Put YoursELF on the SHELF

How do you make a small fortune as an author- you start with a large fortune. Ha! Have you heard that old joke?  You vowed to write a book, and you want it to be successful. Yes, now it’s time to invest in your book. If you are a self-published author like me, you don’t want those boxes of books to pile up in your garage.

Is it time for you to put down your quill and get ready to launch your book? Release dates are so exciting!

Last year as 2016 began, I told you that marketing, making friends, will require your time, talent and treasure. So what have I been doing since then? I spent the past year writing and promoting. I established my platform and had a blast on Twitter and Facebook. Below you will find the tips that I shared with you as I started my marketing journey last year.

But before you get to my original post, I want to tell you about the best thing I learned this year- Facebook Live.

Facebook Live is Fun!

Facebook Live launched on April 26, 2016.

But it turned out to be fun.

You just need your cell phone. Open up your Facebook page on your phone. See the live camera icon? I circled it on the photo for you. Just click it and you will be prompted to give your video a title and then when you are ready to begin your video, tap the Go Live button, (circled in orange in the photo at the top) there will be a short countdown and You’re Live! 

 

Tripod- you can/must buy an inexpensive phone tripod. This will allow you to keep your phone and your video steady. It’s hard to keep your hand still while you engage with your followers for 10- 20 minutes, especially if you talk with your hands like I do. Also, as you speak, you will see on your phone who has joined your Facebook Live; saying “Howdy” and engaging with your friends can also cause you to forget about holding the phone still. With a tripod, you will have a smooth video.

Make sure that the camera shows you- if that’s what you want. Tap the Flip Camera Button to change between front facing and rear facing on your camera. (Circled in red on the top photo.) Tip: If you are an author showing off your book- you have to show the cover with the dar camera (non-selfie view) or you will get a mirror image of your book title and words.

 

Plan your setting- Plan to shot your video in a well lit area. Make sure there are no extraneous noises (dishwasher, husband slamming doors, dog barking) if at all possible as this will interfere with your followers’ enjoyment. Also, make sure that what shows up on your camera is what you want to have your viewers see. So- probably no piles of dirty laundry or family members in pj’s walking in the background. But, it’s up to you!

 

Make an outline for a script. An outline keeps me on target so I say all that I planned to say, but allows to me “ramble on” as people comment and I respond to their questions. I plan my intro, which is when I share what has made me happy since the last Live video. Then I share about my books, and finally I have something fun and hands-on to do, such as making a cocktail or a brunch dish.

 

Plan to talk for at least 10 minutes. Gulp- I know that may sound like a long time, but you want to be live long enough for friends to find you and watch. You should also publicize your event ahead of time, to get more viewers.

 

Give Facebook Live a Try! 

I realized it’s so invigorating and inspiring to interact more closely with your followers! Even though you are videoing live- your video will be saved so you can continue to share it on your page.

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Now let’s look back at 2016!

Here’s what I did this past year to launch my social media presence.

Get started and picture yourself as a successful author, well known, with eager readers devouring your first book and clamoring for the second!

Even if you are not an online whiz, you know that you need a presence on social media.

Start with a website and blog- the heart of your social media campaign

Here’s my website. You want to send your new friends to your site where they can learn about you and your book and read your blog. I post once a week. Your website should link to your social media account, and you should post your blog on your accounts, so it’s all connected. See the beauty?

Get Active on Facebook and Twitter! 

You may be currently using Facebook to interact with your family and offline friends- lots of vacation and new baby photos. Set up an Author Page and get to know other authors and folks who share your interests. I am here on Facebook.I have liked author pages, particularly writers about family, and marriage and I also like travel, and food pages. Facebook helps me know people in depth.

Twitter lets me connect with lots of people who share my interests- tweet me.

 

I post on Facebook and Twitter every few hours each day. You may have heard of the rule of thirds for your social interaction posts:

• 1/3- promote your book
• 1/3- share ideas from others
• 1/3- personal interactions

I follow the rule of thirds, and the heart of this rule is- make friend like you would in real life. Share, retweet, comment!

I feature my book, and what it is about, I retweet other fun and interesting posts and I reply directly to other posters. I talk about fitness and weight loss stories with a group of friends; I share the rocks and roses of the writing path with others, and I comment on my favorite sports teams and restaurants. Get to know folks, and build relationships! It’s fun!

In all honesty, there is a rule that is even more important than the rule of thirds- the rule of corgi puppies. My tweet that garnered the most impressions and engagements included this photo.

 

After you are making friends with your website, blog, Facebook and Twitter you may want to add Goodreads, and Pinterest and Instagram, especially if visuals are important. And there’s more- blog tours, video trailers, YouTube, book giveaways, widgets.

Soon, you will have a published book and lots of new friends ready to be your readers! In September 2015, I started off with 0 followers on Twitter and now I have over 2,000 followers. Followers who are my friends and who are getting to know me and Charli. My fortune will come!