Originally posted by Renee Scattergood:
Some must-see info for authors...
Showing posts with label Marketing Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marketing Tips. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 June 2018
Thursday, 22 March 2018
2017 Industry Trends: Obstacles and Opportunities | Joshua Robertson
Originally posted by Joshua Robertson:
Please enjoy my latest recap video for the Independent Book Publishing Association. We get leading tips from movers and thinkers in the publishing industry.
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
#YouTubTuesday - 2018 #Marketing Predictions, Our #Author Resolutions, and When to Advertise | Renee Scattergood
I'm always trying to keep up with the latest marketing trends in the book industry. It's also a good idea to see what peoples' predictions are so you can experiment with different things to get new readers for your books. This video has some great info on book marketing in general and some predictions for the coming year.
Thursday, 17 August 2017
Author Newsletter Poll Results | Renee Scattergood
Originally posted by Renee Scattergood:
Updated: 17 August 2017
Earlier this year (2017) I started a newsletter to start reaching out to my regular readers. Although my growth has been steady, I’d like to try and improve it.
So with that in mind, I put together a little poll to see what subscribers of authors newsletters were looking for as far as content, and also what entices them to subscribe. So far I’ve had 65 people respond, but I’m looking for more. Here are the results so far, but I’ll keep updating them as I get more responses.
The first question I asked is what entices the reader to subscribe to the author’s newsletter to begin with. If you can’t get people to sign up to your newsletter, then it’s all kinda pointless. (Just so you know, respondents were able to pick more than one answer.)
So far 83.1% of the people who took the poll say they are most likely to sign up if they’ve already read the author’s work. This reinforces my belief that giving away the first book in your series (or a book or short story if you don’t have a series) is a good idea. Most people are not willing to risk their money on a new author, and you need them to sign up to your newsletter to sell more books.
The ideal promotional tool I’ve found so far is referred to as the funnel system. I give away my first book to everyone to find new readers, and I give away the second book to those who sign up to my newsletter to build my mailing list. I’ve found most of my new readers this way, which leads us to the next result…
56.9% have said they will sign up if the author is offering a freebie. So if you have your first book free and offer the second free to new subscribers, you’ve now increased your chances of getting a new signup (this is, of course, assuming they liked your first book and actually want to read the second). It’s really important to note that you shouldn’t offer a book that is already free to download. If they can already get it free, they’re not going to bother signing up for your newsletter. I’ve even known some authors who have written a short story or novella that fits with their current series but isn’t essential to the series, and they’ve made that a subscriber only exclusive.
Only about 24.6% of the people have said they would subscribe based on referrals from family and friends, but still… it’s always a good idea to get your readers to tell their family and friends (and social media followers) about your work. If you’re offering a permafree book, it could result in more downloads than you’ve expected. Of course, not everyone reads it who downloads it, but you never know where your next new fan is going to come from.
There were various things added to the others category:
- Reading the author’s newsletter
- Updates on interesting blog posts
- They provide valuable content
- How to’s and tips
- Visuals and a great blurb
- Sales/Discounts
- Depends on the genre
- Free sample chapters
- General interest
- Interest in the author’s struggles
- A preview of what’s in the newsletter in the email’s subject line
- Other authors
- Value that’s worth getting
- Usually from a how-to hook
The next question had to do with the content. I asked what they enjoyed reading in an author’s newsletter. (Again, they were able to choose more than one answer.)
76.9% said they want to hear about what the author is working on right now.
69.2% want to hear personal stories about the author.
63.1% want to hear about new releases by the author.
53.8% want to read articles about the author’s genre.
52.3% want subscriber only discounts and giveaways.
52.3% want to see writing, editing and marketing tips for authors.
47.7% want to have access to exclusive short stories and flash fiction.
44.6% want to see spotlights on other authors in their genre.
43.1% want to see genre related artwork and fan art
Some suggestions added to the other’s category so far:
- Sneaks peeks of their work.
- Spotlights on other authors their author loves.
- Only author related material.
- New releases by other authors
I think focusing on the top three or four things would be the best idea, and then maybe casually mentioning some of the others so that everyone is happy.
I’m looking for more responses to get a better overall view of what people are looking for (and I’m hoping this information will help other authors too). If you can help spread the word and share the poll form with your family and friends who love to read, that would be great!
Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!
Thursday, 20 April 2017
3 Ways to Connect with Fantasy Readers by Dave Chesson | Renee Scattergood
Originally posted by Renee Scattergood:
It’s impossible to succeed as a fantasy writer without knowing how to reach the right readers.
Even the best book with a wonderful cover can’t be considered a success if it doesn’t reach the people who love it.
There are currently over 197,000 fantasy eBooks on offer in the Kindle store alone, not to mention many more short reads. In such a competitive environment, it’s not enough to simply wish that a book draws the attention of readers.
Fantasy authors should actively seek out every opportunity possible to find and connect with people who are likely to love their work.
If you’ve published fantasy for a long time, finding your future fans may be second nature to you. If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry!
These simple tips will help you to reach the right fantasy readers to make your next book a soaring success.
Participate In Online Communities
The passion fantasy fans have for their genre means Amazon doesn’t even list fantasy along with other fiction categories. It has its own special section. That’s how widely loved fantasy is.
As such, fantasy fans are passionate about connecting with like-minded people online.
Many busy fan communities exist solely to help fantasy fans meet one another and discuss the books they love.
As a writer, you should seek out and engage with these communities as much as possible. There are several important reasons to do so.
First, there is no better market research than listening to fans directly. Hearing fans talk about what they like and dislike is a great way to finetune your own work.
Second, by offering value and participating in community discussions, you show yourself to be someone who is knowledgeable about fantasy and has something to offer the fan community. When it’s time to promote your next work, you’ll find it a lot easier to market to people you have a preexisting relationship with, rather than people who have never heard of you.
When participating in fan communities, it’s important to give value, rather than just promoting your own work. You should actively enjoy and contribute to discussions regularly. Visiting only to promote your own books is a mistake which will do you more harm than good.
Network With Other Fantasy Authors
As well as reaching out to fans directly, it’s a great idea to use your fellow fantasy writers as advisors.
There’s no need to discover everything for yourself. Fantasy writers who have been publishing and marketing their work for a long time will have plenty of tips to share on the ways they reach out to readers and connect with them.
It’s useful to get a wide range of opinions rather than relying on just one author. By getting lots of advice, you will be able to see what is working well across the board.
Just as you shouldn’t interact with fans selfishly, you shouldn’t interact with authors selfishly either. Don’t just ask endless questions. Strike a balance between getting the information you need and contributing something in return.
Take Charge Of Your Brand
You have one powerful weapon to help your books succeed in the crowded marketplace that no one else has.
Yourself.
As it becomes harder and harder for fantasy fans to gauge which books are worthy of their time, authors can increasingly stand out from the crowd by building a strong brand.
Branding is simply using the right combination of words and visuals to make a positive impression upon the readers who come across you. This means writing a bio in language that will appeal to fantasy fans, using a pic which is appropriate for the genre and ensuring that all of your branding efforts are easily accessible, such as through an Amazon Author Central page.
There’s nothing better from a reader’s perspective than feeling they know and admire a writer as much as they do their work.
Building a solid brand as a fantasy author is the fastest way to make that happen.
What Works For You?
What are some of the successes you’ve had reaching out to fantasy fans as an author?
If you’re a fantasy fan yourself, have you ever discovered an author in one of the ways mentioned?
I’d love to hear about your personal experiences in the comments.
Friday, 28 October 2016
The Writer's Edge: Book Cover Design
Streamed live on 20 Oct 2016
Join The Writer's Edge in talking about book cover design. How much money should you spend? Where can you find resources? What are industry standards for covers in different genres? And more...
If you are an author and would like to join a LIVE show, please contact Crimson Edge at info@crimsonedge.com to reserve a spot.
Joshua Robertson, CEO of Crimson Edge Press
www.crimsonedgepress.com
Beth Hammond
http://bethhammondbooks.com/
Heidi Angell
http://www.heidiangell.com/
Andy Peloquin
http://andypeloquin.com/
Christie Stratos
https://christiestratos.com/
If you are an author and would like to join a LIVE show, please contact Crimson Edge at info@crimsonedge.com to reserve a spot.
Joshua Robertson, CEO of Crimson Edge Press
www.crimsonedgepress.com
Beth Hammond
http://bethhammondbooks.com/
Heidi Angell
http://www.heidiangell.com/
Andy Peloquin
http://andypeloquin.com/
Christie Stratos
https://christiestratos.com/
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