#TipfulTuesday Expectations: Influencers vs Street Teams

On the Writer’s Alley, we share writing issues almost daily. We bounce around the problems and discuss solutions because the author’s journey is one that can’t be traveled alone.

Today’s topic is Influencers and street teams. What is the difference? What are the expectations for the author? What are the expectations for the reader?  Both are such an asset for an author.

What is an influencer? An influencer agrees to read the author’s book and write a few reviews, say on Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, Amazon, etc. That is about it. If the influencer wants, he or she may volunteer to also write a social media post or two about this one book. Authors should not blindly send books to someone for a review. Typically, the author communicates with potential influencers, asking if he or she would like to read and review the book. This is how the author’s book rises to the top of a TBR (to be read) pile and gets a review sooner.

An influencer can be a friend, a librarian, a women’s study leader, a bookstore owner, a book club leader, local radio or TV host, bloggers, etc. Think outside the box and be brave. It never hurts to ask. Most people love to receive a free book. Some of the individuals should receive a paperback instead of an eBook or pdf of the story.

What is a street team? Street team members support an author’s work. They enjoy the author’s writings and like the opportunity to tell others about the author’s new releases. The group is led by the author or the author’s assistant. They design memes, share posts, write Tweets, Instagram, and Facebook messages about the author’s new releases. They can form a community among themselves to work on bigger promotional projects. A wise author will give street members the opportunity to recommit annually or some other time increment in case life needs require the member’s time.

Some Alley Cats have street teams. Amazing. Amazing people.

Some Alley Cats would appreciate an influencer. Some of you have time and would like to be an influencer. Then again, perhaps some of you need an influencer too!

So let’s get together! 

In the comment section simply state if you are willing to be an influencer: read one book and write a review. Say what genre you prefer.

Those who need influencers state the genre of your book. Typically, the author gives a pdf or kindle version of the book to the influencer.

Ready to help each other?

I know I am. I am looking for a few influencers for either my new fantasy for YA or for my contemporary women's.

Go!

Happy reading!

Photo courtesy: Pixabay

~Mary Vee
#Influencer #Streetteams #TheWritersAlley #authors #readers #amreading #amwriting #TheWritersAlley

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Mary Vee -Rock climbing, white-water rafting, and hiking top Mary’s list of ways to enjoy a day. She was homeless for a time, was a teacher, a missionary, and married an Air Force vet. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her King.

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

 Meet my new fantasy story, Fire and Thorn. 

A Story for Teens

The day the king of Aerlis heroically dies and his lovely queen is viciously carried off to the dark north, dragons invade the land. Crops and homes near the border burn to the ground. Prince Gilbert must give up what he wants most to save his father’s kingdom and himself. Far away lies the answer. Something unseen. To save the kingdom he must go on a quest to bring the unseen back. A quest filled with danger. There seems an easier solution in the vast north. One that offers great wealth and power. Time is short. One choice will save his kingdom. The other will silence him and his people—forever.

Advanced Basics-Street Team Marketing Tips

Street team marketing is a gift to today's writer. Seriously. Even writers need time for coffee in the morning, and the only way we can squeeze marketing into our already overloaded schedule is to garner the help of our genre's community.

1. To build your team from zero (or how ever many you currently have) send out invitations. Take your time. Design this like you are throwing a gala party. Simple. Sharp. Colors. Clear. Concise. 

Include appealing information. Just enough to pique interest. Then send a follow up that has the details. Sending invitations is a great control. You really don't want to send out an open call to the world because there are expectations on you as well.

Confused yet? Yay! That means you'll keep reading!!

2. Once you have your team make a point to regularly show your appreciation. One Alley Cat sends a call out to the whole team to say happy birthday to a team member. She acknowledges new members of the team and asks everyone in the group to say hi. These simple kudos help team members know that you care about them as individuals.

3. If possible, get to know the city where your street team members live. Using Facebook can help us be connected, but there is nothing better than meeting the 3-D individual. If you are traveling you could link up with a street member at a coffee shop, a library, a park, anywhere to take some great selfies. Post these on your group site.

4. Speaking of group site, make a closed group for just your street team. This way you can discuss ideas, present new material, ask them their thoughts about new story ideas, plan promotion parties, etc.

5. Expectations- Rewinding just a tad, make sure you inform those interested in becoming street team members what your expectations are and what they will receive in return. For example, tell them about your future publications, that you need them to read advanced copies and plan to post reviews. Find out their gifts and interests. Perhaps one loves to make memes, another might like to plan parties, another loves to read and post reviews, they all will have gifts. Know these and delegate your needs to them. In return, plan to lavish the group with appropriate kudos, birthday greetings, Amazon/Starbucks gift cards, etc.

6. Kindness - I once said yes to be on a street team for a critique partner a couple of years ago. I was asked to read the book, no problem, write a review, no problem - but then she said she didn't like my review and asked me to make certain changes. Then she sent me personal notes of tasks she wanted me to do. It went on and on and on. And seriously, I said enough. She asked too much. She needed a team. And she needed to appreciate me.  The honey /vinegar thing comes in very handy here.

7. Keep conversations open and solicit the team's questions. Let them ask questions. It's amazing what seems unclear to one individual and crystal with another. This, again is where the group page comes in handy. Team members will answer each other's questions building a camaraderie. It's amazing how the super planners will step up to the rescue. 

8. One other idea is to ask your street team to join you in giving shout-outs to other writers when one of their books is released. Talk about a viral idea. Street teams helping each other. It can't get any better.


So these are only a few of my favorite things I've seen in other street teams. Hop on board, and share what you have learned, tried, or have seen done.



I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

Help others--tweet or FB share this post

 ********************************************************************************************

Mary Vee -  Rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip lining, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. These activities require lots of traveling, which is also tops on her list. For some crazy reason, the characters in Mary’s young adult mystery/suspense fiction stories don’t always appreciate the dangerous and often scary side of her favorite activities. Unbelievable.

Mary studies marketing and writing skills, and pens missionary and retellings of Bible stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has been a finalist in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website, blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

CLICK HERE to learn more

Mary has a new release. William Worthington Watkins III and the Cookie Snitchers.  Someone took the cookies from the church's kitchen and William wanted--no he needed to know who did it. Who isn't telling the truth? Mystery. Junior Fiction. Humor.  Click here to learn more. A GREAT READ FOR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR OR SUMMER.

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her novella, an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website  Never Give Up Stories. Join the adventure!

{{Gone Fishing!}} Friday News & GIVEAWAY!

Hey Alley Pals...

As you read this, Hubby and I are waving from the road as we head outta town for a rare weekend getaway! WithOUT kids! And fine, you caught me. We're not really going fishing. But probably hiking. And hot spring(ing). And enchanted treehousing! Lots of other ings like eating and frolicking. You get the idea. ;)

While I'm away, you have the chance to win an amazing new book and hear all about the exciting happenings happening (ooo, that was redundant) here on your alley.

First up, is Cara Putman's awesome new legal suspense, BEYOND JUSTICE! (PSST... today's giveaway!) This book is hot off the presses and seriously addicting. (I'm currently procrastinating way too many things to keep my nose buried in my, err, kindle app.) Leave a comment by Sunday night telling me about your favorite (or dream) weekend getaway to enter to win. Be sure you leave an email address so I can contact you about claiming your prize. :)



Laurie Tomlinson has a fabulous giveaway happening over on her website www.laurietomlinson.com Her debut novel WITH NO RESERVATIONS from Harlequin Heartwarming and a KINDLE FIRE are up for grabs so be sure you head over and enter to win all that goodness!!!

ALSO ... Big news for book LOVERS! Especially those who love romantic comedies, Krista Phillips is looking to add some hungry readers to her street team, The Phillips-ians! (PSST... street teams get early reader copies and freebies!) Inquire here!

Pardon me while I scoot on outta here...

Have a blessed weekend! See y'all when I get back!

<3 Amy

When Your Friends have Book Deals . . . And You Don't

 

Reality check! Our emotions aren’t always pretty. We’ve all undoubtedly been on both sides when the green monster rears it’s ugly head! Jealousy. No one is immune but luckily we are not solely run by our inner-caveman. We have highly evolved reasoning skills and coping mechanisms. Whoo hoo! Go us! And yet, we still hear authors lament broken friendships as a casualty of their success. Almost as if we are bound together by our mutual flightless struggle, yet when one of the birdies catches some air they are leaving the rest behind. No room for superstars in our nest of brooding, misunderstood artists. Bullocks!

The thing I LOVE about the writing community is the antithesis of this jealousy issue. From the newbie to the best-seller, we ALL actually rely on each other in so many ways. In publishing the big fish helps carry the risk the publisher takes in signing the debut author. The award-winning author endorses your book or gives you a shout out because someone once did it for them. And conversely, the dedicated blogger reviews that best-selling book. Posts and tweets about their favorite author’s newest release. The middle of the roader hones their skills under the tutelage of the masters. Getting a leg up when they start floundering and succumbing to the heavy-hitting rejections. It may feel like a hierarchy at times but in reality, it’s a family. Each one of us starting as kidlets looking up to the big brother, or the mom and dad, or wise grandparent to mentor us along the journey until we can walk on our own and carry the torch they passed along.

No matter what you are feeling, we are better and more successful as a team.

And while it may suck that someone else has a book releasing and you don’t, it only sucks because you don’t have a book releasing right now and they do. If you don’t give up, your time will come. Perseverance is key. So while we wait…let your friends have their day in the sun.

So here’s what you do:

1.  Muster up some enthusiasm! Start with a “Congratulations!” and work your way toward more genuine happiness. Baby steps.

2. Street team like a superfan! Post, share, retweet! Help spread the word!

3. Be the bigger blogger! Have your friend guest post on your blog. This is great networking and gives your friend their due in the spotlight.

4. REVIEW and SHARE! Because books live and die by their reviews. Help give a friend a fighting chance to climb the ranks in an utterly saturated marketplace like Amazon where great books might easily fall through the cracks.

5. BUY BOOKS! Don’t expect a handout. BUY THE BOOK. Buy extra! Throw a giveaway! Give some as gifts. Do what you secretly wish someone would do if it were YOUR debut.

6. GUSH! Be a gusher. No matter how good it is, someone is going to hate your book. You will get dinged by a reviewer. You will be rejected over and over. And quite frankly, the writing life can be really discouraging at times. So when you have a kind word, say it. Say it with enthusiasm and give that tortured writer the validation they need to keep on going when the weariness and doubts are winning.

7. BE happy for them. Make up your mind to be happy and then do it. Mind over matter. Your time will comes and your community will have your back!

 

Alright… How about I practice what I preach a bit here? GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! And since this post is inspired by my immense pride for my crit partner and bestie Pepper Basham whose DEBUT novel The Thorn Bearer was just released yesterday, if you help spread the word I’ll buy someone a copy of her book!

 

 

 

Here’s how we’ll play this!

1. Leave your email address in the comments section (Or your facebook addy so I can message you there).

AND

2. Share this post on Facebook with a SHOUT OUT for Pepper Basham and the giveaway for her outstanding book The Thorn Bearer!

I’ll draw a winner out of a hat and gift some lucky winner a beautiful read for Mother’s Day!