Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Lessons Learned About Marketing

While I was at Balticon, one of my favorite panel discussions was about promoting your books without being obnoxious about it!

Here is a list of things I captured in my notes.

Social Media Self Promotion:
  • The best marketing is to write a book that doesn’t suck.
  • The worst marketing is to constantly scream “buy my book” on every social network available.
  • Keep writing. Your next book is a great marketing tool for your other works. 
  • Have a great cover, blurb, and first chapter that hooks the reader.
  • Be present on social media: Facebook, twitter, blogs, and others like Instagram.
  • Consider podcasting or a Youtube channel.
  • Do book signing events and advertise them online.
  • Have a great author page on Amazon.
  • Find your own voice. Your own topics. Your own fan base.
  • Tell followers about new releases and special offers when they happen.
  • An energized fan base is a great word of mouth marketing channel.
  • Share your life as you feel comfortable about sharing. Be sincere.
  • Reach out and engage readers and fans.
  • Offer free kindle edition weekends now and then.
  • Use an email list. But use it sparingly. Like new release announcements.
  • Have fun. Enjoy interactions. Keep writing.
  • Join the writer community, online, in writers groups, in lit conferences, in meetups.
  • Help other authors.
  • Write short stories for anthologies.
What not to do:
  • Do not just post “buy my book” all day every day.
  • Do not send an auto reply to twitter follows that says “buy my book”.
  • Do not spam the hell out of people.
  • Don’t be an asshole on line.
Where opinions differ:
  • Don’t discuss politics on social media. 
  • Don’t discuss religion, gender, gun control, capital punishment or abortion.
  • Some say don’t lose half your readers by pissing them off.
  • Others say discuss it all to find your tribe.


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