The undeniable truth of publishing is that in order to sell books, you have to be a promoter and marketer. If you’re anyone other than Malcolm Gladwell chances are slim that you’ll have a big marketing budget and a team of publicists. And that means you have to use the best tools you can to market yourself as an expert and your book as a valuable tool.
A key factor in marketing your book lies within social media platforms. And since you’re not Malcolm Gladwell, a big plus is that basic social media is free. Social media is a major marketing platform that you need to experience and include in your daily business activities.
It’s safe to say, every one knows their way around social media, even if it’s just the basics. Now it’s time to put yourself out there. Your author page is set up on Facebook, you have your Twitter handle, and you’ve gotten an Instagram, but now you’re stuck! You know (and we know) it’s not you. You’re full of ideas, you can write. Hell, you’re an author.
So what’s the problem? Why aren’t you posting?
This is actually known as post fright, like stage fright, but for social media.
The more you overthink these platforms, the less you bother with your posts. And that one no-show-day turns into a few days and then a week and then a month. And guess what, next thing you know you’re six months in to a stagnant relationship with your followers. (The ones that are still remaining.)
Struggles with social media content include:
- Lack of time and resources (too many social media accounts)
- Not knowing where best to position your brand
- Confusion about the best times to post
- What to post and whether to use paid advertising
- How much personal content to share
- How to engage your audience (aka customers)
But did you know the number one fear of people who are hesitant about creating posts for their social channels is criticism or negative feedback from others? So why risk it? Why put yourself through that?
We hope these reasons inspire you:
1. Your ideal audience wants to find you
Your peers, supporters, followers, and friends want to FIND you. When you develop a clear understanding of your social media target audience, your content begins to soar. These people want to hear what you have to say! They want to understand your struggles, get your input on a thought, praise you for accomplishments. Don’t be afraid to get specific. Post your content so the right people can love you.
2. You possess hard-earned wisdom and know WTF you’re talking about
You’re the best of the best, right? Why not share your knowledge with the world? You’ve gained wisdom through constant learning, years of experience, and gallons of blood, sweat, and tears. You did all the work, so you would know your area of expertise. People love to personally read or hear the experiences of people more than doing a Google search. Take this as a sign to share your knowledge and create opportunity, for you and your audience.
3. Because “flops” are valuable information
We all know that every post is not going to go viral. In fact, most of your content may never “go viral” and that’s okay. However, it’s important to understand what is popular with your audience and you can use your “flopped posts” as a good metric to reevaluate your content and strategy. A key benefit is making note of all of your posted content, times, days, topics, etc. and see what posts earn the best engagements. Just because a post flops doesn’t mean it fails, it just simply allows you to recreate a new piece and understand your audience better.
Social media can be a powerful tool for promoting your book/brand, driving traffic to your website and establishing a reputation as an expert. Don’t let post fright keep you from reaching your audience and building a community. Conquer it.
Lauren Hopper
