FSB Associates Blog

Posts Tagged ‘social media’

Marketing Tips for Authors: Go Digital. Start Early. Be Authentic.

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

Anyone who works in the book industry will tell you it’s the people that make our industry so amazing. Everyday I work with publishers who are generous and smart and want to do right by their authors. So when I started working on a piece on marketing tips for authors, I decided to tap into the collective intelligence of our industry. I asked them, “What is the one marketing tip you would give to authors?” Of course as is their nature, they responded right away.

If you are an author or aspiring author, I hope you will find these tips helpful.

Maureen Donnelly, VP, Director of Publicity of Penguin Books advices that you, “Listen to your publicist. If you are a first time author, do as much grass-roots work for your book as you can. The build up will pay off.”
Beth Gissinger, Publicity Director of Adams Media, seconds that idea. “Work as a partner with your in-house publicist. Our time is short and our list is long. Authors who take the lead on social media and grass-roots outreach will be well-poised to keep the promotion going once we’ve moved on to other books.” Follow Beth on Twitter @bgiss
Michael Fragnito, VP, Editorial Director of Sterling Publishing tells us that, “You should know specifically what your publisher is planning to do. If you are not satisfied, then dig deep and buy your own publicity. Don’t let the moment pass, because there is a very small window after the book is published.”

Although I did not specifically ask for digital marketing advice, most of the people naturally leaned in that direction. The advice comes back time, and time again about developing a long term relationship with your readers.

Debbie Stier, SVP, Editor at Large and Director of Digital Marketing for HarperCollins says, “Find a comfortable way to engage and connect with your readers (ie not the megaphone), and then spend as much time as you possibly can doing that (online and irl). And start early (at least a year before your book is published). It’s not a campaign; its a relationship.” Follow Debbie on Twitter @debbiestier
Peter Costanzo, Director of Online Marketing, for The Perseus Books Group, also talks about the advantage of developing a long term relationship with your readers: “Unless you’re planning to launch a robust, content-rich website with purpose, you’ll most likely be better off directing your fans to Facebook where you can spend time engaging with your readers. Honestly, It’s a lot of work and the reward of doing so may not be apparent for your first book, but it could develop into a great platform to help with the launch of your next one.” Follow Peter on Twitter @PeterCostanzo
Kelly Leonard, Executive Director, Online Marketing, for Hachette Book Group gave a great, Twitter worthy tip: “Dig your digital well before you’re thirsty: make connections with readers online far in advance of your book release.” Follow Kelly on Twitter @kellyleonard
Aileen Boyle, VP, Associate Publisher, of Simon & Schuster asserts the importance of building empathetic dialogue with readers. “Talk about your book with passion. Be it a book on knitting, politics, or romance, if you as the author don’t deeply care, no one else will either!”
Patty Berg, Director of Marketing, for Crown Publishers & Broadway Books tells authors to, “Be authentic in your Facebook and Twitter postings–when you post about things you care about, aside from your book, you develop a closer connection to your followers. They’ll pay more attention when you DO post about your book because they won’t feel like you’re only just trying to sell it to them. And they’ll be more likely to share or retweet your posts to THEIR friends because you’ve established a common ground.”
In case you are wondering how to incorporate social media into your already busy days, Michael Taeckens, Online and Paperback Marketing Director, for Algonquin Books offers this tip. “Engage directly with fellow readers and authors on Twitter, Facebook, and your blog; consider your daily engagements there just as important as your daily writing routine.” Please follow Michael on Twitter @AlgonquinBooks
I will end with a tip me: It is important for authors to start early and build a digital footprint. Engage in social media and be authentic. Make sure that you have a variety of places where you can share information, grow your features, publicize your book, and share your successes. Social media outlets provide more exposure for your book and help to establish a relationship with your readers. Publicity breeds more publicity. So, my advice is to chat it up, but remember not to be a living, breathing advertisement. My rule of thumb on sharing is a 4 to 1 ratio. You can post something self-promotional if you post 4 other non-promotional links that are helpful to your followers. The key is to build credibility. If you are looking for a way to get started, I wrote a blog on 5 Easy Ways to Build Your Digital Reputaion which might be helpful.

Bonus: Make sure your digital marketing plans are cohesive and customized for you and your readers. Your website, blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, digital PR and email marketing should all play nice together. Establish your goals, and timelines and then monitor to see if you are on track. If things are not going as you expected, just go back to the drawing board and make some adjustments.

To all authors and aspiring authors out there, I admire you greatly. You are the carriers of our civilization. I know the new world of digital marketing is intimidating and time consuming, but it is also rewarding and essential. I wish you well on your journey to meet your readers. If I can be of further help, please post a question below.

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, publicity, publishing, q&a, social media
Posted in New Books, Social Media Tips | No Comments »

Happy Days

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

By Ken Ishii

We’re all smiles at FSB and what’s not to be happy about? Fall (arguably the most romantic season) is here and along with the new season we’ve got new projects, achievements and, greatest of all, people added to our workplace.

This month our shelves are lined with projects from every end of the genre table. We’re performing balancing acts with titles ranging from Carmine Gallo’s business marketing book The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs to Annexed by Sharon Dogar, a historical novel recounting Anne Frank’s story through the eyes of a boy she shared a sheltered life with. On the lighter end, Comfort of Apples by Phil and Lauren Rubin is chock full of recipes featuring America’s favorite autumn fruit and Pukka by Ted Kerasote follows the story of a yellow lab puppy that’s melting our hearts. Throw in health and self-help titles Treat Me, Not My Age by Dr. Mark Lachs and Laurie Puhn’s Fight Less, Love More and we’re quite pleased with how our diverse line-up has made a jack-of-all-trades out of us all.

We would normally be pretty charmed just working with such great projects, but this month we have more reason to celebrate as we welcome new members to our family and add grease to our wheels. Ashley joins us as Client Relations Manager bringing a wealth of customer service exposure and a willingness to go that extra mile long after the buzzer. Leyane is our newest Publicist and a PR pro with a long list of marketing, planning, and project management experiences. Her positive attitude makes it easy to tap her expertise and is an asset to our client service needs. Jaime signs on as our Digital Media Specialist and strengthens FSB’s web design and development efforts. Smart, efficient and professional, Jaime comes as a welcome addition to our technologies department headed by Vice President John Burke whose tireless contributions allow the rest of us to focus on our campaigns.

Let’s not forget about the success of the rest of the team. Our veteran Senior Publicist, Anna, proves time and again that experience in this business pays off by continuing to rake in big hits such as features on The Village Voice, Glamour, and CNN to name a few. The backbone of these campaigns is strengthened by Kasey, our Web Publicity Assistant, who has consistently proven able to rise to the occasion when work loads intensify. Not one to be shown up, I’m continuing to bridge the gap between books and readers by stepping up my own social media game and leading a record number of new fans and followers to our Twitter, Facebook, and company sites by taking advantage of today’s top marketing trends. Fauzia, our ringleader, who orchestrates the cyclone of our work into tightly organized campaigns has expanded FSB services to include social publicity consultation making not just ourselves, but netizens everywhere, happy.

As if we would stop there, everyone here is thrilled over the announcement of Julie’s recent engagement. As Publicity Manager, Julie has brought great success to authors and FSB over the years that will, without a doubt, continue to follow her for a lifetime of joyous and healthy matrimony. We recently held an office celebration breakfast complete with catered treats and mimosas to congratulate Julie, show appreciation to our staff, and welcome new sisters to the circle. With such success in our work and personal lives it’s no wonder we’re all smiles, though the champagne does help. ; – )

Tags: authors, books, business, marketing, networking, publicity, social media
Posted in New Books | 2 Comments »

Twitter 101: Tips to Get You Started

Friday, October 1st, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

I have a confession to make: I was not an early adopter of Twitter. To be honest, I didn’t get it. I didn’t get the language. It seemed like a string of links to even more things I had no time to read. It felt overwhelming.LinkedIn and Facebook made sense as a perfect extension of networking I was already doing, but the charm of Twitter eluded me.

Sound familiar? I hear the same thing from many people, but what I discovered when I actually engaged on Twitter has turned me into a devotee. Twitter has been one of the greatest learning tools of my career.

If you are hesitant to join Twitter, you are not alone. However, I want to encourage you to give it a shot. Set up an account, follow some people and learn some things. People on Twitter are very generous with their time and knowledge. Yes, you will spend time on Twitter that you already don’t have, but you will also learn things that will make you more valuable, smarter and “in the know.” I use Twitter instead of Google for information gathering, and it has made me more productive.

Change is all around us, and the only way we can move forward is to change together and collaborate. I am still a newbie, but if I have inspired you to try, here are some tips to get you started:

1] Come up with a goal for trying Twitter. Is your goal to interact with the media or journalists? Is it to gain exposure for personal branding in your area of expertise? Is it to learn from others who are experts in their field? Or is it to increase traffic to your Web site or blog?

2] When you sign up, complete the profile as fully as possible. Add a photo, short bio, user name and real name. People want to know who you are. Your bio should reflect your goal. Make sure you include the URL for your site, blog or Facebook page.

3] There is no need to panic if you don’t have a ton of people following you. If you post good information, people will find you slowly and steadily.

4] You may have multiple goals for Twitter, feel free to have multiple accounts. At our firm we have 11 accounts and each one has a different audience and purpose.

5] Start off by sharing your knowledge. I bet you know a lot about your industry and your business. Think of Twitter as a great way to share that information. If you read something helpful, share the link on Twitter and let others benefit from your find. Generosity is a good business practice.

6] Because we are limited to 140 characters on Twitter, you will need to learn about shortening URLs. I use a site called Bit.ly because it helps me track my shortened URLs. Or you can use a web site called Hootsuitewhich allows you to shorten URLs, track them and manage multiple accounts. It’s kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of Twitter.

7] Learn the common abbreviations. We created a helpful postcard for our clients. Please feel free to print it for yourself.

8] If you read something you like on Twitter, remember to retweet it. It’s a great way to give credit to people who are putting out good information. If you want to join the conversation, use reply.

9] Follow people you already follow in other ways: Journalists you admire, comedians who make you laugh, or authors who inspire and teach.

10] Be a good community member. A good rule of thumb is to have a 4 to 1 ratio for self promotion. One self-promotional tweet to 4 that will help others or engaging in the community through reply or retweet.

If you are new or nervous, follow me on @websnapshot and we’ll learn together. My goal for this feed is to learn and share good ways to integrate social media and web publicity. Along the way, I share resources and tools with my staff, increase exposure for my clients, get business ideas, and collaborate with smart people. I post links and articles everyday that help me be better, and I hope they will help you as well.

In the comments below, tell me about your experiences with Twitter. Do you like it?

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, networking, publicity, social media, twitter
Posted in Social Media Tips | No Comments »

5 Easy Ways To Build Your Digital Reputation

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

Social media has given us great ways to protect and build our digital reputations. Today we have the ease of searching conversations, the ability to set alerts to help us monitor our names, the constant availability of learning opportunities and more ways to communicate and interact with others. All of these tools, which were not available just a few years ago, now make it possible for us to be proactive in maintaining, building and protecting our good name. Here are five easy ways to do just that:

#1 Set Goals
I am sure you have done this already, but just in case, first do a search on Google for your name in quotation marks. It is important to see what comes up on the first page. The first page of a google search result is precious real-estate. Then set up a simple spreadsheet so you can keep track of your digital footprint. Do a little research and spend some time collecting numbers. How many Facebook followers do you have? What kind of traffic do you get on your site? Once you have the numbers you can then decide on your goals.

Are you interested in growing the numbers of links/connections/followers or do you want more one-on-one engagement? Or are you more interested in getting retweets on Twitter (which, as Guy Kawasaki said recently is “now the sincerest form of flattery”). Once the goals are in place, track the results in the spreadsheet and adjust as needed.

#2 Learn
To accomplish any of these goals, you are going to need to learn. The new world of communication is moving quickly, which naturally lends itself to a couple of advantages. First, there is a lot of room for experimentation, so use your talents and skills to communicate in your own unique way. Second, this experimentation has led to collaboration, and smart people are sharing information all the time. Make sure you make time every day for “learning.” Look over sites and information to keep up with the developments in social media. Currently I am taking part in an online conference, called Social Media Success Summit 2010 and am learning a lot. And among the many sites I visit, one of my daily stops is: PR Daily News: Public Relations news and marketing in the age of social media.

#3 Develop Content
To communicate 24/7, which is now the expectation and the norm, you need to develop different types of content. Blogging is a great way to share your knowledge and collaborate with others. However, blogging can be a big undertaking. Blogging expert Denise Wakeman recommends that you blog 3 times a week. If that is a daunting task for you, try guest blogging on an established site or blog in your industry. Another way some of my clients have developed content is through books, ebooks, whitepapers, audio recordings, slide presentations and videos.

#4 Build Relationships
Building and maintaining relationships has never been easier. Those of us in sales and marketing have always known the value of relationship building, but now everyone needs to make it a priority. Make sure you have profiles on LinkedIn, and Facebook. Twitter is a fantastic source of information, and an excellent place to learn. People on Twitter are eager and happy to help each other. To get tips on effective communication on these sites, I look to Cindy Ratzlaff who has a daily video tip along with regular blog posts on her site. Social media is an excellent way to build relationships, but don’t forget the value of face to face meetings, phone calls, hand written notes, and emails. It’s good to focus on important clients and influencers, but leave room for the “accidental” connections. Social media networking can be serendipitous, you never know which person may lead you to a new connection or client.

#5 Monitor
Social media alerts (Google or Social Mention) are a great way to monitor your name and/or industry. If something important happens in your industry you’ll know about it and can comment. If someone says something positive, a thank you goes a long way. If there is negative chatter starting up around your name or company, alerts keep you on top of it and you can jump in and take care of things quickly. I also use Addictomatic which is a great site for big picture monitoring.

There are many tools and resources now that can help us to become better communicators and better guardians of our reputations. I know it is a big undertaking, but the question to ask yourself is: If you are not investing in yourself, why should anyone else?

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, networking, publicity, social media
Posted in Social Media Tips | No Comments »

Between Seasons

Friday, September 17th, 2010

by Ken Ishii

As we wrap up our giant list of August projects, the team at FSB realizes summer’s heat wasn’t limited to just the outdoors. We now have a moment to breathe and reflect on campaigns that really hit the mark and boosted the visibility of our authors.

We had the incredible honor of working with some fantastic trendsetters and thought leaders recently. FSB took command of an intense rally of updates as Rebecca Costa was instrumental in weaving breaking news with content from her book, The Watchman’s Rattle. Kristan Higgins’ RITA award gave us plenty to blast the social media lines with. Carmine Gallo whose number two ranked book on Amazon Japan is back for an encore with Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs. We paused to laugh up the hilarious creative content by John Stewart The Daily Show’s comics Kristen Schaal and Rich Blomquist celebrating their title, The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex. Throughout each campaign we kept close ties with our authors and their books which allowed us to find parallels between projects that could one day become pathways for client collaboration enabling each to pool communities and generate a greater buzz for all.

Digital is today’s standard. It’s no surprise that major news outlets have acted on their predictions about web popularity by shifting emphasis from traditional print to multimedia-rich Internet content. What is a welcome eye-opener is the rapid uptake of digital media by subscribers around the world. Online media is rapidly becoming the go-to choice for consuming current events. FSB took things a step further by delivering news such as Peter Miller’s features on CNN and The Washington Post, Silvana Nardone on ABC’s Good Morning America, and Rachel Simmons’ The New York Times story to the public through social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. Actively putting our authors front and center online saved readers from seeking stories themselves and guaranteed visibility for our authors. In the end, the resulting correlation between strong media placements and soaring Amazon sales ranks turned out to be no accident. Powerful campaigns and author participation turned profits every time.

Our fall lineup is shaping up to be an interesting one comprised of books spanning numerous categories both fiction and non-fiction. We’ve got our work cut out as Amazon’s ebook sales topping paper book announcement adds Kindle tracking to our trend watch and while social media usage continues to climb at record-breaking speeds. There’s no shortage of items on FSB President, Fauzia Burke’s plate this season either. Recently Fauzia has taken on the role of social media ambassador offering expert online network consultation to New York City’s premier book publishers. Additionally, Fauzia’s newly created Squidoo lens and Ezine article submissions have fortified her presence on the web in ways that can benefit our future clients.

Without a doubt, this summer offered us plenty of opportunities to learn and grow as a web influencer in an arena where many have yet to find their bearings. Our ability to keep up with the shape-shifting web publicity industry is something we are quite proud of and we’d pat ourselves on the back, but occasionally an author like Judith J. Wurtman, PhD of The Serotonin Power Diet will beat us to it with a warm note of appreciation. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, networking, news, publicity, social media
Posted in New Books | 1 Comment »

Looking for a Job? Throw Away Your Resume

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

As the needs of our clients increase and FSB expands to serve them better, I find myself looking to hire people. However, this year, my approach is very different. As we are working on branding authors on the web, I am looking for people who can demonstrate that they have the skills to help us market and publicize books in a new way, using social media and web technologies to communicate a story.

What I have found is that a resume is just not enough to get my attention. The job market is tough, for sure, and everyone is looking for an edge. My bold suggestion is that you pretend you don’t have a resume. Think, then, how would you get someone’s attention, how would you tell them your story? Rather than crossing your fingers and sending out a one-dimensional paper resume, I recommend that all job seekers use a variety of social media tools.

One way to stand out to potential employers is to develop a personal story and a personal brand. Today, your online personal brand is much more valuable than your resume.

Before you get started, like all branding campaigns, start with an analysis of your goals.

Think about the following questions: What are my goals for generating income? Take time to meditate on the types of things that you enjoy doing, along with the unique set of skills that you possess. How can you parlay these specific talents and interests into landing a fulfilling job for yourself?
Who am I? Easier asked than answered, of course, but this question will be presented in each and every interview you attend. ”Tell me about yourself.” Make sure that you are able to answer this question with your individual goals and aims in mind. Above all, be authentic, be YOU because there is no competition for YOU.
How will my potential employers be able to verify my professional experience and references? Brainstorm about the ways in which you can communicate your assets to potential employers or clients. Maintaining a social media profile is a fantastic way to present your past work experience and professional connections to potential employers.

Here are some sites and services that can help you develop a three-dimensional resume and your personal brand.

LinkedIn
This site enables you to showcase your employment history, professional contacts, and endorsements from peers and clients. Potential employers want to see the extent of your commitment to an industry, as well as the level of respect that you have gained from colleagues and former bosses. Make sure you use a professional looking photo of yourself.

Blog
A blog is a great way to show off your expertise and comment on the latest news in your industry. Of course, your blog posts should be current, well-written and representative of your brand and goals in all ways.

Twitter
Your twitter feed allows potential employers to examine what sorts of things interest you and what sort of information you choose to share with your social network. Become a source of good information and resources for people. Make sure you follow the companies you’d like to work for.

Video/YouTube
Post videos of yourself on YouTube to give employers an idea of your presence and persona. If your personality is your greatest asset, why not show it off?

The idea behind developing an online brand is twofold: to spread the word about you — your story, experience, and your portfolio — and also to allow potential employers to verify your professional history — references, dates of employment, professional recognition. That said, the next time you apply for a job, don’t just forward your standard paper resume. Instead, attach a cover letter with links to your various profiles online. My advice is to replace that dated, one-dimensional resume and bring yourself to life with social media.

I would love to hear about the ways in which social media and personal branding has helped you secure a job or make connections with other professionals in your industry. Employers, have you ever hired someone that you found through the Web? Job seekers, how much time do you devote to maintaining your social media sites and pages?

Tags: branding, business, employment, job hunt, networking, resume, social media
Posted in Social Media Tips | 2 Comments »

Q&A with Fauzia

Friday, September 10th, 2010

by Ken Ishii

Before facing the challenges for themselves, many writers underestimate the difficulty of getting a book published. That’s where publishing expert and author Marcela Landres steps in. At the same time, those same writers often overlook the arduous task of book publicity and may be unfamiliar to major changes made to the game. That’s where FSB steps in.

Marcela featured Fauzia recently in an interview for her award-winning e-zine, Latinidad, that covers online book publicity and offers writers a chance to establish a stable online presence and a road map of what lies ahead.

Q: What are the advantages of online book publicity vs. traditional book publicity?

A: The Internet offers longevity. Web features and links are available to readers now, and new readers months and years from now. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, these features are able to grow thanks in large part to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, which thrive on a constant flow of information. Unlike traditional publicity, such as advertising, TV appearances, print features, speaking engagements and radio interviews, all web features are linked directly to a bookseller or the author. This takes the potential reader from a place of “liking” the book to buying the book with one click of a mouse.

Today’s readers are tech savvy, resourceful, and have higher expectations of publishers and authors. Online book publicity allows these readers to get the information they need immediately and to share that information with their own social network. Nowadays, readers don’t just buy a book, they want to receive a community with their book. The bottom line is that publishers and authors need to evolve their marketing and publishing strategies to accommodate a new kind of reader, a reader whose expectations involve more interaction and community.

Q: What mistakes do authors make when they promote their books online?

A: The biggest mistake an author can make in terms of promoting their books online is not actively engaging in social media and taking the time to establish a unique digital footprint. Many authors feel that by building a Website, they have covered their bases online. However, it is not that easy anymore. If I were an author in today’s competitive market, I would consider the time I spend developing my online platform and building my brand on the Web as an extension of my job as a writer. Publishing a book or any professional writing is a small business and authors should look at it as such. Now, online branding is not a luxury or an afterthought—it is a necessity.

We are seeing the impact of social media in every direction and in every medium. There are 105 million users on Twitter and they send 50 million tweets per day. We are in an age of authenticity and people want to know about the authors that speak to them. Twitter makes it very easy to share information, stay connected, and to “follow” your favorite authors and publishers. Using social media applications like Tweet Reach, a search engine “powered by tweets,” allows you to monitor how many people were reached by your tweet. Lasting visibility and publicity is never based on a single individual, one tweet or post, but an array of contributors.

Q: What online book publicity tips can you offer to authors?

A: No surprise here, but “word of mouth” on Twitter spreads very quickly. The word can spread very fast within a 24-hour period, so the more information available about you, your work, and your interests, the greater the chance of gaining a fan, a feature, or a sale. With that said, I urge you to start the chatter! Please be social, share yourself, and be authentic. Make sure that you have a variety of places where you can share information and grow your features, publicize your book, and share your successes. All of these outlets provide more exposure for your book and help to establish a strong digital footprint. Publicity breeds more publicity. So, my advice is to chat it up, be social, and continue building a social network. However, you must remember not to be a living, breathing advertisement. My rule of thumb on sharing is a 4 to 1 ratio. You can post something self-promotional if you post 4 other non-promotional links that are helpful to your followers. The key is to build credibility.

Q: What changes or trends do you predict in online book publicity?

A: Content development is going to continue to grow in importance. Videos and slide presentations offer readers a new way to interact with their favorite authors. Recently, we posted a slideshow with “Five Tips to Being Happy at Work” on Slideshare.net. It is a helpful and useful resource for our clients and, at the end of the presentation, we can give our viewers “Calls to Action” by embedding links to online booksellers, and author’s websites. The benefit of this particular strategy is that the views of the slideshow can be seen just like YouTube, and it can also be easily shared on Facebook and Twitter through one-click-sharing. Additionally, the slideshow has great SEO’s and is readily available in the search results of all major search engines. Being able to embed links to online marketplaces such as Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com into the presentation is a crucial way to ensure that an inclined buyer is given the opportunity to purchase the title on the spot.

Q: Other than your fabulous blog on The Huffington Post what other blogs, web sites, and/or books do you recommend to writers who wish to learn more about online book publicity?

A: Books:
Engage by Brian Solis
Trust Agents by Chris Brogan
The New Rules of Marketing and PR, 2nd Edition by David Meerman Scott
Twitter Power by Joel Comm & Anthony Robbins
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo
The Referral Engine by John Jantsch

Blogs:
http://www.copyblogger.com/
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/
http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/

Sites:
http://marketing.alltop.com/
http://social-media.alltop.com/

Great reference sites:
http://listorious.com/
http://addictomatic.com/
http://twittercounter.com/
http://www.blogpulse.com/
http://www.hootsuite.com/
http://tweetreach.com/

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, publicity, social media
Posted in Social Media Tips | 1 Comment »

Online Branding for Writers

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

If I were an author in today’s competitive market, I would consider the time I spend developing my online platform and building my brand on the Web as an extension of my job as a writer. Publishing a book or any professional writing is a small business and authors should look at it as such. Sure, the publisher will offer support and expertise, but it is the author’s responsibility for building a long term Web strategy. Now, online branding is not a luxury or an afterthought — it is a necessity. And, to be honest, it’s fun.

Of course I am biased because the Web has always been fun for me. In 1995, I was 28 years old and I fell in love with the Web. I remember the moment clearly. Someone had shown me a hyperlink, it was the word “Paris”. Wow, what a moment. Just understanding what was happening set my neurons and synapses firing. I also saw Compuserve and witnessed people communicating in a way I had never seen before. It was fascinating and inspiring.

A million questions went through my mind: how does this work? Can I communicate with people on Compuserve too? What are they talking about? Who puts up all this information? How do you find what you are looking for? And of course the game changer, can I use this to market my books? Although the questions were intriguing, I had a job to do and at that time the job of marketing books had nothing to do with the Internet. How the world has changed!

After that moment, I tried to make myself forget. I tried to go back to business as usual without bulletin boards, email or Web access, but I couldn’t. The Web had stolen my heart and there was no way of going back and living without it. So within weeks of that day, I resigned as the marketing director for computer books at Henry Holt, and started FSB Associates. I was not sure what I would be doing, but it was going to be online.

That was over ten years ago, but my passion and thrill for the Web is still the same. Every time we place a book on a Web site, I am excited. I know that the book will be online for years to come with a link to a bookseller. I believe that by promoting authors on the Web we are creating their brand and establishing their platform. We help our authors create digital footprints which can be Googled long after their campaign is over.

Unlike how things were in 1995, today you can’t (or shouldn’t) promote books without having a Web strategy. A majority of readers are online, buying with one click, talking about books, and interacting with authors. Authors need to use the Web more and more. There is now an expectation of accessibility. It is not an expectation of their publisher or agent or publicist, it is the expectation of their readers that they will be available for interactions and communications with their readers.

Many authors feel that by building a Website, they are covering their bases online. However, it is not that easy anymore. Simply having a Web site is no longer an effective Web marketing strategy. It is essential that authors consider outreach on the Web as an extension of the writing process. Why not include the readers in their careers, getting their help in building a brand, taking their suggestions and including them in the process–not only after the book is published, but before and during. Authors should have a social media component to their online presence, as well as reach out to niche communities for reviews and interviews, and they need to write content for other sites and blogs so their name has “Google juice,” or Google visibility.

So many authors think this is a chore, and it really doesn’t have to be. It can be fun and it can be manageable. Today an effective, long term Web-branding strategy is essential for both a writing career as well as for selling books.

Tags: authors, books, branding, networking, publicity, seo, social media
Posted in Social Media Tips | No Comments »

I’ll Take a Community with That Book, Please!

Friday, August 27th, 2010

By Fauzia Burke

With today’s search empowered readers, do we need to market and publish books differently? Does general publishing makes sense in an age of Google searches, micro communities and niche marketing?

Today’s readers are tech savvy and resourceful. They know how to get the information they need and have higher expectations from publishers and authors. They don’t just expect a book, they expect a community with their book.

I often hear publishers say that there are “very few brands in book publishing.” But to thrive in today’s competitive, niche markets, perhaps brands are exactly what we need. What readers choose to read is personal and an extension of who they are. Shouldn’t their book choices be supported by a publisher, a brand that is invested in their interests?

Many small publishing companies have done an enviable job of branding themselves and building reader communities around their books. Take O’Reilly, TOR and Hay House. You may not read their books, but you know what they publish. Their communities trust them. People who share their point-of-view flock to their lists. These companies publish for a niche community, and are trusted members of their community. They provide extra resources, and often their authors are members of the community itself. TOR has even launched a bookstore to meet their readers’ needs. These publishers show passion for their books and an understanding of their readers, and as such their readers reward them with loyalty.

Publishing books for the community.

Besides reader loyalty, publishing for micro communities may have other long-term benefits as well. For example, the focus would help publishers save money on marketing. Marketing through online communities is less expensive and much more powerful than trying to reach the general public and hoping to find the right match. The publisher’s Web site wouldn’t have to cater to a wide variety of people, it would be designed to serve the needs of a small group. Instead of expensive advertising, they could announce the book to the community that has already bought into their brand. Publishers and authors could enlist the support of the community to spread the word (which will always be the most efficient method for marketing books.) The logo on the book spine would mean the readers have a promise that the book is worth reading. The readers would know that the publisher looked at over a thousand manuscripts all on the same topic and is offering them the very best.

So are large, general publishers at a disadvantage with today’s search-empowered, community oriented readers? I think so. General trade publishing is for everyone, yet there is no “everyone” out there. Readers are part of micro communities. They want good books, and they need publishers who will support their interests and passions.

The bottom line is that publishers and authors need to evolve their marketing and publishing strategies to accommodate for a new kind of reader. A reader whose expectations demand more interaction and community. A reader whose loyalty you can have once you have earned it. A reader who wants more than a 6 week marketing campaign so you can sell a book. This new reader requires an investment of months and years.

Is that too much to expect? Perhaps. But this is your new reader, and she will stay with you if you stay with her.

Tags: authors, books, branding, marketing, networking, publicity, social media
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