I’ve been a marketing junkie for six or seven years now and I’ve read what the guru’s say, joe-blow says and all those authorities say. And they are saying pretty much the same thing. Reading articles and such I see very little “case studies” or the secrets and reasoning behind the general ra-ra.

There is no formula because marketing is a creative form. You will not find an itemized bullet list for success. There are no connect-the-dots in marketing. This is why you can find generic tactics and strategies, but no “do this and money pours out” manuals.

I’ve heard—get on social media and gain an audience. But how? Ads? When they say connect person to person, how is an introvert going to connect over the wire?

I can answer these questions for me—but not for you, which is why marketing is creative. You decide what you are going to do.

If you’re tired of reading about tactics and strategies, then you’re thinking about it wrong. You will only find what works for other people. It’s up to you to see beyond the tactic to the strategy and find out if it will work for you.

ACTION ITEM: So chin-up all those who have marketing article burn-out. Take a break, find you strategy and follow that!

Today's Marketing Monday I lead by example!

My author, ULRIKE, has an article in Metaphysical Express February 2014 edition and I get to share it with you early!! ULRIKE's article starts on pg. 16 but let's discuss the advantages of having an article in a magazine. Let me count the ways:

1. SEO
2. Prestige
3. Visibility
4. Authority
5. Writing practice
6. Confidence builder
7. Promotional material
8. Identify with other authors.
9. Getting your reader to know you

ACTION ITEM: Seek a magazine in your genre and write an article for it. It doesn't matter if you submit it or not--it's good practice. Promote your book in magazines!

If you want another 34 ideas go HERE!!!! (It takes you to Danielle's post)

Yes, I really did steal these ideas. I took the best ones that I would do and collected them here all in an easy info-graph.

Your welcome :)

Rafflecopter has been one of the most pinnacle tools in getting emails. Each time we run one of these, our email list grows! Take for instance this Rafflecopter...each time we run one we get another 200 or so emails.

Those people in turn will get notified before anyone when the next book is out. They feel on the up and up and launches are so much easier! Wonderful way to drive our marketing campaign and gain fans!

ACTION ITEM: Try your hand at a Rafflecopter paired with a special event!

Every year I review the marketing plan for the upcoming events. This is about the month I update, commiserate and consider doing again!

January 1st, 2013 is the official day we started publishing. So it will be a year.  It was also a whirlwind. Amazed I'm still standing, grateful for all my authors, and still sticking to my principles of being an Author's Advocate, I charge into 2014 with a better perspective and new things I want to try.

What I've learned is:

KDP Select ~ New authors that don't mind exclusivity might want to try KDP select. It isn't the end-all-end-all as it use to be, but it does get you reviews and some new readers.

Mailing lists need to be use wisely. Determining what the mailing list is for will help you create and maintain a mailing list. 

Promotions don't have to cost money. You can do a Facebook only sale but paid promotions work. Promoting doesn't have to mean shouting your work everywhere. Promotions can be blogging, guest blogging, articles, tweeting for others and engaging your audience.

Measuring efforts counts! Where did those sales come from? Wouldn't you want to repeat that? It also falls under who your audience is. Find them--or let them find you.

I was tempted to post my marketing excel spreadsheet--but I think it might take another year to streamline the process so it makes sense. When I send it to my authors they go color blind with all the different blocks of highlighted text. Perhaps next year!

Action Item: Get your marketing/promotional efforts organized and ready to go!!

All right you guys...I've been having a raging week of moving, funerals and bad family...so while I skipped out last week, I did some research this week. Okay, okay, my VA did research. *Hangs head* I can't even tend my own website.

But...I haz here 89 Book Marketing Ideas That Will Change Your Life! It's not an original TRP blog, but I'd feel guilty if I didn't give you something...so here it is!! Marketing Monday on a stick.

ACTION ITEM: Try one of these today. Try one of these every day for the next 89 days.

The end of the week (Friday) begins NaNoWriMo ~ National Novel Writing Month ~ and here's why you might want to consider signing up for it.

1. It's something to post about on your social media, giving you a month long campaign to get readers exited about your novel.
2. It allows you to meet other authors, collaborate, find a crit partner and have the encouragement you need to finish.
3. You get to promote participation and if you finish it's a reward for finally getting your draft done.

But why is it important to join & participate?

Because it gives you the opportunity to PROMOTE yourself EVERY DAY.

Remember the difference between Marketing and Promoting?

Marketing = anything that deals with the book or buying the book.

Promotions = anything that allows readers to get to know the author.

Getting to know the author sells books.

I know what some of you professionals are thinking...I've got deadlines for my next novel--I don't have time to start a new project.

I understand. That's why I might cheat...I've started a novel and have been working on it, but I think NaNoWriMo is what I need to finish it. They want you to write 55,000 words, right? Whose to say you're book won't be 95,000 words and you make your goal 55,000 words in the month of November? Effectively "winning" NaNoWriMo.

You have something to talk about on Facebook, and you get your work done. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. If it's the kick in the pants you need to go for it, do it!!

ACTION ITEM: Register here for NaNoWriMo and participate ~ if you dare!

Sometimes marketing feels like a wash. It's because there are some methods to marketing that you can't quantify.

If you're only doing things that give you metrics, you lose out on some of the wonderful opportunities that you really can't tell if they work or not.

One of the things I use in trying a marketing method is how it works on me and my friends. This past year I found the more exposure you have to something, the more you think about it. Makes sense. But...I'm not going to specifically buy a Pepsi just because I see an ad. I have to like Pepsi.

Here's a statistic that might depress you. I used myself and my friends as control subjects. It takes an average of 6 years for us to find a book. Ouch. Yes. Six years. Every time I get a book I really enjoy like...Natural Law: 2 (Nature of Desire) I realize...it took me oh...9 years to find it.

For a writer it might seem depressing. But that's nine years of Joey Hill writing tons of books every year to give me more of what I want!! I'm not going to forget Joey or Natural Law anytime soon, and I'm willing to buy what she's got. Oh...I think I'm going to skip books 3 & 4 for right now and jump to #5 I want to see Jonathan Powell go DOWN!!! And I'm glad I didn't find Joey Hill until now...I have so many books to catch up now :)

Okay, so as always I'm going to tell you the bright side of the story...

That's six years of books you've been writing for your readers. Somewhere between books 6 and 10 your readers find you. Call it funnel. Call it tenacity, but that's six years of books that can be bought...as long as the publisher doesn't take your stories down. Grrrr.

Sorry, I'm still a bit grudgey. <-- yes a Stephanism for I'm not holding a grudge, but I won't forget your poor handling of a past situation...Kobo. Anyway...

That's six years of happily writing, or six years of misery because "nobody's buying your book". Take it how you see it. Drive hard and burn out OR steady, goal-driven work. I don't really have deadlines for my own writing because it's not a race for me. I do have goal dates, and it gets the work out there, but I know that the more books out there the more likely my readers will find me.

And readers really do find their authors. But as you can see, it does take time for them to find you. Even when you have an outstanding product.

So what's the ACTION ITEM? I could say write more or write faster, but today I really think it's time to pull back, take a look at the marketing you've done and realize, it all works. People don't always react that fast in buying something that's necessity. Heck, even when it is necessity, sometimes people DON'T buy. 

Really the title is 'nuff said.

Whether the plan is advertising in magazines, book sites or just taking your book on virtual tour I just can't stress enough that you must let people know about your book.

You don' t have to yell. Tweet every 20 min. or accost strangers off the street. For instance, who doesn't know Doctor Sleep is available?

Getting around doesn't have to make or break the bank, but effort does need to be made.

If you find ezine ads, virtual book tours, tweeting your book or promoting your book too expensive, too time consuming or you have the feeling of treading water while drowning--try doing nothing.

If your book has legs, it will run away from you like a toddler and sell with a little bit of effort. If your book doesn't have legs, it's time to assess:

1. Does the book title explain what the book is about?
2. Does your description explain what the book is about?
3. Is your description intriguing?
4. What keywords and phrases did you use and did you check them against Amazon algorithms to see if they were popular?
5. Stop scanning this numbered list and read it.
6. Do you have ratings?
7. Are you priced competitively?
8. Did you celebrate the book along with the opening day promotion?
9. Look at what's next on your marketing plan and implement it.
10. Have you gone back to your book and included nifty tweet-a-book links at the end?

You're saying yes, Stephanie, yes all of that. Well, then...sounds like it's time to write the next book!

Today's reader follows authors, not titles, not genres. You. Tell your stories. Somebody somewhere told me it takes about 60 products to break in the "known" section of somebody's radar.

OMG! I have to write 60 books?!

Yep. It separates the writer/storytellers from the fop. When you're trying to get struck by lightning, the more rods you have in the air, the better.

ACTION ITEM: Take away from this what you will.

Here's a twist on how I think about my marketing team. There are the marketers that interact with me directly that are part of my team, then there are indirect marketers that help me through their acts of kindness.

One of the people that post on their blogs that helps me market is BK Walker and her newest vlog PHAT Tuesday.

Her videos give actionable items that can help you with marketing and really get you motivated to be successful in writing, publishing & life. What BK Walker imparts are things you can do personally or professionally and I love that!!

If you're interested in watching her PHAT Tuesday's here is a link:

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PHAT TUESDAY

One of the things I love about BK Walker is that she's real. She has a host of animals that happen to be her co-hosts on her vlog--whether she wants them as her co-hosts or not. I don't feel like she's an unreachable professional that has "done all this and now I'm telling you how it is..." she does this to help her clients and other authors. You can tell that while she's imparting great information, she's not sterile. Her office is her couch.

Leave the stuffy copy-written scripts of those that can give a good speech. Embrace the wisdom of marketing from the heart.

ACTION ITEM: Watch the video. Follow BK Walker's blog (if you're so inclined).