Marketing myself is just embarrassing. I created business cards with the names of my novels and my blog address. Yet I have a hard time handing them out. My husband was recently in the hospital and I managed to hand out two cards, even though we met probably twenty five new people there. I bought new shoes and didn't give any to the clerks that helped me. There are a lot of people in our small town who don't even know I write books.
My novels are entertaining, but since I'm not particularly well known, in order to have more people read them, I'm told I have to get out and sell them. Now I don't mind speaking in front of a crowd. In fact, unlike most people, I actually enjoy it. It's the latent actress in me. I want to be in the spotlight as long as I have a script and I don't have to promote myself. Don't get me wrong. Like most people, I love talking about myself, telling people my experiences and making fun of my foibles. What I don't like is having to sell people on how great I am and the amazing, not to be missed books I've written, especially one on one.
One of my hangups is that I have a hard time spending money.Wait. I think I just heard my husband laugh. Okay, let me clarify, I have a hard time spending money until I've researched the product, decided what I want and what I'm willing to pay for it. Consequently, I hate sales people who think it's their job to talk me into buying. The minute they start, I hang up or walk out the door, even if I want what they are selling. In addition, I resent friends and family who see me as a potential buyer for whatever they are currently selling. I feel used.
So how do I do the same thing to others? How do I say, please buy my books just because you know me or just met me? Some writers hire publicity agents so they won't have to promote themselves, but then you have to be earning enough money from your books to support that expense . . . hold on, I'm getting dizzy.
At the moment my marketing plan consists of trying to be courageous enough to hand out cards and when I get all three books in paperback, trying to get a few books clubs to allow me to come and read an excerpt to them. Hopefully the books will then sell themselves.
Marketing is a nightmare! There are so many - do this, don't do that, don't forget to..., etc. It can be time consuming and mind boggling.
ReplyDeleteFree sites for writers and readers to connect, Goodreads, WattPad, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Red Room, (all dot com)Hootsuite has an app that you can post on their site and it links to several social media sites with one click. Helps so you don't have to go to a bunch of different pages to post.
- Amazon author page. Several authors have had success offering their e-book free for a day.
If your local newspaper has a community page, they usually have a spot for local free announcements - send them a blurb written in third person. The View News weekly paper that goes out to non-subscribers of the Review Journal also has a free community section.
Setting aside one day a week for a couple of hours dedicated to just marketing updates works.
Publicity Hound newsletter, she gives great tips on marketing.
C. Hope Clark has a book :The Shy Writer. Her site, Funds For Writers has the info. I have a friend who is the same way, hates marketing, she read it and said she got a lot from reading the book.
You're doing good - keep at it :)
All the best