Are You An Influencer?

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

Don’t you wish everyone took your word that your information you have is worthy for them to sit up and take notice?

Well you aren’t the only one. We all wish that during some point in our lives. Think back to when you were in school. Did you try to convince a friend to do something, and did they do it?

Are you able to convince others, now that you are older, to do things you want them to do? To convince them your idea is worth trying. Or maybe to convince them they should read your next book?

Everyone is always putting on their social media things about their books and other books in hopes it will stir people to read these particular books. That’s good. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. You have to go deeper.

One way would be to pick out three people that have influence over others. Particularly the ones who you know would have an interest in what you’ve written. You want to get them to notice your work. A good example: If you wrote a book that would make a great TV movie then research the producers/directors that make these types of movies (you could even find the film companies that make them and the heads of these). Make a video/book-trailer –60 to 90 minutes and send this to these producers/directors, with a short note.  

Think out of the box. If you are going to locate the influencers and approach them then you can’t be shy. Give it all you’ve got. The worst that can happen is you don’t hear from them. Then move on to the next set of influencers.

Now, I want to suggest one other important thing. Put this book-trailer and/or video on You Tube, your website, your blog and your social media. Create your own buzz around it. Draw attention. You can list the links to these sites and send the influencers so they can see what is being said about the video/trailer. (It also should protect you from someone using your ideas.)

Take this a step further, and have some friend interview you and ask questions about the book, the background, etc.,  while another friend records it, and puts it on You Tube, website, blog, and social media. Ask your friends to put this on their website directing people to see it on You Tube. The more buzz you create the bigger draw you become.

Good luck! Hope to see you in the movies.