Top Tips for Marketing as an Author and Reader PLUS Giveaway

Hi! Sherrinda Ketchersid here. 

Spring is on our doorstep! A Season for New!

This month on the Writer's Alley we're introducing, discussing, and giving tips for some of those "new" chapters writers encounter. We have a lot to share! Last week, Mary Vee shared her top tips for before and after getting a book contract. Julia Reffner and Laurie Tomlinson will host later this month with great "new" topics for you. 

As I began thinking about this post, I started kicking myself (not really, but kinda really) for saying I'd take this topic. Me talk about marketing? I hate marketing! And I'm still a debut author with my first book published last May, so what do I know about good marketing? Well, I'm going to share some things I've learned here today and Thursday night I'm going to do a Facebook Live on The Writer's Alley and share some of the Alley Cat's best advice for marketing. (Yikes! I said I'd do a Facebook Live too????)

So let's get down to it. First we'll talk about tips for the writer, then switch to tips for the reader.

Top Tips To Do for the Writer:

• Begin early to search blogs you can guest post or get an interview on. If you are a member of ACFW and join their mail email loop, people will post when they are accepting guest bloggers on their blog. There are so many supportive authors who want to help you promote your new release. Schedule one a day the week(s) before and after your release. If you schedule more than one a day, it gets super busy and splits your focus. 
• Create a speadsheet of your author interviews, guest posts, etc. This will help in maintaining deadlines, sending all the required documents (book cover, author photo, book blurb, etc.), and other pertinent information.
• Use Canva or some photo editing tool to create memes with quotes from your book and do a week countdown with them toward release day.
• Follow book bloggers on social media and develop a REAL relationship with them - not just to promote your book, but share your love of books. When you have a book release, you can offer up a copy of your book for them to read and hopefully review.
• Start a newsletter. This was (and still is) hard for me, but as we all know, social media changes on a daily basis and is not reliable in getting our news into the hands of our followers. But an email list is YOURS and you can share book news straight into your interested readers' inbox. 
• Start a website if you don't already have one. Readers want to know all about the authors they read, so have a page about you, a page for your book(s), and a blog. A blog is a great way to share behind the scenes stuff about your book, your writing life, your reading life, and more. Yes, you can do this through social media too (or instead of a blog). 
• Gather a launch team. This was incredibly intimidating for me to do. There are many ways to do this and you can google "how to start a launch team" and will get hundreds of ideas. I decided to tell my newsletter subscribers and was able to gather some that way. You could open it up on Facebook too. It is suggested to have a survey or sign up form so that you get serious minded people who will follow through with sharing and reviewing your book that they got for free. Create a Facebook group for them and share memes with them to post, as well as share the blogs you are on so they can spread the word too. There may be some on your team who can host you as well.
• Hire a company that does blog tours such as JustRead Tours or Celebrate Lit. I hired JustRead Tours a few months after my release and could see an increase in sales. I highly recommend them! They were amazing to deal with and very helpful.
• Try and set up book signings in your local book stores or libraries. 
• Have a Release Day Party and celebrate your special day with friends and family. You will sell lots of books, so have plenty on hand. Make it simple. Cookies and punch. Talk a little about your book and how it came to be. It is a fun way to mark an important day in your life.

Top Tips To Not Do for the Writer:

• Don't try to do everything. You can't do it all and will burn out and not enjoy the whole experience of your book releasing into the world if you are stressed. Pick a few things to do and do them well. You don't have to join every single social media. Find what you like best and do it.
• Don't focus just on yourself on social media. Try following the 80/20 rule. Share about others or non-book news 80% of the time and 20% about your book news. 
• Don't follow reader groups just to advertise your book. Social media is about developing relationships and that is the goal, not just promoting your book.
• Don't spend a boat-load of money on Ads without doing your research. Some say Facebook ads are dead and others have huge success with them. Some say Amazon ads are the way to go and others say it's a waste of your money. Do your due diligence and find out what will work for you.

Top Tips for the Reader:

You might be thinking, "What? Why do I need to market my favorite authors?" Let me tell you, authors desperately need you, the reader! All authors are expected to market their books, even authors who publish with the big publishers. If you love an author's work and want to see more books from them, do your part in spreading the word about those beloved stories. Here's how you can help:

• Write a review and post on Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, and other sites. Reviews matter and help to boost the book in the "algorithms" that showcases books to others.
• Follow authors on social media and like/comment on their posts. This helps to build their platform that publishers want to see.
• Share author's news on social media, like new releases, book sales, etc. Word of mouth sells books.
• Subscribe to an author's newsletter. This keeps you informed of news, but also, publishers like to see an author's growing email list.
• Join an author's street team and be active within the group. This is huge to an author. They need people who love their books and want to engage.
• Ask your library to carry an author's book. More eyes on a book gets an author more readers.
• If you like a book, share about it on social media. Again, word of mouth sells books. 
• Do a giveaway for a favorite book on social media.
• If you are on Instagram, do a cute #bookstagram to feature a book. There are so many creative ways to share your love of books. 
• Nominate a book for your book club. Ask the author to Skype in for discussion. 

There are so many ways authors and readers can help each other in sharing their love for books and marketing those books. All authors were readers first and as a reader, should do their part in promoting others' books besides their own. It's a lot to take in, right? But if we are being honest, sharing our love for story isn't all that hard. Be real and authentic. Just a few lines and a simple photo of your book of choice is all it takes to spread some book love.

In regards to marketing and promoting books, what other ways can you think of to get the word out about your book or your favorite reads?

GIVEAWAY

***Giveaway closed and winner has been chosen.

The winner chosen by random.org is Patti Jo, aka CatMom. She has been contacted by email.***

In the comments, answer the question above for a chance to win your choice of:

OR

Your choice of any Alley Cat book still in print. Go HERE to see all the books!

Winner will be selected Friday, March 13, 2020

Also, stop by Thursday night at 7 pm Central for a Facebook Live talking about promoting books: tips for the author and the reader. 

See you then!!!

BONUS: If you would like to browse through my collection of marketing articles I've found on Pinterest, just go HERE.

______________________________________________________________________

Sherrinda Ketchersid is a lover of stories with happily-ever-after endings. Whether set in the past or present, romance is what she writes and where her dreams reside. 

Sherrinda lives in north-central Texas with her preacher husband. With four grown children, three guys and a gal, she has more time and energy to spin tales of faith, fun, and forever love.

When not writing, Sherrinda loves to read, paint in her Bible, and play with her adorable scruffy dog, Phineas.






Find her on...

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Coffee Talk, Part II

GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS! Angie here again! I am still full from yesterday! Thanksgiving dinner was amazing, but I am just going to have coffee for breakfast...how about you? Perfect for this Coffee Talk. 
Last week, there was some great discussion and several entries into our 4 part giveaway. Be sure to check out what's up for grabs at the end of the post, and then comment for an entry. We had three great authors share with us about book promotion at our first Coffee Talk, and we have three more award-winning, multi-published authors here today! 


Sit back and sip your beverage (let us know what you are drinking too), and let's begin our Coffee Talk!

 Welcome to our three authors:

Becky Wade makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children.  She’s the Carol Award, INSPY Award, and Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award winning author of contemporary Christian romances, My Stubborn Heart, Undeniably Yours, Meant to Be Mine,  A Love Like Ours, and Her One and Only.
Website: http://beckywade.com/

Sarah Sundin is the author of nine historical novels, including Anchor in the Storm and When Tides Turn (coming March 2017). Her novel Through Waters Deep was a finalist for the 2016 Carol Award, won the INSPY Award, and was named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” A mother of three, Sarah lives in California.

Please visit her at http://www.sarahsundin.com.

Candace Calvert is a former ER nurse who believes love, laughter and faith are the best medicines. She likens her exciting Mercy Hospital and Grace Medical series to "Grey's Anatomy finds its soul." A native Californian, she is the mother of two and proud grandmother to seven. 
Website:  http://candacecalvert.com/

Thank you for joining us, ladies! Here are a couple of questions. We are looking forward to learning from your past book promotion experiences!

First, how soon did you start promoting your book, and what is the most effective way you stirred interest? 

BECKY-I typically brainstorm promotion ideas and meet with my publisher's marketing manager to discuss those ideas 4-5 months prior to release. From then on, I work slowly and steadily, ticking off items on my marketing 'To Do' list. I ramp up my efforts two weeks prior to release, then promote the new book wholeheartedly through its release month.

I think that the blog tours and giveaways that Litfuse Publicity has organized for me have been the most effective at stirring interest.

SARAH- It starts in a soft way as soon as I sign a contract with mentions in my newsletter and

social media, with occasional mentions through the writing phase and a bit more of a push when the cover is revealed and the book is available for pre-order. Real promotion doesn’t start until about three months before the release, gaining steam in the final month before release (to encourage pre-orders) and in the first three months after release. Then it quiets down again. Whew.

I don’t know what the most effective method has been for me. In reality, it’s probably a cumulative effect—email newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, review blog tours, giveaways, contacting libraries, speaking engagements, launch parties, book signings, radio interviews, press releases, articles, and blog posts. Most of this is very hard to measure, but I’m willing to try new things and see what sticks, what I like, and what resonates with readers. Some I cast aside after a trial, and others I embrace.

CANDACE- My Tyndale House team is really so amazing. We have a conference call about 6 months before the release of each new book to go over the marketing plan and toss around ideas—they really encourage author input. I’ll have my book image/blurb/first chapter up on my website 4 months before release, and we’ll make plans for blog tours and discuss ARCs for key reviewers and influencers. For my upcoming release, Maybe It’s You, we’re trying some new things like author videos, short little films to give readers a “glimpse behind the scenes” at the making of a story. My talented videographer is also my daughter and we have a great time; it goes without saying there will also be some silly outtakes. I seem to have a particular talent for bloopers.


Okay, book signings, launch parties, online launch parties...what was your favorite way to promote your book? What are a couple of things you did during that time to encourage readers?

BECKY-For the last two releases, I've done both a launch party/book signing at Barnes & Noble and I've done a Facebook launch party.

For the launch party at Barnes & Noble, I send out postcard invitations. The night of the event, I offer cookies and scones from the Cafe to snack on. I give a Power Point presentation followed by Q&A time. Then I chat with everyone and sign books.

As nice as "real world" launch parties are, Facebook launch parties are my favorite. I've had Facebook parties on my publisher's page, I've had them on event pages, and I've had them on my own author page. I prefer to host them on my author page because, when I have a party there, readers don't have to go somewhere separate to attend. Also, each post that I put up during the party has a chance to be seen by a wide number of people over the next few days (whether or not they were able to attend the party 'live'). I prepare every post and graphic ahead of time, so I'm free to spend the party interacting with readers. I encourage readers to come by: A) Giving away a lot of great prizes. B) Making the party (hopefully) fun. I never say 'buy my book'. Instead I ask a lot of questions about themes and careers and settings that tie in with my book in some way.   

SARAH-My all-time favorite promotion was the launch party for Through Waters Deep. It started as a simple “book signing plus” at my local Barnes & Noble. We planned to have a reading and refreshments and do some fun giveaways. But it grew. We added nautical decorations to go with the WWII Navy theme. We played big band music overhead. A high school musical group performed. Barnes & Noble agreed to donate profits to Homes for Our Troops, which aids wounded veterans. Best of all, my agent, Rachel Kent at Books & Such, came and taught swing dancing! We were literally dancing in the aisles! Not only was it a blast and a fun way for me to give back to my reader friends, but it ended up creating some publicity buzz.

To encourage readers, I try to focus promotion efforts on them. First, I try to respect their time and honor their trust by not inundating them with emails and Facebook posts and tweets. Moderation and restraint. Second, I try to make promotional events educational or inspirational, to provide “added value” to the reading experience. For example, I went to Hawaii earlier this month and visited Pearl Harbor. Since my readers are interested in World War II, I’m planning a blog series in early December for the 75^th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I’ll share photos, plus I’ll give away commemorative items I bought there. It’s “promotion” because it stirs interest in WWII and in my books (I hope), but more importantly it will provide information, time for reflection, and gifts someone will treasure. I love doing things like that.

CANDACE-While book signings and local parties are fun, online venues reach a much larger number of readers and accommodate folks across the country—and the around the globe. My Tyndale House social media team (ARC podcast, @crazy4fiction) are wonderful at cyber hosting for upcoming releases. We’ve already had a “Sweetest Day” feature (using some of my favorite recipes!) and are planning several fun reader-interactive opportunities that will include book-themed giveaways—we love those giveaways! Meanwhile, my Facebook author page is a happy gathering place; it’s great to have a chance to chat one on one with folks there. And (hint) it’s where I recruit early readers, aka story “cheerleaders” (pom poms optional, somersaults not required).

***

OOh, wow, such great ideas brewing for me now. How about you? Thank you so much ladies! 
Now it's your turn! Please share in the comments! What have you found to be a great marketing tip as an author? What questions might you have? Any author that has input, feel free to answer! We love to converse here at the Alley...and give presents....so....

WE HAVE GIVEAWAYS!

All comments will be entered in drawings for these FOUR FABULOUS PRIZES (we will draw consecutively for these prizes, except the first one will be from those indicating they are on the indie road to publication) We will share the winners on DECEMBER 2nd:

• Indie Authors! Last week's featured author Heather Gilbert has her own Indie Publishing Handbook ebook that she'd like to give a copy to one of our indie-journeying authors! Indicate in the comments if you are interested in the Indie route! 

• Reader's Choice Prize! Heather is also generously giving away a reader's choice of one of her Fiction ebooks (check out her books here ).

• AlleyCat Surprise! Our dear Casey is giving away A BOOK FROM HER STASH...who knows what amazing novel it shall be...but we know Casey's taste is impeccable so be very excited!

• AlleyPal Book! Mary Vee is amazing, and will also be giving away The Rimgmaster's Wife by the lovely AlleyPal, Kristy Cambron.

Author Coffee Talk: Marketing Books

GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS! Angie here! (Sorry for my over-enthusiasm to all you non-morning people. I don't mean to shout but I am sooo excited). 
I've got my cup of fresh brew with a splash of milk. Join me. Late autumn chill is upon us...or should be...has it been unusually warm where you are? It has here in the Midwest! But enough weather talk. Today, we'll enjoy our hot beverages as we hear from three amazing, multi-published authors about marketing their books. And then we'll hear from you! I am on the brink of publishing my debut novel, and I just had to seek the advice of the friends ahead of me on this journey. 
I love chit chat with a purpose, so after hearing from our featured authors, let's pour good conversation into the comments. Have questions about kicking off your first book, second book, or thirtieth book? Please ask! Have any fabulous tips of your own? Share!
If we were meeting in person, the Alley Cats would have pretty gift bags with bows and colorful tissue paper filled with bookish things. But, even if we aren't face to face, we have BOOKS to send you! Every commenter will be entered into our drawingssss...yes, we have FOUR GIVEAWAYS today! See a list at the bottom of this post.
Speaking of Giveaways... we have winners already! For those of you who entered the drawing for Ruth Logan Hearne's books last week, thank you! The winners are.... 

Home on the Range paperback: JOCELYN

Silent Night, Star-Lit Night ebook for any device: AMBER SCHAMEL and MEREDITH

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Please email Mary Vee at maryveewriter@gmail.com

NOW FOR SOME COFFEE TALK! Sit back and sip your beverage (let us know what you are drinking too), and let's begin our Coffee Talk!

Welcome to our three authors:

HEATHER DAY GILBERT, a Grace Award winner and bestselling author, writes novels that capture life in all its messy, bittersweet, hope-filled glory. Born and raised in the West Virginia mountains, generational story-telling runs in her blood. You can find Heather's Viking historicals and West Virginia mystery/suspense novels here.

Website: http://heatherdaygilbert.com

LAURA FRANTZ, award-winning author, is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.
Website: http://laurafrantz.net/



ERICA VETSCH is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.
Website: http://www.ericavetsch.com/

Thank you for joining us, ladies! Here are a couple of questions. We are looking forward to learning from your past book promotion experiences!

First, how soon did you start promoting your book, and what is the most effective way you stirred interest? 


Heather-I always start promoting my books pre-release, starting
with the cover reveal. I try to have the cover and blurb finalized at least 2 months pre-release. I find that really stirs interest in the book. I also try to get my book edited about a month pre-release, so I can share quote pinnables from the story. But every release is different—some are more successful than others! Another thing I tried this time is releasing a chapter from my book to my newsletter subscribers about a month pre-release. Another great way to stir interest is to have a core group of early readers who love the book and start talking about it, as well as endorsements from authors readers trust.

Laura-I like to start promo beginning with the cover reveal which to me, is the most fun. Readers love cover art so I share that long-awaited cover with great joy and then, in time, the back cover copy. Revell creates incredible images using quotes and scenes from the book that I also share in a countdown to release day. The jury is still out on revealing covers too early but publishers upload them online sometimes 9 months in advance which many feel dulls the book’s impact sales-wise. I try to err on the positive side and do the cover reveal then lay low till 3 months before the book releases then start sharing more about what’s coming. Word of mouth is still the most effective way to promote books and I love those shares on Facebook and those repins on Pinterest! Giving away copies prior to release day is also very effective in stirring interest.



Erica- When I start promoting depends upon the project. With novella collections, the ladies usually start putting something together a few months in advance. With stand alone novels, I work with the marketing team of the publisher, and that can happen even a year in advance in some cases. Personal promotion efforts usually start in earnest about a month before release date, though the thought and preparation has been ongoing.



Okay, book signings, launch parties, online launch parties...what was your favorite way to promote your book? What are a couple of things you did during that time to encourage readers?


Heather-Launch parties and online parties—I haven't done one of those for my own novels, just with a boxed set. While it was a total blast, I'm not sure how many copies of the book it moved. I can't really commit to being online for a block of time right now since
we have a small child. What I have found really helpful is having secret Facebook groups of readers who are dedicated to my books—for instance, I have a secret mystery reader group and a secret
Viking group. These are my most avid readers who are more than happy to get the word out. I run my blurbs by these groups, share cover art with them early, etc. We can talk about my books in a more personal environment than my author Facebook page provides. I do have a newsletter, but I really feel the Facebook groups are more interactive and thus generate more enthusiasm.


 Laura-My most memorable release was for The Mistress of Tall Acre held at our local LifeWay last fall. Both Revell and LifeWay did a great deal of promo to make this a success, including posters of the event and also a postal mailing. LifeWay ordered in all my backlist titles and had them on a beautiful display at the store’s entrance. My publisher provided a large gift basket of Kentucky-made items I had picked out to give to one person who attended the signing. I was seated at a table signing books, having pictures made with readers, and giving away bookmarks and other book bling. The manager said it was their biggest day since Mother’s Day, something I attributed not to my popularity but how savvy both my publisher and this local LifeWay was with timely and attractive promo. For me, the personal, hands-on, face-to-face contact with reading friends means the most so an offline event works best such as the recent Christian Fiction Readers Retreat held in Nashville. If that’s new to you I encourage you to check it out!


 Erica- I have never done a book launch party in person, though I love doing
FB launch parties. During FB parties, I love to have games, prizes, Q&A, etc. to interact with readers. Book signings can be feast or famine. Mostly I like to do signings with at least one other author, but the more the merrier. Group signings draw bigger crowds, and you always have someone to talk to during the slower times.

OOh, I am saving these ideas, how about you? So, next week, we will have THREE MORE authors sharing! We are so happy to have authors willing to share...and we just couldn't resist picking their writerly brains! We'll announce who's sharing next week very soon! Keep an eye on social media!

Now it's your turn! Please share in the comments! What have you found to be a great marketing tip as an author? What questions might you have? Any author that has input, feel free to answer! We love to converse here at the Alley...and give presents.....

GIVEAWAYS!

All comments will be entered in drawings for these FOUR FABULOUS PRIZES (we will draw consecutively for these prizes, except the first one will be from those indicating they are on the indie road to publication):

• Indie Authors! Our featured author Heather Gilbert has her own Indie Publishing Handbook ebook that she'd like to give a copy to one of our indie-journeying authors! Indicate in the comments if you are interested in the Indie route! 

• Reader's Choice Prize! Heather is also generously giving away a reader's choice of one of her Fiction ebooks (check out her books here ).

• AlleyCat Surprise! Our dear Casey is giving away A BOOK FROM HER STASH...who knows what amazing novel it shall be...but we know Casey's taste is impeccable so be very excited!

• AlleyPal Book! Mary Vee is amazing, and will also be giving away The Rimgmaster's Wife by the lovely AlleyPal, Kristy Cambron.

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