marketing makeover. - self-publishing...

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Welcome to the Weekend Book Marketing Makeover. This totally-free guide to book marketing was written by Shannon of Duolit, after learning valuable lessons in pursuit of success in her own fiction writing career.

While the makeover is designed to be completed in two six-to-eight hour sessions, you are more than welcome to make your way through the book at your own pace. If you feel overwhelmed, no worries. Simply take a break and come back later!

If you get stuck or need more information about anything discussed in the book, please don’t hesitate to send an email to Toni and Shannon at [email protected]. We read every single email we receive and will do our darndest to help you out!

For the latest self-publishing and book marketing information, visit us at selfpublishingteam.com. Now let the makeover begin!

Big thanks to our ridiculously awesome editor, Brenda. Visit her at TheEclecticEditor.com!

Wherever you are, at this minute, stop what you’re doing and look in the mirror.

Are you where you thought you would be as an author?

No matter how many weeks, months or years you’ve spent writing, I’m willing to bet your answer is no.

You’ve had some accomplishments and accepted a few pats on the back, but you still go to sleep at night wondering when you’ll start experiencing the rewarding author career you see in your dreams.

Introduction

The Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover

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I know what that kind of disappointment and frustration feels like because I’ve been there, too.

It’s a dark place. A place you only reach when you feel like you’ve tried everything and can’t get ahead. When the doubts start to creep in all around you, your self-esteem starts to slip and your mind starts to ask the questions your mouth can’t bear to voice.

Can I do this?

Did I choose the wrong road?

Is all of this worth it?

I have asked myself these same questions many times. I have reached the point where my worry and doubt consumes me. The fear weighed me down, slowed my progress, and gave more fuel to those demons of self-doubt.

Eventually, I climbed out of that place.Now I look back and, though I wouldn’t wish those kind of nightmares on anyone, I’m glad I endured that dark place because it gave me the two keys I needed to free myself and move on.


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I’m going to share those keys with you, so you can pack up and head for the light, too.

That’s it.

Those are the only two things you need to get up and get moving.

It’s not a magic bullet.Make no mistake – and this is a critical point you need to understand before you can move on with this book – neither of these keys to success is a magic bullet that will take you to the top overnight.

It can be a long, slow climb. But, if you master your motivation and focus, you’ll maintain forward progress, a happier life, and a long-term career.

Here are the two keys to turning around your author career:

1. Motivation & 2. Focus


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When does the journey begin?Right now.

This book will outline, in specific detail, how you can take your author career (in whatever state it might be) and turn it around in just one weekend.

I know you don’t have a lot of time, so we’ve condensed our information and action steps without reducing their effectiveness.

For the next two days, send the kids to grandma’s and your husband to the golf course (or your wife to the mall), because you have important things to do.

Haven’t you spent enough time putting off your success for other people’s priorities?

It’s time to take the reins and put your career back on the front burner!


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You will get out of this what you put into it.If you follow along and knock out the tasks we put before you, you will be looking at a brand new author in that mirror 48 hours from now.

But that’s only if you put the work in to make it happen.

Nothing comes easy for indie authors. Sadly, Oprah will not bang down your door and beg you to join her book club (at least not anytime soon). Put that pipe dream away and focus on attainable goals.

You • can sell more books.

You • can grow your mailing list.

You • can be a better blogger.

You • can have more fans.

...But only if you’re willing to work for it.

Are you ready for the makeover to begin?I’ve got five steps that’ll turn you from drab to fab in just 48 hours.

Turn the page — let’s get started!


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If you’ve ever watched a makeover show, you know the first step is always the most emotional.

Contestants beg and plead, often growing angry and despondent, as their beloved, worn out, threadbare wardrobe is tossed in a ceremonial garbage can.

But you’re not going to be like that, right?

After everything you’ve been through, you’re beyond ready to see your old ways of marketing get hauled off to the landfill, never to be seen or heard from again.

Out with the Old!The Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: STep one


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The first idea we’re going to kick to the curb is this:

Marketing is hard.Marketing is not hard.

If you think it’s hard, it’s because you’re making it hard.

Have you ever played pin the tail on the donkey?

That game seems hard because you’re blindly trying to find a target while dizzy and disoriented.

But, if you ditched the blindfold and the spinning, how easy would it be to win the game?

Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

We’re getting rid of the blindfold by giving you focus and ditching the dizziness by giving you a clear head fueled by your new-found motivation.

Feels good, right? Let’s go ahead and toss a few more marketing myths in that big old trash can!


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Let me ask you this:

Does doing your hair take too much time?•

Does going to the gym take too much time?•

Does painting your nails take too much time?•

Do you do those things anyway, because you want to look good and feel good, too?

The truth is, if we have enough motivation to do something, we will make time for it.

If you want to lose weight, you’ll find a way to get to the gym three times a week for thirty minutes at a time. You’ll have a plan, knock out your routine, take a shower, and resume your normal life.

Why can’t marketing be the same?

BOOk MArkETINg MYTH #1

Marketing takes too much time!


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You can easily break your marketing plan into thirty-minute chunks, and set aside that time every week to do what you have to do to be a successful indie author.

Believe me: If you can accomplish one task each day, you’ll be amazed at how much better and more motivated you’ll feel.

Remember when you were single and you went out to the club or the bar dressed to the nines, trying to draw the attention of the hot guy or girl in the corner?

You didn’t know it then, but you were promoting yourself to your target market.

That’s how easy marketing can be – you figure out who you want to attract and you make yourself appeal to that person.


Marketing is too complicated!


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You’ve been doing “marketing” your whole life in different ways: when you went on job interviews, when you met your in-laws, and when you started your first day of school.

Now you just need to apply those same principles to attract readers who will love your work.

It’s truly that simple.

Salesmen, no matter what product they are pitching, have long been known for their sliminess.

But you’re not a salesman.

You’re an author who wrote a great book, and you’d like to share it with people who would enjoy reading it. Nothing about that is sleazy in the slightest.


Marketing is soooo sleazy!


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If your marketing techniques feel slimy, you’re definitely not doing it right.

reading this book will show you how to promote your book as an author, not as a salesman.

No computer programming degree or other technological certificate is required to be successful at marketing.

If you have a computer with an internet connection and a web browser, you’re good to go.

My Nana is eighty-seven years old and checks her email and Facebook weekly, so I really don’t want to hear you say that you’re not computer-savvy.

If you truly struggle with even the most basic aspects of using a computer, find a course at your local community center.


Marketing requires a ton of geeky technical know-how.


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Computers aren’t going anywhere; it’s time to stop making excuses and start learning!

If you have a clear focus on your target, you can only move forward.

After you complete your weekend makeover, you’ll be looking across a crowded room at one person you want to meet.

You’ll make your way across the dance floor, say hello, and form a friendship.

Once you’ve got a handful of friends in the room, they will start networking with other people and sharing your story.

“Have you met….?”

Politicians have been using this grassroots marketing method to spread the


I’ll never gain marketing momentum.


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word about their campaigns and raise donations for years. It may start slow, but once the fire catches on it will grow rapidly before your eyes.

You just have to stay motivated and stay focused.

It’s time to take the first step.One of my friends has this amazing phrase she uses when she needs to move past something that’s been holding her back:

“I’m over it like a rainbow.”

In this chapter, the tasks that we set before you will help you get over all the marketing hiccups, missteps, and mistakes you’ve made and slide down the other side of the rainbow into your new career.

STOP! Before you move on to the next chapter, complete the four tasks on the next page to leave the past in the past and move on with a fresh outlook.

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Edit. Mentally edit your inner circle of friends,

family, and colleagues to include only

the people who give you positive

reinforcement about your goals. For

the ones who don’t, leave them in

the rearview mirror (or at least stop

discussing your author career with them)

– it’s not doing either one of you any

good.

Release. Write down five things you used to do

in your book marketing that didn’t work.

Crumple that paper into a ball and toss it in

the trash (or drag that file to your recycle

bin). That’s your old marketing wardrobe

and you don’t need it anymore!

Cleanse. For the rest of this makeover (the next

forty-eight hours), write down every

negative thought you have about your

author career. Put it on paper, in black

and white, so you can get it out of your

head for good. Purify your mind of all that

negativity (and then have a doughnut,

because it’s not that kind of cleanse and

you should celebrate).

Forgive. Let go of everything — everything —

you’ve done wrong with your writing

career. Whatever mistakes or missteps

you had, they’re in the past now. That’s

where they’ll stay. No one else in the

world is going to hold any of that against

you. You’re the only person standing

between yourself and a clean slate.

Forgive yourself, and let’s move on!

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Traditionally, the next segment in the makeover show is the most important.

It’s time for some confidence-building.

resume your position in front of the mirror, book in hand, and let’s get to work.

That reflection you see is the face of someone who deserves success. You deserve to be happy, to have a fulfilling career, and to live out your dreams.

There are obstacles in your path, but you will overcome them.

A New BeginningThe Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: STep TWo


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Just by becoming part of the Duolit family and reading this book, you’ve proven that you’re dedicated to making this work. You are moving in the right direction, even if you’re moving more slowly than you think you should.

Always remember this: Everyone had to start somewhere.

Why is marketing so important?Marketing is not an option when it comes to being an indie author. It’s a requirement.

But don’t look at marketing and self-promotion as the burden of the struggling self-publisher, either (traditionally published authors often have to do their own marketing as well). View marketing as a way to reduce the risks associated with self-publishing.

What do I mean?Tell me how much money you’ve already spent to publish your book (including editing, cover design, printing, and website fees).

Don’t you at least want to make enough money to recoup that investment?

You can’t do that without marketing.


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With a good marketing plan, you can sell enough books to reimburse yourself and even generate a profit. Instead of succumbing to your fears of throwing money down a black hole, you’ll actually be creating a positive cash flow.

Good marketing reduces the your financial risk.

You’re not only investing your hard earned money into your indie author career, but you’re investing your time, too.

Can introverts succeed at self-promotion?Short answer? Yes, introverts can totally succeed at marketing.

You must, however, be able to do two things:

Put yourself in the right position to 1. succeed.

know when you just have to suck 2. it up.

Look, there’s nothing wrong with dreading the very idea of having to open your mouth and string words together in front of other people.

Photo: abbynormy | Flickr


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But if you want to sell books, you must have conversations with people.

Wait — don’t crawl under your desk just yet! There is a way to have conversations, make friends and meet fans without hopping from blog to blog singing your own praises.

All you have to do is this:

Don’t make the conversation about yourself.Let’s go back to the scenario we mentioned in the last chapter — you’re the girl in the bar trying to attract the cute guy in the corner.

Are you going to walk right up to him and blurt out, “Hi! My name is Shannon, and I wrote a book!”

Hell no! You wouldn’t do that if somebody offered you a hundred bucks, right?

But, if you bumped into each other by the DJ table and started discussing your favorite bands, things would be different. Talking about music might lead to talking about movies, talking about movies might lead to talking about books, and talking about books might provide a very natural opening for you to talk about your book.


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See how that goes?It’s about opening up the conversation with an icebreaker and letting it flow at its own pace, until the right moment comes for you to share your author story.

The book marketing translation of that club scene looks like this:

You go to a blog where your readers hang out and you post a few comments. The blog post topic is your icebreaker — it’s your chance to start the conversation by talking about something you and your reader have in common.

You might get a few responses to your comment that will open the doors to talk more, or you can take the conversation to Twitter. Share the post, follow other users who follow that blogger and start chatting with them.

Forums, Facebook, goodreads, and your own blog are also great places to start online conversations with potential fans.

What about offline promotions for introverts?I know, the prospect of stepping out from behind the computer screen can be terrifying.

But, like Oz was able to emerge from behind the curtain, you can comfortably market your book in the real world by simply placing yourself in the right situations.


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Let me give you an example of the wrong place for an introvert to do promotions.

Not long ago, a friend invited me to do a book signing at her kiosk in a Jacksonville mall. It seemed like the perfect location — lots of foot traffic, people motivated to buy for the holiday season, and my book happened to be Christmas themed as well.

My sales flatlined. I stood, feeling helpless, as hundreds of people streamed by without so much as a glance in my direction. Two kiosks down, a mall employee accosted every passing customer with a bottle of lotion, hoping to lure them toward her make-up counter.

The thought of doing the same with my book made me sick to my stomach.

Still, I tried.

I stood adjacent to the steady flow of people and attempted to make eye contact while distributing free bookmarks. After five minutes, I’d successfully given away exactly one bookmark.


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The depression came crashing down swift and hard.Three weeks later, I sold $400 worth of books in a few short hours at a different signing in a different setting on a different day.

Instead of just going for the largest crowd possible, I focused on a place where I could connect with people who had a shared interest not just with me, but with one of the centerpieces of my book.

Every novel, no matter what the genre, contains some non-fiction elements. Whether it’s a location, a character’s job, or an obstacle your protagonist faces, you can find something that will connect your book to an existing audience.

Being in the right place with people who are already familiar with and interested in an aspect of your book will make it so much easier to have conversations, meet friends, and make sales.

Photo: Tax Credits | Flickr


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So what have we learned?Here are the three things I want you to take away from this chapter:

You deserve success and are capable of achieving it.•

Marketing is your safety net to reduce the financial risk of self-•publishing.

Introverts can self-promote by NOT making the conversation about •themselves.

STOP! To apply these concepts to your career and take the next step forward in our makeover process, complete the following actions before you move on to the next

chapter.

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Re-energize. Build your confidence by finding the passion you had for writing when you first started down this path. Your passion will spark other people to learn more about you and your books and give you the motivation to keep moving forward. To do this, re-read the first five chapters of your book, then write a list of five reasons why you deserve to achieve success.

envision. Add up the money you’ve spent on your self-publishing career so far and keep the tally near your computer. This isn’t to stress you out — it’s to give you the motivation to keep moving forward with your marketing plan. Update the total as you make

sales, starting to climb out of the red numbers and back toward the green.

Re-focus. Shift your thoughts from you and your book to topics you like to talk about. Write down at least five things you like to have conversations about with your friends that your fans may be interested in as well. These are the topics you can focus on when choosing where to do guest posts and how to break the ice with fans in a way that makes you more comfortable as an introvert.

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NOTE: This is a good place to stop for day One.

Most of what we’ve been through so far is about getting you in the right mindset to be successful, but the rest of the chapters will require more action, research and work as we rebuild your marketing plan.

Consider calling it a day and coming back tomorrow, re-energized for day Two!


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Now we’re down to the brass tacks, as they say.

The nuts and bolts of having a good marketing plan are a simple tandem:

know who you are.•

know who your readers are.•

There are many ways to over-complicate those two little items, but that will only cloud your mind and keep you from having that all-important focus.

keeping within the context of our makeover show, this is the part where you decide what kind of image you want to project and who you want to attract.

Projecting the Right ImageThe Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: STep Three


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Those two things are links on the same chain and have to work together.

In other words, you can’t be a science fiction author and try to appeal to romance fans.

You also can’t dress yourself in a way that will appeal to everyone.

This is a critical mistake many authors make in their marketing. Understandably, you want to appeal to the widest audience possible to maximize your sales. But mass marketing techniques are not effective on an indie budget, and they’re not effective given the limited time you have to devote to your promotion.

go back to our crowded club analogy. Which would be easier: trying to meet every single person in the room and convincing them all to buy your book, or seeking out a handful of people who are avid readers of your genre and sharing some of your interests?

If you’re trying to market as an indie introvert, you should be especially drawn to the second option.

You will have a much more enjoyable experience making genuine connections


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with a small group of people who really love your book than trying to appeal to everyone.

After you’ve built a crazy-dedicated fanbase with that first group of people, you’ll have help going forward. You’ll be able to reach the other people in the room with your own personal street team.

So here’s the million dollar question: Who are you as an author?We could give you many strategies for determining who you are as an author, but the easiest way to get started is to find your famous author doppelganger.

You’re probably an avid reader, right?

So you know of other authors (the ridiculously popular kind who make the NYT Best-Seller List and have their books made into movies) who write in a style or genre that is similar to you.

Decide which of those authors you are most like, and then add a twist that makes you unique and interesting.


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For example, if you write dystopian science fiction for young adults, you could say:

“I’m like Suzanne Collins, but my novels take place on a planet called Zebulon.”

Or, if your style involves more romance, you could say,

“I’m like Stephanie Meyer, but with aliens instead of vampires.”

You can also merge two authors with different styles to give a more unique idea of what your writing and subject matter are like, for example:

“I’m like the lovechild of Stephen King and Danielle Steele – I write fantasy novels mixed with epic romance.”

The goal is to anchor yourself to an author your fans would be very familiar with, but add something that makes you unique and exciting.

Once you know who you are, it’s time to meet your fans.The great thing about authors is that we don’t have to work in competition with each other. Everybody reads more than one book, so rather than


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fighting over fans, we can share fans who enjoy similar genres and writing styles.

Start your research by sifting through the fans of your famous •author doppelganger. (Facebook and Twitter are great places to find someone who likes/follows your author of choice.)

Pick a specific fan you think would really love your book• , or combine traits from different fans into one perfect person who you could totally envision as your biggest fan.

Give this person a name and fill in the blanks that social media •doesn’t tell you — is he married? Does she have kids? Did he go to college? Where does she work?

You want to put together as many details as possible because this person is going to inspire every move you make going forward.Pay the most attention to your fan’s hobbies and interests. This is how you will discover blogs, Facebook pages, hashtags and other places to find your fans and connect with them.

Once you’ve compiled your fan profile, you should be looking at the outline


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of someone you’d really love to meet. It should be someone with whom you share some common ground and could easily carry on a conversation.

For young adult authors, however, this can be a little hard to do.remember, though, that young adults aren’t the only people who read YA books. I’ve read all the Harry Potter novels and the Hunger Games series, and I know there are plenty of other young (at heart) adults like me who would love your book, too!

STOP! Okay, teaching time is over, now you’ve got to do your homework.Turn the page for the action steps you need to complete before we move forward!

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Define. decide who you are as an author by finding your famous author doppelganger and adding your own unique twist.

You can use one author or be the “lovechild” of two different authors if your writing merges multiple genres or writing styles. Be creative and find the closest match possible. Just make sure it’s a pretty popular author with a big fanbase.

Research. Create a profile of your ideal fan (sort of like a character profile you might create for your novel).

remember, to get started, look for fans of your famous author doppelganger on Twitter and Facebook. Using the information you find, create a mash-up of who your biggest fan will be. Or, if you know a fan of your work personally, send him/her the profile to fill out!

If you’d like a worksheet to help you out, download our Reader Profile PdF: http://bit.ly/wbmm_readerprofile

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Are you getting excited yet? The makeover is almost complete!

Now that you know who you are and who you want to appeal to, it’s time to work on crafting the perfect wardrobe.

In this case, your wardrobe is a closet full of important tools every author needs.

You need some comfortable jeans that are perfect for everyday use (a website/blog), a versatile little black dress or snappy suit (a mailing list) and a few pairs of shoes (social media accounts).

Projecting the Right ImageThe Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: STep Four


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Just make sure that all the elements of your new wardrobe are made to appeal to the crazy-dedicated fan we created in Step 3 — everything in your marketing strategy going forward will be custom-built for that fan.

What are the essential components of a good website?How would you describe your favorite pair of jeans?

Comfortable? Worn in? Stylish? Are they the kind you can dress up for a fancy event or dress down for a casual night in?

Your website should have the same appeal.

Your website (and especially your blog) is where you should feel most comfortable to be who you are. It’s should be versatile — a tool you can use to keep up with your fans on a regular basis, but also gussy up for a big book launch.

Your website should also make you look good.

keep things as simple as possible — you want people to come to you website and either buy your book or sign-up for your mailing list (which could lead to sales later).

The more pages you add, the more distractions you give your readers that will keep them from doing one of those two things.


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And, just like your jeans wear out over time, at some point you have to stop patching up your website and spring for something new.

The LBD: Have a sexy mailing list.If you put out a message to all of your fans on Twitter or Facebook, what are the odds that each and every fan will see it?

It’s almost impossible.

Between the timing, the algorithms and the sea of spam and other posts/tweets clogging things up, it’s completely ineffective to expect an announcement on social media to reach your fans.

But if you had all your fans’ email addresses collected and could send out a quick message to them announcing your book launch, kDP promo days or other news, you could ensure a much larger percentage of your fanbase received the message.

That’s why a mailing list is an essential staple for your writer’s wardrobe.

You can set one up for free with MailChimp (mailchimp.com) and easily add a sign-up box (or a link to your sign-up page) to your website.


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In addition to a sign-up form in your website sidebar, create a dedicated page encouraging people to join your list.

This page sets the bar for what people can expect in their inbox.

It’s a big deal for someone to share their email address, so you want to assure them you’ll be respectful and not partake in any spam.

Write a couple compelling paragraphs on why people should join your list, add a sign-up box, and start funneling people to your newsletter landing page.

We’ll talk more in the next step about what kind of content you should share with fans who join your awesome newsletter.

Be a sensible shoe owner: Be effective with Social MediaHow many pairs of shoes do you have?

I own WAY too many, for sure. (I know that’s a difficult thing for most women to admit, but I’m at peace with it.)

The thing is, I only have one set of feet.


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So, no matter how many pairs of shoes I love to wear, I can only use them one at a time.

Social media accounts work much the same way — sometimes we’re lured in by their glittery, shiny appeal. We sign up for another account when we already have a closet-full at home.

Eventually, we get overwhelmed because we don’t have enough time to manage every account in one day.

Here’s the secret to handling it: edit.

Just like we only really need three pairs of shoes to function (sneakers, flip-flops, and heels) you only need three social media accounts.

Twitter is the first staple in your social media collection.Work a quick (seriously quick, like under a minute) Twitter check into your morning and bedtime routine, just to check for mentions you might need to respond to from other author friends or fans.

Set aside fifteen minutes every other week to search for new people and hashtags to follow. If you’d like to schedule your tweets to post throughout the day or week, use a social media management tool like HootSuite (http://


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hootsuite.com) or Buffer (my favorite Twitter accessory).

Buffer (http://bufferapp.com) can be installed into your web browser. Then, anytime you come across a link you’d like to share, you can add it to a reservoir of tweets with the click of a button. Buffer will share each tweet in your reservoir throughout the day or during a specific block of time, if you’d prefer.

You can also add re-tweets and regular tweets to your Buffer! Seriously, download it now and thank me later.

GoodReads is the second most important addition to your social media collection.As it continues to evolve and grow, goodreads (http://goodreads.com) is quickly becoming a dreamland for authors wanting to connect with each other and with new fans.

One of goodreads’ best features for authors is its Author Program (http://www.goodreads.com/author/program). Once you sign up, fans can follow your updates and connect with your books from your author page.

Encourage readers to leave reviews on goodreads. Beware, however, of doing review exchanges with other authors — genuine reviews from readers are always better, even if it means having less total reviews.


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Share your insights on other books you love as well, especially those in your genre.

goodreads doesn’t require a whole lot of regular upkeep — just set aside maybe 10 minutes a week to share your blog posts and interact with your groups. Then, if you can, find a little more time each month to review books you’ve read, find new friends to follow, and find new groups to join, you should be all set.

The same goes for Facebook — less is more.With Facebook’s recent algorithm change, it’s hard to reach a large number of people with your updates, so daily posts aren’t really necessary.

Add at least one post a week, however, and take five to 10 minutes to comment on other pages’ statuses so you can get your name out there.

Sometimes Facebook pages can come up in google search results ahead of your website, so you might also want to add tabs on your page that link to your website, mailing list sign-up, and Twitter account.

Once a month, find 2 or 3 new pages to like and update your cover photo so fans will see that your page isn’t stagnant.


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Facebook is also the best place for hosting contests. You can use an app like WooBox or rafflecopter to do giveaways and other promotions on your Facebook page. It’s a great way to increase your likes, your visibility and keep your fans excited!

That’s it! Those are the three staples every author needs when it comes to social media, although there are certainly others. Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn, MySpace, and google + are all popular as well, but they don’t offer anything you can’t get from Twitter, Facebook, and goodreads.

Stick to those core three and, after you master them, you can think about adding more social media accounts to your repertoire.

STOP! Alright, enough of all this! It’s time for you to get to work rebuilding the foundation of your marketing strategy. Turn the page for the action steps you need to take before moving on to our final (!!) step.

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Evaluate. Take a look at your website and see what quick updates you can implement to make it better. Start by simplifying your pages, removing any widgets you don’t need, and updating your bio. Also, make sure you have links to your social media accounts, contact info, and your book, so your fans can purchase it online.

Sign-Up. Join MailChimp (it’s free at http://mailchimp.com) and start your mailing list. Add a sign-up box or link to your website sidebar and create a landing page that explains what you’ll be sharing with fans on your list.

Edit. Focus on the three core social media accounts we discussed. Install Buffer (http://bufferapp.com) and/or sign-up for HootSuite (http://hootsuite.com) to better organize your Twitter interactions. Apply for an author account on goodreads and set up (or update) your Facebook fan page. Start researching other Facebook pages you can like, Twitter users to follow, and authors to connect with on goodreads.

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Look at you!

When we started yesterday, you were frustrated and exhausted by your old marketing techniques. Now you’re motivated and focused on a new plan that will yield much better results.

You’ve assembled the foundation of your perfect writer’s wardrobe, so now it’s time to get out there and start making friends!

Take a look at the profile you created in Chapter 3 for your crazy-dedicated fan. There should be a few hobbies and interests listed in the profile you assembled by researching fans of your famous author doppelganger.

Start Turning Heads!The Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: STep Five


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For example, let’s say you chose Ray Bradbury as your doppelganger, and your #1 fan is also interested in gaming, tech gadgets and science.

You can hop on a website like Alltop (http://alltop.com) and find TONS of blogs related to each of those subjects (just type the topic into the handy search box).

Once you find a blog, evaluate it based on:

How recently it was updated.•

The average number of comments per post.•

What categories are offered.•

To find potential readers, choose a blog with a good following that allows guest posts (posts from folks not the blog owner) and features topics both you and your fans would be interested in.

Start commenting on posts you like and bookmark the blogs you find so you can keep up with new topics (this will also give you ideas about what you can write about on your own blog).

You should also follow the blog owners on Facebook or Twitter, where you can interact with them and their fans through posts, comments, and retweets.


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What goes into a good Facebook foundation?Find at least five Facebook pages you can like that are related to your genre or some element of your book (hint: use the five topics you wrote down as part of the re-Focus exercise in Step 2).

When you make your weekly check of Facebook, look through your news feed for posts you can like or comment on from these pages. The more you interact with them, the more their fans will see you, which will open more conversations with new people.

Don’t forget, however, to also add posts of your own.

Photos and videos always garner the most interaction on Facebook, but links, questions and regular text updates are good as well.

Share a link to each new blog post, share links to stories your fans would find interesting and always ask a follow-up question to encourage people to leave a comment.

Tag other pages and people wherever possible so your updates will show up in other pages’ newsfeeds. Tagging is done the same way on Facebook as it is on Twitter, with the @ symbol followed by the name of the other person or page (as long as it’s a page you already like).


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On a functionality note – As of the release of this book (early 2013), Facebook’s smartphone app for pages is still struggling to become a reliable mobile resource. Try to make your Facebook updates from a computer as much as possible; you’ll keep your frustration level much lower that way!

How do you stay on top of Twitter?Do you remember playing double-dutch jump rope in school?

Twitter is a lot like double-dutch.

You jump in when it’s your turn, have some fun, and then jump out and do something else.

To be successful on Twitter you have to first accept that it’s always going to be controlled chaos. It’s not a means for getting out the same message to all of your fans at once, but it’s the best way to meet individual people.

That is — IF you approach it with a long-term strategy for having conversations and making friends. Do NOT be one of those people who tweets “Hey you should check out my book” twenty times a day.

You need at least a 50/50 balance, where only half your tweets are promotions and half are shares of other people’s links/info or conversational (and, really, a 20/80 mix is even better).


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If you want to tweet about your book, share a line from your favorite chapter, a quote from a review or something else intriguing that will catch people’s interest more than just saying “please check out my awesome book.”

You should also tweet your blog posts (don’t be afraid to share those more than once, as long as you change the text of the tweet a little) and occasionally throw out a link to your newsletter landing page.

Share some retweets of fun quotes, article links, and other news. Look for things that fall into your shared hobbies/interests categories with your crazy-dedicated fans.

You can also tweet about life’s daily events and things that other people can relate to (like that time your daughter drew on the walls with permanent marker).

Some of the best connections I made on Twitter came from jumping into the conversation about the recent American presidential election, especially during the debates. It’s the perfect medium for casual conversations that lead to acquaintances, friends, and, eventually, fans.

Even if you’re not an introvert, the conversational strategy to finding fans is much better and more effective than scattering promotional posts and hoping to snag a sale.


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What’s a reasonable blogging strategy (that won’t suck up all your time)?Aim for a new blog post once a week, or, at the very least, twice a month (make your posts more substantial, however, if you use the latter schedule).

With weekly posts, have at least four rotating topics to discuss — two of them will be your writing (this encompasses your existing novels and WIP) and your life. Don’t be afraid to share some insight into who you are — just nothing TOO personal, i.e. a close look at internal family drama or gory details about your digestive habits.

The other two topics should be from the list of hobbies/interests you and your readers share.

So, if we go with our Ray Bradbury example, where your fan likes gaming, tech gadgets, and science, you would choose two of those interests to discuss on your blog. You could review new video games, discuss the latest tech gadget news, or share your take on a recent science discovery.

The most important thing to understand is this: You do not have to blog about you and your book all the time.


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When I overhauled my blog earlier this year, I identified three interests my fans and I both loved — crafts, food, and Southern Culture.

I can’t tell you how much easier (and more fun!) it is to keep up with my blog now that I know I can talk about things I love to talk about anyway.

Once you have your minimum of four topics, lay out your blog posting schedule a month at a time.Pick a headline and a topic for each week, then set aside about fifteen minutes to write an outline and 30 minutes to put together a rough draft.

If you just almost fell out of your chair at the thought of writing an entire blog post in 30 minutes, it’s okay!

You might have to work up to that by cutting your allotted time for blogging by five or ten minutes a week.

I promise: once you have a blog posting schedule, make a habit of outlining your posts and dedicate a specific part of your day to blog writing, things will flow much more quickly!

When you’re writing your blogs, keep your tone conversational. (Are you sick of that word yet?) Every blog post doesn’t have to sound like it deserves a Pulitzer!


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The point of your blog is to give your fans insight into who you are and what your writing style is like. That’s much easier to accomplish when you sound

like you’re talking over coffee instead of lecturing across a pulpit.

We’Re ALMOST dONe! Your weekend makeover is just about complete. Turn the page for the last action steps you need to take to finish your transformation into a motivated, focused indie author!

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Connect. Visit alltop.com and find five blogs on three topics you and your fans are both passionate about. Bookmark or add these blogs to your rSS reader and schedule 20 - 30 minutes a week to read and comment on new posts from these authors. Also follow or like those blogs on Twitter and Facebook.

Socialize. Put your social media accounts to work while following the guidelines in this chapter.

Find five new Facebook pages to like, ten new people to follow on Twitter and five people to either friend or follow on goodreads.

Set aside time each morning and evening to make a quick Twitter check and 15 minutes a week to add new tweets to

Buffer and actively join the conversation on Twitter.

Plan to visit Facebook about once a week for about 15 - 20 minutes to comment on other posts, share your latest blog post, and add a status update or two.

Blog. Create a monthly schedule for your blog posts, including the headlines and topics you’ll use each week. Set aside 15 minutes for creating an outline and 30 minutes for writing a post.

Schedule. Compile all of these elements together into a weekly schedule you can maintain using our “Bowflex Method” of three to four sessions of 30 minutes every week, just like you were going the gym.

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...and take a look at the new you!

In just two days (or maybe a little bit longer if you needed some extra time to wedge these lessons into your busy schedule) you have...

...figured out that marketing is not hard or scary, requires no advanced technical knowledge, does not take up all your time and doesn’t have to be sleazy.

...unlocked your potential with newfound motivation and focus (no more pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey approaches to marketing).

...discovered a workaround for your introverted personality by using a conversational, friend-making approach to finding fans.

Grab That Mirror Again...The Weekend Book MarkeTing Makeover: epilogue


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...given yourself the essential marketing tools every good author needs with a versatile website, great (free!) mailing list, and three social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and GoodReads).

...defined yourself by connecting your writing style and genre to a similar author (or authors) with whom your fans can identify.

...used your famous author doppelganger’s fans to compile the profile of your fanbase, including three to five interests/hobbies you share in common.

...learned how to manage your three major social media accounts more effectively (and what to talk about when you use them).

...outlined a monthly blog posting schedule with topics and headlines you plan to use so you can blog for efficiently.

...broken your overall marketing plan down into manageable chunks with a weekly schedule that requires three to four sessions of 30 minutes each to rock your promotions.

Congratulations on all of your progress! Now, hit the streets, make some friends and enjoy your new indie author career! Woo-hoo!!


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...Now What? Want more self-publishing and book

marketing tips, help and goodies?

Click the link below to receive all of the latest from Duolit right in your inbox (and no spam, ever):

http://bit.ly/selfpub_news

You’ll also get our totally FRee 4-piece Book Marketing Toolkit...just sayin’!

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About Duolitduolit is Shannon (the author) and Toni (the geek), two* gals who have helped thousands of passionate indie authors publish their work and build their crazy-dedicated fan base.

It is our mission to help indie authors avoid the confusion, frustration and treachery we found when trying to self-publish our own work. Every day, we help indies achieve their goals with our unique blend of real-world education and experience and down-to-earth vibe.

Through our website (selfpublishingteam.com) we provide information, tools and resources to our indie friends as well as affordable coaching and marketing services to frazzled and overwhelmed authors. Stop on by or send us an email – we’re more than happy to help out! :-)

* That third gal in the middle of the photo above is Toni’s daugher Olivia – she’s the intern!

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For more information on the major topics discussed in The Weekend Book Marketing Makeover, check out the following posts:

105 auThor Blog proMpTShttp://selfpublishingteam.com/105-author-blog-prompts/

a+B = You (The SecreT equaTion everY auThor Should knoW)http://selfpublishingteam.com/a-b-you-the-secret-equation-every-author-needs-to-know/

The “BoWFlex” Book MarkeTing MeThod (30Min/daY, 4x/Week):http://selfpublishingteam.com/why-authors-who-say-i-dont-have-time-are-doomed-to-fail/

9 oFFline Book proMoTion ideaS http://selfpublishingteam.com/why-ignoring-off line-promotion-is-a-baaaad-idea-and-15-ideas-to-get-you-started/

uSing TWiTTer To (eFFecTivelY) Build Your FanBaSe and MarkeT Your Workhttp://selfpublishingteam.com/using-twitter-market-book-effectively/

15 FanBaSe-BooSTing FaceBook SecreTShttp://selfpublishingteam.com/15-fanbase-boosting-facebook-secrets/

The ulTiMaTe guide To WriTing eMail updaTeS (Your FanS acTuallY read)http://selfpublishingteam.com/writing-email-updates-for-authors/

7 leSSonS To iMprove Your auThor WeBSiTehttp://selfpublishingteam.com/learn-from-my-fail-7-lessons-to-improve-your-author-website/

hoW To groW Your crazY-dedicaTed FanBaSe WiTh reader-cenTered Book MarkeTinghttp://selfpublishingteam.com/growing-a-crazy-dedicated-fanbase-through-reader-centered-book-marketing/

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Luckily, we’re not the only ones dishing the dirt on self-publishing and book marketing. Check out the awesome sites below for more goodness:

30 daY BookShttp://30daybooks.com

BiBliocrunchhttp://bibliocrunch.com

BookBuzzrhttp://bookbuzzr.com

The Book deSignerhttp://thebookdesigner.com

BuBBlecoWhttp://bubblecow.com

caTherine, caFFeinaTedhttp://catherineryanhoward.com

The creaTive pennhttp://thecreativepenn.com

dana SiTarhttp://danasitar.com

FrieSenpreSShttp://blog.friesenpress.com

kriSTen laMBhttp://warriorwriters.wordpress.com

live WriTe Thrivehttp://livewritethrive.com

livehackedhttp://livehacked.com

MarkeTing TipS For auThorShttp://marketingtipsforauthors.com

MollY greenehttp://www.molly-greene.com

popular Sodahttp://popularsoda.com

puBliSh Your oWn eBookShttp://www.publishyourownebooks.com

rYan caSeYhttp://ryancaseybooks.com

The SavvY Book MarkeTerhttp://bookmarketingmaven.typepad.com

Turndog Millionairehttp://turndogmillionaire.com

We groW Mediahttp://wegrowmedia.com

WriTeaBiliTYhttp://avajae.blogspot.com

WiSe, inkhttp://wiseinkblog.com


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Want to connect with Shannon and Toni?

You can find Duolit all around the web at:

Our Website: selfpublishingteam.com

Twitter: @Duolit

Facebook: facebook.com/duolit

email: [email protected]

marketing makeover. - self-publishing...

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