Juliet Clark is a six- time author, speaker and podcaster who has spent the last twenty years helping authors, coaches, speakers, and small businesses all over the world build expert audiences.
She started out as a mystery novelist and is best known or her books Gypsy, Granny Heist, and Dead by Dawn, and Pitchslapped. At age 46, she received a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is an avid hiker and golfer.
March is here and hopefully Spring will follow. We are at the end of the first quarter and moving ahead with all goals. Have you been setting up your platform?
This month’s featured author is Gretchen Hydo. Gretchen is one of the best – known life coaches in Los Angeles and it is easy to see why. Her book, Break Free From Your Dirty Little Secrets and the companion journal Tell Your Secret are bestsellers that every woman needs to clear out the stories we tell ourselves and live authentically.
March also brings an anonymous interview with a literary agent who loves to sell good books to traditional publishers. He shares the one thing that holds back his pitch and why you need to build an author platform.
More great articles from all of our top- notch contributors are at your fingertips!
Love and gratitude,
Love and Gratitude, Juliet
In March the soft rains continued, and each storm waited courteously until its predecessor sunk beneath the ground.
~John Steinbeck
We all have them! The question is…do we acknowledge them? The bad news is that the secrets we keep manifest into patterns that begin to erode our sense of self and even become weapons of selfsabotage. The good news is that this pattern can be eliminated with just a little honest self-acknowledgement.
Break Free From Your Dirty Little Secrets and the companion guide, Tell Your Secret, help you become aware of your, the impact those secrets have on your life, and begin to heal.
Master Coach Gretchen Hydo knows this from experience. Her own secrets because the impetus to a scenario where she was triggered and became very insecure over a simple situation that was nothing like she made it in her mind. An everyday situation that left her feeling abandoned and lashing out. In the end, don’t we all do this at some point? The big question is, how do we confront and heal the trigger?
In a world where people tend to get “triggered” and expect others to change, Gretchen took the bull by the horn and confronted her own secrets to change her life and help others do the same. Her new books,
In Break Free from Your Dirty Little Secrets: A New You in 10 Secret-Breaking Stages, you will embark on a journey like no other. A journey to knowing, loving, liking, and accepting your true self. This book will help you to pull back the curtain on who you are at your very core. The companion workbook, Tell Your Secret gives you the tools and exercises needed to reveal your internal programming, the way you respond to life and the why behind it, as well as the coping mechanisms you use to feel safe and seen. Discover how the 1-2-3 gut punch of secret-keeping has led you to live small, feel badly about who you are, and held you back from living a glorious life on your own terms. Uncover how you have used secret keeping and creating as a survival tool to feel loved, liked, and valued. Most importantly, learn how to live in a brand new way; one that offers
the embodiment and not just the feelings of empowerment, truth, and self-love. If you have felt restless, dissatisfied, or like you should be happy but just aren’t, the 35 inspirational exercises and questions within these pages will help you deconstruct your secretkeeping patterns and, finally, finally, set you free.
Excerpt from The Ultimate On-Camera Guidebook: Hosts*Experts*Influencers by Jacquie Jordan (@TVGuestpert) & Shannon O’Dowd (@theshannonodowd)
This unspoken tradeout refers to the value of your television appearance as real estate. The exchange for your time and talent is your “plug,” aka the “For Sale” sign you get to hang on the lawn. A plug can be your book, your website, your business, or your event.
Plugging is what celebrities do every time they are on a latenight show. They entertain you with one or two personal stories, but they always plug the upcoming film they’re starring in.
Most shows, networks, and stations will give you a direct or an indirect plug. A direct plug is when the host mentions your book by title and shows a picture of it, or, better yet, holds the book up in her hands toward the camera.
An indirect plug is when the show, network, or station directs the viewer to the show’s website for your information. Usually on their site, they will include more information about you as the expert, with the topic written out and a possible hyperlink to your web page.
Appearances featuring indirect plugs usually do not pay. They are considered promotional appearances because you are receiving your plug in exchange for your expertise and time.
This is a win for the show and a win for you. This nonfinancial arrangement allows the network, show, or station to not pay for your content. In news this is particularly important as it allows the program to be neutral of buying a point of view.
The problem in advocating our clients or Guestperts in these situations is when the client doesn’t have a well-defined plug, i.e., a clear call to action, or a pressing need for the viewer to respond. This can be an event or the release of a book.
When we advocate for business owners or experts who are in the process of building their media platform, having a good plug and the infrastructure to properly process the call to action is important. This is the value of translating the appearance to the business or client’s goals.
We once tuned in to a guest on a popular SiriusXM radio show, then listened in horror as the host poked fun at the fact that the guest had no online or social media presence. That left the host with literally no place specific to direct his listeners for more information to find out about this fabulous guest. This also means that our paying client missed out on the opportunity at hand to translate the publicity value to his own platform. Other guests booked on the show have received business calls and instantly had more followers, business, and follow-ups to their appearance.
This is why we call ourselves a media development company and not just a public relations firm; we are interested in helping our clients cultivate and develop their platforms through the judicious use of plugs.
Jacquie is the founder and CEO of the 15-year-old cutting-edge, media and content development, promotions and booking platform, TVGuestpert that offers full-service promotion, marketing, business strategy and media services for her clients, partners and collaborators, TVGuestpert Publishing - a NY Times Best Selling publishing house, and The Guestpert Academy - an online program offering visibility, media training and TVGuestpert On-Camera Training. She is also a two-time Emmy nominated TV Producer, three-time author and the host of Front & Center with Jacquie Jordan, a broadcast podcast.
Writing is a primary form of communicating that is inherently social and cultural. If you are writing a non-fiction book, most likely you are addressing social and cultural narratives. As you are working on your manuscript, highlight those salient points that can be further developed into an article or blogpost. This is especially effective if you can make a connection with newsworthy stories and provocative social dialogues.
What will help you gain attention is offering a distinct viewpoint that can expand the scope and depth of the narrative. Sometimes there might only be a loose connection with the content of your book, yet your book offers an enhancement to the dialogue and a fresh perspective. The key is to be mindful that you don’t have an overt agenda that you are trying to articulate. Clearly you will have a position on the topic, but you will have a wider audience if you explore the subject from several vantage points.
We are currently in the process of developing and publishing a book that explores the effects of digital technology on our children. The author has been in the education field for decades and is very concerned about the negative impact smart phones have on children’s neurological and social development. Because the subject is extremely relevant and emotionally engaging, the author has an excellent chance to get media attention. Her book will not be released until the fall of 2023, but she is busy putting together several articles that tackle the subject with a variety of talking points to populate social media now.
It is important that you give yourself at least 6 months for pre-publication promotion. Here is where you have the chance to appear on podcasts, submit articles and generally build a community around your forthcoming book. It is also recommended that you create as much video content as possible. You want to build a treasure chest of video B-roll that you can utilize in various applications.
AUTHOR BIOJared Rosen is the founder Of DreamSculpt. As an innovator in digital media publishing, he has published over 50 media enhanced e-books for many best-selling authors and filmmakers and has published dozens of books in print. Jared is the author of three books including the groundbreaking book The Flip. As a thought leader he has presented in venues ranging from TED X Malibu, to McKinsey and Company, Sydney, Australia. In 2000, Jared co-created the Children’s Emotional Literacy Project endorsed by Mayor Richard Riordan and Norman Lear.
What are literary agents looking for? For many writers, they think the main point of the book is the idea.
The truth is that one of the biggest challenges that my company has as a publisher is helping people understand their audience numbers and the expectations for book sales based on those numbers.
Here is what we found out when we spoke to a top literary agent.
Juliet: When writers tell you that they MUST traditionally publish, do they share why? Is there language they use consistently to articulate why they will not publish any other way?
Agent: It’s typically some form of ego, fueled by a misplaced
judgment of self-publishing as “not real.” They think, “I want a real publisher.” The thinking behind this prejudice takes various forms, all based on assumptions about trade publishing vs. self-publishing that aren’t true.
Juliet: What are the numbers that you must have for your clients to pitch? Is it email list size? Open rates? Social media audience size? Do you look at engagement at all? What criteria are you looking for specifically regarding audience? Are there any numbers that I have not included?
Agent: First of all, my goals as an agent are shared by many, but not every other agent. There are agents with different assumptions about the business, different ways of doing business, than I have. So you may wish to query some other agents with these questions.
My goal is to represent books that can reach a national or international audience of general readers and have a real shot at becoming New York Times bestsellers.
This means, by definition, that the author must have an active, quantifiable following into which publishers can sell their books when they come out.
There are some agents who are happy representing niche books, kids’ books, academic books, literary fiction...books that tend to sell to academic or indie publishers for author advances in the $1K-$5K range and never sell more than a few hundred copies. Those books don’t need a built-in audience, but it takes an agent as much work to sell a $3K book as it does sell a $300K book, and at a 15% commission. I’m not sure how an agent makes a living negotiating $3K deals.
Clients whose book projects I find attractive possess a variable array of factors, all adding up to an audience ready to buy a book. For memoir, they need to be Famous (with a capital F) or have an extraordinary story that’s extraordinarily wellwritten. For big non-fiction, they need to be a nationally recognized expert, and have some combination of meaningful awards, articles published in prominent journals or magazines, a lively lecture schedule, regular appearances in nationally viewed/followed media (print, tv, radio, online), a popular column, blog, podcast, YouTube channel, etc., and/or large social media following. The threshold number where I (and
publishers) start getting interested is around 100K active followers/ readers/listeners/attendees.
Juliet: What do we need to set goals for clients we take on? I am a big proponent of setting reasonable expectations. If I have baseline numbers and goal numbers, it is easier to set expectations about how long it will take and what sort of time it will take to achieve. The number one objection I get when I present an offer is, “How much time will this take? I don’t have time to do build this.” The second is money. It is much easier to overcome a money objection than a time objection.
Agent: Most people underestimate how much time and money a book project requires and overestimate the number of copies they will sell. My observation is that if these people were going to build a national platform, they would have done so, or would be on their way to doing so, and not thinking of publishing a book as the shortcut to fame and fortune. Instead, it’s people who have no platform, and no intention or means to build one, who (wrongly) assume that if they can just find an agent who believes in their book that they will get a big publishing deal and be a bestselling author. The old adage, “It takes 10 years to make an overnight sensation,” holds true in book publishing.
The goals you as a platform builder can set for your clients would be to help them increase their market visibility… measurable increases in their quantifiable audience. More articles published. More podcast appearances. More lecture requests. Etc. You cannot in my mind promise that they will be able to get an agent and sell their book and be a bestselling author (the dream of many who will come to you). It could happen if things go really well, but it can’t be a promised outcome. You can certainly promise to help them publish a book that itself, as a marketing tool, helps them accomplish their long-term goals of market visibility. But the book will be an investment in their future, a marketing expense, like building a website, not an ATM machine that will get them out of debt.
To round up, we also discussed the steps to submitting a proposal. As a publisher, I frequently hear stories from writers who tell me that they spent an enormous amount of money writing the book and the proposal. The literary agent shared with me that your book should never be written before the proposal. He sees scams like this out there every day. The proposal is the first step . If the proposal is rejected, it is time to explore other publishing platforms and begin writing the book.
She
The goals you as a platform builder can set for your clients would be to help them increase their market visibility... measurable increases in their quantifiable audience.Juliet Clark is a six- time author, speaker and podcaster who has spent the last twenty years helping authors, coaches, speakers, and small businesses all over the world build expert audiences.
Now the how. How do you create a lead magnet from your book? It’s pretty simple:
1. Choose one chapter from your book. It’s best if it is focused on a particular topic and goes deep.
2. Copy/paste that chapter into a new document.
3. Create a mini e-book from that chapter.
4. Give it a title that connects to your main book but is still different enough to distinguish it as a separate title. (Note: you will need a separate ISBN for this e-book if you put it out for sale.)
Creating content usually freaks people out. If you have written a book, you may be thinking, “What? I have to create even more content? I’ll never be able to leave my computer!”
It seems like an overwhelming task.
But what if I told you that creating content is as simple as repurposing the content you already wrote into your book.
Yep. That’s right. No need to recreate the wheel. I’m going to start with the why, and then I’ll show you the how.
It’s a common misconception that people read something once, and then they’ve “got it.” That really isn’t true. As a former teacher, I can attest to that! In fact, people need to read and/or hear something between seven and ten times before it starts to sink in.
This is such good news for you as a content provider. It means you can use the same materials over and over, in different ways, to get your information out there. Plus, it’s kind of fun to think up new ways to present the same materials: videos, blogs, memes, social media posts… use your imagination and have some fun with it!
5. Create a cover that uses your brand colors and the fonts from your main book but is also different enough to distinguish it as a separate book.
6. Put the e-book up on your website as a freebie in exchange for their email address.
7. You can make it a PDF and have it available only on your website if you want to create exclusivity.
8. You can also get a dedicated URL to lead readers to that lead magnet on your site. Always make it easy to find your books!
And that’s pretty much it. If you want to find out more about creating content from your book (even if you haven’t written it yet), check out www.
ILoveContentCreation.com
Kristy Boyd Johnson is an award-winning children’s author, and has ghostwritten over 30 books for entrepreneurs over the years. She is a sought-after developmental editor and transformational book coach. She recently launched Starseed Journey Retreats because she can’t imagine anything better than being a beautiful location with beautiful people who want to reconnect with their deepest selves through writing.
As a podcast host, I can tell you there is nothing more annoying than the email solicitations I receive from publicists and booking agencies who present their clients to be booked on my podcast. I read through the emails and reject 99.9 percent of the potential guests. The main reason is that the guest is not a good fit for my show. It is even worse, because I feel like the publicist or booking agent has never listened to my show and is just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. In other words, they can go back and tell their clients that we attempted to book you on “x amount” of shows, even though the shows are not the right fit. This model doesn’t serve their clients or my show.
Then along came Alex Sanfillipo and Podmatch.
Podmatch is a service that matches podcast hosts with podcast guests. There are two ways to get booked. The first way, is automatic matching from the service. The host can see the resume and determine if they would like to book the match. This is great because Podmatch has presented some good matches. Just this morning, I logged in a had a match for
a woman who teaches how to get into literary contests. That is a great match! I reached out and invited her to appear on the show. The second way is for potential podcast guests to reach out and present themselves. So far, I have only invited one person from this list. While some great people have reached out, they were not a good fit for the show.
https://podmatch.com/signup/superbrand
Juliet Clark is a six- time author, speaker and podcaster who has spent the last twenty years helping authors, coaches, speakers, and small businesses all over the world build expert audiences.
She started out as a mystery novelist and is best known or her books Gypsy, Granny Heist, and Dead by Dawn, and Pitchslapped. At age 46, she received a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is an avid hiker and golfer.
As many as 4 million books are published every year. We’re facing economic instability. There are no new ideas…
All that negativity could stop a would-be author before they even start. But you are different. You have what it takes to see it through. You also know that publishing your book is not the end of the line. You need to promote it too. That is how book sales happen.
The reality is your book is probably not the only one ever written on the particular subject in which you are a subject matter expert. It might be the 50th or the 5000th. How you go about marketing your book will be the linchpin for skyrocketing sales.
One trap authors often fall into is following a cookie-cutter plan with their marketing. Some self-appointed expert says “do this” and everyone does it. However, implementing the exact same methods will not help your book stand out in a crowded space. Forging your own marketing path will.
Every author needs a marketing foundation – messaging, social media, email marketing, and so much more – but it must be authentic to you, your brand, and your mission to be effective.
For example, my client Carey wrote a part-how-to book, partmemoir on a very sensitive topic. Because of the nature of the subject matter, we co-created a marketing plan that offered her audience guidance and support without the “bro marketing” shock value that we so often see on social media. As a result, her re aders were so engaged with her message, and book sales naturally followed. We did not try to replicate what other “gurus” have done. We listened to the needs of her audience.
Your audience will tell you what they want to hear from you. Here are some ways to find out what that is:
• Create a survey using Survey Monkey, Jotform, or Google Forms
• Add a poll on social media
• Send a hand-raiser email with a call to action that is simply “reply to this email”
• Ask your clients and former clients
• Read reviews of your book and similar books
• See what people post on your competitors’ social media accounts
Once you’ve determined what your messaging should be, start sharing posts and emails that offer value, prove your credibility, and invite people to buy your book. You will see that messaging plus consistency is the formula for book-sales success.
Wish you had a book marketing strategy to help you sell more books? I would love to chat with you. Schedule your call at contentstrategycall.com.
Melanie Herschorn wants to make your book and brand sparkle online. As a content marketing strategist for coaches, consultants, and speakers worldwide, she’s on a mission to support and empower her clients to create clear messaging and content that shines a light on their individual experience, skillset, and books. With her unique combination of entrepreneurship, award-winning journalism and PR experience, Melanie guides her clients to attract and nurture leads and position themselves as industry experts. She also loves to provide book marketing tips on her show, AUTHORity Marketing LIVE!
Once you’ve determined what your messaging should be, start sharing posts and emails that offer value, prove your credibility, and invite people to buy your book.
Hint: it’s the equipment sitting in your closet, dauntingly unused. You know, with the THICK instruction manual and the many gears you jammed your finger in before it was all set up? Or, the one with the many buttons that all have THREE functions?
Don’t use that equipment. Return it, sell it, recycle it, turn it into a fancy lamp stand.
Before I tell you WHAT equipment to use, let me tell you a true story.
Once upon a time… A few years ago, we shot a “sales contest winner” video for a Fortune 500 client.
The client needed three different videos to feature different winners for each sales area across
the United States. The timing was too tight to have one crew do all three shoots, so the client hired three different production companies to do the job.
We all got the exact same briefing: A video sample, an equipment list, and written outline to prepare for the shoot and edit.
We got the East coast winner who was living and working in New York City.
We set out to organize the equipment, the crew, and location, following the briefing as closely as we could.
We shot the piece, edited it, and submitted it. We got feedback, that the client loved it (what else), and didn’t think anything more of it.
A few weeks later I got a call. The client wanted to know what camera we used. Mmmm… We used the camera that was on the list. Oh, so what lenses did you use? I have to ask the DP (camera person). I’ll get back to you.
Long story short: The client sent me the other two videos.
I nearly fell off my chair. Yes, we all used the same camera and lights –and that’s where the buck stopped. Our piece looked like AMAZballs (of course it did). We used a lens to throw the background out of focus to make the same hotel suite look like we had shot in 10 different places (New Yorkers have to be thrifty when it comes to locations).
The other two videos, frankly, were subpar. One was passable, but the third one was badly done.
The framing was off, and the interviewer must have had bad mojo with the interviewees, they were stiff and stilted, and the editing was just so sloppy.
The moral of the story is: It doesn’t matter what camera you use; it matters that you know what you’re DOING WITH IT.
Three professional (supposedly) crews used the same equipment and created videos with a wide range in quality.
What does that mean for you? Don’t worry about what equipment you’re using. Just use what you already have: Your Smartphone!
Focus on your strategy, content, and performance, that is: showing up as your best self.
Here’s the equipment you REALLY need to shoot professional quality video:
1. Smartphone (no older than iPhone
6, Androids are ALL good)
2. A desk tripod (or floor tripod if you prefer to stand, and make sure it goes high enough to be on eye level with you!)
3. A grip to attach the phone to the tripod
4. MAYBE a light or two (please, NO ring light!) – Use a light with a diffused LED bulb that is dimmable and can change from cold to warm light (I like Lume Cube, the Edge model is my fave).
The list above (minus the phone) should not run you more than US$450 MAX and that’s if you get two (!) of the Lume Cube Edges.
What equipment are you using right now?
Want to share your thoughts? Email Nina at nina@clockwiseproductions.com or DM her on LinkedIn: https://www. linkedin.com/in/nina-froriep/
Hi! We’re Robin Friend Stift and Nina Froriep of Clock Wise Productions, a New York City based video marketing company.
We teach authors, speakers, business coaches, and consultants to create easy and impactful video content for LinkedIn so they can enlighten, change, and disrupt the status quo of their industry. And we’re super excited that Juliet asked us to be your video marketing experts for 2023.
Over the next 12 months, we plan on giving you a quick overview of all aspects of video marketing to get your creative juices flowing and to get your most burning video marketing questions answered. AND, to that end we would love to hear from you! Send us a DM on LinkedIn or email Nina: nina@clockwiseproductions.com or DM her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ in/nina-froriep/
Nina Froriep helps mission-driven entrepreneurs to grow their business with consistent and easyto-implement video marketing through one-onone coaching or peer-learning. I’m a filmmaker, producer and director with 30 years experience and a small business owner of 23 years. I’ve seen it all from the early days on independent features, to big national TV commercials, corporate megashows and many documentary films.
Focus on your strategy, content, and perFormance, that is: showing up as your best selF.
As authors, we know that creating a book is only the beginning. A solid marketing plan is essential for success with a book launch and ongoing promotion. To create an effective marketing strategy, we must first establish our goals; ask yourself what kind of reach you want to achieve and how many books you would like to sell. Once authors have established their desired outcomes, they need to think more specifically about how they might reach their target audience. Here are ten tips for creating an effective marketing plan:
1. Identify your target audience: The first step in creating a marketing plan is to identify who your book is for. Are you writing for a specific age group, location, or interest? Understanding your target audience will help you tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people.
2. Set specific goals: It’s essential to have specific goals in mind for your book marketing efforts. Do you want to increase book sales, grow your email list, or increase your social media following? Setting specific goals will help you measure the success of your marketing efforts and make adjustments as needed.
3. Create a budget: Marketing can be expensive, so it’s important to create a budget and stick to it. Determine how much you can spend on marketing and allocate your resources accordingly.
4. Utilize social media: Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your book. Create accounts on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and use them to share updates about your book, interact with readers, and promote special offers.
5. Build an email list: An email list is a great way to keep in touch with your readers and promote your book. Offer an incentive for readers to sign up for your list, such as a free chapter or exclusive content. Then, use your email list to send updates about your book and special offers.
6. Create a website: A website is a great way to share information about your book and yourself as an author. Use your website to showcase your book, provide information about upcoming events or appearances, and share updates about your writing journey.
7. Host events: Hosting events, such as book signings or
readings, is a great way to promote your book and connect with readers. Consider hosting events at local bookstores, libraries, or community centers.
8. Partner with influencers: Partnering with influencers in your genre or niche can be a great way to reach a larger audience. Consider reaching out to bloggers, podcasters, or social media influencers and offer them a copy of your book in exchange for a review or promotion.
9. Utilize paid advertising: Paid advertising, such as press releases, and advertisements on social media or Google, can effectively reach a larger audience. Use paid advertising to target specific demographics or interests and track the results to see if it is worthwhile.
10. Be bold and ask for help: Marketing can be overwhelming, especially for new authors. Feel free to ask for help from friends, family, or industry professionals. Consider hiring a marketing consultant or joining a writers’ group to get support and advice.
In conclusion, a solid marketing plan is essential for the success of any book. By identifying your target audience, setting specific goals, creating a budget, utilizing social media and email lists, building a website, hosting events, partnering with influencers, and using paid advertising, you can effectively promote your book and reach a larger audience. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek resources and support to help you achieve your marketing goals. With the proper guidance and these helpful tips, authors can be sure to capitalize on every promotional opportunity and see significant success with any book launch or promotion. We love helping develop marketing plans, media kits, getting authors booked, and more. To learn more, go to www. ShannonProcise.com/superbrand
Shannon Procise has successfully attained over $3.2M in FREE publicity and is notorious for being the owner of the “Million Dollar Rolodex” and teaching others how to do the same. She has trained and coached thousands of individuals in marketing, event production, business development, and personal growth. Shannon is the creator of a magnetic community - the Business Acceleration Network, where she guides businesses to build a successful enterprise while having fun and making lots of money.
With the proper guidance and these helpful tips, authors can be sure to capitalize on every promotional opportunity and see significant success with any book launch or promotion.
The energy you bring to your content and your personal author brand will make or break your success. Authentic authority, a positive mindset, and energy - all of these things matter - maybe more than you think. Let’s get into it!
All of these things are true:
1. Becoming a bestselling author is hard work and stressful.
2. To become a bestselling author, you must put yourself out there in a way that resonates with your audience and it needs to be consistent.
3. That same energy and passion must also come through in your content.
Who you are in your book, on your social media accounts, as a podcast guest, in TV interviews must all align. This is how your audience will find you and then connect with you.
If the overwhelm and the stress of the million tasks on your to-do list come through in the way you market your book and personal brand, your audience will be turned off, no matter how great your message is. If there is some
sort of inconsistency in your energy and passion between any one of the mediums I mentioned above, your message won’t resonate.
The expression “phoning it in” comes to mind here. You are required to show up, authentically, and in a positive impactful way.
The authors who bring their own kind of infectious energy are always the ones we see skyrocket in their success. They are passionate about their topic and they are enthusiastic about what they’re saying, whether it’s the first time or the 500th time. And it doesn’t matter where they’re saying it. Could be chapter one of their book or on a morning news show.
If your energy is right, every person reading or listening to you will feel like you are speaking directly to them and their life experiences.
• You will have days where your energy is higher and you are in the zone - use those days to write, record short videos for social media or engage with your audience online.
• Develop a process to mentally prepare yourself for the activity you’re about to take on. Practice a breathing exercise, choose a mantra and focus on that before you begin. You will find something that works well for you and use that as a strategy to boost your energy.
• Spend time planning and scheduling, to reduce stress and maximize time on tasks that are not content-related. Block schedule admin tasks weekly or biweekly (actually put it on your calendar) and stick to it. This will free up larger chunks of time that you can settle into content creation, engagement and connection with your audience.
Ultimately, you will write like you feel. If you feel depleted, lacking energy, or stressed, it will come through in your content. If you’ve noticed your content is sometimes missing the mark, or the feedback you’ve received on your book is inconsistent - it’s time to focus on your energy. This is how you show up as your best author self, over and over again, all the way to bestseller status.
Tracy Hazzard is a seasoned media expert with over 2600 interviews from articles in Authority Magazine, BuzzFeed, and her Inc. Magazine column; and from her multiple topranked videocasts and podcasts like The Binge Factor and Feed Your Brand – one of CIO’s Top 26 Entrepreneur Podcasts. Tracy brings diverse views from what works and what doesn’t work in marketing, branding and media from thought leaders and industry icons redefining success around the globe. Tracy’s unique gift to the podcasting, marketing, and branding world is being able to identify that unique binge-able factor – the thing that makes people come back again and again, listen actively, share as raving fans, and buy everything you have to sell.
Authors underestimate how hard it is to sell books and overestimate how many books they will sell without doing any marketing. Building an author platform is essential to selling books.
That’s where we come in. At Author Traffic School, we teach authors how to build their author platforms and market their books using tried and true methods that work. We have helped hundreds of authors increase their website traffic, social media following, and email subscribers. You could be next.
The number one complaint we hear from literary agents is, “I get great book proposals every day that I cannot pitch to major publishers because the author doesn’t have a substantial platform.”
