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Tuesday, January 19, 2016

WORD OF MOUTH_HOW TO SOW THE SEEDS


"Now is not the time to think about what you do not have.
It is the time to think of what to do with what you do have."
- Ernest Hemingway


It can be a lonely trek across the desert trying to get noticed in a market over-saturated with Indie Books,

many well-written, most not even close to well-written.

I've come across several blog posts who darted about the topic of WORD OF MOUTH 

but never actually telling you how to grasp that elusive will of the wist. 

I will not be coy ... that is just cruel.

You can have a great book, but if people don’t know about it then it does no good.  

You know it is important to keep track of what people are saying about you and your brand online and off,

 but how do you insert yourself in the conversations? 

Google Search for your own name and keep it current 

so you will be alerted each time your name is mentioned is one good way.


1.) TARGET THE HIGH PROFILE INFLUENCERS

Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube has them.  

Look at the ones who speak on the topic or subjects about which you write. 

Don't be a stalker or obnoxious. 

 Just email, tweet, FB, or comment on their YouTube site, asking politely for a look-see at what you are writing.

You don't even have to further bother them.  Just give the link to your author's  or book page on Amazon and hope they will read or listen to the free sample.


2.) BUILD A PERSONAL BOND IN VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Talk about the hurts in their lives. Develop friendships with like minds ... and not all authors either.

We have to break out of the author ghetto, if our books are ever to gain high sales.


3.) STRIVE TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER

Don't just contact Social Influences.  Strive to become one yourself.  Think beneath the surface of what is going on in your world.

{Have you noticed how many in the music field have died at the age of 67 this week?  

Four so far to my count. What is up with that?  

What happened in common in all four of their lives?  Look for a pattern. Talk about it.}

Dare to be controversial ... but own up to it.  Believe what you write.  

George Carlin did in an amusing way and attracted a huge following.

Writing misleading prose to sound outrageous but, at heart, is not  ...

that is just being coy.  

It may actually work, but I would rather not choose that path.

Which leads me into my next thought:


4.) STRIVE TO BE HONEST

If readers see you being manipulative, they will be turned off.  

There goes your WORD OF MOUTH heading off in the wrong direction.

"Throwing up your skirt" gets lots of attention at the beginning, 

but the impact lessens the more it is done.

There has to be merit and worth to our words EVERY TIME we post or write a novel.  

It takes a long time to build up trust ...

BUT ONLY ONE MISSTEP to lose it perhaps forever.


5.) READ YOUR COMMENTS AND EMAILS

And RESPOND!  

How would you feel about a bank giving you a rave incentive for joining them, 

but put you on hold repeatedly for 30 minutes when you had a problem?

IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW MANY YOU REACH ...

   IT IS ABOUT HOW YOUR FEW READERS FEEL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOOKS.

You would know they were not interested in YOU but only in THEIR GROWTH.


6.) CREATE A READER'S GUIDE AT THE END OF YOUR BOOK

Use your book’s description to let people know that your book contains a helpful discussion guide at the end.

I am doing that myself at the end of my THE NOT-SO-INNOCENTS ABROAD coming out soon in paperback.




Were General Sherman, General Grant, and President Lincoln war criminals?

{Look it up on Google.}


Did Lincoln participate in Ethnic Cleansing? 


What president ordered the greatest Mass Execution in our history?


What President started the first world war? 


(It was George Washington by the way, in case you were wondering.  Look up the French and Indian War on Google.)


What was the original 13th Amendment that Lincoln endorsed in his first inaugural address?

Is it possible to lift a Transatlantic Steamer in the air by dirigible?


How many inventions did Thomas Edison steal?  

Was Edison guilty of ordering the murders of a father and son? 

 Are Time and Space absolutes or only constructs of our minds?


7.) CREATE BOOKMARKS

Old school, but still effective. 

Include an image of your book cover, your hook or log-line,

 as well as your website and contact info. 

If you think your audience will understand and use a QR code, include one on your bookmark

I HOPE THIS HELPS IN SOME SMALL WAY 

13 comments:

  1. Very good points are made. I would add one more. Try to enjoy yourself.

    I feel frustrated for writers in that self promotion does not always come natural to an introspective person. I have hated book fairs where everyone is actually begging you to buy their book. There is one I went to where a pair of art history teachers had a marvelous book for $50. I would have loved to have bought it. But I had no interest in reading it and my intent was to walk down the aisle and purchase all the indie writer books that were priced between $5 and $15. Spend about a $100 bucks and at least help someone pay for their gas coming. My big thought is they should talk it up between each other and the few people like me that came. Have a good time. They certainly weren't going to make much money.

    I know I took this someplace else. Maybe I need to finish something so I can really think like a writer.

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    1. Enjoy ourselves. Yes. The ugly truth is that most of us will not cause a ripple at all with our books.

      So enjoy the journey since the destination will be denied us, right?

      Don't worry about taking this somewhere else. You are a guest and can talk of whatever you wish. :-)

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    2. I've been thinking on the point of destination. Does it exist? I know a Southern Baptist shouldn't have such Buddhist thoughts. Then again, I call myself a cultural Baptist.

      But I do know we all want recognition for what we do. Today, I was thinking about people who are falsely accused and shunned. How they cope and look at the world.

      Sort of in the same vein. You write great books and no one seems to be reading them. Then 50 shades of gray skyrockets in sales and recognition with prose that reads like notes children write in eighth grade. I know. I read the free portion on Amazon and I have read some Eighth grade notes.

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    3. The Lakota Sioux call God the Great Mystery. My hero calls Him that, too, since what He is up to is a great mystery to him!

      We will find out when we get to our final destination. Like Mark Twain, I have more than enough contending with what is going on this planet!

      I think I am the Emily Dickinson of the Indie World. No one knows me. I feel like Pluto, the not-planet -- started out with the group but I am now out on the fringes, demoted!

      Enjoy the journey is what I keep telling myself. I have grown in my thinking with the writing of all my books.

      Like the log-line for my sci fi convention table will read: "In a world of darkness, we must be our own light.:

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  2. Check on most of those, although I don't follow too many leaders in my genre - although I do follow some in the writing arena.

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    1. You are a comet blazing in the sky of the cyberverse, Alex. You can do what you wish, and you will do just fine. :-)

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  3. I'm not good at promoting myself in any way, shape or form. I'm far to critical of myself to even try. I've sort of settle on the idea that I will just try to enjoy what I do and write what I feel relates and hope that someone, somewhere notices it and that seems to be working for me. My book isn't flying off the shelves and probably never will, but I feel so privileged to have had some beautiful messages from some really lovely people who enjoyed my work and even one who came to Cornwall on a mission to try and locate, some of the places within my book, which was really nice. Still I do read post like this with interest when I come across them and wonder if perhaps I should try harder. Maybe one day :)

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    1. You must do what you feel is right for you, Joss. Important thing is to have fun. But I've found the path I would rather not take is the very one I should!! :-)

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  4. Awesome suggestions. The unfortunate thing is that most authors are introverts and timid to get out there, but it has to happen if we want the buzz, eh?

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    1. Because of my experiences abandoned at six on the streets of Detroit, I am more shy than most, It is an effort to bring attention to myself -- but it must be done, Ouch!!

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  5. Hi Roland - yes those points and be interesting ... draw people in to you ... get talking at groups, write articles for local magazines - get known around your own area ... the seeds beyond one's own self ...

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. I am terrible at all of this, but I wanted my friends to know how to go about it correctly. :-) Thanks for being my friend, Hilary.

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  6. Since publicity is my weakest point, these are helpful suggestions. I'll especially bear a few of them in mind when I bring out my next books. I also hope they really help with your sales, Roland.

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