Why a Brand is SO Important

During a road trip, we pulled off at an exit to grab some lunch. Unfamiliar with the area, we turned onto a wide downtown street with a zillion businesses, thousands of which were restaurants. In the sea of signs, golden arches stood out. Can you guess which restaurant captured our attention?

Why did you know?

How did you know?

I'm sure many of the other restaurants served fantastic food. Some fast food. Some catering to a memorable dining experience. But the golden arches had a familiarity to them that we appreciated.

The library pictured in the photo use to stand in Cincinnati. My first thought when looking at this scene: why did the man climb to this upper level and reach for that book? What was the title? Who was the author? What was the genre?

Libraries, bookstores, online booksellers have an ocean of books available for readers. Unless I know a specific title I feel lost in the choices. I beg for direction--something other than Amazon's top list. One book-please call to me and say you are the one I want to read!

Overload!

In the same sense, around nine in the morning eastern time, a slew of book announcements rifle through my Facebook and Twitter newsfeed. As a writer, I know that statistically this is the best time to post book news. BUT as a reader I feel overwhelmed, like I was standing on the floor of the library in the photo and a wave of books splashed down on me.

As a writer I can help readers wade through the sea by using the same tactic as the golden arches (you know the vender). 

1. Own a unique tag. Over time I have polished and built my platform on the one that works for me: Never Give Up Stories. Ever manuscript I write has this component to it.Never Give Up Stories implies adventure, suspense, yet offers hope. Choose one that tells layers about your writing. 

2. Design an image that amplifies your tag. The image will take the meaning of your tag to a deeper level. In my picture, the dark colors on one side show suspense. White light on the other side shows hope. The nature reveals the adventure. Red words at the bottom declare not only the genre but also the audience. The tag is clearly visible at the top and a teaser invites readers to come.

3. Make your brand easily available without being intrusive. I don't need a golden arches on every corner. But I do want one when my stomach growls or I am sleepy while driving, (their coffee is strong enough to keep an elephant awake). This idea goes beyond your website. The image needs to appear wherever readers of your genre might go. Even just the tag line needs to pop up where your readers happen to be. If I said, two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese pickles on a sesame seed bun (the 1975 commercial for the vendor in today's post) an image would probably pop in your head. Maybe not the burger. Perhaps the playground where your child giggled with chicken nuggets in his hand. Maybe the shamrock shake. Right? Yes. Your tag and image needs to do the same.

THIS IS HOW TO BE NOTICED IN A SEA OF BOOKS.

Your brand is a way to draw readers to your books. The carrot enticing reader to the shelf or webpage where your books are waiting to be held and read.

You may have heard about gathering a tribe. These are your readers. The ones who love your genre, your voice, your style of story. Finding the tribe can be hard. 

BUT

The golden arches don't look for me. 

They simply exist where I need them.

If your brand is clearly placed where your tribe can find it, they will come...and buy your books.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT BRANDS?

Ask! We are here to help.


Photo courtesy for header photo http://www.cincinnativiews.net/buildings_7.htm

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

Help others--tweet or FB share this post

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Rock climbing, white-water rafting, zip lining, and hiking top Mary's list of great ways to enjoy a day. Such adventures can be found in her stories as well.

Mary writes young adult mystery/suspense, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and tell Bible event stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has finaled 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

All subscribers to Mary's newsletter will receive her new short story an intriguing suspense/mystery. Come, read a good story. To get your free gift, sign up for the newsletter at Mary's website or:  Join the adventure!

Subscribe to Mary Vee's Never Give Up Stories 

Learning From An Established Brand

A couple of ACFW conferences ago, I went to a workshop led by HCCP editors on branding. Honestly, I had thought my brand was a tagline. A catchy phrase that sums up an author's type of fiction. Some of my first novels were set in different times and cultures, so for a long while, I had figured my brand was, "History where Hearts and Cultures Collide." 

Yikes.

It is SO not that now, ten writing years later. I mean, most of my stories have that theme threaded through them, but as far as branding, that's just a drop in the bucket of what encompasses the brand of Angie Dicken.

What I learned from the workshop, and have been trying to grasp and create my own over the past couple of years, is something not so easily explained in a simple tagline.

The feeling, look, idea an author portrays through their writings and their own personality, is wrapped up in an author's very own brand. It's almost difficult to put into words what a "brand" is, because it's so much more than words.

Recently, I stumbled across a fabulous example of a brand. And it might be an apples to oranges kind of comparison. But none-the-less, it was a perfect little test for this post on brands.

My husband and I were talking about Harlequin. I am writing a proposal for their Love Inspired Historical line, and the topic of their logo came up. It struck me as odd that my husband didn't know that the Harlequin diamond is a play off of the Renaissance character's checkered costume. So I asked my Facebook friends:

And the overwhelming response from non-authors, non-publishing-industry friends was: Romance

I know, the brand of a well-established, humungous publishing house is on a much grander scale

than one author...but still, it is a successful brand marked by an identifiable logo. Harlequin IS romance. Each Harlequin line has a specific brand within itself, too. But they are all encompassed by the cohesive brand of romance.

It's what they are about. It's the feeling you get when you see their name, that immediate connection to romance. And the brand is established in stories that celebrate love.

Imagine being an author and changing the modern public's view of a historical symbol to help symbolize your very own brand? I mean, can you imagine seeing the Tudor rose and thinking Author Angie Dicken instead of it's original tie to the famous, and sometimes infamous, royal family? Dream much? Sure I do.

Okay, that's a little out there.

Seriously though, as an author trying to establish my brand, I need to consider what I am about, what I want to portray, and how memorable I can make my brand.

It takes time, doesn't it? I mean, being established is a huge part of that. There is a sophistication that goes along with this journey toward publication, and then beyond that debut novel to a whole career. Only time will tell. But, a brand should be considered very carefully by an author and go so much deeper than a tagline. It should be in the back of an author's mind as they move on to that next story, that next blog design, that next conference pitch.

As you establish your brand, everything you do as an author should spur the old Shakespeare line in your mind, "To thine own self be true," and you need to remember who you are each step of the way. Everything you are putting out there, are building blocks toward that established brand.


So, can you describe your brand? Do you have one yet? 

Can you think of another author's brand, or a business's brand that comes to mind?

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written six historical novels and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/agdicken/

To Brand or not to Brand?

If you've been a writer for any length of time, then you've heard a word bandied about.

That word? BRAND.

Now don't get angry, tense, or upset.

One of the things I do as I read multiple books from an author is try to evaluate what promise that writer is making to readers with each book. As they write one more book, they're making an addition to the promise...or breaking the promise and potentially losing readers.

Really that's all a brand is.

A brand is a promise to a reader.

What can they expect when they pick up your next book?

With Colleen Coble books you expect a strong romance set in a setting that can't be divorced from the book. There will also be some page turning suspense. Probably a child, too.

With Rachel Hauck's Royal Wedding Series you'll find what I call supernatural romances or spiritual fairytales. Think Princess Diaries all grown up with heart-pounding romance and such a strong spiritual message you will be changed if you open your heart to the theme of the story.

In Julie Klassen's books, you'll step back into regency England. There will be a strong sense of place, interesting characters set in an interesting time, and usually a mystery to add layers to the romance.

What happens when an author deviates from the reader's expectations (aka brand?)? The reader is disappointed. The book is unfinished. And the next book may not be purchased.

Brand is something that develops over time. So if you're still new at writing, don't panic. You'll figure it out as you go. But as people read your books, pay attention to what they have to say about them. That's how Brandilyn Collins figured out her Seatbelt Suspense. Her readers told her that's what they experienced.

Who's your favorite author and how would you define their brand or promise?
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Cara Putman is the award-winning author of 20 books. You can connect with her online at her website, facebook, twitter, and more.

A Writer's "Brand" (or lack thereof) with Guest AMY MATAYO

In the past six years I’ve written eight books, and I’m currently working on the ninth. That number
doesn’t include the four books I’ve stopped and abandoned for one reason or another, the main reason
being my extremely short attention span. For the finished books, their titles and genres are as follows, in the order they were written:



Walking in Circles (YA)
The History of Me (YA)
Don’t Ask Why (YA)
The Wedding Game (Contemp Romance)
Love Gone Wild (Contemp Romance)
Sway (NA)
In Tune with Love (Contemp Romance)
The End of the World (NA)
Title not yet public (NA)

So far only three books have been published. Next year, four more will follow—two of which are
complete and two others in varying stages of nowhere near complete. But this is what I do.

So why am I telling you this?

Because I love to write. And because I hate to write. Because I need to write. And because I often wish I didn’t need to write. And this is how the cycle goes for me. Every single time. Each time I open up a blank document to start a new manuscript. Every time I begin a new chapter or sit in wide-eyed panic as I face the dreaded kissing scene/fight scene/turning point/end of the book.

I love it.

I hate it.

And as you can tell by my very inconsistent genres, my moods often flip back and forth.
Just like my real-life moods. Sometimes I’m happy and feeling a bit on the snarky side (The Wedding Game, Love Gone Wild, In Tune with Love, Title not yet public).

Sometimes I’m feeling a bit reflective (Walking in Circles, The History of Me). Sometimes I read a local newspaper headline and write a story about it (Don’t Ask Why). Sometimes I’m wondering what the world would be like if we could all just get along a little better (Sway). Sometimes I’m feeling a bit sad and trying to find the hope in life (The End of the World). And sometimes (always) I’m feeling a little scatterbrained (all the books I haven’t completed).

Again, why am I telling you this? Because in the writing world, there’s a little term often thrown around calling “branding.” Authors are often encouraged to find their brand (funny, serious, reflective, etc.) and stick to it. And that’s a good thing. A great thing actually, because it makes you very dependable to a reader who wants to know that if they spend hard-earned money on your book, they’ll enjoy it. I’m just not very good at branding.

Kind of like a songwriter who has a plethora of subject matters on a single album, my books sort of
follow the same format. I’m never sure what I’m going to write about next—whether it will be happy or sad or somewhere in between—but my hope is that whatever I write, I do it well. At least marginally so. My next book, The End of the Word, (out Feb. 10) is a bit different than my other books. But I hope that’s okay, because sometimes I need different. A different place, a different mood, a different kind of story that will pull me in and show me something new. And that’s my hope for The End of the World. That you will be pulled in, and that no matter what mood you’re in when you read it, it will be a halfway pleasant way to escape for a few hours.

But in the meantime, I hope you’ll read Sway. Because that would make me really, really happy.

Amy Matayo

***
Amy here (the other one!): I for one, LOVED Sway. Anyone else read it? Having read Amy's other books I suppose I went into this with some expectations, but Sway threw me, and that is precisely why it was so spectacular. The story was layered just right, the dialogue witty and perfectly tuned, the story poignant and complex and again, just so unexpected I was riveted. I loved how the precisely frayed edges in this story were woven back together with a message of grace. This story will challenge you like only the best stories do. You will not walk away unmoved. Thank you, Amy (Matayo---sheesh! That's confusing, right?) for this refreshing change of pace. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

So tell me, Alley Pals... Do you have a brand? Do you write one specific genre or do you change with your mood? Leave a comment... tell us a little bit about what you are writing now and I'll giveaway a kindle copy of Sway! Happy Friday! Now go write something fabulous!


Amy Matayo has a degree in Journalism from John Brown University. She worked for seven years as Senior Writer and Editor at DaySpring Cards until the birth of her first child. Amy was a freelance writer for David C. Cook before pursuing novel writing full time and focuses on edgy, contemporary books for women of all ages. She is the author of The Wedding Game, Love Gone Wild, and Sway. She lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. Please visit her online at www.amymatayo.com. or @amymatayo amzn.to/1qDiw0C

Click here to check out Sway

Branding: An (Almost) Simple Explanation with Jim Rubart

Had the chance to meet Jim Rubart at ACFW 2011!

Want to confuse yourself? Ask ten friends—or marketing people— to define branding. I predict eight to ten different answers.

My mission—which I’ve obviously chosen to accept—is to give a brief definition of branding you can keep in your head after you’ve read this post.

Branding has been a hot buzzword in the publishing world for at least ten years, but I want to go back farther than that. In 1904 Ivan Pavlov won the Noble prize for his research into branding. You’ve heard about his dogs. That’s branding. Ring the bell, give the dogs meat. Do it enough and the dogs salivate without the beef.

Psychologists call this planting an associative memory.

“I’m Tom Bodett for _______ and we’ll leave the light on for ya.” Most of you instantly inserted Motel 6 into the blank. Some of you even hear the folksy music in your head and are thinking about a “clean comfortable room” and “the lowest price of any national chain.”

Rooms

Mention Stephen King and we think horror. Nicholas Sparks equals romance (and tears).

How do we plant an associative memory into the mind of a reader, agent, or editor?

Consistency, frequency, and anchoring.

Consistency: Give people the same message every time. Did you know Pavlov did his experiment again with circles? Show dogs the circles then give them the meat. It worked. Then he changed the circles to ovals. It stopped working. The consistency wasn’t there. This is why it’s tough—but not impossible—to brand yourself as a nonfiction writer and a fiction writer at the same time. Or to switch genres. Once you get into the mind with a strong associate memory, it’s difficult to change it, or even add to it. For example, when you hear Harry Houdini, you think magician. But who can remember that he was the first person to fly an airplane in Australia? Even most Australians don’t know that. Why? He already was in there mind with a different brand.

Frequency: This is easy. Keep your message out there. Often.

Anchoring: This is the tough one. Many people think by throwing together some potent colors and coming up with a catchy tagline they’ve branded themselves. Huh uh. Anchoring is divided into three parts:

Book of Days

1.      Anchor to something no one else has anchored to. You must be unique. Telling people you’re the “Passionate author who shares the deep love of Jesus” will not be remembered. Showing up in your kilt at the ACFW awards dinner will. I’m serious. Agent Chip MacGregor knows what he’s doing when he goes each year in his kilt. Who is he promoting/branding himself to? Editors and writers. Do you think he makes an impact when he wears his kilt? Is it memorable? Unique? Yea verily.

2. Anchor to something the public wants. Picking on Chip again, people want entertainment, they want to be surprised. Are they, when he steps out in his MacGregor tartan? Of course. They love it. Randy Ingermanson has branded himself as the Snowflake guy to writers and editors. At an ACFW conference a few years back I smiled as I saw his branding had become so successful it was parodied from the stage during the opening session.

3. Anchor to something you already are. Anchor to something you already are. No, that wasn’t a typo. It bears repeating because this is where more authors stumble. Many try to create a brand out of nothing:

“Suspense that sucks you in and won’t let you go! Never! Ever! Really!”

“Making you hyperventilate after every chapter!”

“Romance that makes you a mush cake every time!”

The Chair

This is not branding. You can’t create or make up a brand. You can only discover and promote what already is. I worked with an author recently who claimed she didn’t have a brand, and there was no coherent theme connecting her three novels. She was wrong. She has a powerful brand/theme, one with universal appeal. She was thrilled after I showed her what it was. But I didn’t create her brand, I simply pointed out what was already there.

Branding is taking the unique elements about you and your writing that already exist and exposing them to the world. Your brand is there; your job is to uncover it.

Yes, it’s a challenge pinpointing what your brand is. Often we’re too close. Most people have trouble reading the outside of the bottle when they’re standing inside. So ask people close to you to describe your uniqueness. Brainstorm with other authors about what sets you apart. Ask your editor, spouse, kids, agent, and others.

Yeah, I know, we’ve only scratched the surface. That’s why Amazon is packed with books on branding. And why marketing people like me have jobs.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I  love God, my wife, my sons, writing, speaking,
 playing guitar and golf, in that order.
And I dabble in photography.
(and yes that's me in the ski shot above)
www.jimrubart.com  

Now does that not make your brain stretch and swell just a little bit? But such helpful info for the beginning author, because NOW is the time to be figuring and discovering and finding our brand. I know from personal experience, taking the bit of time each day or week to learn something about marketing myself is a great way of getting the learning curve and overwhelming amount of "stuff" out there to do, out of the way now will better prepare me for the time when I do get to have a book on the shelves.

What do you think? Does Jim's comments open up a new understanding...and hopefully less daunting amount of info to consider while you do the preliminary marketing?

Chocolate, Pretzels, and the Power of Word of Mouth

There's no denying the truth. I love chocolate. In fact, it’s one of the many things that bonds me to my Alley sisters. Now put chocolate over pretzels and I’m gone. As in, gone to heaven and don’t want to return to reality any time soon.

So this is what prompted a very intellectual discussion at a recent haircut of mine. A commercial for pretzel M&Ms came on in the background, and my stylist and I got talking about them.

I said, “Y’know, I really don’t care for pretzel M&Ms.” [Don’t worry, M&M makers, you’ve hooked me with your peanut butter M&Ms] “They just don’t have enough pretzel flavor for me. If I want that combo, I’ll eat chocolate-covered pretzels.”

Her reply: “Have you ever tried Take 5 bars? They’ve got chocolate, pretzels, caramel, peanuts, and peanut butter.”

My jaw promptly dropped to my cape and I said, “Are you kidding me? That sounds amazing. I might just have to get one on my way home.”

And you know what? I did. And it was so good that I scarfed it down in minutes. And I’m secretly plotting how I can get my hands on another one and scarf it down this afternoon.

Now THAT is the power of word of mouth. A casual conversation about our favorite flavor combos, and *bam* I’m a customer for life.

That’s what we want to do with our fiction. We want to develop a brand that combines mouth-watering…er, page-turning…ingredients. And then we want to write another book with those elements and another book.

Because if we make a good enough combo (i.e., develop our craft skillfully), we’ll have people telling their friends about us. “You like a book that challenges your faith and makes you laugh until you snort? You’ve GOTTA check out Jenny Jones’ book Just Between You and Me.” “You want a book full of godly passion? I just read one of Julie Lessman’s books, and now I’m hooked.”

So keep working on your craft, keep pulling out those elements that are unique to you, and some day you’ll have readers passing on a good word. Oh, and feel free to eat a Take 5 bar while you’re at it.

Have you ever tried a new product or a new book based solely on someone's recommendation? Did you remain a fan for life? And since I'm in a chocolate kind of mood, tell me your favorite chocolate candy-bar combo.

*Chocolate bar photo by Graur Codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a regular contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

Branding With Your Tagline

Taglines. Many of you know what they are, but some may not have a clue. Here is a definition from Wikipedia:

A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product.


You know know a good tagline when you see/hear it. How about these:


"Just do it." ...Nike
"Takes a licking and keeps on ticking."...Timex
"Melts in your mouth, not in your hands."  ... M&Ms
"Reach out and touch someone." ...AT&T
"Snap, Crackle, Pop."...Rice Crispies
"Finger Lickin' Good."....Kentucky Fried Chicken


Taglines are your branding slogan. They are what makes you memorable. A tagline must include your mission and it must give the readers a taste of what you have to offer. It must also encompass the essence of YOU. 


Make is short and make it catchy. Shorter is easier to remember. Use clever puns. Use play on words. Make it memorable! 

I've been thinking of what I'd like my tagline to be. Here is a few of my ideas. What do you like best?

• Faith, Fun, and Forever Love
• Romance Full of Faith and Fun
• Real Faith & Sigh-Worthy Love
• Romance for the Hopeful Soul

Personally, I like the first one best. It shows my mission, to provide faith filled stories with humor and fun. And is shows that I write romance...the forever love. I think it also shows a bit of me...I love to laugh and have fun, and I love God with all my heart. It's also a little more catchy than the others. Of course, it is very similar to Kaye Dacus's so I probably should keep on trying to find something a little more of my own.

I browsed through writer and author sites and found some wonderful taglines:

• Deb Kinnard - Sassy Fiction for Today's Christian Woman
• Kathleen Ekovach - Spiritual Truth...With A Giggle
• Julie Lessman - Passion With A Purpose
• Audra Harders - Rugged Stories With Heart
• Mary Connealy - Romantic Comedy with Cowboys
• Camy Tang - Romance with a Kick of Wasabi
• Susan May Warren - Speaking the Truth & Encouraging the Spirit...through Writing, Teaching & Speaking
• Pepper Basham - Stories of Hope & Healing, Peppered with Grace and a Dash of Humor
• Kaye Dacus - Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters
• Jeannie Campbell - Where Romance Meets Therapy
• Mary DeMuth - Turning Trials to Triumph
• Kim Vogel Sawyer - Gentle Stories of Hope

I could have searched all night and found more wonderful taglines, but alas, I didn't have the time. I did search some of the New York Times Best Seller List and I discovered something interesting. None of the authors there have taglines listed on their sites. I suppose if you make it that big you don't NEED a tagline...your name IS the tagline. 

This brings up a question that I hope you will help me answer. Do all writers need a tagline? At what point do you need a tagline? Is it when you are submitting and putting your work out there? Is it when you are contracted and starting to market yourself? Or can you have a tagline just because you want one? What are your thoughts?

Sherrinda