Let's Talk Niche Marketing: Part 2

Today, I'm continuing the conversation about niche marketing because my last post was getting way too long :) To refresh your memory, we talked about identifying potential niches for your book/platform, and today I'm going to share a little bit about reaching said niches along with a refresher on common marketing etiquette because I can't resist.

Whether you're branding yourself as a pre-published author, reaching out to new readers as an established blogger or someone with a few published books under your belt, or you're starting a new business/project/venture, there are several avenues you can explore to find the people who will best benefit from what you have to offer.

Let me preface this by saying it's important to have a good handle on your ideal audience and to be intentional about who you reach out to before you begin. You don't want to be like that guy who sends daily mass emails full of clickbait and optimized keywords. Just no. You don't want to be associated with a certain processed "meat" that comes in a can.

Once you have this down, you're in luck. Because you live in 2015, and it's easier than ever for like-minded groups to congregate online, for one, and also relatively simple to find them. You can look for:

• Facebook groups
• Twitter labels
• Hashtags across multiple platforms (Don't forget Instagram!)
• Online groups, including book clubs, support and special interest groups, blog communities, etc.

You can also find groups like this through your local library and community organizations. Though you may reach a smaller sample of people, it can still be beneficial to seek out groups in your area.

Specialized publications and media outlets can also lead to great opportunities. I've had clients garner attention from a quarterly quilting magazine to an allergy-friendly support network. And these days, there are podcasts that cover pretty much every subject. You'd be surprised.

So, say you're coming out with a children's story about pugs (what?) and found a few groups that you think would be interested in your book, a local gathering of preschool moms that hosts a weekly storytime and a Facebook group for pug fans with 10,000 members. What next?

Find out who runs each group and try to contact an individual before you leave a blanket message on a Facebook wall or an answering machine. Try to discern if it's appropriate to reach out to that individual directly, because if so, tailoring a pitch personally instead of making it look like a mass email is always the way to go! Have a good sample of your work at the ready if they request it so they can make an informed decision.

I will repeat my marketing mantras at every opportunity: 

• Remember that potential readers, editors, followers, and clients are human beings and deserve personalized communication when at all possible. I would recommend keeping detailed notes to avoid getting your people mixed up. It happens!
• View your interactions with them as conversations, not blanket sales pitches.
• Focus on what you have to offer that can serve and benefit them.
• Be gracious with every yes, and know when to take no for an answer.
• Be intentional and do your research before you make contact.

I think that about covers it! Hope this has given you some good food for thought. 

Super helpful pug book example aside, I'd love to discuss what projects you're working on and any new niches you'd like to reach!

---

Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a two-time Genesis Award winner, and the runner-up in the 2015 Lone Star Contest's Inspirational category. Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

Let's Talk Niche Marketing: Part 1

Pre-published authors, I'm looking at you. Before you navigate away from this post, this topic applies to you, too! Right now, it's important for you to be building your platform. And you need to be strengthening your marketing muscle, because someday when your book sells, you're going to need to do a lot of legwork whether you choose the indie route or sign with a top-five publisher.

So let's get ready. Let's talk niche marketing, my very favorite part of my job. Do you know what it entails? Those with a basic understanding of book marketing know the traditional routes: retail, print and broadcast media, email subscription lists, social media. But have you explored your niche audiences for selling your book or building your platform? 

Though it may not seem as lucrative as traditional routes, chiseling away at niche marketing could strike unexpected gold. 

Identifying potential niches for your book/platform

First, it's important to know your niche and be consistent with it. It might make sense for you to have a few different niches, as long as they have significant and intentional ties with your book. But if you find they're polar opposite groups, then it's best to pick one to focus on. Otherwise it will be hard to benefit your readers, engage them, and keep them coming back for more of your story. That's the most important thing!

1. Ask yourself about your probable target audience -- beyond the typical "18-35-year-old woman" answer. What magazines does he/she read? What groups do he/she belong to on Facebook? How would this person spend his/her Saturday night? 

For example, my second manuscript's heroine is a food blogger, so a lot of the plot revolves around food. When my book sells, I'd like to reach out to groups of food and lifestyle bloggers who also post book reviews on their websites. I might ask if I can send review copies to people I've researched well that seem like a good fit for my ideal audience. { Let me repeat this: people I've asked and researched well. } If niche marketing is a Venn diagram, I'm looking for people who exist in the heart area below with as many intersecting qualities as possible.

In the meantime, as I build my platform, I can post occasional recipes on my social media platforms and engage with food and lifestyle bloggers because I know that represents my brand well and will be sustainable throughout the life of my writing career.

2. Ask yourself what theme or message in your book you're most passionate or knowledgeable about. Why did you write this book? How did you as the author come away a better person as your characters grew and the story unfolded in your writing? That theme or message.

In my first book, the heroine is a new college graduate facing some pretty tough questions about her future. I know that one niche of readers who would relate to her are college students or not far removed from that stage of life. So I might seek out speaking engagements at colleges and conferences geared toward that demographic. I might ask myself how buying my book or following me on Twitter would be beneficial for them and offer supplemental content. I might write articles about that topic and submit them to relevant media outlets.

The goal is to streamline your message or theme and establish yourself as an authority on that topic, to let your passion shine through, even if only to your own platform. But hopefully you can figure out appropriate avenues where individuals congregate to hear that message -- individuals who will identify with your book. 

3. Ask yourself what stands out about your book. Hopefully you have a decent idea of the hook that makes your story unique in the marketplace, whether you're published or not. Is it a unique setting? Age group? Historical event? Character occupation? A lovable minor character? 

A friend of mine had a faithful pit bull that played a prominent role in her manuscript, so she reached out to a Facebook group with thousands of followers and was taken under their wings immediately. These people are loyal to pit bulls and adored that she had featured one in her book.

I also had a client whose book centered around a unique locale during World War II. With a little research, we discovered a large virtual book club network focused on World War II fiction that ended up generating a lot of sales.

The moral of the story? Common loyalty can forge a powerful alliance.

---

I was going to talk about reaching your niche audience, but I'm making the executive decision to continue the fun next time! So until then, chime in! Who is your ideal reader? What are some niche audiences that would be interested in reading your books? 

---

Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and received the Genesis Award in 2013 (Contemporary) and 2014 (Romance). 

Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com