ARE YOU WALKING WITH THE CROWD?

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine

What does it take to succeed? People look for this secret in all walks of life. The funny thing is, it’s not hiding,  You just have to spend a little effort looking  for it.

So what is success? My Thesaurus says it is achievement, attainment, accomplishment, victory, and triumph. My dictionary say’s “success is achievement of something planned or attempted”.

Actually, we each define what success is for ourselves. For me it might be getting the interview with a hard to reach International Best Seller. To a Pro Football owner it might be winning the Super Bowl. Each of us has our own interest and measure of what our success should look like.

For a writer, they are successful, when they finish writing their book. They accomplished that goal. When an agent/publisher accepts that book and presents to publishers or to publish, that is success for the writer. When the book releases, again, that is success.

 So how does that author get their book to sell? How do they become that author listed as a successful “Best Selling Author”?

Wait for it... Here it comes…The success secret inquiring authors want to know! (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.) DON’T WALK WITH THE CROWD. GET OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM.

There are thousands of authors telling about their books on Social Medias, their websites, and other sites. Why would your books be noticed more than the other author’s books?

I’m not saying don’t use the venues to market, talk about, promote your book…you should do this. The more places you have your name the more buzz you can create about yourself as the author. You are the brand…the book is the product. The more people who hear your brand name (your name), the more they hear the name of your product (your book title), the more curious they become about your book and will want to read it.

Your date of release for your book is like a “Grand Opening” for a store. That translates for the author into the more buzz you can create leading up to that opening day (release date) the more turnout (sales of your books) you are going to have.

You must do what you can to capture your readers in unusual ways. One author I know, rented a billboard sign, so that people driving to work every day would see that sign. She had a photo of herself, a title that got your attention in big letters, short description and her website. It brought in several hundred hits a day on her website. She started marketing and promoting her book on her website before it was released. She put out press releases, how to purchase a signed copy on the website, prepared the email and list of people to send it to the day it was released. She got 95,000 hits on her website just by doing this.

The point is, look for the unusual to market and promote you and your book. Yes, that author spent a little money. However, remember, you spent your time writing this book, getting it into the hands of an agent/publisher or publishing it yourself. Now it’s time to sell it. It isn’t like you will always have to work hard and spend money promoting your books by yourself, but for now until you become a “Best Selling Author” you will have to do the promotion it takes to get there…part of that is paying for ad space. But do it wisely. Plan it out to get the biggest bang for your buck.  Whether it’s a $100.00 or more than that, plan the best way that is feasible to have several consistent ads to get attention for your book. It’s what’s called “Paying our Dues”.

Advertising is necessary to be noticed and it has to be consistent. That’s how we know about John Grisham, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Home Depot–through advertising. There also has to be a variety of things you do along the way to get attention for your books. Don’t be afraid to step out of your box. It’s worth it to build your name as an author and sell a lot of books. To hear someone tell you how much he or she enjoyed your book is a wonderful thing. You’ve brought joy, pleasure, and happiness to someone else.

Be Unique.