1. I don’t market my books on social media because my technical skills are inadequate.
You’re a noob? So am I and who cares? Everyone has to start somewhere. If you avoid sharing the excitement of your books because you don’t have amazing technical skills, you’re missing out on a huge audience. Statistics say that 3.6 billion people worldwide use social media. Instagram alone boasts a billion monthly users. My advice? Start small, try out a couple of sites, and use the one/s you are most comfortable with. You don’t have to be a tech guru. You just have to use your people skills and a little curiosity. If you’re on Facebook and don’t want to bother with the others, that’s fine. Do a little research (writers love research, right?) to see what works best for authors on Facebook, and go for it.
2. I want to promote on social media, but I don’t have time for all that and, besides, it’s not my bag.
In my career as a librarian and then a library director, I enjoyed nearly all the tasks I had along the way. At one time or another I got to do almost everything related to library work. One of my early tasks involved phoning people with overdue books. I didn’t love it, but it was a necessary part of the job, and I put on a smile before dialing. Marketing your work is part of a writer’s job. Reaching a thousand people in one fell swoop takes less time than talking to a thousand people a few at a time. Put on your smile and try it. Hint: marketing platforms such as Triberr and automatic schedulers such as Buffer, Later, or Hootsuite save time and make life so much easier.
3. Social media is all a hotbed of negativity.
Twitter is infamous for criticism and word wars. Remember cockygate? Facebook can seem negative if the reader doesn’t want to hear about the topic. Just scroll on by! Other sites, such as Pinterest and Instagram have a much more positive vibe going on. It’s more than fine to choose sites that uplift you. Hint: Tech gurus advise posting on Instagram no more than once or twice a day. That seems pretty painless.
4. Social media is a waste of time if it doesn’t result in customers and sales.
I’m with you in that slow sales are disheartening. Will your sales increase by not sharing your passions and the excitement you have for your books? No. So why not try it? Other aspects also factor into the equation—goodwill, building relationships, and getting to know what people are about. It’s also important to give to others. Commenting positively and adding value to their posts is as important as creating your own. Hard selling is not the way to go. We need to share what we’re passionate about, conjure the magic, and elicit a heartfelt response. Whether it’s our ideas, daily activities, recipes, current book progress, flowers, faraway travels, inspirational pictures, pets, crochet, or coffee memes, as well as our books—it’s all social.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which social media site/s do you prefer and why? What social media topics would you like to see discussed here?
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Most of my social media presence is on Facebook and Twitter. That said, I find my website and newsletter my most important on-line presence. Thanks for a great post! Marketing is overwhelming to everyone when they first start. As you pointed out, you have to keep trying and take baby steps!
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree about the website and newsletter. Each should have its own #tips4writers post. Thanks, Kathy!
ReplyDeleteWell, you've made it sound so simple that I am now compelled to do more! Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteGood deal, Linda! Slow and easy, a little at a time is a good marketing motto.
DeleteFlossie do you hear me clapping. You nailed it! Your post is timely, informative, and you've shown how to take the 'dread' out of marketing. I'll admit that marketing isn't my favorite part of writing, but as you say, a necessity.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the clapping, Loretta! By working together we can mitigate some of the irritation and share in the satisfaction.
DeleteThanks for that timely blog, Flossie! Promotion can be a roller coaster
ReplyDeletesometimes, but it's good to be reminded that we don't have to stress out, and sometimes a little bit at a time is the way to go.
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