I saw an author get a little mad about a book being called a brand, she said, “It’s just a book.”and I whole heartedly disagree. Just like any product, your books need a brand that readers can recognize and connect with. This includes your book covers, your writing style, an author website, an author bio, and a recognizable author image. Think about what makes your writing unique and build your brand around that.
For example, my brand is all about strong women. What makes me unique is I play roller derby and I tend to go on a lot of adventurous travel. Was also part of my brand is I make sure I have great covers. I haven’t great Editor, so I feel part of my brand is putting out a good product.
Beyond building your brand you
, definitely need to build an email list for your fans, and do that right now. Building an email list allows you to directly connect with your readers. Offer a free short story or exclusive content in exchange for their email addresses. I highly recommend that you read Newsletter Ninja – a book specifically for author about newsletters.
And even if you are a big success on social media, you don’t own those followers. Social media can and will change its rules and suddenly all your followers aren’t seeing your posts. But at least with an email list those are people who are willing to give you their email and are your target audience.
Identify the demographics and interests of your potential readers. Are you writing for young adults, mystery enthusiasts, or fantasy lovers? Tailor your marketing strategy to reach your specific audience. If your readers are sci-fi enthusiasts then you should probably be at comic cons; if your readers are young adult, then maybe you should be on TikTok.
You don’t have to be online to sell your books, but you do have to find the right place to be.
If you are going to be online, Jace Downey of Siarza Social Digital said it best “If you’re not targeting your audience with consistent posts and a plan, then you are a stick bug on a tree.”
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook can be powerful tools for authors. And I don’t mean to post every single day about your book. You can share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your writing process, ask your readers questions, engage with your readers, and use these platforms to create anticipation for your upcoming releases. Remember, consistency is key. I go in and schedule about a week’s worth of posts at one time. That way if I want to spend a day completely off social media, my Facebook page is still getting seen and I’m being consistent.
However, if you’re going to try to sell your books through online platforms, reviews on Amazon are key. In fact, I can tell you that 10 reviews make a difference. I run Amazon Ads for GracePoint Publishing and any books with less than 10 reviews and the ads do nothing for that book. Consider sending advance copies of your book to book bloggers and reviewers in your genre. If your book is already published, consider putting it for free and then advertising in a newsletter like Hello Books. You’ll get thousands of downloads and about 30 reviews and that will be money well spent.
And, get out there. Figure out Amazon Ads or Facebook Ads or go to events where you can meet a lot of readers. There are so many books out there that these days you need to be advertising in some way.
Before we wrap up, if you have any questions or topics you’d like me to cover in future episodes, feel free to reach out on my social media channels. I’m here to support you on your writing journey.
In review: You want to think about the impression you want to give readers, that’s your brand. You want to build an email list. Find the best place to target your readers. If it’s online, then get those reviews first. Then see about advertising.
Next week I am going to talk a little bit about how to get on the news. So make sure to subscribe.
Notes:
Newsletter Ninja – a great book for authors on newsletters!
https://www.amazon.com/Newsletter-Ninja-Become-Author-Mailing-ebook/dp/B07C6J8HP9
ThrillHers Anthology: