Marketing advice for authors by N.N. Light Author Promotions #Marketing #Authors #Tips @NNP_W_Light

Marketing advice for authors

By N.N. Light Author Promotions

One of the most important tools any author has is a solid marketing plan. It’s your blueprint to staying afloat in the ever-changing world of publishing. So let’s break it down.

What is a marketing plan?

A marketing plan lists daily, weekly and monthly goals along with all the social media platforms you market your books on. It also has your publishing schedule for the year as well as your marketing plans for your new releases.

An example of daily tasks from a recent marketing plan I did for a client:

Schedule 2 book tweets, 3 personal tweets

If someone retweets one of your tweets, thank them. Engage in conversations.

Post 1 pic and message to Facebook that’s related to your books

Post 1 pic and message to Facebook that’s related to your personal life

Pin at least 2 pins to your boards (personal or book related)

Tweet at least 2 pins from Pinterest

Sign into Instagram and like at least five posts from your followers (things that interest you)

Approve blog comments and reply

Every time you blog, share it across all your social media platforms. I do it a couple of times a day so everyone can have the chance to see it. Be sure to use one to three hashtags, too.

See how each task is very specific and doesn’t take a lot of time. If this is too much for you in a single day, then pare it down to your allocated time for social media marketing.

You’ll also notice that I incorporate both book-related and personal tasks. The key to effective marketing is connecting and socializing with readers. Injecting some personal stuff is a great way to do that. For example, I love sharing things I bake or drink. If I found a new variety of wine, I’ll share it. If I discovered a new tip for baking bread, I’ll share that. It’s about bonding, superficially at first, with others.

Here’s an example of monthly tasks for June:

June 2019 –

NNLBH VIP: 2 Tier 2 + 4 days/16 tweets + Bookstagram on IG

Blog Post 1: Writing tip on creating characters

Blog Post 2: What inspired you to write the xxxxxxxxxx series

Blog Post 3: Ten things no one knows about you

Blog Post 4: My top five teen films

Create 5 tweets for Twitter/per day

Create 1 Facebook Post/per week

Create 2 Instagram posts/per week

This is one of my VIP clients and she is a young adult author. She only has time to blog once a week and needed help coming up with ideas. I scheduled her for only what she could afford timewise.

How to create a marketing plan yourself?

The first thing you need to do is take an honest assessment of the time you have to dedicate to social media daily, weekly and monthly. No one will see this but you so be brutally honest with yourself.

Next, write down how many times a day/week/month you blog and market on your primary social media accounts. Then list how many times a day/week/month you want to blog and/or market on your primary social media accounts. You’ll need to break it down taking into consideration how much time you have in a single day/week/month. I recommend starting small and adding when you get proficient.

When you get this far, write up your daily/weekly/monthly goals for marketing. Use the above as an example and personalize it for your time devoted to marketing. Remember to write down guest posts, blog tours, etc. Don’t look to others and compare yourself. This is all about you and organizing your marketing to suit you and your books.

Tip: Don’t forget to incorporate themes and holidays into your marketing plan. They’re a quick and easy way to get new eyes on your books and writing.

When you have written down your marketing plan. Take a long, hard look at it. Make sure you haven’t missed anything and make sure you can do it. It’s pointless to have a marketing plan if there is no way you can accomplish it.

Tip: Keep your marketing plan easily accessible and look it over daily. If you need to switch things around to make your day run smoother, then do it. Remember, this is your marketing plan and no one is going to see it other than you.

You’re organized in your writing so it’s not a big leap to be organized in your marketing. A marketing plan is nothing more than a foundation to your success as an author.

Need a marketing plan but need an expert to create a customized plan? N. N. Light Author Promotions would love to create one for you. Marketing plans are charged by the hour and it normally takes only 90 minutes. We charge $30 USD an hour and if you mention the following code, you’ll save 20% off:

MAY19

Please mention the code when contacting us.

Thank you, Mary Anne, for being such a gracious host. Tea and biscuits all around.

Welcome to N. N. Light’s Book Heaven, the home of N. N. Light Author Promotions, a family-run PR firm who caters to busy authors. We’ve been in business since 2015 and pride ourselves on our literary matchmaking abilities.  Our followers trust our opinion and if we tell them a book is great, they will often check it out. Many readers discover new authors via word of mouth, especially quality honest book reviews and author interviews. We have the social media reach of over thirty million. We love promoting authors and this is a great way to get exposure for you and your book. Getting people talking about your book is an important step to success as an author. We will create enormous buzz about your book, offer advice and our expertise for your benefit.