They say that what gets measured gets done. So in the retail world, if a product line has a commission associated with it; sales people tend to offer or recommend it more frequently to their customers.
Why can’t the same thing be true of marketing our self-published books? If we write it down, that makes it real and therefore, it becomes something with the potential of being completed.
We can SAY we are going to work on promoting our book but if no one holds us accountable; will it actually get done?
Last week I talked about the “crime” of saying “yes, but” to the tactics surrounding marketing your book(s). This week, I’d like to hone in on some of the successful practices other authors have found work when it comes to promoting their books.
First step: Write Down Your Plan
Have you ever been to a restaurant where the waiter or waitress just listens to your order and doesn’t write anything down? How confident are you that they will remember you want your side salad with cheese and croutons but no onions, tomatoes or cucumbers and that you want the salad dressing on the side. You almost expect them to get it wrong, am I right?
The same is true for your marketing efforts; if they are only in your mind, how likely will you be to stay on top of all of the moving parts?
So go get a piece of paper and a pencil. I’ll wait.
Okay, are you ready?
So start with your goal:
- Goal: Get people to buy my book
Next, you’ll want to write down the strategies you have determined will be the best match for reaching the widest audience. Those will differ for each author. However, some of the primary components will be:
- Updated website
- YouTube
- Blog
- Press Releases
- Monthly newsletter
- Snapchat
Select three and write them down on your sheet of paper. Next, you’ll want to identify the individual tactics necessary for each of the three strategies you have selected.
For an example, let’s pick:
|
Goal: Sell Copies of My Book |
||
| Updated website
|
Newsletter
|
LinkedIn
|
| · Rewrite home page content
· Add a Buy Now button to purchase my book · Change format to allow for a blog · Update the images · Add a testimonial page with quotes from readers about my book · Add a newsletter archive |
· Sign up for Mail Chimp
· Gather emails and upload to Mail Chimp · Use a standard template to design newsletter · Determine how often the newsletter will go out · Select articles for first three editions |
· Completely fill out profile
· Add publications with a link to my book · Join writer groups · Grow my network by looking for potential people interested in my book |
Do a brain dump. Write down absolutely everything you can think of that you will need to do for those three strategies.
Once you feel like you have everything written down, you’ll want to create a daily to-do list.
Your daily to-do list will have a variety of tasks on it;
- Laundry
- Pay bills
- Write a chapter in my new book
- Dust
- Take kids to ballet
Every list will be packed with the normal life stuff with one new addition:
Pick one thing from your marketing plan and put it on your daily to-do list. Hold yourself accountable. Make sure it happens. If it is on your list, it is front and center in your day and will mostly likely completed.
Repeat this every day.
The more you become comfortable with incorporating marketing into your daily tasks, the more you will take on. Add to your strategies, update the tactics listing, select a bigger goal.
It all starts with writing it down.
Bottom line: No one will buy your book if they don’t know about it and the best way to help them to learn about it is marketing. Start today by writing down your goals and begin to Make it Happen!