Becky Robinson's Blog, page 11

Episode 99: Finding Balance Between Writing and Marketing with Megan Ericson

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Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about how authors can find a balance between their writing and their marketing efforts. Becky is joined by Megan Ericson–Social Media Marketing Expert, Director of Growth at hope*writers, and Host of Megan’s Social Media Marketing Show–who reveals what authors can do to ease the anxiety that marketing brings, and ensure that their social media channels offer value, while still having time to focus on their writing. 

Key Points From This Episode

[02:01] Megan and Becky discuss the latest social media craze: BeReal. 

[04:16] Learn more about Megan, where she lives, her work in the world, and her connection to authors and writing.

[06:46] Megan reveals what can work well for authors who are toggling back and forth between their writing deadlines and their marketing efforts.

[12:45] Discover Megan’s favorite content scheduling tools and the benefits of each one.

[15:47] Megan shares content ideas for both fiction and nonfiction authors who may be coming up short on creativity and knowing what to post.

[19:41] What would Megan say to an emerging author who doesn’t have a large following or fanbase yet, but wants to reach a larger audience online? She outlines some advice.

[21:41] Megan explains some of the mistakes she sees writers make when they try to get started creating content for social media. 

[26:05] Megan shares some final thoughts about social media marketing.

Action Steps:Investigate one of the scheduling tools– MeetEdgar , Iconosquare , and Later –that Megan mentions. Get started with using one or more of them so that your social media marketing content can be batched. Start keeping track of your social media metrics. Create a spreadsheet where you can log followers, engagement rates, and top-performing posts each month to continue improving your strategies and performance. Resources:Follow Megan on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Explore Megan’s website for opportunities to work with her. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @MeganEricson so they know you enjoyed this episode!

I love writers, and I love their art and that heart to get their really important messages out into the world.  —Megan Ericson  

There are a lot of emotions and feelings all wrapped up in social media when you are a writer. —Megan Ericson 

I call it procrastinating from writing–when writers scroll on social media thinking they’re doing something productive to build their platform, when really the productive thing they could be doing is spending their time off the platform planning and creating the content. —Megan Ericson

All of these platforms are designed to suck you in and keep you on that platform. That’s the big struggle there.  —Megan Ericson

Don’t feel bad if people aren’t responding to your captions at first when you’re starting out, because it is a specialized skill that can be learned. —Megan Ericson

Studies have come back saying that if you include an emoji in your caption, it will perform better than if you don’t. —Megan Ericson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

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The post Episode 99: Finding Balance Between Writing and Marketing with Megan Ericson appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 98: The Power of Storytelling with Steven James

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the power of storytelling for marketing your books. Becky is joined by Steven James–Critically Acclaimed Novelist, Storyteller, and Fiction Instructor–who reflects on his author journey, his experience marketing books, what makes stories so powerful, and the transformational effect they can have on readers and listeners. He even shares some of his favorite stories. 

Key Points From This Episode

[02:59] Steven reveals how many stories he writes each year and how he spaces out his work.

[03:18] Discover the title of Steven’s next book, in addition to the other projects he is working on.

[03:57] What’s so powerful about telling stories? Steven shares. 

[05:49] Steven reveals what it takes to have a good story.

[10:00] Steven gives a brief, but impactful, example of a good story. 

[13:27] What is a signature story? Steven reflects on the concept and shares a story from his own life.

[20:59] Steven explains what his journey with marketing has been like over the years. 

[26:17] Discover some of the successes and struggles of Steven’s marketing journey.

[26:17] Steven reveals how many of his books are published by traditional publishers vs. self-published. 

Action Steps:Think about a story that you regularly tell in your writing or your speaking. Run it through the six elements of a story: character, setting, struggle, pursuit, pivot, and payoff. See if there’s a way that you can adapt your story to be more powerful for your listeners. Think about how you can use the same story over and over in different ways and for different audiences. Resources:Visit Steven’s website to learn more about him, discover his books, and sign up for his newsletter. Pick up a copy of Steven’s latest book, The Art of the Tale , co-authored with Tom Morrisey.Tune in to The Story Blender Podcast. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @readstevenjames so they know you enjoyed this episode!

Stories need two additional factors to really be impactful: The Pivot and The Payoff. —Steven James  

We don’t identify with characters in stories who have the answers. We identify with characters in stories who have the struggles. —Steven James

My experience has been that sometimes the marketers I’ve worked with–the firms–try to put me into a box that’s easy to package and sell. But my stories don’t always fit that way. —Steven James

I would say to anyone who has a book to sell: Make sure that it’s really the best that you have. —Steven James

I want to be able to look someone in the eye and say, “Yes, my book is worth your time.” —Steven James

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 98: The Power of Storytelling with Steven James appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 97: Finding Your Niche as a Fiction Author with Jody Sperling

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Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode focuses on how fiction authors can identify their niche and use it to expand their reach. Becky is joined by Jody Sperling–Author and Host of The Reluctant Book Marketer Podcast–who shares his best advice for identifying your target audience, engaging with other fiction authors in your genre, growing a following, and building collaborative relationships with those followers. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:17] Jody shares about himself and his work in the world.

[03:18] Jody reveals what’s different for fiction writers when it comes to marketing their work.

[04:41] Are there similarities between fiction writing and real estate investing? Jody compares the two and elaborates on the idea of finding a niche.

[06:26] Jody explains how authors can apply lessons from real estate investing when trying to identify and solidify their niche.

[08:23] How can you find people who are writing in the same genre as you? Jody shares his strategy. 

[09:40] Questions can be a powerful way to build collaborative relationships with other authors and their audiences. Jody explains this concept in more detail.

[11:16] Jody reveals the questions that he asks authors that compel them to form a deeper relationship with him.  

[13:20] Jody discusses how much time he spends on Twitter trying to find authors to collaborate with and identify audiences for his work.

[14:37] Discover how a fiction author can identify and articulate who the people are who are in their niche.

[15:26] What if you don’t know what your genre is? Jody provides some guidance.

[16:01] Do hashtags matter? Jody explains why he doesn’t use them to find people in this niche.

[16:43] Jody shares his advice for utilizing TikTok to identify new audiences and authors.

[17:47] Learn how much time Jody invests in TikTok.

[18:42] Jody shares some final thoughts about the idea of collaborating with other authors to identify more readers in your niche.

[21:44] Jody reveals other ways he is targeting his efforts to attract the right authors and audiences. 

Action Steps:Create three powerful questions that you would ask an authority in your space. Use those questions to start connecting with people and defining your niche.Ask those same questions to the community you have built already. Make yourself available for the next 15 minutes to engage with anybody who answers your questions.Resources:Check out Jody’s podcast, The Reluctant Book Marketer, and listen to his recent episode with Becky! Follow Jody on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, and join his Facebook group.Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @jodyjsperling so they know you enjoyed this episode!

The novel speaks for itself. The novel is the object that you want people to buy. —Jody Sperling 

I go into Twitter and I look for people who have publishing deals that are still a year away and are announcing that they have a forthcoming novel. I build a relationship with those people that are writing in the same genre as I am. —Jody Sperling 

Almost everybody gravitates towards Twitter. It is just a really great social media platform for fiction. —Jody Sperling

Once you build relationships with authors, you need to be careful not to rely on authors as your customers. —Jody Sperling

Twitter is a powerful place where you can meet other authors in your similar genre, engage with them, and collaborate–not so that the other authors are your customer, but so that you can get to know other readers as a result of the engagement that’s happening. —Becky Robinson 

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

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The post Episode 97: Finding Your Niche as a Fiction Author with Jody Sperling appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 96: Sponsorships for Authors with Stephanie Chandler

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Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode focuses on how authors can seek sponsorships from corporations. Becky is joined by Stephanie Chandler–Founder and CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association and Writers Conference–who provides an in-depth explanation of what sponsorships are, how authors can find sponsors, the kind of services that sponsors will pay for, and how to decide if a sponsor is the right fit. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:36] Stephanie shares about herself, her work, and her books.

[03:26] Why would organizations want to sponsor authors? Stephanie reveals the answer.

[04:35] Stephanie explains how big an author’s platform or audience needs to be in order to attract a sponsor. 

[05:33] There are several things that sponsors would pay for authors to do. Stephanie shares a few examples.

[07:14] Stephanie gives her advice on how authors should sift through companies that approach them for sponsorships. 

[08:23] Can an author successfully attract sponsorships by reaching out to organizations? Discover the answer. 

[10:03] Stephanie shares some real-world examples of sponsor agreements that she is familiar with.

[12:23] Discover the range of fees that a sponsor will pay for an author agreement.

[13:37] Stephanie gives advice for deciding whether or not a sponsor is the right fit.

[14:16] Stephanie reveals how PR firms can be helpful in attracting sponsors. 

[15:16] Learn what should be included in a sponsor pitch and how long it should be.

[17:08] Stephanie provides her suggestions for the subject line of emails that contain an author’s sponsor pitch. 

[18:18] What kind of increased revenue could someone expect if they start to seek out sponsorships? Stephanie explains. 

[19:29] Stephanie shares her final thoughts about authors and sponsorships.

Action Steps:If you’re a nonfiction author, sign up to become a member of Stephanie’s Nonfiction Authors Association . Take a look and explore what Stephanie and her team are doing.Sit down and figure out who the companies are that you want to target for sponsorships. Start making your list of potential companies and organizations that would benefit from working with you, and then start doing the research to find their contact information.Resources:Explore the websites for the Nonfiction Authors Association and the Nonfiction Writers Conference. Get your copy of Stephanie’s book, The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan .Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

For smaller audiences, maybe you can get away with 5,000 to 10,000 followers. But for a large type of audience, whether it’s health or wellness or small business, I would say 10,000 plus followers are needed to really get attention. —Stephanie Chandler 

There are lots and lots of ways that sponsors are willing to pay for access to your audience. —Stephanie Chandler 

Asking more questions can help you figure out if the sponsorship opportunity is worth pursuing. —Becky Robinson

You have to believe in any product or service that you’re going to promote. And if you don’t, then you decline that and you move on to someone who’s a better fit. —Stephanie Chandler

Any pitch that you ever send to anybody should be short and sweet and to the point. —Stephanie Chandler

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

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The post Episode 96: Sponsorships for Authors with Stephanie Chandler appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 95: The Book Launch Process Part II: Katherine Golub Interviews Becky Robinson

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Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is the second part in a mini-series where Katherine Golub–Career, Leadership, and Executive Coach for Nonprofit Leaders and People Committed to Social Justice–interviews Becky about the book launch process. Katherine, who is working on her first book, continues asking Becky all of her most pressing questions about developing a book marketing plan, generating a launch team, starting a podcast, and more so that she can reach the biggest possible audience with her message.

Key Points From This Episode

[02:41] How many books should an author realistically expect to sell in the first year of launch? Becky answers this most often asked question.

[08:05] Becky explains why an author should focus more on showing up for people in any way they can, as opposed to only booking speaking events. 

[12:08] Becky reveals how many people an author should plan to have on their launch team and how personal outreach can increase reviews.

[16:13] If an author wants to start a podcast, what resources can they utilize to make the process easier? Becky shares advice and resources from her own experience. 

Action Steps:Think for a moment about the content that you’re using to add value to your audience. Consider whether there may be some new initiative that you could start and what new content you could bring to your audience as you continue to grow the reach of your work.Say yes to every opportunity that you have to share the message of your book with others. Jot down two or three groups that you may be able to reach out to who might be interested in–or see value in–your book’s content.If you have a group that could benefit from Becky’s ideas in Reach , send Becky an email and invite her to speak to your audience. She will say yes, if she can.Resources:Explore Katherine’s website and sign up for her email newsletter.Follow Katherine on Instagram. Discover the organizations Becky partnered with when she first started her podcast: Podfly and Podcast Fast Track. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @katherine_golub and @beckyrbnsn so they know you enjoyed this episode!

Any book that sells more than about 5,000 copies in a year, as it relates to a small independent publisher, is doing pretty well. —Becky Robinson

You really do have to have that long-term view that your book is a valuable tool in your work and business over time. And just keep looking for more ways to find new audiences. —Becky Robinson

It’s not necessarily speaking that’s critical so much as it is showing up for people. —Becky Robinson

You want to make your outreach to your launch team as personal as possible and as individualized as possible. —Becky Robinson

Books are seeds, and my book being in the world is better than my book not being in the world. —Becky Robinson

Take the number of reviews that you want in the first month and multiply that number by four to get the number of books that you need to send out to achieve your goal.  —Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 95: The Book Launch Process Part II: Katherine Golub Interviews Becky Robinson appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 94: Longevity with Dorie Clark

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is part of a series where Becky will be taking an in-depth look at the four commitments of her new book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause. Today Becky is joined by Dorie Clark – a recognized communication coach and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You, and Stand Out.

During the episode, Dorie and Becky discuss the fourth commitment of Reach: Longevity.

Dorie shares about the impact of earning your success, which is a road with no shortcuts or magic wands. She emphasizes that if we want to make an impact with our ideas, then we need to be prepared to do what is necessary to make those things happen – put in the time and energy. 

Key Points From This Episode

[03:01] Dorie shares her approach to marketing The Long Game and the different techniques she used when marketing her previous books.

[05:25] Learn more about how Dorie prioritized the marketing of all her books.

[07:16] Dorie reveals how to realistically make a bestseller list, including how long her book was on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. 

[11:33] What advice for first-time authors does Dorie have for authors to build longevity and make a list? She shares her biggest learning moments.

[13:32] Discover Dorie’s retrospective insights about launching her previous books.

[15:56] Dorie shares her belief in “playing the long game” and her deep realization that there is a balance between patience and proactiveness.

[15:56] Dorie explains her journey doing TEDx talks and how long it took her to have one talk reach 1 million views currently.

[19:59] Dorie lays the foundation for a concept called “strategic patience” and how those who value longevity will see the fruits of their labor.

[22:34] Listen to hear Dorie expound on setting expectations on time, how many years it can take to build influence, and why the consistent effort of sharing your ideas is paramount.

[28:32] Dorie talks about how anyone wanting to make an impact has to “play the long game.” There might be detours but no shortcuts. 

[30:58] Dorie closes out the interview with important resources to help listeners become long-term thinkers in their lives and careers.

Action Steps:Read The Long Game . In her book, Dorie shares principles and frameworks guiding readers through doing small things over time to achieve our goals—and being willing to keep at them, even when they seem pointless, boring, or hard.Download Free Assessment. You can find Dorie’s 42- page Stand Out Self-Assessment Workbook on her website.Listen to Dorie’s TEDx Talk. With over 1 million views currently, Dorie’s TedX talk shares three hidden reasons people fall into an endless loop of feeling constantly busy, and invites you to question what really motivates how you spend your time.Resources:Explore Dorie’s other books. Follow Dorie on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @dorieclark and @beckyrbnsn so they know you enjoyed this episode!

If you keep working the process, if you do keep doing the right things, good, good things will happen.  — Dorie Clark

Success is something that we work for, and we work for it over time. — Dorie Clark

Success is a process, and it is a process that does not necessarily look like a straight line. — Dorie Clark

Everybody would like for success to come rapidly… it just almost always takes a lot longer than you want it to.  — Dorie Clark

There is virtue in plugging away…because you have been doing the work.  — Dorie Clark

So much positive comes when you just keep chopping the wood and carrying the water.  — Dorie Clark

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 94: Longevity with Dorie Clark appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 93: The Book Launch Process: Katherine Golub Interviews Becky Robinson

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is part of a mini-series where Katherine Golub–Career, Leadership, and Executive Coach for Nonprofit Leaders and People Committed to Social Justice–interviews Becky about the book launch process. Katherine, who is working on her first book, asks Becky all of her most pressing questions about the time, effort, resources, and connections needed to successfully launch a book and reach the biggest possible audience.  

Key Points From This Episode

[01:30] Katherine shares about herself and her work. 

[05:17] Becky shares some of the necessary steps that can be taken in order to cultivate an effective launch team.

[08:22] Learn how an author can find small, but impactful ways to create new content related to their book.  

[12:12] How can an author cultivate and maintain relationships with people on their launch team? Becky reveals the answer.

[17:52] Becky discusses who an author should reach out to for book endorsements and how many endorsements are needed.

[22:14] Learn about the “working phase” of the book launch process. 

[25:42] Becky shares her advice for how an author can create exclusive offers, events, or connections to something they care about that their launch team can engage with. 

[30:37] Discover more of Becky’s advice for keeping connections engaged in a book launch and making it meaningful for each individual.

[33:56] Becky reveals her thoughts about launch events. 

[38:55] Interested in virtual launch events? Becky shares some helpful ideas. 

Action Steps:If you’re an author who has not secured endorsements for your book yet, take a few moments to jot down a list of people you might ask to endorse your book.Write down some words that you hope people will say about your future book and tuck them away for when you are ready to ask for endorsements.Resources:Explore Katherine’s website and sign up for her email newsletter.Follow Katherine on Instagram. Order Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause.Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @katherine_golub and @beckyrbnsn so they know you enjoyed this episode!

Anywhere longer than six months before your book comes out, I call the building phase. And what you want to do during that phase is add as many connections and contacts as you can. —Becky Robinson

If you’re thinking about doing a foreword to a book, I would say go with someone who knows you–who you expect to get a yes from–more than going for a bigger name. —Becky Robinson

Don’t overlook the importance of having diversity represented amongst the people you ask to endorse your book. —Becky Robinson

You want to make your outreach to your launch team as personal as possible and as individualized as possible. —Becky Robinson

Adding a donation component to a book marketing plan can certainly engage people in different ways and also help you stay connected to what’s most important to you. —Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 93: The Book Launch Process: Katherine Golub Interviews Becky Robinson appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episodes 84-88: What To Expect During Launch Week

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For any author, launching a book is one of the biggest events of their life. It’s filled with an array of emotions, from excitement to stress to elation to letdown and more. As the founder of Weaving Influence, Becky Robinson knows how to market a book but she discovered firsthand what it takes to launch a book and she shares her experience in a series of podcasts recorded daily during her own launch week for her book, Reach. Below are recaps of each of those episodes.

Episode 84: Making Space for Launch Week 

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Launch week began by making space to savor the process and reflect on the journey. Becky talks about the working phase of a book launch and all the ins and outs of preparing for launch day. 

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE: Becky explains the importance of having support for a book launch and gives an overview of the people on her team who helped her manage the various aspects of her book launch.Showing up strong to your launch week is important. Becky shares the gift she gave herself during launch week: blocking time and making space to really just focus on launch day. Action Steps:Block your calendar. If you have a big event coming up, give yourself the space to savor everything that comes along with it. Ask for support. Launching a book or any other major event is a big deal. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your team, your network, and others to get the support you need to make it a success.Resources:If you have any questions about how Weaving Influence can support you in your book launch journey, email becky@weavinginfluence.com. To create the largest possible audience for your message, book, or cause, pick up a copy of Becky’s book, Reach. Episode 85: Launch Day 

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The big day is finally here! Becky shares all the activities and emotions of the launch, and what to expect on your launch day when you’re promoting a book. 

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE: Becky shares a behind-the-scenes look at what happens on launch day and gives a shout-out to Team Buzz Builder, the Weaving Influence launch team members. If you want others to support you, you want to offer support to others. Becky shares how amplifying the work of another author can have big rewards for your own special day. ACTION STEPS: Amplify others. Look for ways you can boost another author’s work. Sign up to be a launch team member. You’ll get to experience a launch in advance of your own.Episode 86: What Do You Do After Launch Day 

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Launch day may be over but the work has only just begun! Becky shares how to evaluate your traction on Amazon, especially related to reviews and sales rank.

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE: Becky discusses the importance of Amazon reviews and how marking reviews as helpful can amplify those positive reviews, letting other buyers see the value of the book through those reviews.Everyone wants to be a bestselling author but it’s not that simple. Becky walks us through how to rank as a #1 New Release on Amazon and shares the number of sales needed to rank on a bestsellers list (like The New York Times). ACTION STEPS:Practice asking people to buy your book. It’s not the most comfortable ask but if you want to accelerate your ranking, you’ll need book sales to support that ranking. Consider ways to increase participation. Do you have a special offer that can encourage your book launch team and others to leave a review or share on social? A signed bookplate, a special download code, etc. are all ways to get others excited about the book.Episode 87: Letdown Is Normal

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When you feel let down or notice that your momentum is slowing, what can you do? Becky shares her personal experiences with letdowns and how you can sustain energy for your book marketing over time.

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE: Marketing a book doesn’t stop once the launch day is over. Becky shares why launch day is just the starting point to the long-term success of your book.Experiencing letdown is normal in the post-launch days. The noise may soften and your Amazon ranking might drop but there are still a lot of ways you can amplify your message. Don’t be discouraged! ACTION STEPS:Content is Queen! Look at the content that’s performing well and create more of it if you want to expand the audience for your book. Feel all the emotions. Give yourself space to feel the different emotions because you’ll go through them all: joy, disappointment, letdown, etc. Episode 88: How Will You Measure the Success of Your Launch

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How do you measure the success of your book launch campaign? Becky shares some typical metrics and introduces a few metrics you may not have considered. 

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE: Let’s talk metrics. Becky shares some common metrics that authors use to measure success: book sales, Amazon reviews, media placements, and social media sharing.How else can you measure success? Becky asks you to consider measuring other ways you benefitted from the book launch through interaction, inspiration, and joy.ACTION STEPS:Share the value of your book daily. If you’re post-launch, try one activity per day to share the value of your book with others. Think about who you didn’t reach. Think about who you might have missed during your launch week in terms of outreach. Take five minutes and make a list of people for whom you think your book might make a difference.

If you found value in these launch week episodes, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

Click here for our free resources. 

Register for one of the “Reach More Readers” workshops.

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Episode 92: Current Social Trends and TikTok with Christy Kirk

Photo by Konstantin Savusia / 123rf.com

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Welcome to Season 3 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

On today’s episode, Becky is joined by Christy Kirk – Vice President of Client Services at Weaving Influence. During their time together, Christy breaks down some of the latest research she has conducted on the usage of various social media platforms. Christy stays on the cutting edge of social media trends, and she reveals amazing insights about a platform that many thought leaders are hesitant to try: TikTok. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:53] Christy breaks down the latest numbers on how people are using social media and explains why there is a real opportunity for nonfiction leaders to utilize TikTok right now. 

[06:32] People have shifted in how they use social media and how much time they spend on each platform. Christy reveals that TikTok has a growing audience and shares advice about how thought leaders can make their mark on the platform. 

[09:16] Christy explains some of the opportunities for growth on TikTok and why it’s important to always be ready to branch out and try something new on social media.

Action Steps:Do your own research. Look at your Google Analytics and find out which social media platforms are directing traffic to your website. If you have a platform that is doing most of the heavy lifting, focus your efforts there. See if TikTok is something you can do. Consider whether or not you could commit to it regularly and consistently. This is the time to do it.Always be looking, listening, and reacting to what is happening on social media. What worked yesterday may not work today, but it might work again tomorrow. Have fun and get out there and share your message with the world.Resources:If you have any questions about how Weaving Influence can support you in crafting a custom social media strategy, email becky@weavinginfluence.com for information about working with Christy. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

The pandemic has changed so much of life and it’s changed how we’ve consumed social media. —Christy Kirk

If you’re on TikTok what does that mean for you? It means you have the opportunity to reach an audience of 1 billion people. —Christy Kirk

TikTok has the largest average usage per day of any social media platform. —Christy Kirk 

TikTok wants authenticity. They want to feel like they’re connecting with people. —Christy Kirk

Don’t fall in love with what you’re doing on social, because social media and how we use it changes. —Christy Kirk

People are hungry for what you have to share, and they want to hear from you. —Christy Kirk

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

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The post Episode 92: Current Social Trends and TikTok with Christy Kirk appeared first on Weaving Influence.

June 2022 Leadership Development Carnival

Weaving Influence has the privilege of hosting the June 2022 Leadership Development Carnival! We’re excited to share posts from leadership experts from around the globe on the topics of communication, development, engagement, motivation, productivity, team building, and more.

Communication

Jennifer V. Miller writes 6 Phrases to Get a Derailed Conversation Back on Track. Jennifer summarizes: “Conversation gone off the rails? Communication snafus? Get back on track with one of these six statements.” Find Jennifer on Twitter at @JenniferVMiller.

Diana Peterson-More shared The Importance of Using Neutral Language in the Workplace. Diana explains: “We, humans, are a bundle of many things: We are intellectual, rational, and emotional beings, and we don’t leave our emotions at the door. Yet, words can be swords or shields, and the words we chose can unite or divide us.” Find Diana on Twitter at @DianaPMAuthor.

Development

Frank Sonnenberg contributed Compliments Are Not Always Helpful. Frank explains: “Fishing for compliments is not always in your best interests. If you discourage folks from pointing out your shortcomings, you’ll never grow.” Follow Frank on Twitter at @fsonnenberg.

Marcia Reynolds of Covisioning Transformational Leadership provided The One Word That is Holding You Back. Marcia shares: “No matter if you are clear about what you want to create or change in your future, if you use this one word, you will stop yourself from moving forward.” Connect with Marcia on Twitter at @marciareynolds.

Sean Glaze of Great Results Team Building shared Five Crucial Questions Leaders Must Answer to Build a Positive & Profitable Workplace Culture. Sean writes: “The most successful managers and leaders have discovered that while strategy is about what you want to get done, it is workplace culture that determines how well your people will execute on those plans.” Find Sean on Twitter at @leadyourteam.

Lorrie Coffey of Horizonpointconsulting explains Is Your Organization in the Learning Zone? Lorrie writes: “A few years ago, I worked with a client that was going through some major changes and employee morale was at rock bottom. As I began speaking with employees one theme stood out, employees didn’t feel safe speaking up. They were working in an organization that fell into the Anxiety Zone.” Follow Lorrie on Twitter at @ohmyHR. 

Marcella Bremer of Positive Culture contributed Transformational Change for Organizations. Marcella considers: “Organizations can make a positive contribution to the current transition. But they need to change fast. Learn from Jan Rotmans, professor of transition science, what agility and resilience mean – and see how that connects to a positive organizational culture with a positive purpose.” Follow Marcella on Twitter at @MarcellaBremer.

Priscilla Archangel of Archangel & Associates provided Leading a Remote or Hybrid Team. Priscilla writes: “Some leaders are reluctantly moving forward with a remote or hybrid workforce while trying to figure out how to reinforce the culture when their in-person time with staffers is limited. But it’s still a time of conflicting expectations, and everyone needs greater clarity on the way forward.” Follow Priscilla on Twitter at @PrisArchangel. 

Julie Winkle Giulioni shared Redefining Ambition and Career Development. Julie explains: “Many definitions of ‘leadership’ exist; but the ones that always resonate for me involve an element of bringing people along, helping them grow and progress, and facilitating their development as people and their careers.” Julie on Twitter at @julie_wg.

Bill Treasurer of Giant Leap Consulting contributed What is Essential to Leadership? Bill explains: “What makes it difficult to prioritize what’s most essential to leadership is that we judge our leaders against too many criteria. Plus, what’s essential for a senior leader is probably not the same thing as what’s essential for a new leader. Given that, what would you include in your leadership program?” Follow Bill on Twitter at @btreasurer.

S. Chris Edmonds of The Purposeful Culture Group provided Culture Leadership Charge: Find Your Sweet Spot. In this video post, Chris shares: “Team members bring their best when they are respected and validated in ways that seamlessly include them . . . that involve them in options and decisions . . . and that gives them legitimate influence in their work and workplace. Anything less erodes engagement, service, and results, every time.” Follow Chris on Twitter at @scedmonds.

Jon Verbeck provided Cash Flow: Examine to Enhance. Jon writes: “Smart leaders understand the value of cash flow. There are ways to enhance it without getting too complicated. Here’s help for your small business!” Follow Jon on Twitter at @jonverbeck1. 

Ken Byler of Higher Ground Consulting Group contributed The Problem with Projection. Ken writes: “Why is it so easy to spot even the smallest sign of weakness in others while failing to acknowledge how large this problem may be in our life?”

Dana Theus of InPower Coaching writes Signs of a Toxic Boss: How Good People Can Succeed In the Executive Suite. Dana explains: “We’re very aware of the signs of a toxic boss and don’t want to be that. We strive to figure out how to be authentic, supportive of our team and successful at reaching the top even though we are not completely sure doing all that is even possible.” Find Dana on Twitter at @DanaTheus. 

Angela Hummel of Angela Hummel Consulting writes What We Permit, We Promote. Angela shares: “Top dogs. Cash cows. Highly compensated. Outstanding salespersons. No matter the name, they are prized across all industries. Yet, what do leaders do when these top performers behave poorly? These team members get results and sometimes behave badly in the process. Turning a blind eye to poor behavior from anyone on the team is never the best choice, even for the top performers. What we permit, we promote.” Follow Angela on Twitter at @AngelaJHummel. 

Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership provided Great Teachers and Great Leaders. Wally explains: “She was the kind of teacher that students remember decades later. People live life differently because of her. Teachers and leaders have a lot in common.” Connect with Wally on Twitter at @WallyBock.

Randy Conley of Leading with Trust shared The 4 Letter Word Leaders Need to Use More Often at Work. Randy shares: “You can probably think of several four-letter words leaders would like to use more often at work, but there is one in particular that is critically underused by leaders. In this post, Randy Conley discusses the four-letter word that leaders need to use that will boost the performance and morale of their teams.” Connect with Randy on Twitter at @RandyConley.

ENGAGEMENT

Michael Lee Stallard shared Now is a Critical Time to Create an Upward Spiral of Positivity. Michael explains: “Negative emotions in the workplace — particularly worry, stress, sadness and anger — have been rising for years, peaking in 2020, according to recent research by the Gallup Organization. Today’s prevalence of negative emotions begs the question: How can leaders cultivate a culture that produces a steady flow of positive emotions? And besides making the relational culture more enjoyable and less stressful, why is this important?” Follow Michael on Twitter @michaelstallard.

Laura Schroeder of Working Girl provided Manager Burnout. Laura shares: “Are your managers at higher risk of burnout? Recent research suggests yes, and this short video explores the problem and what steps companies can take to better support leaders.” Connect with Laura on Twitter at @workgal.

David Grossman of The Grossman Group provided Trust in the Workplace: 10 Steps to Build Trust with Employees. David shares: “A leader’s ability to engage, inspire, and motivate employees is based on trust. Here are 10 ways that leaders at all levels can build trust in the workplace by aligning actions with words.” Follow David on Twitter at @ThoughtPartner.

Paula Kiger of Big Green Pen shared Workplace Values Can Help Increase Hiring, Retention. Paula writes: “Every employer can learn lessons from B Corps about how to live their workplace values. Doing so can help attract phenomenal employment candidates and increase employee retention.” Connect with Paula on Twitter @biggreenpen.

team building

Jim Taggart of Changing Winds shared What Kind of Team Player Are You? Jim considers: “Each of us has a personality preference to how we approach work, establish relationships with co-workers, and engage in collaborative learning. In the context of team players, the challenge is for each of us to understand our preferred style and to use it effectively.” Follow Jim on Twitter at @JlcTaggart.

Ken Downer of Rapid Start Leadership provided Lines for Leaders: Hire 40 Men. Ken shares: “Milton Hershey had his share of failures, but he revealed one of the secrets of his success one day when he turned to his foreman and told him, ‘Hire 40 men.’ His approach to team-building, and these two questions, can help us leave a leadership legacy or our own that is worth remembering.” Follow Ken on Twitter @RapidStartLdr.

Creativity/Inspiration

Steve DiGioia contributed 5 Things Pro Wrestling Teach Us About Customer Service. Steve writes: “Ok, so I’m a wrestling fan. So what? Maybe you are too. There are millions of us. And we watch it every week. I’ve been doing that since I was a teenager. I have many fond memories as a kid watching some of the greats like Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, Andre the Giant, Chief Jay Strongbow, George the Animal Steele, and many more. So, what 5 things can pro wrestling teach us about customer service? Here they are.” Find Steve on Twitter at @stevedigioia.

Brenda Yoho writes The Colander. Brenda explains: “Our lives are being drained of valuable resources we need. We are pulled in many directions at every moment of the day and the hamster wheel of life moves faster with never enough time to catch up so it seems. We are fighting against ‘Drainout’ and the colander helps to rinse, but are we also holding on to things we do not need.” Find Brenda on Twitter at @BrendaYoho. 

Neal Burgis of Successful Solutions contributed When Great Minds Don’t Think Alike. Neal explains: “Too many people think like others in their team so they don’t want to get criticized or they can’t think of their own ideas. Companies want new ideas and give employees the opportunity to generate their own. Take advantage of the opportunity as this is becoming the trend.” Follow Neal on Twitter at @exec_solutions.

Productivity

Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group shared Let Joy Be Your Lesson. Lisa shares: “A little laughter, a little smile, a little love, a little hope, a little joy – these all go a long way to make the hard journeys a bit less hard and the tough work a bit less tough. We just have to be willing to find these and to let them be our lessons every day.” Connect with Lisa on Twitter at @ThoughtfulLdrs.

Art Petty provided Leadership Caffeine—Mine (and Mind) Your Mistakes for Growth. Art shares: “Our mistakes in pursuit of learning are the burpees, extra gym time, and leg days of our mental fitness for most of us. For those where mistakes are measured in cost or time (not life impact or safety), your mistakes measure how hard you are pushing yourself to grow. While making a mistake never feels good, your response to the situation determines your return-on-misfire (ROM).” Follow Art on Twitter at @artpetty.

Thank you to everyone who submitted articles for this month’s carnival! If you would like to be added to the distribution list for submission calls, please fill out this form and we’ll be happy to add you to the list.

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