We CAN! promote our books

Good Cheer Marketing

Tis’ the season for spreading good cheer! Have you thought of spreading some good cheer into your marketing strategy this month? One of my favorite forms of marketing is that of goodwill, the kind where you simply do good things that allow customers to see that you care about more than making money, selling books, or booking speeches--marketing that asks for nothing in return.

Spreading good cheer may ask for nothing in return, but it returns nonetheless! The return comes in the form of good thoughts, gratitude, and often sales (though you didn’t even have to ask).

Newsletter Etiquette: Are You Minding Your Manners?

Not long ago, I received an email from an author that I didn't know (or know of). It was the first communication that I've ever had with her and it was a book announcement...I think.  The body of the email was simply a graphic, so from my older blackberry it looked blank. Fortunately for her, the subject line made me think it was a request for my services, so I checked it on my computer. The graphic included a header, a picture of the book, and a brief convoluted explanation about the topic of the book, ending with an offer to provide fact sheets and videos if needed. Come to think of it, maybe this wasn’t a book announcement, but a solicitation for speaking engagements. There was no call to action or purpose statement in the email, so I’m honestly not sure. To top it all off, I scrolled down to see how to unsubscribe and there simply wasn't an option. 

After a little research, I'm certain this author is a very sweet person and didn't have any bad intentions. She probably just isn't up-to-date on technology and online marketing. Regardless, the result of her well-intentioned email was a reader left more confused than convinced. 

Is a Broad Audience Too Much of a Good Thing?

 
Rachel Randolph here. Is your book for everyone? Were you thoughtful in including stories that would reach a 25-year old Christian woman in the south as well as a 70-year old Catholic man in the north? With an audience that size, you shouldn't have a problem selling your books. Right? 

Wrong.

If you've already published a book traditionally, your publisher likely narrowed this down with you. But, if you are self-published or in the process of pitching your book to agents and publishers, it's crucial that you know exactly who your audience is. It will affect every aspect of marketing your book and could prevent you from wasting money and time marketing to the wrong audience.

Five Minute Book Marketing

Hi, I'm Rachel Randolph and this is my first post here at The Christian Authors Network. I actually started reading this blog before I met Janice Thompson at a writer's group in the Houston area last year. (Shout out to my Words for the Journey peeps!) When Janice invited me to join CAN as an industry pro, I was both flattered and thrilled. I've been learning from you guys for years and now I get a chance to give back each month.

Most of my posts will be related to marketing, publicity, and social media. If you have any specific topics you'd like to learn about or questions answered, please let me know. I've included a brief bio at the bottom of this post if you want to know more about me or my book marketing company RedCouch PR.