Being Social Can Bring Extra Promotion

Are you a big fan of social media? If you spend time on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or Pinterest, did it occur to you that social media could help authors by leveraging influencers? In other words, other people can help you reach new readers. It's always nice to meet new people or learn something new online, but wouldn't it be nice to have those same people help recommend you and your work to others?

Who Are Influencers?

The very short and precise answer is that they are people who can influence reasonably large numbers of potential customers to consider your book and/or business. If you like long definitions, influencers would be social media users whose opinions other users value, and who may express positive sentiments about your brand.

                                         Learn to F.L.O.P.

All of us do well to learn this technique. It is an acronym meaning to feature and leverage other people. Why would you want to do this? because by featuring them by re-tweeting, or liking a page, they will most likely return the favor to you or be open to the idea of hearing more about your book and spreading it to others. Maybe you can invite those in the social media world to guest post on your blog or offer to interview them. They will be flattered. If they are featured on your site, rest assured they will tell their followers and fans, bringing spotlight to your project.

                                   Provide Valuable Content

Don't be afraid to offer a free gift of some sort to get readers "hooked". Maybe you have a free ebook or an article to give away. if you post this online at social media sites, readers will gobble up the free and interesting content. Often times the content you share will be re-tweeted or shared via email. Either way, your name begins to spread farther and farther in the online world, reaching more readers. With greater exposure comes greater book sales for you.

                                            Make Small Talk

It's important to remember that social media is a two-way street. You cannot simply stand out on the virtual street corner and toot your own horn all day long. You don't want to be viewed as a self-promoter, but rather as an expert that shares valuable content or links. Engage potential readers and fellow authors in simple conversations, sharing tips and the like. For pointers, watch someone on a social media site that has great influence and many followers or fans. Emulate how they interact with others and notice what works well for them. Apply these rules and practice the, remember, it's about give and take.

How to Get Started

Begin to engage people on social media sites. Look for people you respect and focus on dialogue, not self-promotion. If you start out on Twitter, try to engage the same audience on Facebook or another site where you can share deeper content. From there, invite online "friends" to your website or blog where you are distributing an ebook, a free download or free information. After they receive the gift, follow up with information about your new book project. Chances are, they'll be interested and tell others as well. Stay in touch, be friendly and reap the rewards.

There are many benefits to being social. This article briefly highlighted just a few examples and is a compilation of proven tactics for success. If you are interested in making relationships, the sales will follow. The good news is, you won't have to do all the promoting yourself because the people you meet and come to know will start to promote your work for you. Take care and I'll see you online!

RL Taylor is an award-winning fiction author with five novels released to date. His newest writing venture is a series of non-fiction books on style, etiquette and self-improvement for men and women who want to help the men in their life. 

Click here for a free copy of The Gentlemen's Code which Esquire.com featured as recommended reading.

http://www.livelikegentlemen.com

Fiction: http://www.rltayloronline.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rltheauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rl.taylor.52

Where is Publishing Headed

With Amazon removing buy buttons from the Big Six publishers, where does the author go to have their manuscript published?

Amazon has also removed numerous reviews because of the hint of purchased reviews, which authors have admitted to so they could rank higher and sell more books.

With thousands of books written per year, and Amazon flexing its muscle, are authors suspected to publish according to whatever terms Amazon dictates, or find company to create the book and let the author sell and market their book themselves?

Traditional publishers currently ask authors about followers and request a marketing plan. Authors have two options:

1. Hire a publicist to market their book
2. Learn how to publicize and market their book on their own

As authors, forced into marketing mode, when are they going to find time to write their next book? Will there be fewer books written? Will there be fewer people wanting to write or even have a desire to be creative?

There are new indie publishers springing up almost daily. What do these indie publishers offer the author? Are they willing to help the author publicize, promote, and market books for authors, doubtful at best?

What this boils down to is the fact that authors are out in the cold even more than they were before. 

More than ever, authors had better learn about contracts, publicity, promotion, social media, scheduling book tours, book signings, media kits, designing a marketing plan, where to sell their books, or save for hiring a professional to do it for them.

Hiring professionals for publicity and promotion can be very expensive. Acquiring an agent is difficult and expensive; an agent is not the end all that authors believe it is.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer/Blogger/Editor/Proofreader/Reviewer/Marketer

http://www.authorsden.com/robertmedak

http://rjmedak.wordpress.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobmedak

http://twitter.com/freelancewrtr

Social Networking the LinkedIn Way by Donna McDine

Social Networking the LinkedIn Way

By Donna M. McDine

I know I know I can hear your disgruntled gulp in your throat, “Yikes, another social network to participate in? No way, no how!” I too feel the same way at times, but definitely not with LinkedIn! I don’t want to bore you with boring statistics, but it’s important for you to know…

• There are over 150 million professionals on LinkedIn.*
• With over 1 million professionals joining each week, hence two professional join every second.*
• Members are 2X more confident with information shared on LinkedIn than any other social site.*
• Members use LinkedIn not only for networking, they are reading business news and studying trends.*

*2012 Social Media Examiner, Mario Sundar              

                                       

Please don’t fade away, these statistics matter to you. With the confidence level of information shared between members this provides an arena to build your expertise through varying networks. Oftentimes authors (as well as other professionals) fall into the rut of networking with only their peers, when we truly need to broaden our scope beyond our colleagues. LinkedIn if used correctly goes well beyond this and the thought process of only being an online resume.

First, if you haven’t already signup and setup your LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com. It’s easy and they provide step by step directions to provide your information. Once you have your profile setup follow these five points to engage with fellow LinkedIn members:

1. Seek new connections daily and send invites. LinkedIn has a fabulous Advanced People Search broken down into several different categories… keywords, title, location, company, school, first and last name, country, and postal code. (i.e., elementary school teachers, librarians, the list is endless).
2. Don’t forget to reply back directly to your new connection once confirmation is received (i.e., I’m delighted to connect with you at LinkedIn and look forward to learning more about you).
3. Research groups of interest the same way for people connections. Join and become active through conversations, questions and answers.
4. Update your status consistently with a course of action for visitors with either a question or interesting news article (i.e., “New Google table to go against Fire” by Michael Liedtke, Associated Press and include link).
5. Engage with fellow members by sharing and commenting on their status updates, send private emails, etc.).

Automating your blog and twitter handle feed is okay, but if you don’t engage personally connections will not feel compelled to engage with you. I know for myself, the constant automation of customer service lines, doctor offices, etc., frustrates me to no end. I want to talk to a live person that knows what they are talking about.

Don’t fall into robot automation. Let your personality shine through cyberspace through consistent engagement. I’m sure you will be pleased with your results. 

Until next time…

Donna M. McDine

Publicist & Award-winning Children's Author

Donna’s Website: http://www.donnamcdine.com
Write What Inspires You Blog: http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Author PR Services: http://www.authorprservices.com

Social Media Networking: Be an Active Participant with Relevant News, Articles, and Assistance

Social Media Networking: Be an Active Participant with Relevant News, Articles, and Assistance

By Donna M. McDine

I haven’t forgotten my promise from my last post to discuss LinkedIn, but like many things my inner thoughts have taken over and my conscious is beating the heck out of my mind to chat about the importance of personal participation in social media networking.

The success for any type of social media networking is active participation. Yes, technology allows us to become automated in just about every aspect of postings through cyberspace. The convenience of scheduling blog posts to Twitter, then to Facebook, then to LinkedIn is a great time save, but we must set a daily reminder to become engaged personally in our social networking.

I admit with a red face I’ve been guilty of allowing my automation take over and have become absent as a live person via my social networking. I have given myself the good old slap upside the head and no longer will I allow myself to become the absentee marketer.

As of late, I’ve downloaded the Twitter application (app) to my Droid phone, providing me the opportunity while waiting for my daughter to come out of basketball practice or religion to engage with fellow Tweeters. This is proven to be a successful way of engaging for me and have connected with current and new colleagues, potential clients in the children’s publishing industry, and for those seeking out assistance with their social media campaigns. Twitter works perfectly on the Droid phone because of the rolling screen of Tweets. Thanks Twitter, for keeping tweets to 140 characters!

Luckily my family gave me an iPad several years ago and I’ve downloaded the Facebook and Twitter apps to further engage with others. I personally like the Facebook app on the iPad since it’s a much larger screen than my Droid phone.

Mind you, I do try to keep my personal social interaction down to 30 minutes per day so I’m not spending the majority of my time away from my valuable writing, editing, Author PR Services time, and of course my family.

Key attributes in becoming an active social media networker:

Share relevant information to followers, friends, and colleagues (whatever the specific social media network calls them). If you are a children’s book author share… the latest publishing industry news you’ve read about, your latest magazine article publication or book release, children’s book fair events, children’s book conferences (such as SCBWI by region), your experience in conducting school visits, etc. The list is endless. Important to note, don’t make it all about you. Shout out the successes of your colleagues.

Engage in online chats through social media networks. For example, on Facebook search groups you are interested in joining… such as, teachers, librarians, parents, schools. Participation is imperative, so I strongly suggest you do not join more than 1-2 groups per social media network you are a member of.

Offer tips and assistance from your expert standpoint. When a particular topic is being discussed and you have experience in said topic, join in the conversation and engage. You will be pleased and amazed on how much people appreciate your feedback and they will remember that in the future. You will eventually be known as the go to person in your field of expertise, which often times leads to much more than you ever provided.

Don’t fall into the “it’s all about me attitude.” This is a sure fire way to turn people off. Don’t chat about your specific book or product unless the conversation specifically lends to it.

Once you join a group on most of the social media networks you are able to set an email option to be reminded of the latest discussions in the group so you remember to participate. You can also set a reminder through your To Do/Tasks option in your email. I utilize Outlook for my email and I’m constantly updating and checking off my To Do/Tasks list, which by the way gives me great satisfaction in checking off the latest item. Yep, I’m a list person and love to see the list of checked off tasks! I tell my girls all the time, if it’s not on my list it won’t get done.

Happy networking and remember don’t overload yourself!

BIO: Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author. Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has four more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, Hockey Agony, Powder Monkey, A Sandy Grave, and Dee and Deb, Off They Go. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and owner of Author PR Services www.authorprservices.com from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI. Visit www.donnamcdine.com. 

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