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The Author Power Team
June 22, 2010
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by Shennandoah Diaz
As an author, you are always on the lookout for new ways to improve your marketing strategy and grow your platform. One of the best ways to do this is by developing your power team.
What’s a power team? A familiar term among business networking professionals, a power team is comprised of individuals and/or businesses with whom you share common goals or a common client base.
How can it help you as an author? The members of your power team can help you improve your strategy, connect with more readers, identify more opportunities, hone your message, and expand your reach.
Lets look at key members of an author power team and how they help you build your career:
- Publisher: Your publisher is an industry insider. If you have chosen wisely, your publisher should have a track record of producing successful books in your genre and should be able to provide you with tips and insights to help you not only get on bookshelves, but also get in front of readers. Keep your contacts at the publisher in the loop so they are aware of all of your marketing efforts and publicity. This helps them keep your book stocked when and where it needs to be available. They can also give you feedback on publishing best practices.
- Publicist: A publicist helps you develop your marketing strategy and puts you in front of big media—radio, television, print, and online. A publicist also helps you hone your message and clarify your brand so you can reach readers. They have spent years cultivating relationships with media and industry professionals and have access to contacts you may not be able to reach on your own.
- Other Authors in Your Genre: Wait—they’re your competition, right? Not necessarily. If you have differentiated yourself well, your work will stand out when compared to other authors’ work. Each author has something unique to give to the reader, but authors in the same genre share the same audience and are marketing to the same people. If you have been growing your platform and marketing your book, you should already have a following. Pull your efforts together with another author doing the same and you can double the strength of your platform and gain twice the reach. Adding another author increases your reach that much more.
- Bloggers: Bloggers who write about your topic or genre also share marketing time with your audience. They often have an open dialogue with a following that listens to their advice and trusts their recommendations. Develop relationships with bloggers in your category, offer to write guest posts, give free review copies of your book, share links, or come up with cross-promotional activities.
- Industry Gurus: No matter what topic or genre your book covers, there will be some movers and shakers already hustling and bustling about. Cultivate a relationship with these people. They’re connected and know what your readers are looking for. They can get you into events and speaking engagements that will put you directly in front of your target audience. Plus, their opinion holds weight and can carry you deep into the hearts of your audience.
These are the primary members of your power team, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box while choosing members of your team. Each book and genre has special needs and interests that are served by many people. Aligning yourself with those people will help you engage with your audience and, in turn, sell more books.
Remember, just as with your audience, be willing to provide value before you ask for anything in return. You are looking to cultivate relationships here, not just take what you can get. Here are a few key things to remember when building your power team:
- Be sincerely interested in the other person.
- Find ways to help them meet their goals.
- Be willing and able to promote and/or endorse them.
- Relationships are a series of meaningful interactions. Make time to check in and see how they are doing, without looking for something in return.
Above all, treat them how you would want to be treated. If you are truly interested, considerate, and helpful, they will reciprocate.
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How To Handle a Bad Review
June 17, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
Face it. Bad reviews happen. Even the most acclaimed writers get bad reviews. Evaluating a book is a subjective process, and personal preferences won’t always match the book. Unfortunately, too many writers take bad reviews personally and even go to the extremes, engaging in negative banter, slander, and threats. Here are a few tips to help you take those bad reviews with grace.
- Remember that it’s not a personal affront. The reviewer just didn’t like your book. Do you like everything you read?
- Take a deep breath. Cool off. Put the review away in a dark place for a few days. Taking time to let the fresh emotions wear off will help you think more rationally and calmly when you look at it again.
- Look at who the reviewer is. Are they known for giving glowing reviews, or is negativity their forte? It may have nothing to do with you.
- Look at the review objectively. Are there constructive comments you can use to improve your next project? It could be a learning opportunity.
- DO NOT under any circumstances send a rebuttal. Just let it go. You may think you are defending yourself, but it only makes you look bad, not the reviewer.
- DO NOT slander or in any way bad-mouth the reviewer on your social media accounts or through other outlets. Not only does this make you look unprofessional, but you can also set yourself up for legal claims.
- DO be gracious and poised. Acting professional, taking bad reviews with a grain of salt, and maintaining a positive working relationship with book reviewers will only help you in the long run.
Remember, as an author you have put yourself out there for public scrutiny. Bad reviews show that people are reading your book and that you have drummed up enough interest to warrant a review. Also, they provide balance. An article from iMedia Connection, shows that too many good reviews can become fluff, and a bit unbelievable. Bad reviews from valid third parties let the reader know that reviews of your book are authentic. Also, the majority of the time, the number of bad reviews are small compared to good reviews. Plus, all reviews, good and bad, help by prequalifying book buyers and weeding out those who may not be a good fit for your topic.
All in all, take bad reviews with a grain of salt. They don’t spell doom, and sometimes can even help. By taking the high road and maintaining your composure in the face of bad reviews, you’ll come out on top in the end.
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Public Speaking Basics For Authors
June 15, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
Not all authors are natural speakers, but it is becoming more and more necessary for authors to develop their speaking skills. Presentations, appearances, interviews, and other speaking engagements are an increasing part of how authors build and connect with their platforms. To make the most of those opportunities, you—the author—need to develop your speaking skills.
No one is born a stellar speaker. It takes time and practice to become skilled enough to not only deliver a presentation but also handle the questions and unexpected circumstances that come up in public appearances. Though in no way a comprehensive guide to public speaking, the following tips will help you get started on your way to becoming a better speaker:
Know your audience: Before every speaking engagement, take the time to learn about your audience. Who are they? What do they do for living? What is their experience with your topic? What do they want to learn or hope to gain from your presentation? Answering those questions will help you develop a targeted presentation that will have a greater impact than a cookie-cutter template speech.
It’s not about you: Yes, you likely got the speaking engagement because you are an important person in some respects, but no one goes to a workshop or luncheon just to hear how great some stranger is. They want information, to be entertained, or to somehow improve their lives. Your presentation should provide value to the audience, not just promote yourself.
Practice, practice, and then practice some more: You can almost never be too prepared for a presentation. Develop your materials ahead of time and practice your delivery. Time yourself, see how long it takes for you to get through the material uninterrupted, and then allow time for questions and banter from the audience. Film yourself if possible, and look for nervous tics, lengthy pauses, or other distracting habits you may not notice while you are talking.
Make a checklist: You don’t want to show up to your presentation without important handouts, computer files, or—in the worst case—your speech itself. Make a checklist of all the items you need for your presentation and mark everything off as you load your vehicle so you don’t miss anything.
Have a way for them to find you: The point of public speaking is to connect with potential readers and clients. Don’t show up empty-handed. Have business cards with your contact and book buying info (e.g. website) with you. If you are able, have copies on hand for back-of-room sales. Just don’t turn your speech into a sales pitch. If you provide value, they will buy—and they will also want to seek you out for other information and additional speaking engagements.
Be on time: Plan on showing up at least twenty minutes early. This way you can familiarize yourself with the space (if you haven’t done so already) and make sure everything is in working order and set up the way you need it to be. Plus, it’s a sign of respect for the presenter to be on time. If you are late, you disrupt the whole schedule, which is not good for your reputation.
Meet with your audience beforehand: Don’t hideout backstage while people are filing in to their seats. Take that time to shake hands and learn a few names as people are walking in the door. This helps you break the ice and warm up the audience. Plus, it helps cut your own nervous energy, since you will have established a rapport with the audience.
Also, don’t forget to smile, be gracious, and by all means say thank you! You are not the only speaker available on your topic (unless it’s a super niche topic). Don’t burn bridges or do anything that could hurt your reputation. After your presentation, follow up with the organizers and any contacts you met while there. Cultivate those relationships and ask for feedback. Each time, you’ll get great tips and insights as to what worked and what didn’t so you can continue to improve as a speaker.
For more resources on public speaking check out:
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How to Use YouTube to Position Yourself as an Author-Expert
June 3, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
Everyone likes to have a face to go with the name, but as an author, you don’t have that many opportunities to get face to face with your readers. Luckily, the advent of new media lets you give readers a face to put with the name. Not only can you give them a face, but you can also give them a taste of a live and in-person experience, a teaser of what one could expect should they attend one of your events or book you for an interview.
New media has opened up several new avenues for authors, giving them the opportunity to connect with potential readers and positioning themselves as experts in a more personal and engaging manner. One of the most popular venues is Youtube. Not only can you post and share videos, but you can also create your own channel, allowing you to share a series of videos on a related topic in an entertaining and informational way.
To really make the most of Youtube, your videos need to be:
- Short: We live in a world of short attention spans. Keep your message brief in order to keep them engaged.
- Informational: Your posts should provide value or information to the viewer. There are more than enough renditions of Lady Gaga on YouTube and plenty of people filming their pets looking “oh so adorable.” Stand out from the crowd by giving people something they can really use.
- Entertaining: Yes, you are competing with cute pets and dancing babies, so in addition to being informative you need to be entertaining. This doesn’t mean being gimmicky, it just means delivering your information in a lively and personal manner.
- Quality: In order to be worth anything it has to be easy to see. Make sure you use good equipment, edit if necessary, and avoid posting files that are too grainy or that require constant buffering.
- Relevant: Above all, the video needs to be relevant to your platform. In order for your platform to be effective, its needs to be consistent. Don’t go off topic unless you plan on changing the direction of your platform.
Here is an example of a well-developed video:
Notice how the video is short, informational, entertaining, good quality, and relevant to the author’s topic. By presenting this specific topic in this manner, he has further positioned himself as an expert and demonstrated his ability to speak, which will help him book more appearances and interviews. The author also has other videos listed on Youtube. All of them consistently meet all five of the requirements above and help build his platform.
You don’t need a film degree or a large presentation to start making use of this social media tool. You can start by taking a concept from your platform and breaking it down into simple parts that you can deliver as a series. Post them on your social media and your website, and make sure to list your contact information at the end of every one of your videos. This will all help drive traffic to all of your social media outlets and help you grow as an author and position yourself as an expert.
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Give A Great Interview
June 1, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
You’ve probably seen them: those interviews where there is no energy and the guest is as placid as the polar ice cap. Or worse: the guest is talkative—too talkative—and runs over the host with wanton disregard. Guests like these are rarely invited back. The key to becoming a media darling and keeping the publicity coming is to be a great interviewee. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:
- Keep it short and sweet: Whether your appearance is in print, radio, television, or otherwise, the publication or broadcast program will have a limited amount of space and airtime allotted for each item. Be respectful and keep your answers brief.
- Develop your talking points: Though questions may vary from interview to interview, there will be some basic questions asked over and over again (e.g., what is your book about, why did you start writing, what advice do you have for writers, etc.). So, develop a few key talking points that you can easily integrate into every interview. Also, customize a few for each venue. This means doing your research before you show up to the interview.
- Mention your book often!: The point of publicity is to get your name and the name of your book out there. Mention your book, website, and contact information often. Here is a short video demonstrating how to easily work that information in to the conversation.
- Dress and act professionally: The majority of a person's impression of you is formulated before you even open your mouth. To make the best first impression, dress like you care about the interview. If it’s an online or phone interview, make sure your website and social media are professional and clean; be on time and courteous; and don’t tie up the long-distance line any longer than necessary.
- Tempo: Speak quickly enough to finish your talking point, but don't speak so fast that no one can understand you. Take deep breaths, wait for the host to complete his or her question before answering, and actively listen to yourself so you can catch any acceleration in pace.
- Be gracious: Especially if you are a first-time author, don't continually correct the host or editor, don't constantly nag, and by all means say thank you!
Being polite, brief, and professional will take you far with the media. And remember to prepare beforehand so you can work in all of your talking points and sell more books!
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Developing Your Talking Points
May 27, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
So, your book has hit the shelves and your marketing strategy is paying off in terms of interviews and appearances. You want to keep that media attention coming, but reporters and hosts have limited print space and airtime along with a vast array of topics to touch on. Remember that media professionals think and speak in terms of sound bites. To keep on their good side while still conveying the important aspects of you and your books, you need to develop your own sound bites and talking points, and have them ready long before the book hits the shelves so you can use them in your interviews.
Luckily, the questions asked by interviewers don’t vary much from media outlet to media outlet. This means you can walk into any interview prepared, but you will also have to be ready to shoot from the hip if necessary. Keep your answers short, to the point, and free of technical jargon so a broad audience can understand them.
For the most part, basic media questions include:
- What is the title of your book?
- What is your book about?
- Why did you decide to write this book?
- Who should read this book?
- Why should they read this book?
- What authority do you have to write on this topic?
- Where can people find out more about you / your book?
Even if these questions are not asked, they are points you want to work into the conversation. Most important is the title and where to buy the book. In fact, you will want to mention the title and its accompanying website several times throughout the interview or appearance. Repetition is key! An appearance in which none of this information is shared is a wasted opportunity. Don’t waste any chance to mention the book, because you might not get it again.
Once your book is ready for market, sit down with your publicist and/or your marketing team and hash out your talking points and sound bites. Learn them so well that you can easily integrate them into any conversation. Revisit them frequently to make sure they are still relevant and timely and remember: always, always, always mention the book and where to find it.
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Anatomy of an Author Website
May 25, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
As an author, you know how important it is to have an attractive and current website. Your website is your calling card, and a vehicle for conveying your brand to both media and readers. It is also a tool for building your community of followers and letting them know about your activities. Your website is crucial to building and retaining your platform, and it must be designed to net the most benefit both for you and your followers.
The first thing you need is a relevant and easy-to-spell URL. The web address you select should either be your name or a key phrase associated with your brand. (The book should have its own website; use the book title as that URL if possible.) Remember, most people will use a keyword search to find your website, so keep it short and avoid any unusual words or phrases that will be difficult to spell and/or remember.
Once you have a URL, it’s time to make sure you incorporate the eight key elements of an outstanding author website:
- Welcome/home page: On this page you provide your name, brand message, and a high-quality headshot.
- About the author: Here you go into more detail about yourself, your experience, and your credentials.
- Writing portfolio: Provide sample chapters and links to your work. Make sure that all documents are formatted well and look professional. PDF files are the easiest for most browsers to view, and use hyperlinks when directing readers to another site.
- Services: Here you share your ancillary activities such as speaking, teaching, consulting, etc—whatever you do in addition to your writing.
- News and events/author press room: Post upcoming appearances, workshops, book signings, podcasts, etc. Develop a press kit that media can download and use. Also keep a running file of any media mentions and interviews.
- Blog: Your primary goal is to build a community of followers. Make it easy by creating and maintaining a blog, which will add an interactive element to your site that lets your followers establish dialogue with you as well as with other followers.
- Resource page: Provide links and free stuff, and direct people to tools and resources relevant to your topic. This will draw followers to you. Update it often to keep them coming back.
- Guestbook or newsletter signup: It is key to make all traffic to your site work for you in the future. If you can, have a guestbook or offer a informational newsletter that people can sign up for. This will help you develop your database of contacts to alert for updates, appearances, and new releases.
As your career evolves, so should your website. Keep it relevant, timely, and current with all of your events and happenings. Tie it in to all of your social media accounts, print it on your stationery and business cards, put it in your email signature, and mention it often. It will pay off in the long run.
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What Is An Author Platform?
May 20, 2010
by Shennandoah Diaz
If you have written a book, or even if you haven’t, you may have heard the term “author platform.” Many authors overlook this seemingly vague and often misunderstood term. However, it is by far the most important element of your writing career, aside from the book itself. So what is an author platform? Essentially, it’s the base of people who have a built-in interest in your book and who would regard you as an authority in your field. Your platform is your audience, your publicity plans and other promotional activities will be targeted at them.
The author platform is essential because it is what sets you apart from every other author in your genre. Publishers and media always look at author platform, sometimes even before they look to the content of the book itself. The platform is what will cut through all of the millions of advertising and media messages and carry your book to readers, and in turn drive sales. If your platform is not strong, active, and growing, publishers and media will move on to the next author who does have one.
How do you develop a platform? Before you determine that, there is an even bigger question that needs to be addressed. First, you need to start by defining your target reader. Who are you writing for? Who would be interested in the information you have to share? You need to be as specific as possible in stating your target audience. You can’t just say “anyone who reads.” Not everyone who reads is interested in every topic on the market. Instead you need to hone the target down to something like “work-from-home moms” or “twenty-something executives.” Once your audience is identified, you can start developing your platform.
Now that you have your target reader in mind, you need to define how you’ll build a group of them to serve as your platform. Using the “twenty-something executive” audience, possible outreach strategies include “tips to break the executive ceiling,” “profiles of young achievers,” “strategies for success,” etc. Whatever the focus is, it needs to relate to both your audience and your book. If your book is about underwater basket weaving, you won’t have much luck driving sales using a platform geared toward young executives.
There are many ways to connect with your potential readers so you can build a platform, including: a website (both for you and your book itself), blogs, social media, speaking, teaching, appearances, organizational involvement (e.g. writers and trade groups, charities, local organizations), book signings, articles—just about any activity you can think of. However, in order to successfully grow your platform, each of these activities needs to be cohesive and relevant to the overall topic and consistent with your message. Be sure to keep your activities manageable and linked to book sales. This mean sharing your blog posts through social media accounts, promoting events through all of your media channels, participating in organizations that cater to your audience, referring to your book frequently in interviews and conversations, and linking to the book website anywhere you have an Internet presence, among others.
If you are still unsure about the strength of your platform and how to develop it, your publicist is the best resource to help you. You might also want to look at the following resources:
Christina Katz “Get Known Before The Book Deal” (hyperlink)
Jane Freidman's Blog “There Are No Rules”
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Introducing Austin Publishing University
July 21, 2009
by GreenleafBookGroup
We're teaming up with independent bookselling superstars BookPeople this August for the first-ever Austin Publishing University, a seminar series for authors and aspiring authors on how to get your book published efficiently and profitably.
If you're in the central Texas area, we'd love to have you join us on the first four Sundays in August at BookPeople (603 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas). Sessions cost $15 each or $45 for all four. Attendance is limited to 60 people per session. To reserve a seat call (512) 472-5050 or visit BookPeople.
It's going to be a fun, educational event—one we hope will untangle some of the complexities of getting a book produced, distributed, and marketed, as well as answer any questions on the publishing industry attendees have, whether basic or advanced. Be sure to visit our Facebook page, and if you're the Twittering type, you can tweet about Austin Publishing University with the hashtag #apu09.
Descriptions of the four sessions of APU after the jump.
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SESSION 1 – Ins & Outs: The Industry Overview
Sunday, August 2, 2009 1:00 – 2:30 pm
The publishing industry presents many business models for authors, each with its own set of pros and cons. This class will walk you through the industry and give you the tools you need to choose the best path for your project. Plus, you will gain a basic understanding of what it takes to successfully create and market content in the retail marketplace. Learn the ins and outs of traditional publishing, self-publishing, print-on-demand publishing, and hybrid models—and how to avoid publishing pitfalls along the way.
SESSION 2 – Hot Topic: Content is King
Sunday, August 9, 2009 1:00 – 2:30 pm
So you know you want to write a book, but the blank page is glaring at you and you just don’t know how to begin. Come learn some useful techniques for structuring the writing process, getting past the terrifying first blank page, and presenting your ideas in a compelling and engaging manner.
SESSION 3 – Killer Covers: Boosting Sales by Design
Sunday, August 16, 2009 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Book jackets serve a number of purposes that are essential to the success of your book. This class will teach you how to make informed decisions about your covers by examining a variety of topics including genre appropriateness, the role of research, concept and tone, using photography and/or illustration, branding a series, endorsements, author photos, printing technology, retail durability, Amazon thumbnails, and design trends. We will closely analyze examples of various cover designs including award winning work.
SESSION 4 – Storming the Market: Online, On the Air, and On the Shelves
Sunday, August 23, 2009 1:00 – 2:30 pm
As the old saying goes, it’s easy to write a book: Selling it is hard. This class will discuss how effective marketing strategies, combined with traditional publicity and new media, come together to create a successful book launch. We will review the basic timeline that you should follow, describing what to do before, during, and after your publishing date. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to get the perspective of veteran publishers and retailers from both us at Greenleaf Book Group and BookPeople.
For more information about BookPeople, visit their site, or check out the fantastic interview they gave us a few months ago.
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The Wisdom of Crowds: Using Wikipedia for Self-Promotion
February 2, 2007
by Aaron Hierholzer
The ultra-low barriers to entry into Wikipedia, the encyclopedia that anyone can edit, have prompted many to ask: “Why not write an article about myself?” Whether or not this is a good idea depends on who you are. Most Wikipedia users don’t care to read about Joe from Boise’s affinity for black jeans and Springsteen’s early work. But what if the person in question were the author of a book—perhaps a book with a brand-new Web-savvy marketing campaign? Unfortunately, it takes more than authorship to get respect at Wikipedia. But it may still be able to give you a push.
Wikipedia has a conflict-of-interest policy, which it implements rigorously, and legions of devoted Wikipedians monitor new articles posted on the site. They professionalize and consolidate information and look for potential abuse, normally deleting over one thousand articles a day. Blatant hoaxes and utter nonsense are axed by means of “speedy deletion.” More contentious articles are listed in “Articles for Deletion,” Wikipedia’s log of entries which are under scrutiny and likely to be deleted. Articles for Deletion is a sort of forum in which users weigh in on whether they think the article should stay or go.
If you decide you want to use Wikipedia to get your name out there as an author, here are some guidelines. Abiding by them will help you avoid ending up on the bad side of Wikipedia’s argus-eyed (and potentially grudge-holding) users:
- Notability: This is the big one. In other words, why would anyone unaffiliated with the subject of the article be interested in reading it? What’s important about the subject? Did it make an important contribution to its field or to history? In order to make your articles “notable,” factual information is a must, along with significant awards or recognition the subject has received. The arbiters of WikiJustice are sensitive to information intended solely for marketing or PR. Case in point: the blocked adjustments made to technical articles by someone commissioned by Microsoft. MyWikiBiz.com was also forced out of Wikipedia for offering to write articles for clients for a fee (they've now founded Centiare.com, a wiki site which encourages businesses to write entries about themselves). In other words, new entries have to demonstrate that they exist for some reason other than convincing someone to buy something—even if the “something” is really good and interesting of itself.
- Verifiability: All information in the article should be backed by valid references. Entries with no sources are far more susceptible to being tagged for deletion. Wikipedia discourages “independent research.”
- Neutral Point of View: It shouldn’t be apparent that the author of the article has an affinity for or personal connection to the subject. Advertising is anathema to Wikipedians. Articles with the slightest scent of marketing are eligible for speedy deletion. Wikipedia also closely tracks the usernames and IP addresses which add information, and goes so far as to identify suspected “sockpuppets,” or multiple usernames used by one writer to make his/her claims seem more valid. It’s not technically a problem to write a bunch of related articles under one username, but doing so may throw up red flags and subject your articles to closer scrutiny.
When considering whether to create an article, remember that any information you provide, once posted, is subjected to the often cruel world of universally editable online content. It’s a good idea to periodically check an article’s content to be sure someone hasn’t made incorrect edits which misrepresent you or your work.
While there are many things to avoid, creating a valid entry in Wikipedia about yourself or your work is not impossible. The best way to avoid offending the Wikipedia ethic is by having a good attitude and a sincere interest in expanding the catalog of uncompromised information that Wikipedia strives to be, rather than trying to blatantly market yourself or your product via the project. And of course, given the Wikipedia community’s inimitable style, a notable, neutral, verifiable article will impress them a lot more anyway.
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