Generating Book Success

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

There are many ways to market and sell a book which makes it easy to get sidetracked. However, authors can’t afford to spread themselves thin; if they do, they lose valuable time that must be spent writing their book. In writing, it isn’t which came first, the chicken or the egg; the writing comes first.

I want to share with you something I’ve found that is helpful to writers. Looking back at the year; as we do, list down the sales and marketing avenues you’ve used. Then, out by the side of each one note whether it was hard, time consuming or both. If you determine it was, then search for an easier and quicker way.  It may take some research but eventually you will find a few things.

Can you determine what was productive? Some people think they are only productive if they sell a lot of books, but in truth, they are productive if a lot of people throughout the year were exposed to their name, the fact they’re an author and the title of their book. You see, people can’t buy the book, if they don’t know the author’s name or the title of the book. They have to know one or the other.

Can you imagine going to Barnes and Noble and telling the clerk, “I want to buy a book, can’t remember the author, but she writes women’s contemporary books, I think her name may start with an M or a S.” You won’t be able to give them the title of the book either, so how are they going to find it?

What I am suggesting is focusing on name recognition. Why? Look at it this way. A company makes many products; each product has a name. But you will notice these companies are branding their names first, their product’s name second.

Examples: Apple, Ford, Nike. These companies are branded. Everyone in the world recognizes their names immediately. They come out with new products. People know what to expect from them. That is what you want. Name recognition.

Visit the website of these companies’ home pages and notice how they branded their name.  https://about.nike.com/; https://www.apple.com/; http://corporate.ford.com/company.html.

By building and branding the author’s name people will recognize and find the author’s books. 

Remember you will write more books; but there is only one you.

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Help Them Help You

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

Have you caught the American Idol bug? Last week I shared my love for the show. After the American Idol auditions, there's always a name that creates a buzz. According to J-Lo this year's name is Phillip Phillips. I have to agree. The charming young man from South Georgia has a music style and talent all his own. He was even hesitant to let celebrity stylist Tommy Hilfiger alter his look from that of a casual coffee-shop rendering. "I want the music to speak for itself," declared Phillips.

This is where we disagree. At least when it comes to authors. In the January issue of Southern Writers, I wrote an article about the importance of being "Google-able". Many authors launch their career with magazine article writing or as a contributor to a larger work. Quite often thousands of entries are received from any call out. The difference in writing style and ability between various submissions is likely small. Why are some chosen and authors not?

You might wish it were all about the writing. It isn't. The editors will select contributors that will both help sell the anthology or publication and who have submitted a quality piece. As writers we must strike a balance between the two. A complete unknown author with no social media activity, no website and few hits on Google has much less chance of finding his name in print than his counterpart whose skill may be slightly less but has a strong brand recognition. Help them help you!

You may be a Phillip Phillips and if you are, let the music of your writing speak for itself. For the rest of us, we need a weekly plan to build our platform and recognition. Next week I'll give you some tips on how to increase your "Google-ability".