Constructing a Platform that Works

One for the writers amongst us today. This is a fabulous opportunity to get free advice from an industry expert on how to develop and expand your author platform. 

For the last few months I have been following Amy Collins and listening to her advice to authors. I have been impressed by her focus on giving authors the actual tools that they need to market and sell their books. With so many options out there, have you ever wondered what works and what doesn’t? Do you know what best-selling authors are they doing to get their books on the bestseller lists? What is their secret? 

The answer is, in one simple little word: PLATFORM.

On Sept 10, I am hosting Amy on a free webinar class where she will show you step-by-step how to successfully construct a platform that works for you. During the session, Amy will teach on the following topics:

•          Establishing platform-building habits that only take a few minutes a day

•          Setting up your author's press and interviews

•          Getting reviews

•          Taking advantage of social media

•          Putting your fellow authors and readers to work for you

In essence, platform is the relationship you build with your readers over a lifetime. And platform is what separates truly successful authors from merely talented ones. Join Amy and I on Tuesday to get a road map on how to get that platform and the sales that result.

To register for the online web class or to get the invitation to the replay that will be hosted after, Go To: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3249143023256353293?source=wendy

Amy Collins

Amy Collins is the founder of Bestseller Builders and president of New Shelves Books. Collins is a trusted expert, speaker,and recommended sales consultant for some of the largest book and library retailers and wholesalers in the publishing industry.She is a USA TODAY and WALL STREET JOURNAL bestselling author and in the last 20 years, Amy and her team have sold over 40 Million books into the bookstore, library, and Chain store market for small and midsized publishers.She is a columnist for and a board member of several publishing organizations and a trusted teacher in the world of independent publishers.

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Wendy H. Jones

Wendy H. Jones is the best selling author of the award winning DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries, Cass Claymore Investigates, the Fergus and Flora Mysteries and Bertie the Buffalo children's picture book. She has also published two successful books for authors, Power Packed Book Marketing and Motivation Matters. As an international speaker, she regularly speaks about writing and marketing. 

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Game changers by Peter Fisk

It is rare that a book comes along which will help you radically change the way you do business. The book I bring to you today does just that. Why am I writing about a business book on a reading and writing blog. Well I believe that this book would be extremely insightful for authors in whichever genre they write. The subtitle of the book is Creating Innovative Strategies for Business and Brands, which may give you a hint as to why I find it worthy of inclusion in the blog.

This is a book which all those starting out in business, or looking to improve their business strategy, should read. As well as being imminently practical it is also inspirational. The book is beautifully laid out with clear chapters each of which covers a different topic. It is essentially about branding but it is about so much more than this. It is about thinking outside the box and rebranding in a different way. It is also about passion and a belief in your self and your product. Each chapter takes you through different steps in your branding and marketing strategy. These include:

Think - Change your future

Explore - Change your market

Disrupt - Change your strategy

Design - Change your business

There are several more. At the end of each chapter is an application section that you can apply to your business.


In addition Fisk gives numerous real life examples to back up the text. The second half of the book is about these very companies. It takes areas, such as health, retail, finance, media etc. It then gives 10 examples of companies in each area, who have changed the way in which we do business and are setting the world on fire. These examples from real life if the book above the ordinary. It makes the book, not only helpful, but interesting

This is a superb book which I would highly recommend for all those who are developing or changing their brand. I am certainly going to use several of the strategies in my own branding.

        

That bring us to the end of another Bookaholic day. I look forward to seeing you all back here soon. Until then grab the nearest book and get reading.

Scottish Fellowship of Christian Writers Conference

We are off to a conference on Bookaholic today. Or rather I was privileged to be a speaker at The Scottish Fellowship of Christian Writers Conference last Saturday. This took place in the lovely Scottish City of Stirling. It was great to meet up with old friends and make new ones. The fabulous Caroline Johnston, seen below holding a copy of my Book 'Killer's Countdown' gave a really interesting talk on using Facebook. Caroline is a fascinating speaker, knowledgeable about marketing, and herself has published a book, 'What if', a YA book for girls. This is available on Amazon if you want to know more. 

Sandra Bain gave a really interesting talk on research for writers. She took a unique approach as she told us what she did wrong during her research and how she would do things differently now. She had me hooked and I was sorry when her talk came to an end. 

I was asked to speak about blogging and I had so much fun doing this. I am assured that everyone else enjoyed the presentation as well. One of the best parts of the day was chatting to other Christian Writers and getting to know more about them and their books. There are so many excellent writers in Scotland and I feel privileged to be a part of them.

The reason my books are all over the pictures is that this was the first day they were for sale. A little premature as the official launch isn't until next week. The picture at the top of the blog is when I cracked open the first box of books which was a very exciting moment. When I was asked to sign the books it took me by surprise but it was such a good feeling. I love being a writer and an author and I am so looking forward to the launch.

That brings another bookaholic missive to an end. What do I have in store for you next time. Drop by and find out. Until then, keep reading. 

How do Authors Reach out to Readers

I suscribe to author Kristen Lamb's excellent blog and eagerly await each post. Today's blog gave me food for thought. As authors's we are keen to get our work out there and noticed. We use every social media site and join every group in the hope of reaching new readers. As a writer I can identify with this, and understand why authors would act in this way.

However, as Kristen Lamb so very rightly points out, this can often lead to blasting your followers and readers with repeated posts on social media. I have had experience of this when one author posted 42 tweets or retweets one after the other. I kid you not as I counted. Needless to say I no longer follow them. 

The purpose of social media is to reach out to readers and get to know them. The key is in the word social. If we met someone in person would we then talk to them non stop and then walk off without engaging in any conversation. I am sure no one would do this, yet essentially that is what we are doing when we bombard our readers with social media posts without engaging them in conversation. 

I read somewhere that social media marketing should be 90% social and 10% marketing. This sounds about right to me. Let your readers get to know you. I appreciate that some people may not want to put too much out there, however there are ways of engaging in conversation without giving away all the details of your life right down to shoe size and inside leg measurement. How about the following examples from what I am doing now:

• What a gorgeous sunny day in Dundee. I'm in my conservatory writing this and watching the ducks in the stream at the end of my garden
• I really ought to do some weeding. Nah, writing is much more exciting
• Coffee is very definitely a writers best friend. What do you think
• DI Shona McKenzie is swimming in dead bodies. The streets of Dundee are not safe
• Tonight is Chinese night with my 2 oldest friends. Watch out Dundee the women are coming. What are you doing tonight?
• I think my favourite characters in a book, ever, are Jane Rizolli and Maura Isles. Who are your favourite characters?
• The picture at the top of this blog is the view at the end of my garden. Beautiful and perfect for a calm writing environment. What is your perfect writing and/or reading environment?

Just some examples of how you can reach out to readers, seem like a human, and still keep your privacy. If people feel like they know you then they are more likely to respond when you put the occasional post saying:

• So excited about my new book ...  being launched on ...
• I am so full of emotion that my book ...   has reached number 3 in the Amazon top 100

Still no full on marketing but engaging your readers. 

If anyone has any great ideas for engaging readers please let us know in the comments. This is a chance for us to share and help each other as writers.

I would like to thank Kristen lamb for her post Social Media, Book Signings and Why Neither Directly Impact Overall Sales  which was full of advice and inspired this post. This is well worth looking at and Kirsten Lamb is well worth following.

See you all again soon on Bookaholic. This book writing bookaholic is signing off and leaving you to read a good book.