Marketing Mindset
Is it just a frame of mind?
Hello, marketeers!
Excuse the short pause in posts of late. I’ve been in the midst of learning the ins and outs of book production with our much-anticipated, upcoming illustrated anthology, but also because, you know, the world right now. It’s really brought to the forefront the need to sit quietly and reflect and commiserate and hope and continue to work towards a more prosperous future. So, I am focusing this newsletter on having a positive, open mindset, because I just feel that’s important right now.
We’re here specifically, though, for book marketing. Yes, this can seem daunting, especially for the debut authors (and introverts) out there who may cringe at the thought of public appearances! However, let’s work on framing our minds around making the process as fun, easy and creative as possible.
Remember, you don’t have to be salesy!
Marketing is sharing what you love. If you’re authentic and connect with people in a way that resonates, they will appreciate, like and trust you enough to keep following your journey.
How can you do that? Share the story behind the story, your research process, your publishing journey, talk about the book’s themes or topics, create informative and/or entertaining content, share your bookish adventures, the list goes on. Have fun with it!
Get your head ready to get in the game!
Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, it’s YOU that is the face of your author brand. Your audience wants to know YOU. In some form or another, public appearances are recommended if you want to get noticed! Obvious, I know. Start small if you have to, like putting yourself in front of your camera, and work your way up to experiencing different media features, speaking arrangements and book events. You got this!
Think of marketing as fun!
Marketing can be as creative as you like! If you enjoy taking photos, share snippets of your life and/or relatable book themes on social media. Same goes for visual artists, musicians, educators, travellers, and so on. Perhaps people will resonate and want to join in the virtual fun with you.
We are lifelong learners.
Think of marketing as an act of play, experimentation and learning. We are lifelong learners, so marketing is just another avenue for us to discover. Don’t be afraid to try different things, and make mistakes, and learn from them, and stuff up interviews, and recover so you can do the next one, and continue doing the things that work for you!
Decide on your definition of success.
What is your definition of a ‘successful author’? If you’re thinking, ‘to be the next…’ - DON’T. Your goals shouldn’t be too broad, but rather, more specifically targeted and clearly defined so you know that when you’ve hit them, you have achieved success. And an important perspective to keep coming back to is your ‘why’ - Why are you doing what you’re doing? Why is this important to you?
Your personality has its own marketing style!
Writers. Generally natural introverts, yes? Ask yourself these questions to figure out your best marketing approach to fit your personality:
How do you like to connect with people? Live events or one-on-one? How can you utilise your preferences to create a marketing plan? Can you push yourself out of your comfort zone to achieve a goal?
Are you a helpful person, an entertainer, or both? What kind of content do you want to market?
How do you like to convey ideas? Are you more of a visual person or prefer written content?
What other interests do you have outside of your book? What else about yourself and your life would you like to share?
These are some ideas for framing your mindset around book marketing to make it as fun, easy and creative as you like, as well as tailoring approaches to fit with your natural preferences and personality. It also doesn’t hurt to challenge yourself, try new things, stuff up and learn from them! But most importantly, try to share positivity and the things you love.
#thanksfortouringwithus
Romi x