When I started writing, I didn’t envision how much work it would be or even what it all entailed to get my book in the hands of readers. All I knew, was that I had to write.
I wrote a book and wondered, what was I supposed to do next? I didn’t have a plan. Let me tell you, I was failing – epically! I had no idea how to advertise my books.
After I published my third book, I went to an author conference in Williamsburg. I know it's cliché, but that’s where I found someone who could actually help me.
Lindsey Teske helped me to see all the different aspects of the job that I didn’t see before. She helped create a beautiful brand with a professional color pallet for my website and book covers. Best of all, she gave me marketing, advice that worked.
Now, I’m on the road to success. Without someone to tell me what I was missing, I would still be drowning in work and not knowing what to do.
An Indie Authors Tips for Success:
Use social media and email newsletters
Include fun and promotional posts
Help other authors
Find professionals that can help you
It seems daunting, but you can do it. Believe me, I’ve been the only person in my own author business. I completely understand how overwhelmed you feel. I’ve been there.
Writing the book is the easy part. That labor of love that took you months – if not years to write – has been edited. You have an amazing cover, social media, and a pretty amazing website. Now, you need to hype up your story to your audience.
The easiest way to reach readers is through your social media and your newsletter. I have a decent following on my newsletter (around 1100 brave souls). I also utilize Facebook (with almost 800 on my personal page, 419 on my author page, and 70 in my reader group), Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
I have, since, made use of a post scheduler like Zoho. I create days where I do fun things with my followers (games, questions, weird facts, strange poetry, pictures of period costume, etc.) There are also days where I allow promotion of my books, as well as, books written by other authors. Those days are split up. I don’t want to do too much promotion and not enough fun things.
Your newsletter should be the same. Tell a story about your life, add pictures, tell a joke, tell your readers something about you – that’s what your newsletter is. You want to be able to tell your readers about you – and then your books.
I have opened up my newsletter for newsletter swaps (where you promote another’s work in exchange, they do the same thing). They have been pretty successful. Of course, this is really for someone who already has a following on their newsletter. If you don't have much of a list yet, websites like BookFunnel are a good place to start.
Helping other authors promote their works helps you, as well. This year, my New Year’s Resolution was to help other authors as much as I could. This included Author Takeovers, promotional times on my author page, and the newsletter swaps.
You know what I took away from this experience? Yes, it got my name – my brand – out there, as well. Why? Because those authors that I’ve helped tell other authors and readers what I do to help authors. Then those authors and readers tell others – so on and so forth.
Personally, I wouldn’t know anything about this without my author mentor, Lindsey Teske. I was failing, struggling to keep up. She told me exactly what to do to triple my book sales.
I hope that I inspired you. It's my goal to help make your book promotion and marketing plans a bit easier. And Lindsey is a great person to ask for advice.
Looking for marketing advice? Sign up for the next class!
Comments