If you are an author who has just spent weeks, months, or years writing a book (and perhaps you are still working a full-time job?), then you probably want to spend the least amount of time necessary to make your book the best it can be. You don’t want to waste the precious commodity of time — or energy.
So, if you need help discerning which additional writing avenues are the best to pursue in your efforts to promote your book, we are sharing a couple of tactics that we’ve NEVER seen work (and a few that do):
becoming a regular contributor in an online outlet
You may have the credentials to pull this off — and it even seems impressive, but we have not seen this contribute to success as part of a book launch strategy.
When I look on Psychology Today, for example, I think that I’m reading cutting-edge research about the latest findings in the field, but I’m going to let you in on something that isn’t well known: It is really easy to land a recurring spot in an online outlet. In fact, I can’t think of a single time we’ve been declined. Usually, you ask and you get a spot.
So, if you are reading this and that’s on your bucket list then you may just be an email away from having your dream come true. OR, if writing overflows out of you in such a way that you can contribute regularly to your own blog, keep up social media, create guest posts for other blogs to coincide with your books release, AND you still have a lot of writing left to give then this may make sense for you; otherwise, it does not.
Building an engaged audience on YOUR blog and social media platforms is better than being a regular contributor on another platform.
2) building a social media following TOO quickly
Let me explain: 267,309 followers on Facebook or Instagram looks impressive, but if you decide to allocate your budget to build a huge following on social media then you too can have those numbers–that’s buying likes. What you won’t have is an engaged audience who will share about your book, travel to hear you speak, and buy your online programs.
Building engaged followers often involves some type of lead generator, something you offer as a free download because people want to hear what it is that you have to share. So, to build an engaged list you need to target people who care about your worthy message (rather than just going after numbers of likes).
Speaking of targeting, building an engaged list involves audience testing in ad campaigns. Boosting a post, here and there, without any strategy OR deciding you only want to target Marie Forleo’s audience is not going to build an engaged following.
so, what actually works?
Figure out how to move the needle in a way that is right for you and your audience. Develop a lead generator that offers a lot of value, create a funnel so that people who sign up for your list continue to receive both free content and paid offerings from you, and share your worthy message on your platform through your blog and social media platforms.
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