Marvelous Marketing: Identifying Your Target Audiences

The winner of The Liar Society giveaway is Lori Lee (email me your address at sjohannes@bilaninc.com)

The real lie was that "I wear colored contacts". I do not - that is my real eye color. Though, I get asked that a lot.

I do dye my hair a little darker/richer than it really is (can you say mousy brown? not that I have any gray or anything.....) and the weight on my DL is actually correct! (believe it or not! Just don't ask me what it is!:)

We are finally back to Marketing Mondays which will include interviews, tips, and other resources on marketing yourself and your books.

Today is on the topic of identifying the segments or target audiences for your book so you can hone your marketing better.

When people come to me for marketing consultation or to do web sites or to create swag - most authors or writers cannot list for me the target audiences for their book. I find most of us think are targets are: teens, librarians, schools, and bookstores.

They are... but there is so much more to it than that.

As you begin your marketing plan/strategy, it is important to segment out all your audiences into smaller chunks. You cannot target a billion teens, a katrillion schools, and a million librarians.

Here is something you can do now before you are agented and published - identify the target audiences for your books.

1) Write down all the topics your book covers.

(For example - a teen knitting mystery set in an Alabama summer camp would probably have: knitting, mystery, and Alabama to start with)

2) Identify the audiences interested in the topics.

(For example - just off the top of my head, I would divide the teen market into the following segments: those who like knitting, those who are crafty/like doing crafts, those who love mystery, Alabama teens, teens in the south, teen camp counselors etc)

3) For each audience, identify the top 3-5 ways to reach them.

(For example - lets take knitting - Google knitting magazines, craft magazines, knitting/sewing clubs, etc)

4) Keep a record of everything (I prefer excel myself) and start documenting all the information for future: contact name, address, phone, web site address, type of channel (magazine, club, ezine etc)

That is how you start thinking through the main targets of your book so you can be prepared when it comes time for your book to come out.

What questions do you have? Do you find it hard to drill down and identify your target audience for you book? Can you identify 3 groups?

Marvelous Marketer: Suzanne Young (author of The Naughty List)

Today, we have Suzanne Young, author of The Naughty List.

I asked her to share with us a little about her marketing and how her great blog has helped her in this industry.

Take a look!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Marvelous Marketers: The Smart Chick Tour Gang

Contest winners - I am still in the process of mailing out all the prizes. Bear with me. If you havent gotten yours yet, it is coming! :)

Today we have a special treat. Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, and Alyson Noel are here to talk a little about marketing and their upcoming Smart Chicks Kick it tour (10 authors/8 cities).

First, can each of you tell us a little about your author career.

MM - I taught university lit for a while. In 2003, I switched to part-time teaching and allowed myself 3 years to try writing. In 2004, I wrote the short story that evolved into my first published novel (WICKED LOVELY) in 2005. I wasn't very optimistic - there was no major paranormal YA market yet. (not even Twilight) In 2006, I had just decided to go back to fulltime teaching when WL sold. Harper bought WL and the yet-to-be-written INK in a 3-book deal. Right now, I'm writing the 5th WL novel.

KA - My first adult book (Bitten/Otherworld series) came out in 2001. Book 11 (Waking the Witch) will be released in August. I also have a crime series with 2 books so far. For this tour, though, the focus is my young adult paranormal trilogy. The third book in the Darkest Power series (The Reckoning) comes out in April. Right now I'm editing the first book in the next YA trilogy.

AN - I’m the author of 12 novels for adults and teens, including the bestselling THE IMMORTALS series, and its soon to be released spin-off series, beginning with RADIANCE on 08.31.10. In a nutshell, I talked about writing for years, taking a writing class here and there where I worked on the same short story for about fifteen years. Then when 9/11 hit I was working as a flight attendant in NYC and figured it was as good a time to go after my dream. I expanded the same short story into a novel, and as soon as I typed “The End” I sent it off to a whole slew of publishers, (mistakenly thinking I didn’t need an agent –I can’t even begin to stress how very wrong that is!), and getting a slew of rejections for my efforts. So I took more classes, one of which led me to my then agent, who urged me to revise before he sent it out on submission. Ultimately selling what became my debut novel, FAKING 19, in a two-book deal to St. Martin’s Press, and I’ve been writing for them ever since. Today, I’m busy working on Untitled Immortals #5 (and yes, I’m also working on a better title for it!), and the second book in the spin-off series, as well as a new, exciting, super-sekrit project I’m hoping to reveal very soon . . .


What three things do you feel ever author needs to do to promote their book?

MM - I don't think there is a set list of such things. Each author & each book is individual, so it's really about what works for that author/book. I love Twitter, conferences, & blogging, but some authors love school visits, MySpace, & bookmarks. Others might prefer Skype visits. It's about what is best for YOU, not a "one size fits all" plan.

KA - I think there's only one thing EVERY author needs. A website. Beyond that, authors should be aware of all the various ways they can promote their books, try as many as they can, and stick with the ones they find both effective and enjoyable. For example, I don't blog; Twitter works much better for me. But I'd never say authors must use Twitter, because if they don't like it, their discomfort with the medium will show and leave a negative impression.

AN- While I still think it’s important, I also still believe that you should do only what you enjoy and what you’re comfortable with, saving most of your energy for writing the next book because that’s all your readers truly want from you anyway.
Though I will say that the number one, absolute, must have is a website. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, just a nice, easy to navigate place to showcase you and your books. (Alyson's Twitter, Alyson's Blog)


I know you run contests – how do you feel this helps to connect to readers and promote your book?

MM - I run contests because I like giving away books. Most of the contests are to win books I've enjoyed and think my readers will enjoy. As to giving away my books, I try to give away a few when I get copies because 1) I don't need them all and 2) it's fun. I wish I could tell you I thought it was a clever marketing idea, but it's really just a matter of enjoying sharing.

KA - I use contests in a number of ways. A fan art contest gives me art I can put on my site as extra content for readers. A fan-made trailer contest puts promotional videos on YouTube. Running a contest along with an announcement makes it feel less like "tooting my own horn" (eg. "It's my book's 10th week on the NYT list and I'm celebrating with a contest!") Likewise, contests are a way to gently remind readers of a release (e.g. giving away a book a day in the week leading up to a release) Most often, though, I just run them to say "Thanks for being a reader."

AN-I don’t run many contests anymore because with a deadline schedule like mine I don’t have the time. IN the past, they’ve turned out to be pretty popular . . . which makes me think I should consider starting up again!


What was the goal of starting the Smart Chicks Kick It tour? How did you come up with the authors that would attend?

MM - I'd done a few co-author events with Kelley and other authors, and at them, I'd had a great time. Then, in 2009, Harper set up a group tour. It was fun, but with a publisher driven group tour, the authors are all from ONE house. I talk to my readers a lot, and they aren't buying/reading from just one house. So, I started talking to authors to see if we could set up our own series of events with authors from various houses. Kelley and I started trying to come up with YA that our readers were reading or might like. We sent out a few invitations, including one to Alyson, and it just grew. Of course, it may be a fiasco, but we thought it might be fun to try.

KA - For me, the goal is to create exactly the sort of tour I want to be on. Publishers do a fantastic job, but there are always things I'd do differently. This is my chance to try them. As for choosing authors, when it comes to YA, I'm still a relative newbie. So I let Melissa's experience guide the choices, simply suggesting authors whose work I liked. That's one of the goals of the tour--introducing our readers to our favourite YA authors. Of course, there are many YA authors I like who aren't on the tour (or it would be huge!) but it's a good start.

AN-This was purely the genius of Ms. Melissa Marr and Ms. Kelley Armstrong. I am just thrilled to be along for the ride, so I will turn this one over to them!


What other creative marketing have you or your house done for any of your books?

MM - I'm not sure if it's creative, but I've done temporary tattoos, reminder bands, USB drives with deleted scenes and "extras" pre-loaded. With my publisher's support, I've done book trailers (with the fab Circle of Seven folks; my publisher uploads my playlists onto iTunes. Right now, I'm writing a series of short stories in the WL world that are being made available through retail outlets. The first is free online and as an "extra" in the paperback of FRAGILE ETERNITY in March. I went to Harper and proposed it last summer, and they've supported the idea.

KA - I've run a couple of "release promos," where readers send me the receipt in the first few weeks after a release, and they get something for it (from books to shirts to bookmark sets) I design swag both for giveaways and my CafePress store. My favourite kind of marketing, though, is writing free stories for my readers. Since 2003, I've done an annual e-serial. I solicit ideas from readers, post a poll with ideas I like, then write a novella on their top pick, posting a chapter a month etc. In 2009 and 2010, collections of those stories from my adult series came out in book form, with all my proceeds going to charity (which gave me another promotional push--it's easy to publicize a charitable endeavour!)

AN-The coolest thing my publisher ever did was The Immortals Series website. It’s completely amazing—I was gobsmacked when I first saw it—the graphics are beautiful, and it’s a fun place for readers to visit. They also made some incredibly cool ads that they’ve run on Facebook and other sites, and as for me, well, I’m not sure how “creative” it is but I always make the usual bookmarks, bookplates, trailers, and such.


What do you want authors to know about marketing and publicity?

MM - That it shouldn't be a stressful thing. If it's fun to do, give it a go, but don't let the marketing stuff get in the way (if possible!). It's the writing that matters most. Some authors do no PR/marketing, and they function just fine. There are things I don't do because they're more stress than they're worth for me. Know yourself. Know your strengths. Don't let the not-writing part of this job consume you.

KK - First, it's a necessary part of being an author. I think authors need to know that before they sell. Otherwise, it comes as a huge shock, as it did to me. However, as important as self-promotion is, it should never interfere with the main job of an author: to tell the best story possible. You need a good product to sell. You don't want to reach a point where your promotional efforts for the current release take precedence over writing or editing your next one. The book must come first.
AN - That you should concentrate only on what you enjoy and what you’re comfortable with, and to not worry about what everyone else is doing, or getting from their publisher that you’re not. Put the majority of your efforts into writing your next book—I truly believe it’s the absolute best thing you can do to market yourself. It keeps your readers happy, helps keep your backlist in stock, and helps build your name more than any ad, trailer, or bookmark ever could!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Marvelous Marketer: Mandy Hubbard (author of Prada and Prejudice)

Hi Mandy, thanks for joining us this week! Tell us a little about yourself and your books.

My book on shelves, PRADA AND PREJUDICE, is about a fifteen year old girl who trips in her Prada heels, hits her head, and wakes up in 1815. I have four other books in the pipeline, most notably my August 2010 release, YOU WISH, about a girl whose every birthday wish from the last fifteen years came true-- starting with a life-sized MY LITTLE PONY.

I got started like most do-- querying. I landed an agent in 2006, but it took two years (and nine drafts) for Prada & Prejudice to sell. It's a rather long story, but if you'd like to read about it, I recapped it here, on my blog.

Selling my debut novel (as part of a two book deal) was sort of like breaking through a logjam, and I've sold three other books since. (including a book about Nascar, Driven (June 2010, Harlequin); You Wish (August 2010, Razorbill) and Shattered (Written as Amanda Grace, Flux, 2011)

Blogging has been really amazing for me, but at first, it had nothing to do with marketing. I met my critique partner(s) through livejournal, and I really don't think I ever could have been published without them. I used livejournal as a way to socialize with other writers and document my journey.

I do get a lot of traffic to my blog these days, most notably to the "road to publication" tagged posts. After my book deal, I went back and unlocked the entries dealing with rejection. The ones where I whined and moped that it would never happen. I was hoping that other writers who were struggling with rejection would recognize that we all felt like that at one point, and perseverance is what it takes to get beyond it.


You are very active in the social networking community. How do you use the various channels to get the word out about your book?

I think it's important not to be obnoxious when you're on the social networking platforms. If you be yourself and try to make genuine connections and friendships, you create a far more lasting impression than if you friend everyone with a message about your novel and where they can buy it. I talk to people every day on Twitter and Facebook, but I do it because I enjoy connecting with writers.

I do think it's important to use your real name (or pen name, if you have one) consistently, rather than goofy nicknames that change between the social networks. If your livejournal name is WRITERMAMA45 and your twitter name is Janey Smith, I probably won't even realize you're the same person.

I also make a point to keep my book cover in my avatar or user picture. My book cover is my brand, and people are more likely to remember the image than the title.


In your opinion , what are the top 3 things every author should and must do to promote their book?

A) You absolutely must be google-able. I can't tell you how many opportunities I've had because people were able to find my website or Facebook and send me a message. One of the countries that bought foreign rights contacted me directly, and I was able to forward that to my publisher. I've also set up library visits and talks with writer's groups after someone contacted me. I've discovered my book is in a grocery store chain in California.

In other words: be available for opportunities to strike. If they can't find you, they'll find someone else. If you can't afford a website, use a customizable blog. An example of someone who does this well is Suzanne Young

B) Interviews. I must have done at least thirty or forty by now. But they are free, except for your time, and it gets your book out there.

C) Write another book. All the work in the world isn't going to mean a thing if you don't have another book coming out. This might not seem like a "marketing" type tip, but it truly is--if you want a career, you need more than one book on shelves. Unless you're Jay Asher. Then you can bask in the glory of your awesomeness. (Although, for the record, pretty sure he's writing another book too.... So what are you waiting for?)


You have done some very creative things in terms of marketing. Can you tell us more about the STUPID PRADA SUMMER VAN TOUR?

The Van Tour started as a joke during a chat room conversation. Rhonda Stapleton (author of Stupid Cupid) and Saundra Mitchell (Shadowland Summer) and I were talking about selling our books at truck stops. Truly, it's a stroke of marketing genius, right? Someone needs to provide books to truckers. It ended up spinning into this epic joke about us driving a van across the country, selling our books. Saundra is a graphic design goddess and created funny photoshopped pictures of us. Then we kind of fed off each other and tried to make each tour post more ridiculous than the last.

In planning the tour, we came up with the stops by looking at list of silly tourist attractions (like the giant cow or huge ball of twine) and funny town names (Half.com, Oregon). It was really fun, and we're talking about doing a "world" tour in 2010, for our sophomore releases!

It was funny how many people still thought the tour was real, even though all of our photos of the events were stick figure drawings and we talked about going to a rave with George Washington or doing our signing in the crown of The Statue of Liberty. I even posted a picture of Little Miss Sunshine stealing our van and the guy from fight club. HA.

But yes, basically, we each picked three locations and blogged once per week (My day was Wednesday) an the "tour" lasted three weeks that way, revolving between our blogs. It was a really fun, goofy way to entertain people and talk about our books.

(If you want, you can read the tour recaps).


I was actually one of the people who thought you guys really rented a van! (ha!) After promoting Prada, what would you say is the most important thing you’ve learned about marketing since you began this journey?

This is going to sound vaguely Sesame Street, but I feel like the best thing I've done is just be accessible and helpful to people. I genuinely love this industry and want to see people succeed, and I like answering questions and encouraging people. It seems, in return, people buy my book and talk about it, and I really, truly appreciate that.

Thanks Mandy!

Thanks Shelli

Fabulous Follower Fiesta/Marvelous Marketer: Daisy Whitney

Fabulous Follower Fiesta!

So I made 500 followers over the weekend so this week is a celebration of all of you.

Every day this week, I am doing a drawing from "my posse" for two prize packages. This is just to thank my followers for wasting time and reading my blog. You don't have to do anything to win except be a follower (yes you can sign up now and be considered for the next day's drawing) and the person who wins can only win once. If you comment, I'll add your name to the hat an extra time.

Here are today's winners:

My 500th Follower - Michelle Zink gets a small special gift. Since she gets all the free books she wants and wanted to give back her gift for one of you, I got her a 10$ iTunes card because I know from reading her blog she LOVES LOVES LOVES Music. (Michelle - it was always my plan to give my 500th follower something so it was only fair. Please email me your email and I'll send you your iTunes certificate :) Thanks for taking a chance :)

My first follower - To kick off my Fiesta, I decided to reward one of my first 50 followers for believing in me. The winner of a 20$ B&N gift certificate is Casey McCormick (at Literary Rambles). For those of you who have not had the luck of stumbling on her blog, Casey does weekly Agent spotlights that tell you everything about an agent. I'm talking down to their favorite color. So check her out - you will be happy you did. A Special Thanks to Casey and all my early followers for signing up in the very beginning. (Casey, please email me your address)


Marvelous Marketer: Daisy Whitney (Social Media Guru)

Daisy Whitney is not only adorable and funny (seriously I want to be her friend) but she is a reporter, a Tenner/teen author (her book, The Mockingbirds, will be published by Little, Brown in Fall 2010), a social media guru, producer, on-air correspondent, and a serious vlogger. (Is anyone else jealous now? or feeling a tad inadequate? :)

I asked Daisy to stop by and explain to us "novice vloggers"(who are really just afraid of bad hair days, nasally voices, and the camera's added 10 lbs) why authors should use online videos. Here's her response:




I asked Daisy to give us a couple of great examples of when online videos that are done well and really work.

"Hi Shelli, there are a number of ways authors can produce and make online videos. Some like John Green do so on an ongoing basis. Jon, along with his brother Hank, has become quite popular on YouTube as Brotherhood 2.0/Vlogbrothers. In fact, his videos have done so well he's inspired a whole community of self-declared "Nerdfighters" who are working to reduce "world suck" every day. I urge all writers to check out his vlogs because they are informal, but professional, funny, intelligent and pure Jon! A good takeaway from his videos is be sure to do something that fits your own brand.

Then there's YA author Jackson Pearce. She started making YouTube videos before her first novel As You Wish was published last summer. Her second novel, the Sisters Red, comes out this summer. Her videos are fun and whimsical and she does a good job connecting them to writing without making them all about her books! That's key - you want to find a mix. While videos can help promote your books, you don't want them to feel like constant commercials. Jackson also has developed an online following in advance of release via her videos.

Those two are good examples of ongoing work done by authors who video blog. I also liked Libba Bray's ridiculously silly promotional video for Going Bovine. Rather than a traditional book trailer, she donned a cow suit and wandered around New York City singing bizarre songs, interacting with people and basically practicing absurdities -- all fitting the novel itself!"

Thanks Daisy! :)

Be sure to check out Daisy's informative blog, her upcoming book, and her NewMediaMinute series

Marvelous Marketer: Nathan Bransford (Literary Agent)

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome back to the Monday Marvelous Marketer Series. The series will evolve with some new features this year. To provide your input, please take my poll on the side and give me your ideas on what you would like to see in the series this year.

We start the year off with the one and only Nathan Bransford. I'm sure we all follow his famous blog as he steers us through the publishing world. Today, he's here to share some of his Marketing knowledge.

Hi Nathan, thanks for joining us. As if you are not busy enough! Pretend that some people here don't know who you are and tell us about yourself.

Hi Shelli.

Curtis Brown Ltd. is a New York-based agency that has been representing authors since 1914, and over the years has represented an incredible array of legendary/bestselling authors. I was fortunate to have joined Curtis Brown out of college in 2002 as an assistant in the San Francisco office. I had grown up in a small town in Northern California (my parents are farmers), and living in San Francisco and working in publishing was a dream. I’ve been with Curtis Brown ever since, including a few years in the New York office, before I returned to San Francisco and began building my list in earnest.

I also recently wrote a middle grade novel called JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, which will be published by Dial Books for Young Readers in 2011.

Nathan also runs a very popular blog - if you have not checked it out yet. It is a valuable resource! You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook. It's OK he likes to be cyberstalked! ;)

Congrads on your book deal. Give me a corn dog and space any day! Thinking with both an author hat and agent hat, what do you think are the top 3 things authors should do to promote their book?

I actually only have one thing on the must do list, and that’s to have some sort of Google-able, professional web presence, whether it’s a blog, website, Facebook page… anything that is there on the Internet so that someone in publishing who hears about your work or is looking to contact you can do so easily.

Beyond that, I actually think the best marketing strategy is to recognize your strengths as a potential marketer and to spend your time where it would be best utilized. For instance, some people are really good at pounding the pavement and talking up bookstore owners and arranging appearances and signings. Some people are more introverted and would rather blog and build up their online presence. Others are very plugged in with the media and can utilize those connections to get attention for their book project.

There are many, many ways to promote a book. While I would encourage all authors to do everything they can to promote their work, I think it’s best when authors devote their time and energy where it would be most effective.

Well, you are definitely a great role model when it comes to a cool web presence (aka cool new site) and an extensive platform (aka over 1 million visitors last year). In your mind, what are the major marketing mistakes you see authors make?

• Failing to have a professional web presence – in this day and age it’s essential

• Forgetting the importance of always conducting oneself professionally online and in person. The Internet is always watching.
  

• Feeling like they have to blog or be on Facebook or do this or that just because they think it’s what’s expected. For example, if you don’t have a passion/talent for blogging it doesn’t really pay to blog just for the sake of blogging: a little-trafficked site isn’t going to sell books. Devote your energy to endeavors that will pay off.
  

As an agent, when evaluating whether to take on an author or book, I'm assuming you Google them. What do you look for?

I definitely Google authors to see what their web presence looks like, though I wouldn’t say it’s something that’s terribly important to me.

Having a great book is the most important thing, and a web presence can be developed down the line.

But I do like to get a sense of who I might be working with. That’s why it’s so important to have a very professional online presence and to be mindful of the way you “look” on the Internet – I don’t mean physical appearance, but rather the character of your web presence. Is it professional? Does it present the picture of someone who would be easy to work with? Etc. etc.

How have things changed with agencies promoting their author books? What things do agents/literary agencies do to help promote their author's books?

Traditionally it wasn’t really the agent’s job to promote books, but I think that may be changing somewhat with the times.

Personally I promote my clients’ books on my blog and through my personal online network, and I’m always looking for new ways to effectively market my clients’ works.

And actually, speaking of which, this week I’m having an exciting blog contest for Jennifer Hubbard’s incredible debut YA novel THE SECRET YEAR (Viking), so please stop on by!

Can't wait to see what the contest is for Jennifer! As an agent, what are you looking for in 2010?

I’m always on the lookout for fresh voices and compelling plots. I represent a little everything, so when in doubt please feel free to query me.

Thank you for taking time to stop by!

Thanks Shelli!

Marvelous Marketer: Hayley Gonnason (Publicist at Tricycle Press)

"Thanks for Following this Turkey" contest!

Thanks to everyone who played in last week's contest. The winner is TESS!!!!

Tess, please email me offline to schedule your free consultation and choose your book. :) Congrads!

Marvelous Marketer!


Today we have Hayley Gonnason, a publicist from Tricycle Press.

Hi Hayley! Thanks for joining us today. I am sure everyone is excited to hear from a publishing publicist. But first, tell me a little about yourself, your background/experience, and your role as a publicist.

I got my start as a publicity and sales associate at a small publishing house called Northland Publishing/Rising Moon/Luna Rising, which has since closed. I’ve been a publicist for Tricycle Press, the children’s book imprint of Ten Speed Press, for just over three years.


First let me ask, do you see a difference in publicity vs marketing in the publishing industry?

That’s a pretty difficult question to answer because marketing and publicity often go hand in hand here at Tricycle. A simple way of looking at it is that with marketing we’re spending direct money to promote a book and with publicity we aren’t. My job as publicist is to promote Tricycle Press books to the media to create buzz and make people want to buy our books.


As a publicist with Tricycle Press, can you give us some insight as to what happens in your typical day?

One of the nice things about my job is, there is no “typical” day. I always have to be ready to shift gears. We recently had a book launch party and there was a miscommunication and books were never ordered for the event. When I found out, I had to drop everything to make sure the books were there in time for the event. In the end the launch went off without (as far as people attending knew) a hitch but little things like that come up all the time. When I’m not dealing with stuff like that, I’m working on creating publicity plans for upcoming books, establishing and obtaining relationships with media contacts, and arranging events for authors and illustrators.


What types of publicity do you do for your authors (ARCs, blurbs, signings, materials, collateral)? And, does your role vary by author or is there a set standard of publicity that all authors get?

At Tricycle,the marketing and publicity dept. covers everything you mention above. We create sales materials, arrange events, create collateral to promote the events, solicit blurbs and early reviews, and attend trade shows—and that’s just to start. As publicist I pitch books to the media and if authors/illustrators have a platform that makes for an interesting/newsworthy interview, I pitch them for features.

Lately, I’ve been working to promote one of our fall books by offering interviews with its subject Maggie Gee, an 86-year-old woman who flew with the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) in WWII. Barack Obama passed legislation last summer that honored WASP members with the Congressional Medal of Honor. It’s a highly topical subject.


In your opinion, what are the top 3 things you think your authors should do to promote their books?

We encourage authors to set-up their own websites so that anyone interested in obtaining more information about them and their books, can get to easily.

We advise authors to get on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter. These are also great ways for anyone to get in touch with the author/illustrator. We figure once you build contacts here, it will develop into a way of networking and promoting themselves and their book(s), ultimately leading to sales.

We also encourage authors to participate in school visits and/or book signings. This is great for meeting people in their community and familiarizing booksellers with their book(s). Often times if they’ve met you in person, they’re more likely to recommend the book to potential buyers.


What things do you expect an author to do on their own?

We don’t expect authors—especially first-time authors—to know how to promote their books on their own but we really appreciate them when they try. Some easy and inexpensive ways that authors can spread the word about their new book is to tell their friends, local bookstores, and anyone else who will listen. Many authors are now blogging about their books which is cool. One of our authors travels the country speaking at schools and conferences and she always mentions her books in her presentations and they do very well because they she’s constantly promoting them. That’s not to say that a book won’t be successful if you don’t have a platform but it helps.


What are some creative things you’ve seen your house or authors do in terms of marketing and publicity?

We’re very fortunate in having such creative authors and illustrators who are interested in promoting their books as vigorously they can. When they have a great idea, we do our best to assist them in making it become a reality. For example, last spring we published a great summer read Brand-New Emily and the author mentioned how much she loved Bonne Bell and how fun it would be to do something with them. Running with her idea, we did a joint-promotion with Bonne Bell’s Lipsmackers Lounge where the book was included in a special summer giveaway they were doing. We also arranged several other beach-themed giveaways on websites like Cheerleader and Girl’s Life Magazine. And needless to say, when word got out that the author was giving out Lipsmackers at her events, they were a huge hit!


Thanks for stopping by and sharing some insight with us!

Thanks Shelli!

Marvelous Marketer: Kaylan Adair (Assoc. Editor at Candlewick Press)

Hi Kaylan! Thanks for stopping by today. Can you tell me how you got started in the publishing world?

I started my career in publishing as an editorial intern at Barefoot Books in Cambridge, MA, where I fell in love with children's books. I worked as an editorial assistant at Tuttle Publishing in Boston my first year out of college, and then was hired as an assistant editor at Candlewick Press.

That was five years ago. I'm now an associate editor and work on a range of projects, from picture books through young adult novels.

You can visit us at our company website. We've also just joined the exciting world of Twitter . In addition, we have separate websites for some of our key properties like: OlogyWorld.com, JudyMoody.com, TheNightFairy.com, TheMagiciansElephant.com, and so on.

Regan Castle, our marketing services coordinator, is our corporate Tweeter and does a wonderful job of keeping the world updated on all things Candlewick. We're actively exploring ways to promote ourselves and our authors online and are very excited by the opportunities out there for reaching large audiences.


Yay! We love when publishing houses join the Twitter bandwagon! In your opinion, how important is it for an author to have an online presence.

I think an online presence of some kind is invaluable (for authors as well as for publishers). More and more people turn to the web for information about books and their authors, and the web is a great resource for reaching your target audience. And in this world of reality TV, paparazzi, and instant gratification, fans and consumers are expecting to have more access than ever before to authors -- and these social networking sites can help to satisfy that demand.

That said, I would caution authors not to spread themselves too thin (by signing up for any and every site/space/feed/etc.) or bite off more than they can chew. An inactive blog or Facebook page or Twitter account can be a big turnoff. If you don't have the time to send at least a couple of Tweets each day, Twitter may not be the best tool for you. If you find yourself spending all of your creative energy on your blog posts and having nothing left over for your WIP, then your blog may be doing you more harm than good.

Think long and hard about your schedule, lifestyle, and commitments before you jump into a new online presence and make sure you'll be able to satisfy the demands of your followers.


In addition to having a meaningful online presence, why is it beneficial for authors to team up and promote books as a group?

Absolutely! As marketing budgets are spread thinner and thinner, more pressure is put on authors to do whatever is in their means to market and promote themselves. One great way to make a school visit, book signing, or tour more affordable is to team up with other authors. You can carpool, share hotel rooms, and use the combined powers of your online presences to draw bigger crowds and make the events more worthwhile for all involved. Plus, there is something very comforting and rewarding about networking with people who are in the same boat as you.


Since you feel strongly about an author's online presence, when evaluating whether to take on an author or book on, do you ever google them?

While I'll never turn down a project if an author doesn't have a website, one of the first things I'll suggest they do after signing them up is start a website. If an author has an online presence that I feel is lacking (maybe they have a blog they only update every few months) or inappropriate (perhaps the content of their website or blog isn't appropriate for their book audience), I'll discuss ways in which they can more effectively or appropriately manage their online presence.

It's unrealistic to think that fans of your books won't be able to find your old blog or MySpace page or Twitter account, and so I think it's important for authors to be thinking about their readers even before their book is published.


As an editor, what things do you expect an author to do on their own?

This varies from author to author and book to book, but I think every author ought to have an online presence of some sort. A website is a must (and I'd recommend the website be for the author and not the specific book, though there are exceptions to that) and should include information about your book, details about any public appearances you'll be making, and a way for fans to get in touch with you. I also think a presence on MySpace or Facebook or Twitter (etc.) can be a great resource for keeping your fans up to date on your schedule, your projects, and so on. But don't just throw up a website or blog or join a social networking site for the sake of claiming an online presence; treat it as a legitimate part of your work and set aside time to keep it current and relevant.

Online presences aside, we absolutely encourage our authors to be creative and enthusiastic in the ways they promote themselves and their books. Some authors choose to make and distribute postcards advertising their upcoming releases. Others get in touch with their local schools and bookstores to set up visits or signings. Some make an effort to attend regional conferences and promote (and even sell) their titles while there. Authors should let their publishers know what they're planning and what they're up to, but really we encourage them to be as active in the promotion of their books as they're comfortable being.


Thanks Kaylan for taking some time out for us today!

Thanks so much for having me, Shelli!

Marvelous Marketer: Tammi Sauer (Author, Chicken Dance)

Hi Tammi. Thanks for stopping by today! We appreciate you taking time out of your Chicken Dancing. :) Before we dive into your marketing advice, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m the author of the picture books Cowboy Camp and Chicken Dance as well as the forthcoming titles Mostly Monsterly, Mr. Duck Means Business, Princess-in-Training, and Oh, Nuts! There are two additional titles I’d love to add to the list, but I’m still waiting to sign The Official Paperwork.

Although I thoroughly enjoy what I do, I never planned on being a children’s book writer. I had always assumed I’d grow up to be a third grade teacher, but two sentences from my favorite college professor at Kansas State University—Dr. Marjorie Hancock--changed my life: “Tammi, you have a gift with words. You should pursue publication.” Knowing she believed in me made me believe in myself. Marge, one of the chickens in Chicken Dance, is named in her honor.


I this it's amazing how some of us writers never actually set out to be a writer. We just followed a whim and a passion. How have you gotten yourself out into the writing world?

Online presence has been important. I have two websites and a blog.

The first website is my author site. This site is managed by me which consequently means it’s very basic.

The second website is a site devoted to Chicken Dance. Dan Santat, the book’s illustrator, did a remarkable job putting it together. I sometimes come up with content for that site, but Dan holds the well-deserved title Webmaster. He merits a crown. And maybe a cape.

I also maintain a blog pretty regularly.


I can see you think having an online presence is a good thing :). Given that, what three marketing channels - would you say - are most important to an author or illustrator?

1. A web presence is crucial. At the very minimum authors should have a website. It’s an easy way to let people know who you are, what you write, and how to contact you.

2. The idea of promotions shouldn’t make people want to curl up under their desks with a Dr. Pepper and some frozen Milky Ways. Even the most introverted authors can find ways to promote that fit within their comfort zone. Shrinking Violets offers a goldmine of suggestions that can help the shyest of authors navigate their way into well-maybe-I-can-do-that promotion.

3. Don’t evolve into such a shameless self-promoter that you turn people off. Yes, it’s great to get the word out. Yes, it’s exciting to share your news/joy/every-written-word with the world. But do it in doses people can swallow.


How do you feel about social networking as part of a marketing plan?

I'm on Facebook, LiveJournal, Twitter, Kidlit Book Trailers, and the Verla Kay Blueboards and greatly value these social networks. I’m involved in these networks not because I feel I need to be a Super Serious Promoter but because I enjoy connecting with other readers and writers. Being a children’s book writer can, at times, get a little lonely. It’s wonderful to have these online water coolers. Have I sold copies of my books because of social networking? Yes--and I am grateful for it!--but that is icing. Interacting with others who 'get it'? That’s the cake.


Besides being online as well as involved in social networking, what other advice do you have for authors/writers regarding marketing?

Strive to do something unique. Put a new spin on what others are doing. Make yourself stand out.

Keep your online content fresh. Give your readers a reason to go back to your website, Facebook Fan Page, etc. An easy-to-do example: add a What’s New? section to your website and regularly update it.


What creative things have you done to promote Chicken Dance?

Let’s see…I’ve been known to wear a chicken hat on occasion.

The Chicken Dance website offers freebies, dance lessons, and much, much more. The dance lessons portion is one of my favorites. Dan came up with the idea to post brief videos of us teaching new moves. Currently, Dan’s move “The Bellyache” is available. Every so often, we’ll be adding a new move to keep our readers (and dancers!) coming back for more.

Dan and I have a Chicken Dance Video Contest that offers faaaaabulous prizes. The link to the page and the commercial.

We also have a Chicken Dance Fan Page on Facebook that offers occasional contests, fun videos, and an "On the Road with Elvis Poultry" photo album.

In addition to my own Twitter account, I twitter from the perspective of Elvis Poultry. Always wanted to know about the life and times of a rock and roll rooster? What does he read? What does he eat? What goes on behind the scenes of the Final Doodle Doo Tour? Then follow Elvis Poultry. It’ll have you all shook up.


Did you market yourself to agents/editors before you got published?

I didn’t market myself to agents/editors before I got published. I was so new, it never occurred to me to try. Instead, I studied the craft. I readreadreadreadread. I wrote a really awful manuscript about a grandma and banana bread. But I pushed myself to get better. And better.

I joined SCBWI and attended conferences. I researched publishing houses. I researched agents. And I tried to find the perfect matches for me and for my work. Eventually, those efforts paid off. Not only am I working with some wonderful houses--Sterling, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt, and Bloomsbury--but I have the amazing Laura Rennert for an agent.


Thanks for sharing your marketing advice with us today!

Thanks for having me, Shelli. Thanks, too, for this wonderful site. I've learned so much from my pit stops at Market My Words!