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Publishing Secrets for Authors | Five Questions With the Expert | New Media Consultant Amy Porterfield

By Cindy Ratzlaff March 24, 2010

Amy Porterfield is a social media strategy consultant and a regular contributor to SocialMediaExaminer.com. Amy helps entrepreneurs, small business owners, authors and speakers find their “sweet spot” so they can maximize their marketing and publicity efforts through social media. We asked Amy five questions to help authors and entrepreneurs better utilize social media to bring their books and products to new audiences.

Remember to give your best stuff for free. Don’t hold back.

RATZLAFF:

We hear a lot that authors and speakers need to have a platform before a publisher will take them on. What exactly is a platform?

PORTERFIELD:

A platform is a little like the concept of a “soapbox” but in a really good way! It is the space you create for yourself online where you highlight who you are, what you are all about, and connect and foster relationships. In a very literal sense, a platform is made up of all the social sites where you spend your time, including Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc. When you create your platform, you want to make sure you choose the social networking sites where your target audience is spending time–because a “soapbox” is no good if no one is listening.

RATZLAFF:

How would you recommend that an author or speaker begin building his or her platform?

PORTERFIELD:

Here’s my formula: Listen first. Listen some more. Research next. And then jump in the game. You have to first really understand who your target audience is…and who it is not. Don’t be afraid to only craft your communications for your ideal audience (it’s ok if you leave some people out–they are not your audience!) and also don’t waste your time on social sites that are not appealing to your ideal audience. To really understand the needs and wants of your ideal audience, take a little time and listen to them online. What are they talking about? Who are they connecting with? What Fan pages are they attracted to? Who are they following on Twitter? Once you have listened and done your research, jump in! Start using the sites that really matter most to your outcome. And here’s my golden rule with social media: Don’t be afraid to mess up. It does not always come naturally at first, and it can even be a bit overwhelming. But don’t let that stop you. Jump in, start talking, and it will all become second nature to you in no time.

RATZLAFF:

What about self-publishing? Can a self-published author really reach a large enough audience to make an impact?

PORTERFIELD:

My favorite example of a self-publishing superstar is Marie Forleo. When she first came out with her book, Make Every Man Want You, she self-published and she used the power of the internet to spread the word. Because she was willing to show up daily, connect with people, be her true self online, and really hone in on the needs and wants of her target audience, her book became a HUGE success. But here’s the thing: It was not easy. She worked hard for that success! So yes, self-publishers can find success online, but just like everything else worth having, you have to work really hard and keep moving forward. And one more thing! I think the authors that really find their voice online and create a strong buzz around their books are those that have found a way to showcase their uniqueness. They carved out a little piece of online real estate that they devoted to their “It” factor. And here’s the really great part–you get to figure out what that “It” factor is for you. No one needs to decide for you. So take a little time to think about what might make you stand out from everyone else (we all have it), and then run with that. You just might be pleasantly surprised with the results.

RATZLAFF:

Which media has the most impact on book sales? Radio, TV, print, online, speaking engagements? Should an author focus on one area or try to be seen and heard everywhere?

PORTERFIELD:

In most cases, there is rarely just one media that will work overall. Like I said earlier, know your audience and you will know where and how to market. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Mari Smith, a social media guru who always has great advice, teaches the power of Radical, Strategic Visibility. What that means is this: Be seen and heard everywhere it matters. I think that is so important for authors to remember. The more people see you chatting and connecting online, adding value in your blog, and speaking live, the more curious they will become. And when people are curious, they seek out information about you. But remember this, some media outlets could be a waste of time for you. It all depends on your personality, your audience and your book. So choose wisely so you can enjoy the process and spend your time and energy where it really matters.

RATZLAFF:

What are the top three things an author or speaker can do to increase his or her chances of getting media attention for their book?

PORTERFIELD:

Find Your Key Influencers: Who are the people in your niche that are really getting it right? Who stands out the most when you talk about your niche? Build relationships with these people, comment on their blogs, tweet their content. These relationships are extremely beneficial as you move forward with establishing yourself as an expert in your niche.

Show Up Daily: I have noticed that the authors that are really crushing their competition are those that are showing up daily. They are keeping their blogs current, tweeting great, valuable content, connecting one-on-one online, and giving shout outs to others when they see something they like and want to share. They are present, available and real. This is crucial for all authors.

Mix Up Your Media and Provide Great Content: The authors that use video, articles, blog posts, podcasts and more are the ones that stand out the most. They mix up their media and offer great content in many different packages. This is key. If you have not tried video yet, give it a shot. It’s extremely valuable. And remember to give your best stuff for free. Don’t hold back. When you give out your best stuff for free, you are offering an incredible service to people and I can guarantee they will want more. Plus, this strategy will help you build more trust with your audience. So don’t hold back and you will reap the rewards!

Amy teaches authors, entrepreneurs and business people how to use social media to enhance their marketing and visibility strategies. Learn more about Amy by visiting her website and joining her on Facebook.

How to Create an RSS Feed for Any Twitter List

By Cindy Ratzlaff February 10, 2010

Each individual post on Twitter has a unique URL. You can find it by mousing over the date and time stamp on the lower left hand corner of a tweet. These are Google indexed and therefore every tweet you post is read by Google as fresh, unique content and elevates your social currency and searchability. If no other Twitter uses intrigue you, this one should. Using Twitter helps make you and your brand more visible. The more visible your brand is, the more you are perceived as an authority in your field. Using Twitter to reinforce your brand messages and identity is an excellent mind share strategy.

Many business owners say they just don’t always know what to tweet about. I advise them to tweet about events they’re hosting, new products they’re launching, tips and strategies that will be useful to people in their industry and in general to talk to their customer on Twitter exactly the way they would in person. But even the most prolific among us can sometimes be at a loss for ideas. I’ve shared before that I subscribe to several great blogs and use some of those posts as tips to tweet out to my followers.

Another great idea comes from Mana Ionescu via Twitip. Because Tweets are short, they are often very similar to article headlines so an RSS feed may be the right solution for those who want to subscribe to tweets alongside their news and blogs in a reader such as Google Reader. Twitter has an RSS solution only for your Favorites, so here is a simple way to turn any Twitter list into an RSS feed for your favorite reader.

Follow these steps for a simple and quick solution:

Create a list of people you want to follow closely; people who regularly put out quality content that you often share with your friends and followers. For example I follow the Forbes.com list of the Top 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter. You can create your own custom list or access an existing list. If you haven’t created a list before, look in the right column of your Twitter account and click “New list.” You’ll be prompted to name the list and then add peeps to the list.
Copy URL of list. Once you are viewing the list, copy the URL from your browser window.
Go to this simple set up page aptly called Twitterlist2RSS and follow the easy two step process to generate an RSS feed URL.
Copy the generated RSS URL from your browser window.
Paste that RSS URL into your favorite reader to create a subscription.

You’ll be able to browse your own custom list of influential tweets along side your favorite blogs and news headlines and have an unlimited source of great information to share with your friends and followers. By passing along valuable tips and techniques, you become a trusted resource and create conversations about you.

Social media and the enduring challenges of business communications

By Cindy Ratzlaff February 2, 2010

From time to time, I’ll be bringing you blog posts or opinion pieces by guest experts in various fields who can offer a unique point of view on either social media, public relations, marketing, entreprneurship or publishing. Today I’m honored to introduce you to guest blogger, Bob Martin an Allentown-based corporate communications professional who is experienced in both corporate communications for worldwide and local organizations. Contact him at bobjmartin@verizon.net.

Guest Blogger, Bob Martin

A few weeks ago, the Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal published an article from an experienced marketing and communications professional, offering a contrarian view of the rush to incorporate social media into business communications. The gist of the argument seemed to be that incorporating these new techniques and channels into your business’s marketing efforts offers no obvious, tangible benefits over those delivered by a traditional mix of marketing communications activities and media.

I respectfully disagree – and not just because of the increasing power of younger, more social media-oriented individuals in the customer and consumer pools. As someone who’s worked in media and business communications for more than two decades, I see a compelling philosophical reason for embracing the new social media in our efforts to reach and serve our customers.

Since the beginning of mass media, business communicators have struggled to overcome the technical limitations of traditional communication channels, as we work to make our message connect more effectively with target audiences. Today’s new social media channels – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs and the like – are game-changing advancements precisely because they’re breaking through those limitations, and creating a new, more effective business communications paradigm in the process.

Encouraging give and take during discussion, alternating the roles of messenger and receiver within the communication, adjusting your message on the fly based on the other party’s reactions – by enabling these actions, social media presents smart business communicators with something we’ve always wanted: a way to have an honest-to-goodness conversation with our audience.

Admittedly, this new conversation paradigm can be disorienting to traditional business communicators, because it adds a third dimension to our messaging – not brand to customer or customer to brand, but customer to customer ABOUT the brand, in which the communicator has to relinquish some measure of control over the message. For example, consumer products companies are realizing that relationships with influential bloggers can be excellent avenues to introduce new products, or emphasize features of existing ones, or just communicate their brand promise. But it comes at a cost: the power of the blogger can be directly related to their perceived independence from your influence, and you need that perception of independence to maximize the potential benefit of your relationship, so you accept the possibility of loss of some control over the message to the blogger and their audience.

Forward-thinking companies who can accept the social media conversation paradigm can use it to constantly adjust and update marketing strategies as they are executed. A social media audience is different than the total target audience, of course – but they’re different in ways that add to their value as “thought leaders”: they enter the conversation as generally knowledgeable about your company and its products, they are comfortable with the new conversation paradigm, and they relish the feeling that their opinion matters to what happens to “their brand” and so take that perceived responsibility very seriously.

To that point, a current ad campaign supporting the launch of Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating systems centers on PC users who offered feedback to Microsoft that ended up reflected in the new product – prompting each to claim that “Windows 7 was my idea.” The theme carries over to the product’s Facebook presence, which encourages groups of users to suggest, complain about or tout features of the product that others may find useful. It’s easy to see how these discussions could lead to adjustments in marketing strategy emphasis on particular features – which would in turn reinforce the umbrella theme of “Windows 7 is my idea.”

A final word of caution: by facilitating the continuation of a conversation, feedback through social media fundamentally changes the nature of any business communication effort. Establishing a presence in social media amounts to a commitment to your audience to continue that conversation. Fulfilling that commitment will cost time and money, but failing to live up to it will cost precious standing with key audiences that you won’t easily regain. Before embarking on a strategy that includes these new communications capabilities, make sure you’re prepared with the right resources and mindset to commit to a real conversation.

Social Media Marketing and Brand Goals

By Cindy Ratzlaff January 20, 2010

Social media marketing is the new shiny toy. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a really useful shiny new toy. It’s a rapidly evolving, fun newcomer that is grabbing all the headlines, adding bells and whistles every week…sometimes every day. So while every author, company, brand or entrepreneur needs to have a social media marketing strategy and be able to innovate and implement great new campaigns, it can’t pull focus from your primary goals. It’s a method to help you reach your goals, not the end goal itself.

Make sure that your social media marketing efforts serve your overall brand goals. As you set or review your brand goals, ask yourself:

What unique product or service do I offer?
What “need” does my service or product fulfill?
Where would potential customers seek solutions for fulfilling that “need?”
What 5-7 words describe the “why to buy” for my product or service?
What is my complete marketing strategy for announcing and promoting this product?
What are my expectations for income from this product?
Does this product reflect all of my brand messages and core values?

After you’ve identified your unique offer and created your targeted, keyword rich messages, make social media outreach via your business Facebook page and Twiter account a regular but measured part of your everyday business tasks. Just 10-15 minutes in the morning and perhaps another 10-15 minutes at the end of the day or at midday can help you keep your brand message in front of potential customers.

Here are five things I do every morning:

Facebook Profile: Check in-box and respond as need, accept or decline invitations to events and pages, check my “key contacts” stream briefly for any interesting updates, news, innovations I want to share with my friends.
Facebook Fan Page: Briefly check to see if any comments or questions need clarifying and post either a link to a news article or blog post that I want to share with my fans or post a tip, strategy or idea. That post goes out automatically to my Twitter as well.
Twitter: Check @replies to see if anyone has questions. Thank folks who retweet or #FF me. Check DM’s and respond as necessary. Check one of my key lists and peruse the stream to see if any of these industry movers and shakers has something I’d like to retweet or read or share with my followers.
Blog: Post to my blog, which will then auto post to my Facebook Fan Page and my Twitter account.

Periodically throughout the day, if I find something worth sharing I pop over to Hootsuite, which I keep open on a tab on my browser. I post the link, write a quick post and pre-schedule it to go to one or more accounts later that afternoon.

I spend no more than 10-15 minutes each day glancing through my Google reader which aggregates about 20 blogs I find most relevant to my business and I grab a link and schedule a post from one or more of those on Hootsuite.

Once a week, I spend a full day writing blog posts, making videos and planning additional marketing strategies for my business.

The rest of my time I spend on clients, writing, and creating new opportunities and outlets for my work. For every product, my social media marketing strategy is just one portion of my overall marketing plan. My marketing strategies including speaking engagements, webinars and teleseminars, e-newsletters, targeted advertising, guest blogging, in-person networking and media interviews.

What are your non-social media marketing plans? How will you create conversations about YOU this year?

Book Publicity | The Top Ten Things Book Publicists Want Authors to Know

By Cindy Ratzlaff January 6, 2010

You’ve handed in your manuscript, completed all the edits and now your job is done. You’re thinking that now it’s up to your publisher’s publicity machine to make your book a success. Wrong.

In most houses that publicity machine has been downsized while the number of books needing publicity and promotion has stayed the same. What’s left is a hard-working group of thoughtful people who truly love books; who would spend all the time in the world to get the word out if it was humanly possible; and who need an author’s cooperation, participation and good-cheer now more than ever before. Remember that these overworked people want your book to succeed.

How does one get to be the author whose publicist tells others: “this author was great to work with,” “the author knew the right people and really helped me get the book into important hands” and I would walk through hot coals for my author?”

It’s essential that authors view themselves as a partner in the publishing process and that includes the marketing and publicity portions of the book publishing cycle. To that end, I’ve enlisted veteran book publicist John G. Ekizian to join me in creating this list of The Top Ten Things Book Publicists Want Authors to Know.

Before you turn over the responsibility for communicating your book’s message to the world, remember.

1. You are a brand.

2. Your book is your first product.

3. Your reputation is on the line and if your first product doesn’t succeed, launching new products or books will be much harder.

4. Therefore, you must be a full partner in promoting your book, finding and alerting potential readers and in general, creating conversations about YOU.

Here’s what can you do?

1. Mobilize your friends, family and fans. They really do want to help—but you have to tell them how they can be most helpful. Start with your immediate fan base, however small. Give them early copies of your book or galleys—or even a PDF of your manuscript. Ask them to read it and give you their feedback. Ask them to write a short review and to post it on Amazon.com, BN.com and Borders.com. Tell them not to gush, but to relate why the book moved or informed them. Ask them if you can post their review to your website. Ask them to give their opinion on your Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter and on LinkedIn. Start close to home and create buzz that can build.

2. Influence the influencers: Create a list of the top 25 people in your area of expertise or who write in the same field or genre as you do. Find, read and subscribe to their blogs. Comment whenever they write something that interests you. Become visible, let them know you’re a fan, offer them new content from you whenever appropriate, such as being a guest blogger. You should also consider finding and following them on Twitter and Facebook. Again, interact with them. Pass their blogs, tweets and posts on to others. In other words, hang out on line with people you admire and who you would love to have read your work. After establishing an online relationship, you may have an opportunity to offer them an early galley or ask them to give you a quote. But first you need to be a part of their community and genuinely engaged with them.

3. Find your natural audience: The biggest marketing mistake most people make in book promotion is to assume that everyone will be interested in their book. Books that sell usually begin selling to people who are really interested in the topic. Want to sell a cookbook? Go after the person who has a shelf full of them. Who really cares about your topic? Think about it this way. You were attracted enough to this topic to write a book. Where would you go to learn about you? Would you find the kind of information in your book on CNN? Then that’s your natural audience and you and your publicist should target CNN. Are you writing about romance and mystery? Then maybe CNN may not for you. Every author we’ve ever worked with believes their book is right for Oprah. Not all books are right for Oprah. Watch the shows, see what kinds of guests they book and then make sure your publicist knows which shows most often present the subject matter most similar to your book.

4. Facebook Fan Page: Please create a Facebook Fan Page for yourself. Every author needs one. Name it for yourself, the author. You might call it John G. Ekizian | Author, Speaker. Use your name, then the upward slash and a two to three word qualifier. Those keywords will be useful in identifying you to potential friends and fans and will be Google searchable. Then create a tab with the name of your book. You can add video interviews or author chats that you create yourself. You can use the Events application to invite fans to your personal appearances. You can post news and information about reviews as they come in. This is a wonderfully rich and free tool. Please don’t overlook it.

5. Advertising versus publicizing: Every author wishes that their publisher would place full page ads in the New York Times Book Review for their book. Realistically the more that $75,000 (conservatively) that these types of ads cost isn’t a good investment for your publisher in terms of return on investment. In other words, they’re not recoup $75,000 in books sales from that ad. Publicity is a better investment of marketing dollars because a television appearance, a national publication, a radio tour or other major media can reach far more people than a one-time advertisement in one publication.

6. Webinars and teleseminars: These are the new virtual author tour and can help you reach hundreds and perhaps thousands of potential readers without ever leaving home. A webinar allows participants to view your computer screen and hear you talk as you show either a slide presentation or demonstrate something online. Many webinar hosts also allow for the audience to see you at times during the presentation. Teleseminars are via phone and are audio only but listeners can ask questions via a type-in pod. Both can be very interactive and allow people who might otherwise have not been able to “meet” you, come and hear you talk about your book.

7. Your 30 second pitch: When your publicist meets with national television producers and editors at major publications, he or she has 30 seconds to sell you and your book as a potential story or segment. Help your publicist hone your message down to a short, potent sound byte. Does your book “save lives through new research that proves sound waves are harming children,” or does your book show us “a brand new way to lose weight while you sleep.” These are silly but you get the idea. Think in headlines.

8. Op-Eds: Writing original opinion page articles can be a very effective way to increase an author’s visibility and by association help promote your book. The piece cannot be about your book but must be an opinion about some current affairs topic in which you might be considered a thought leader. For example, if you’ve written a book on World War II, you might write an opinion page article on the lessons learned or overlooked from World War II as we escalate troops in Afghanistan. You’re by-line would include Author of, the title your book. You may not mention your book in the article but positioning yourself as an expert will help you publicist book more media for you. You are sharing your ideas and information because you’re an expert. This part of a visibility strategy.

9. Create Your A List: Pick 10 media targets that you feel are right for your book and learn everything you can about them. Watch the shows, read the magazines and newspapers. Write down the name of the reporter or host who most often seems to be reporting on topics that are similar to your book topic. Share this list with your publicist who rarely has time to watch this much TV. He or she can really use your research skills. This is an excellent way for you to partner with your publicist.

10. Radio: Please don’t forget radio. Both broadcast and internet radio are great ways to reach people who might like your book. Blog Talk Radio and other internet radio platforms are reaching large numbers of people, are archived and accessible on demand and live forever on the internet. Please do not turn down internet radio interview opportunities because you don’t think they are worthy of your time. In fact, while your publicist is working hard on connecting with traditional media, why not reach out via Twitter and Facebook and put together your own Blog Talk Radio tour. Just start talking about your book, offering yourself for interviews, searching and following anyone with a Blog Talk Radio show and engaging with them on your topic.

BONUS TIP: All placements are not equal. You need to get your idea across or the placement is pointless. Working with a talented publicist can help you hone your marketing message into several succinct sound bytes that will be picked up and repeated both online and off to increase your outreach and brand visibility.

Publicity creates conversations about YOU. Be a full partner in making that happen to give your book the best possible opportunity to reach an enthusiastic reading audience.

Pssst! Twitter Demystified for Newbies!

By Cindy Ratzlaff May 18, 2009

Unless you’ve been living in a cave or just emerged from a year-long biosphere experiment, you’re aware of the hype over Twitter and the scramble to figure out either how you can use it to grow your business or how you can ignore it and still not be left behind. Well, you can’t ignore it or you will be left behind so let’s look at some very simple ways you can enhance your business strategy with Twitter and maybe even enjoy yourself in the process.

According to internet guru Pete Cashmore’s website http://mashable.com, an estimated 6 million people in the United States have registered Twitter accounts. The research firm eMarketer estimates that this number will double by the end of 2009 to more than 12 million and by 2010 will reach more than 18 million users.

Yikes, you’re thinking. “How can my brand or business stand out in the sheer volume of noise of six million people tweeting?” A better question might be “What do I know that others might also want to know?”

OK, here’s the secret. Twitter is just a conversation. You have conversations everyday. Talk to people on Twitter just as you would were he/she to come into your bricks and mortar store: honestly, personably, helpfully and knowledgably.

Share: Twitter is a conversation. Talk to people the way you would if you met them socially in person. If every time you met a potential client or customer you launched into a sales pitch, people would go out of their way to avoid you. But if you developed a reputation for being an engaging, interesting person who generously shares his or her experience with everyone-no strings attached-people would be delight to see you and introduce you to their friends and family. It’s the same concept in Twitter. A realtor who Tweets about community affairs, house maintenance tips, great contractors, good sales and special events in the neighborhoods they serve will be considered a resource to people who might not be in the market to buy or sell a home. However, that realtor will be forefront in their minds when a friend is looking to relocate or a family member moves.
Listen: Conversation is a two-way street. Let’s think again about the similarities between a virtual client interaction and a physical one. If you’re selling jewelry and a potential client walk into your store, you’ll most likely ask them “How can I help you today?” Once you hear that they’re looking for a graduation present, you won’t try to show them engagement rings. In social media, you’ll do the same thing. Tweet about the things you know and the things you care about. Then listen to others and engage in conversations. Think of Twitter as a virtual backyard barbeque. You’ve got a burger in one hand and a soda in the other and you’re talking to some new “neighbors.” You tell them a little about yourself and then you listen as they tell you a little about themselves. When you hear that they are looking for a gymnastics class for their 7 year old, you introduce them to another neighbor, whose child takes gymnastics. They remember you as a great conversationalist, a good listener and a well-connected and helpful neighbor. Next time they need advice, perhaps the name of a good family doctor, you come through again. Ultimately you become a trusted source and when the time comes that they or someone they know needs the service you provide, they will recommend you. On Twitter someone might ask you what hashtags mean or what in the world a Retweet is. Listen to the conversation and provide value to build a strong social media reputation.
Communicate: Be clear with yourself and others about why you tweet. If you’re using Twitter to grow your business, make sure people can identify what it is you offer. Start with your Twitter name. @Jailbird might not be a great name for an auto dealership but @DriveSmart might be. In many cases, it might be best to use your actual name as your Twitter name. This signals to others on Twitter that your updates will reflect your values and your reputation. Use your twitter profile bio to tell people something about yourself. Include your website link so interested parties can contact you or at least survey your offerings. Customize your twitter background with visual clues as to who you are, what you do and what people might expect from following you. Think of Twitter as an online business card.
Be authentic: You cannot be all things to all people. Be yourself and engage in the conversations that interest you. Retweet (repeat other people Tweets) things you see on Twitter that you found helpful or intriguing. Act as a filter for your Twitter Followers by participating in conversations that mean something to you and letting the other pass you by. In this way you amplify your interests and muffle the noise created by six million plus people “speaking” all at once.

Don’t be intimidated by Twitter. Jump right in and join the conversation. It can be the biggest social mixer you’ve ever attended, with literally millions of fascinating people waiting, real time, to talk to you. You can follow me on Twitter at @BrandYou. I’m interested in your experiences with Twitter and other social media. I would love to share what I’ve learned with you and I’m looking forward to meeting you there.