Marketing Madness with S.R. Johannes: Marketing Tips

I'm excited to introduce S.R. Johannes who is not only a talented author, but a brilliant marketer. :D

1) Don’t be all for none and one for me – I made this #1 for a reason. Because it is HUGE pet peeve of mine. Don't go out promoting yourself all the time and expect people to be receptive to your book. Networking is not about selling, it is about a variety of relationships over time. Build trust. Help out. I have always made it a point to seek out and help others. It’s my #1 goal. I figure karma comes back around if my intention is positive. If you network with that - then maybe someday it will come back around. But I NEVER go out with a "sale" or what's in it for me" attitude. I always focus on “what’s in it for them.” It’s a basic marketing rule. If you can provide a benefit, it will pay off in the long run.

2) You get what you give - I can’t tell you how many authors tell me "I don’t like to do marketing so I'll just hope it sells" OR “I’m going to pay someone to do it” OR “Marketing is too much work, I just want to write.” Yeah well good luck with that! I just want to sit on my duff and eat bon-bons all day and never lift a finger but that’s not how life works. You have to work hard for what you want and if you are not willing to work hard – then maybe you should ask yourself if you REALLY want it? Because in my mind what we really want doesn’t come easy. I don’t care what Oprah says, moving along your path isn’t easy, it’s hard. Gandhi’s road wasn’t paved. My kids once asked me "Which teeth do I have to brush". My response? “Only brush the ones you want to keep.” So I'll say the same things to writers and authors - "Only promote what you really want to sell." 

3) Call on Google - Hello? Google anyone? Can't tell you how many clients ask me questions like this: “I wonder if there are any clubs for teen knitters in my city?” It takes me two seconds to slam that question into a Google search bar and bam I'm suddenly the author’s hero and they think I’m brilliant. (and I let them J ) Most of marketing is about knowing the questions and being curious and resourceful enough to find the answers. They could have done the same search for a lot cheaper J  If you have a question about marketing – groups, magazines, blogs etc - ask Google first. Trust me you will find some kind of answer – now whether you like it or not - might be the issue.

4) Chunk it out – Why not spend 30 minutes a day on marketing in some way? Whether this be by making phone calls, sending emails, scouring the Internet, commenting on blog/Facebook posts, working on a web design, looking for groups/ezines you can contact. If you do a little everyday – marketing is fun and won’t be so exhausting or overwhelming. Or, why not schedule some marketing time in your calendar - spend one day a week on marketing and get it all done. Then you can write until the next scheduled day. This way you can make sure you are still writing - because trust me when I say – marketing can SUCK up your time, especially online marketing or social networking. And you need to stay writing.

5) PR is part of marketing too. To me, PR is actually more effective than marketing or advertising. It’s going out with a purpose OTHER than selling your book, but in the process somehow your book sells due to word of mouth. In my mind, negative PR is just as effective as positive PR. I’m not saying to go out and do something negative – I’m just saying don’t get upset over bad reviews. You’d rather have 20 bad reviews and 20 good reviews on Amazon than no reviews at all. So before you pay for advertising or trade shows, look for ways to reach out to your targets through ezines, clubs, forums, newspapers, blogs, mommy groups and offer something (what’s in it for them) – an article, a donation, an event, a giveaway.

I’ll leave you with – marketing is only as hard as we make it. Having a baby was hard, moving was hard, getting married was hard. Nothing is easy when you first dive into it. So dive in, get wet, and don’t be afraid to try things out. Marketing can be fun if you let it.

Well, hope that helps! I’ll be back to answer questions if you have any or feel free to email me. J

In addition to juggling child dramas and client meetings, I (try) to focus on my writing, speak about marketing at SCBWI conferences, and run a popular marketing blog, Market My Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com) where I provide book publicity/marketing advice and support to my writer friends. 

UNTRACEABLE

16 year old Grace was reared in the wilderness. Her first pet was a bear named Simon. Her first potty, an oak tree. And, her first swing, a forest vine. Grace has lived in the Smokies her whole life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her everything he knew about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. But when Grace's dad goes missing on a routine patrol, unlike everyone in her sleepy mountain town, she refuses to believe he’s dead. When a Cheetos bag and stolen government file materialize, Grace is convinced she’s one step closer to proving all the non-believers wrong. 

Then one day while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from imminent danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent, that’s definitely not from her neck of the woods, and a secret. Grace has never felt a connection like this before, certainly not with her ex-boyfriend, the adoring, but decidedly unrugged Wyn.

Now with renewed confidence, Grace travels deeper into the wilderness that has always been her refuge only to learn that her father's disappearance is not a mere coincidence. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to emerge from an epidemic that’s spreading like wild fire, threatening everything and everyone she’s ever loved.