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.



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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.

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