Book Marketing

Why do Authors Need a Marketing Mindset?

Even a simpleton will realise that novice or pro authors and business owners alike need to focus on their marketing activity. But, which elements do we need to work on—and why? Coming from a ‘why’ perspective, it gives any author a strong enough motive to move past their comfort zones. Hell yeah! Rather than worrying over your ‘product’ (book or service), your message is front and centre. This is great because it means people connect with your hook or your ethos. You will be learning about brand, benefit writing, landing pages, keywords, and teaser lines: all stuff that is handy for attracting anyone to any book. A niche marketing mindset is even better. That’s because choosing a niche will help an author attract fans with this laser focus. Using certain words, a phrase, a slogan or even a book title…
Read more
Book Marketing

How to Make a Book Landing Page

When creating your book sales page or course landing page, start with these questions: 1. What’s the purpose of my sales page? Have one clear call to action, like subscribing for a free chapter, buying a pre-order, or taking up a special fans & followers offer. 2. What am I offering my readers? Not more information, but an ability to earn more, do more, be more productive. 3. How will my prospects benefit from what I’m offering them? — A strong “what’s in it for me”. 4. Have I incorporated the strongest selling points in the headline? 5.  Is there one clear reason for my ideal readers to buy? 6.  Can I summarise some of my longer paragraphs with easier to read lists (written in direct voice)? 7.   Does the design allow for ease of reading?  White space and title case…
Read more
Book Creation Success Club
Publicity, Self-Publishing

Why a Book Creation Club for Indie Authors?

To answer the question of why a self-publishing membership is needed, let’s go back to 2008, when I was navigating self-publishing my first full book to sell to the public. There was little information available to me to find out how to print cheaply, get a cover design done (DIY ugh!), and sell my well-researched book to people other than my own network. I tried a public seminar—what a failure. I handed out flyers about it, and people looked startled. I would like to have known many different realities and knowledge about self-publishing, starting with the philosophical question: is this all worth it?  Each of us have our own criteria, and therefore our own answer.  But one thing is for sure, a Book Writing & Publishing club offers a handy resource for indie authors. To me, being an author-publisher-entrepreneur is…
Read more
Author Assist Packages Comparison Review

Author Assist Packages Comparison

If you’re part way into writing your book, it’s time to think about who is going to help put together your book and administrate it. This is a giant step but is often left to emotion and chance. So read our Author Assistance Package comparison review (Australian based). Check down the bottom for DIY administration + freelancers option, which is the model for intrepid independent types. Most author assistance packages leave out the most important service—editing (and writing support). Book publicity and launch planning is usually either an add-on or ‘find your way in the darkness’, but really important for you, the author. Remember, no matter how little you may know about the publishing process, you are in control of the path before you. Let’s make it a good one. Publicious: Package 3 + Editing added Gold Coast, Australia. Book…
Read more
book promotion tools for self-published authors

Easy, Modern Book Promotion Tools

Lately I’ve been running into some amateur (yet very talented) self-published writers with little knowledge of book marketing. One serial self-publisher, an obvious talent, claimed that he was “hopeless” at marketing. No more!  Here’s the low-down on easy book promotion tools for self-publishers on a shoestring book promotion budget. Now, can we all agree we are living in an image-conscious world?  Good, then follow along. Instagram Not so Daunting Any type of author should set up a ‘business’ Instagram account rather than a personal one, so it lets you have a website link in the profile. The trick is not only to link to others, but also to have a lot of book-friendly images ready to go. But if you haven’t got a decent camera/lighting set-up or just publish ebooks, what then? Well, you cheat with mock-ups.  A mock-up generator…
Read more
measure website visitors
Book Marketing

How to Make a WordPress Website Measure Visitors

WordPress has now become the most popular self-hosted CMS, beating out Drupal, Expression Engine and Blogger.  (A CMS is a Content Management System). Here, we’ll discuss how to log in once to WordPress and measure website visitors, quickly and easily. Along with bloggers, millions of small business people have gotten a WordPress website customised and then scratched their head. They ask: “how do I use a website to measure visitors and understand all the metrics?” Install an Analytics Dashboard to Measure Website Visitors As a business owner or consultant, you’re flat out already – with little time to check your Google Analytics tool.  Welcome to a handy Plugin: Google Analytics Dashboard. (Select “Add new” and search “analytics dashboard”, select the one with four stars). Once installed, you’ve got a great time saver – scroll down to the bottom of your…
Read more
Filters
Reset