| Your Writer Platform

2 Must-Dos to Make Your Book Marketing Infinitely Easier

November 9, 2013 by Kimberley Grabas

Why is it that your book marketing is falling short?

You’re trying to implement as many of the tricks and tips that the ‘experts’ recommend, but few of your marketing tactics are gaining traction.

Sure, you haven’t tried EVERYTHING yet, but you’ve tried enough to move the needle at least a smidge, right?

There’s no question that building a strong platform takes time, and gaining momentum–even with a sound marketing plan–requires the patience of a saint.

But something just isn’t jiving.

You’re Building Your Platform on Sandy Soil

A solid structure needs a strong and stable foundation, and what many authors do is rush to build their platform without first laying a proper footing.

Each time you add another tactic, another strategy, another layer of your marketing plan, the framework becomes more unstable and things start to fall apart.

Methods that should make an impact, produce less than stellar results.

Effort wasted and wheels spinning, frustrated authors conclude that it’s not marketing, but luck that produces standout success for bestselling authors.

Fair assessment?

No. And here’s why: what you’re missing is the first brick.

You may get a bit of a push from your marketing as it stands, but without that first brick, without developing a solid underpinning, there will be little strength or support for anything that comes after. [Read more…]

The Highly Underrated Gravatar – Why You Need One and How to Get It

October 24, 2013 by Kimberley Grabas

Setting up your online presence can be an onerous task.

There is a long list of to-do’s between setting up your website, optimizing your social media outposts and creating compelling content that not only resonates with your current readers but draws new visitors to your site.

And typically, the most significant movements forward come from concentrating on the big stuff and avoiding just-one-more-little-tweak syndrome.

When first starting out, most of us are overly susceptible to this condition because we don’t have a hierarchy of importance for tasks – we don’t have enough experience to determine what is critical for building momentum, and what are simply time-wasters.

What makes it even tougher?

Occasionally it is a small thing that can end up making a powerful difference in your ability to stand out, get noticed and build your author brand.

Here is one of those super-effective small things: your Gravatar.

What is a Gravatar?

As you’ve been busily commenting away on influential sites in your genre or niche (you have been implementing a comment strategy, right?), I’m sure you’ve noticed the small images that accompany people’s comments or discussions on the various sites.

These images are called Gravatars, which stands for ‘globally recognized avatars’.

A Gravatar allows blogs, sites and forums to use an avatar (an image, icon or graphic that represents you or your brand online) that you only have to set up once, rather than having to upload an image each time you comment. [Read more…]

How To Target an Audience (And Avoid Book Launch Flop)

July 16, 2013 by Kimberley Grabas

Just launched your book (or hope to soon)?

Wondering why there is more fizzle than fan-fare?

Your target audience–or lack thereof–may be to blame.

Why Target An Audience?

One of the biggest mistakes writers make as fledgling authorpreneurs is believing that the larger the potential market, the greater the chances that their book (or freelance services) will get noticed.

In fact, the opposite is often true. The larger the market, the more competition you are likely to face and the bigger the drain on your already limited resources.

Trying to appeal to the masses instead of understanding the needs, wants and desires of a select few–the ‘right’ few–is the recipe for a book launch flop.

Finding and narrowing your niche will help you to reach–and appeal to–more of the people that will ultimately buy your book.

The key is to identify and research what your true target audience craves, recognize the unique and meaningful aspects of what you have to offer, and align the two to benefit your ideal reader in an exceptional way.

Here are some additional points to consider:

Don’t assume you already know your audience, or that they are just like you. It’s possible, but not always the case that your audience will think like you. So do the work to confirm what your readers actually want; not what you think they need.

Self-published authors aren’t the only ones who need to have a firm grasp on their target audience. Agents and traditional publishers also want you to know who your audience is, your allure to that particular group, and how you plan on connecting with them.

Even though it’s important to niche-down, it is equally important to ensure that you haven’t narrowed your market to the point it has become unprofitable. A bit of research will help you define your sweet spot.

Another mistake that many authors make, especially fiction authors, is failing to identify their target audience before writing the book. I know it messes with the creative process for some, but it certainly can’t hurt to have a picture in your mind of who you are writing for as you craft your novel. In fact, it can make things easier by helping to clarify the purpose of your book, keep you on track and even motivate you to finish. Both fiction and non-fiction writers need to write with their target audience in mind. [Read more…]

Discover and Build Your Author Brand

February 23, 2013 by Kimberley Grabas

What exactly is an author brand?

You’re a writer, not a company or a product.

Do you really need a brand?

An effective author brand can give you a major edge in successfully marketing your new self-published novel, increasing your client base for your freelance writing business or landing that book deal for your non-fiction work.

Interest piqued?

Many authors mistakenly assume that building their personal brand either comes naturally (my fans will know me through my work), or that it is unnecessary. Both assumptions are false. “Branding requires effort and attention, especially if it’s authentic.” (click to tweet)

But what exactly does “branding” mean?
[Read more…]

You’re Building Your Platform on Sandy Soil

What is a Gravatar?

Why Target An Audience?

Authors with Platforms Sell Books.