they have an extra special place with viewers. So, use them!

When a trend aligns with your book’s topic, it doesn’t matter if you wrote your book last week or last year, you can use that trend to bring your book to the forefront and build sales.

TikTok is not just for kids. It is a viable platform to not only introduce your new books but to also refocus on older books and share your knowledge. You can also find a new topic to write about by looking at your followers and their comments to your videos. Don’t ignore or downplay any social media. Use it to your advantage because it can’t do anything but increase your book sales.

Ready to publish again? CLICK HERE to schedule your consultation today!

Content credit: C. Storm

LINKEDIN AND YOUR SELLING STRATEGY

How often have you scrolled through LinkedIn in recent days?

Maybe you’re getting burned out and are looking for a new job—your LinkedIn network is perfect for this.

Maybe your company is hiring for a new position—your LinkedIn network is perfect for this, too.

Maybe you are trying to get a few new clients or land some speaking engagements—again, your LinkedIn network is perfect for this.

But as an author, have you ever considered your LinkedIn network as a marketing tool for your professional niche book? Better yet, have you even considered running LinkedIn ads to sell your book?

Most people don’t think of LinkedIn as a sales platform, but that’s thinking incorrectly.

LinkedIn is getting more personal every day. (Not that that’s necessarily a good thing, but that’s another conversation.) Sure, it is really an outlet for professionals, recruiters, and job seekers, but there are also motivational posts, inspirational posts, bragging posts, and more. Plus, aren’t some of the people on this platform the specific audience you want to reach with your book?

LinkedIn is a great place to build an author platform. Not only will you be able to target your specific audience, but you’ll also be able to promote courses, other books, and people, and you can book speaking engagements.

Plus, it is easier than running Meta (Facebook) ads, and it gives you tracking information easier than Meta.

How many people could you reach in a specific professional industry on LinkedIn? Probably more than you think, and it is much easier to target them since people are, by the process of signing up for LinkedIn, placed in a professional category.

No searching for the right industry keywords. No searching for the right age group.

You will target your direct audience quickly and will probably get better results because these people, when scrolling LinkedIn, are focused on their professional lives and professional development.

Sure, fiction novelists can use this, too, but LinkedIn ads will definitely be the social media platform to use for those who write nonfiction and have a specific niche they are trying to reach. In fact, this is what LinkedIn was made to do.

This month try something new. Put part of your book marketing monthly budget toward a LinkedIn ad or two and see for yourself what an excellent investment LinkedIn ads can be for an author.

Got a new idea for a book? Schedule your consultation call today!

MAKE MONEY AS AN AUTHOR WITHOUT SELLING A SINGLE BOOK!

Did you read the title right? Yes, I’m sure you did, but do you believe it?

This title is truer than most people realize. In fact, many authors make more money without selling their books.

There are very few authors who make a living at being an author; i.e. just selling their book to pay the bills. Most of them, especially in the nonfiction genre, really want people to read their book. BUT, the book is only a small part of being an author and, as stated, is not the money-maker most think it is.

There are many ways that authors can use the publication of their books to further their careers and expertise and make more money than relying solely on book sales.

Here is a list of three of some of the easiest ways to expand yourself and your income without a lot of upfront work. AND all are based solely on the fact that you are an author and have published a book.

The operative words here are “published a book," not sold a book. The selling part is incidental. Sure, being a best-selling author doesn’t hurt, but it is not the important factor here. So don’t let that stop you. The important part is that you have the credibility of being a published author.

Let’s get into how to make money without selling your book.

Remember, all these are part of your book, but they are more.

1

Number one is creating an online course. That’s right. You literally turn your book into an online course. Many authors do this because it can increase income and credibility in two ways. You can put a discount code at the end of your book to allow people to purchase your course on the topic. This way they have the book and the course and feel like they are getting a great deal.

But that relies on selling the book, right? We’re here to talk about ways to make money from the book without selling the book, which leads us to another way to make money from the course. When advertising, talk about how the course being based on the book, but add information to the course that is not in the book. The course costs more, and you receive a larger return on investment with each course sold. The person buying the course knows they are getting the book content plus extras. Sure, they may eventually buy the book, but the course is where the money is made.

2

Number two is getting booked for speaking engagements and podcast interviews. Being part of the speaking circuit gets you in front of your audience, and being able to pitch yourself as an author who’s published on the topic on which you will be speaking is your unique selling point. Speaking at conventions and company retreats and being on a variety of podcasts and live streams will help you get more offers to come and talk and make you more money. Sure, you don’t want to leave money on the table, so you will have copies of your book to sell at the in-person convention or such and you will promote it on the podcasts and live streams; but the bulk of the money will come from booking speaking engagements where you can yield thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in the time it took you to write one chapter of your book.

3

Number three is to become a mentor or a coach in the field or industry of your book. You know your content and are an expert in the field. Use this knowledge to help those who are just starting in the field to learn and gain confidence, knowing they are on the right track with your mentoring or coaching program. This avenue takes a little longer in the upfront timeline, but once it flows, it will continue to grow. Word of mouth is powerful, and the more people you reach, the more that will reach out to you.

Each of these is a great opportunity for authors to make money, and unfortunately, authors who think they will make all their money on selling books often ignore them.

But smart business people—and being an author is a business—know that you have to diversify and reach other avenues of income. This is exactly what you are doing here. You are using the foundation of the book content to diversify into other income avenues. You can do one of these or use them all in tandem to build on your success. You will reach even more people in your audience in less time, which will leave you time to write more books and find more ways to make money without selling those books!

Got a new idea for a book? Schedule your consultation call today!

3 WAYS TO GET YOUR BOOK IN THE MEDIA

Getting attention for your book (and yourself) is imperative for not only book sales but so you remain relevant and are seen as an expert. You may think "But I don't want to be seen as an expert! I'm not an expert!" I'm going to challenge that thinking with two questions.

With "X" being your book's topic, first ask yourself "Do you want your book to be the answer to people's questions about X?" Next, ask yourself "And as the author of that book that answers questions about X, would it make sense for me to be the one people go to when it comes to X?" If the answers to both questions are "yes" and "yes," then you are an expert. If the answer to either one is "no," well ... we won't talk about that ...

But for people to know you have a book or for them to know the questions your book answers, you have to tell them, tell them again, then tell them a third time. And after you've done that, you have to tell them again, then tell them again, then tell them again. You get the idea. You see, when you announced it the first time, everyone who needed your book at that time wasn't listening. When you announced it a second time, there were people who heard you but who didn't need your book at that time. So you keep talking about it so you eventually reach everyone who needs it.

Posting about your book on social media is good, but you need people outside of your community to know about your book, and that's where media attention comes in. Here are three ways to get media attention for your book:

Make Your Book Part of What’s Happening

It goes without saying that there’s always something happening, and the news is there to report on it.  Think about how your book fits into the news.  Some are easier fits than others.  For instance, if you wrote a book about diversity, equity, and inclusion, then you could have easily pitched it to outlets in 2020 and 2021.  Or if your book is about entrepreneurship, then connecting it to the Great Resignation was a no-brainer.  Look at the news and think of how your book offers a different perspective that may not have been considered, a solution to a big issue that’s currently in the news, or interesting strategies for dealing with the news headline.  Create talking points on the topic, have a publicist professionally write a press release, then distribute it to the masses.  Essentially, have a ready-built news story so TV bookers and journalists don’t have to write the story.  You’re doing them a favor and improving your chances of getting a foot in the door and on a show if you deliver both a ready-built news story plus a source to speak about it.

Need a press release?  Drop a line at info@bmtpress.com, and the team will get to work for you!

Sign Up as an Expert

A journalist may have a great idea for a story but doesn’t have the bandwidth to seek out sources like they once did. A number of websites now exist with the sole purpose of connecting journalists to sources for their stories. Are you starting to get the idea? Here’s where you come in.

Help a Report Out (HARO) is the most popular of these sites. After you create a HARO account, you receive multiple emails each day with a list of stories journalists are working on. Scan those emails for writers looking for experts on the topic your book addresses, then pitch yourself. When you pitch yourself, make sure you would be perfectly fine with what you submit being published as-is. Again, journalists are busy, and some will print your pitch as is without informing you beforehand that there are no opportunities to make edits. Also check out this article for more pointers:  5 Ways to Get a Journalist to Respond to Your Pitch

Bear in mind HARO can be hit or miss.  Therefore, consider alternatives to HARO that offer similar services such as Source Bottle, #JournoRequest, and Qwoted.

(Regarding #JournoRequest, it’s a reactive opportunity in that you do not pitch to the media; instead, it’s about journalists taking to Twitter when they need content for a story and sharing that opportunity with the hashtag #journorequest. Login to Twitter and search for “#journorequest, then you will see all of the #journorequest opportunities as well as what journalists are in search of plus how to get in touch with them.)

Have a Plan to Pitch to Podcasts

As a podcaster of a presentation skills show, I have received a number of pitches from people where it’s obvious they have never listened to my show or have not even bothered to read the description of the show. Those pitches are, of course, automatically ignored. The point?  When attempting to get a spot as a guest on a podcast, have a strategy and avoid simply reaching out to a bunch of shows that appear to focus on your book’s topic.

Instead, look for podcasts that appear to be good possibilities, listen to a few episodes, or at a minimum, read the show’s description. Next, locate contact information for the show’s booker or host; if you have trouble quickly locating that information, then check hunter.io or LinkedIn Premium.  Then, post a positive rating and review of the podcast on Apple.  Finally, pitch yourself, but in your pitch, explain that you’re a fan of the show, attaching a screenshot of your review.  Consider going the extra mile by including in your pitch a few examples of episodes you liked and how you believe you could offer something new to the show.  And it’s always a plus if you add how happy you’ll be to promote your episode.  All that’s left to do is to wait for a “yes,” then charm the listeners with expertise from your book.

While you’re on the show, don’t worry about thinking you’ll give away too many details of your book in the show and people won’t want to buy it. Quite the contrary. First, you won’t be able to give away all the details in the course of the show, and second, if your show content is rich, people will definitely want to get your book! Whether it’s live or a recording, be a pro; arrive to the show early (not on time), make sure your surroundings are quiet, that you have a strong WiFi signal, and stand for the interview if you can. Once your episode releases, share it across all your social media channels, tagging the host. Also consider sending a “thank you” email or a small gift. Who knows? You might receive an invitation for an encore conversation!

INSTAGRAM SUCCESS FOR FREE

Believe it or not, Instagram is a great way to sell your books! As an author, you can use Instagram without spending a penny.

That’s right—no money at all.

However, there are things you must do, and it takes a little time but not a lot of time.

Whenever you are building a following on Instagram, it can take some time, but understanding the algorithms of any social media platform can help lessen the time and keep you high on the daily algorithms.

If the truth be told, though, you don’t really need to analyze the algorithms. Even with the constantly changing rules of social media platforms, including Instagram, the following steps will help you consistently hit the algorithms to get you in front of new people who would be interested in your books.

First, ensure the content of your posts is about your topics on which you write. If you are trying to promote a book, then everything you post should revolve around your book or at least your book’s topic. What should be in the content? Here are three ideas:

1. Post a provocative quote from your book, then add "Want more?! Visit [insert URL where your book is sold] to purchase your copy of [insert your book's title] TODAY!"

2. "Have you been wondering how to [insert a big question your book answers/a big problem your book solves/a big pain point your book addresses]? Visit [insert URL where your book is sold] to get the answer when you purchase your copy of [insert your book's title] TODAY!"

3. Make a statement that is counter to popular belief but that supports what your book espouses, then add "Learn more in [insert title of your book]! Purchase your copy at [insert URL where your book is sold] TODAY!

Second, post regularly. This doesn’t mean you have to post daily, but you have to be consistent and regular. For example, always post on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Use different times of the day on each day to reach the most people.

Third, use high-resolution images of your book’s cover or to boost your topic. If it is blurry, off-center, irrelevant, or otherwise off-topic, you will not build your following and may be seen as less credible. So always post only the best of the best in terms of pictures and photos and make sure they apply to the topic. Don’t forget your graphics in the BMcTALKS Press Author Portal.

Next, check your posts at least once a day and respond to any comments. Engaging is a great way to build your Instagram platform.

Also, if you are comfortable with it and it is relevant, then share a little of your personal life. You don’t have to do this often, but it makes you appear more like your reader and will help you build your platform and following faster.

Finally, to ask co-workers, colleagues, and others in your network to like your Instagram page. The more people you have following you, the better you’ll hit the algorithms as well.

Not a fan of Instagram? The same strategy works on LinkedIn and Facebook. Post about your book, post regularly, and use high-res images.

It’s ideal to start all of this before your book is released, but you don’t have to. You can start anytime. Consistency, engagement, and professionalism are key to quickly building an Instagram platform and selling your books on Instagram without spending a penny.

You've got this!