Hello there! In this blog post, I will be discussing the backbone of an engaging author platform. As part of the five essentials for effective author marketing, we will focus on overcoming obscurity and getting noticed. Obscurity is every author’s biggest enemy. If no one knows who you are, then you cannot sell books. With roughly four million books published every year, you need to make it easy for your readers to find you, know you, and buy your books. The way to do that is to be seen and add value.
Every marketing endeavor needs to have a point of outreach and a way to add value to their customers. This can be through advertising, such as Facebook and Google ads, but it is important to have a time when someone goes from not knowing you exist to knowing you exist. When tuning into a late-night talk show, the host interviews an actor or actress who is promoting a movie. This is outreach. People did not know about the movie before, but now they do.
Being seen is not enough; you also have to add value. Think about what ways you can add value. Andy Weir, the bestselling author of “The Martian,” originally published the book in serials for free on his website. He only put it on Kindle after people requested that it be made easier for them to download. He gave away the ideas in his book for free, and people started buying it once it was on Kindle because it was more convenient. Don’t worry about giving away the ideas that you have in your book because your goal is to be seen and add value.
Next, you need to share widely and freely. Share what you have to say that your audience will be delighted to hear. Don’t be hesitant to give away your ideas; your goal is to be seen and add value.
Finally, you need to have a plan in place. Ask yourself some questions. What actions do you want your website visitor to take? If you answer, “watch a video,” what video is it? What’s in it for your reader? How often do you plan on communicating with your reader? By answering these questions, you will have to solve a problem. You need to have an email marketing system in place for staying in touch with your readers or whatever system you choose to use.
In conclusion, obscurity is the enemy for every author. Being seen and adding value is the way to overcome it. Every marketing endeavor needs to have a point of outreach and a way to add value to their customers. Don’t be hesitant to give away your ideas, share widely and freely, and have a plan in place.