Prepare To Launch
by Jann Martin
Attend:
When I attended my first writer’s conference, the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference, in February 2013, I had no idea what I was doing. Looking at the schedule was overwhelming with so much I didn’t know about the world of a writer. There’s the language:
At that first conference, I took a class by Suzanne Kuhn called “That’s What I’m Talking About: Reaching Your Audience Through Social Media.” I had no idea how much I could promote myself and my writing through all the different social media platforms.
I took classes taught by Edie Melson on “Successful Social Media for Writers in Thirty Minutes a Day,” and “Don’t Put All Your Social Media Eggs in One Basket.” Each of these classes gave me hands-on experience using the different types of memes and links to help my posts come alive.
Read:
Guerrilla Marketing for Writers 100 No-Cost, Low-Cost Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen, and David L. Hancock was also helpful. This book contains so much information in it that I often refer back just to ensure I am covering all of the bases. For my next launch at the end of this year, I hope to have even more outlets in place.
Publish:
After securing my contract with Elk Lake Publishing, I posted a picture on Facebook holding my first royalty paying publisher contract. I use my blog and MailChimp for email blasts to get the word out when I have new books that will be available soon. Pinterest is a good tool as well to promote my books; however, it is harder to monitor the effectiveness of this media platform. Other platforms that are available but I don’t use are Twitter, Tumbler, GoodReads, and Instagram. Depending on your genre and audience, they may be more helpful for you.
Another way to get the news out about my books was my local newspaper. One idea is to contact the local newspaper and ask them to print a press release and provide the public information to find my books.
Friendly:
I am an outgoing person and not afraid to make calls or just stop in at a church, school, gift shop, or bookstore to inquire about them letting me do a presentation and/or book signing. When I have a book signing set up, I update my social media with dates, places, and times.
Organization:
I have a card file of the churches, schools, and stores I connect with. I keep detailed notes with dates for each contact and record how many books were sold when I visited them. Check your calendar every day and update frequently.
Prepared:
I always try to carry a bag with copies of my four books. One of my bags has window pockets on the front where I place pictures of the books that are published. Whether I’m shopping, in a waiting room, or a doctor’s office, I talk to the people around me and share with them the information about my books. Hopefully, I make a sale, but at least, I can give them my business card telling them how they can order my books. Along with business cards, have bookmarks, postcards, and flyers available. I never pass up an opportunity to share what new adventure God has me doing in my “retirement.”
Business cards:
And, don’t underestimate the importance of business cards, I learned having your picture on your card is important. When you have been talking with someone about your books, they will remember you better if your card has your picture. The picture may trigger a memory of something that really interested them in the books you have.
To read more about Jann Martin, Click Here.
Prepare To Launch
by Jann Martin
Attend:
When I attended my first writer’s conference, the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference, in February 2013, I had no idea what I was doing. Looking at the schedule was overwhelming with so much I didn’t know about the world of a writer. There’s the language:
At that first conference, I took a class by Suzanne Kuhn called “That’s What I’m Talking About: Reaching Your Audience Through Social Media.” I had no idea how much I could promote myself and my writing through all the different social media platforms.
I took classes taught by Edie Melson on “Successful Social Media for Writers in Thirty Minutes a Day,” and “Don’t Put All Your Social Media Eggs in One Basket.” Each of these classes gave me hands-on experience using the different types of memes and links to help my posts come alive.
Read:
Guerrilla Marketing for Writers 100 No-Cost, Low-Cost Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen, and David L. Hancock was also helpful. This book contains so much information in it that I often refer back just to ensure I am covering all of the bases. For my next launch at the end of this year, I hope to have even more outlets in place.
Publish:
After securing my contract with Elk Lake Publishing, I posted a picture on Facebook holding my first royalty paying publisher contract. I use my blog and MailChimp for email blasts to get the word out when I have new books that will be available soon. Pinterest is a good tool as well to promote my books; however, it is harder to monitor the effectiveness of this media platform. Other platforms that are available but I don’t use are Twitter, Tumbler, GoodReads, and Instagram. Depending on your genre and audience, they may be more helpful for you.
Another way to get the news out about my books was my local newspaper. One idea is to contact the local newspaper and ask them to print a press release and provide the public information to find my books.
Friendly:
I am an outgoing person and not afraid to make calls or just stop in at a church, school, gift shop, or bookstore to inquire about them letting me do a presentation and/or book signing. When I have a book signing set up, I update my social media with dates, places, and times.
Organization:
I have a card file of the churches, schools, and stores I connect with. I keep detailed notes with dates for each contact and record how many books were sold when I visited them. Check your calendar every day and update frequently.
Prepared:
I always try to carry a bag with copies of my four books. One of my bags has window pockets on the front where I place pictures of the books that are published. Whether I’m shopping, in a waiting room, or a doctor’s office, I talk to the people around me and share with them the information about my books. Hopefully, I make a sale, but at least, I can give them my business card telling them how they can order my books. Along with business cards, have bookmarks, postcards, and flyers available. I never pass up an opportunity to share what new adventure God has me doing in my “retirement.”
Business cards:
And, don’t underestimate the importance of business cards, I learned having your picture on your card is important. When you have been talking with someone about your books, they will remember you better if your card has your picture. The picture may trigger a memory of something that really interested them in the books you have.
To read more about Jann Martin, Click Here.