Becky Robinson's Blog, page 6

Episode 131: The Power of Sharing Personal Stories

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 5 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

In the first episode of Season 5, Becky talks to Sarah Fay���private Substack consultant, award-winning author at HarperCollins, and a member of the faculty at Northwestern University. Listen as Sarah discusses her personal journey through the mental health system and her decision to share her stories through writing. She also talks about her experience with landing a book deal, how she discovered Substack, and how impactful the platform has been for her writing career.  

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:17] Sarah shares about herself and her work in the world. 

[03:39] Sarah discusses her cats and the life changes that helped her recover. 

[06:05] Find out what inspired Sarah to share about her mental health journey in such an open way.

[13:15] Sarah talks about how she landed her first book deal and the motivation behind writing her memoir, Pathological. 

[19:08] Sarah shares some of the expectations vs. reality of selling a book. 

[24:30] How did Sarah build an online audience prior to the release of her first book? She reveals the approaches she took. 

[28:53] (AD) Learn about our Book Marketing Strategy Live Course.

[30:27] Sarah talks about her decision to serialize her second book, Cured, using Substack and explains the concept of serialization.

[37:07] Sarah explains why she also released a serialized audio version of Cured. 

[40:32] Sarah addresses some of the controversy surrounding Substack and explains why she loves the platform. 

[48:47] Hear about Sarah���s journey with Substack and how much money a typical writer might expect to make on the platform. 

[54:22] Sarah shares her best tips for people who want to show up in a more authentic way with their personal stories. 

Action Steps:

Investigate Substack and subscribe to Sarah���s Substack pages: Substack Writers at Work and Cured . Start thinking about writing for readers on Substack. Consider how you can show up on the platform and the stories you have to share with readers.

Resources:

Sign up for Sarah���s brand new course, ���Your Substack Success Blueprint: Create, Design, and Grow Your Substack.��� Read Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum, recommended by Sarah. Get a copy of Sarah���s first book, Pathological .Read the serialized version of Sarah���s second book, Cured . 

Key Quotes:

What’s beautiful about writing a book is I was in control. I got to decide how much I shared, and I was very open about my experience. ���Sarah Fay

It’s not that I’m against diagnoses, but it felt like I’d lost 25 years of my life. I believed so much in them that I identified as them. ���Sarah Fay 

I’ve always been obsessed with punctuation. I love it. I think it is a writer’s greatest tool. It’s a second way of communicating. It’s like hand gestures and facial expressions with words. We get to say so much in a comma and in a dash, and that has always interested me. ���Sarah Fay

Yes, I got a six-figure book deal. Yes, I had the dream come true. I had what every author wants, but I had no idea what to expect when the book came out and how hard it is to sell a book. ���Sarah Fay

I believe that platforms, ultimately, are a reflection of the people who run them. ���Sarah Fay

By having my book out there, by telling my story, I’m showing that I’m not ashamed. ���Sarah Fay

Just know that you’re so much more interesting and so much more talented than you think you are. ���Sarah Fay

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

Read our latest article based on key takeaways from this episode.��

Explore our archives! Listen to Becky���s five favorite episodes:

Episode 125 with Michael Bungay StanierEpisode 121 with Juliet StarrettEpisode 112 with Clint Pulver Episode 108 with  AJ HarperEpisode 106 with Jane Friedman

The post Episode 131: The Power of Sharing Personal Stories appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Best Book Launch Tips: 5 Secrets of Using Social Media to Promote Your Book

I hope my headline caught your attention. Although I am not sure these 5 ideas are secrets, they are important and noteworthy.

If you want to use social media to promote your book, these five ideas will help you achieve the success you desire.

Consistency Matters

If you want to promote your book online, you have to be online consistently, sharing valuable and interesting content to create a community of people who are interested in your ideas. Building a community of connections takes time, and showing up consistently is critical.

Small Bursts Of Content Make A Big Difference

When you share your content in small bursts, you create interest in your larger body of work. Short-form social posts may seem insignificant or thrown away, but small bursts shared consistently will whet your audience’s appetite to read your full body of work (your book).

You Don’t Have To Do It All

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the many social media channels available for spreading your audience. The most important priority is to focus on the center of your social media strategy ��� your own website. Create and share content there, and use your social media profiles to make connections and invite people to your site. If you don’t have time to add value on every channel, choose one or two channels and devote your time to those.

Book Promotion Is Not Self-Promotion

Many authors feel uncomfortable using social media to share their books because they think they will seem self-promotional. Focus on sharing content and adding value and suddenly you are not promoting yourself anymore, instead, you are promoting your book and ideas.

It’s Not About The Book

If you plan to invest significant time, energy, and money to promote your book, you must realize that you will most likely never match those investments with financial return through book sales alone. If this is about money for you, it can’t be about the book, but only for the credibility and recognition the book will bring to you and the work you will find as a result, speaking or consulting. If it’s not about money for you, then you must be so compelled by the desire to share your ideas and message that money doesn’t matter.

How will those five secrets change the way you use social media to promote your book?

The post Best Book Launch Tips: 5 Secrets of Using Social Media to Promote Your Book appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Best Book Launch Tips: Create Bulk Buy Incentives

Selling books is really hard!

One way to sell more books is to focus your energy on bulk sales.

Do the math. You can sell books singly, and add up the numbers, 1 +1 +1, or you can sell in bulk and see sales multiply 1000 X 10, or 10+10+100+1000+1500.

You may want to sell thousands of books in a week to reach best-seller status on a big list. Most business books that make a best-seller list include some bulk orders. It’s a little bit tricky because some lists exclude bulk sales from their calculations.

Our client, Mark Miller, amassed more than 5,500 pre-orders leading up to the launch of his 2023 title, Culture Rules, to land on the Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly best-seller lists, offering incentives for orders of 11+ books that included a free one-hour virtual conversation about the book. Read our case study about his campaign.

*Note, as of February 2024, the Wall Street Journal best seller list has ended.

Many of Mark’s pre-orders were bulk orders, strategically placed through Porchlight Books and independent retailers.

Even if you don’t want or expect that you’ll make a big best-seller list, bulk sales are still a helpful way to see more of your books in readers’ hands more quickly, creating more possibilities for your book and work.

As a first-time author, you may find it harder to identify bulk purchasers for your book, unless you have a well-established reputation with your clients. As your work grows in the world and organizations see the value you offer, you will gather readers who are excited to buy your next book.

Most authors view a bulk sales approach as both proactive and reactive.

You are proactive when you make a list of possible organizations or individuals who would buy your book in bulk and reach out to share your bulk incentives with them. You are reactive when someone approaches you for work and you negotiate your fee to include a bulk order of your books.

Here are a few ideas about how to leverage bulk buy incentives to increase sales of your book:

Identify incentives that will compel your audience. Whatever offer you make must be congruent with your book’s content and value. Look for offers you can make that fit your audience’s needs and interests.

Be creative!��Look for ways to offer unique incentives that compel people to buy more books.

Make sure your offers will scale. If you are offering your time in exchange for bulk sales, make sure the numbers add up. You have a limited number of hours available and don’t want to over-promise your time. Look for incentives that do not require your time, when possible. This could include exclusive access to a video series or other digital resources related to your book.

Use bulk sales as a negotiation tool.��While most authors can’t afford to trade keynotes for book sales, you can use the purchase of a bulk order of your books as a negotiating tool in closing a keynote sale by offering your keynote for a price and allowing part of the price to be applied toward a bulk book purchase.

Ask for bulk purchases.��Many authors sell thousands of books to clients of their consulting practices. Your book brings your best thinking and learning to your clients in a convenient package, which can be read, re-read, and shared. If clients already pay top dollar for your knowledge and expertise, they will likely be willing to invest in buying multiple copies of your book. Consider the price of a day of training with you vs. the cost of bulk purchases of your book.

Create a landing page or pdf flyer that makes your offers clear and promote/share it widely. Don’t assume that people who want to purchase in bulk will know about your incentive offers. Proactively share your offers. Make sure people can easily find them. Be open to possibilities beyond the offer to come up with approaches that work for your clients.

Time these bulk buys proactively.��By sending bulk sales to a site like Porchlight Books, which reports to Bookscran, you can increase your chances of landing one of the big lists. Porchlight also has a monthly best-seller list, so if possible, time your bulk sales through Porchlight to land within a certain week or month. Another bulk sales resource is BulkBooks.

Put a time limit on your offers.��If you want your bulk orders to help you land on a best-seller list, work to gather them as early as possible so that they ship during the week your book is released. This may mean timing your pre-order bulk incentives to expire about a week before launch. You can also shift or adjust your offers to continue to attract bulk orders after your book is released.

When you incentivize and promote the bulk sales of your book, you will multiply your success and see your sales grow exponentially.

Tell me something!��What other ideas do you have about how to leverage bulk sales? What has worked for you?

The post Best Book Launch Tips: Create Bulk Buy Incentives appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 130: A Literary Agent���s Book Launch Journey

Photo by Alie Cherkasova / 123rf.com

Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

In this final, bonus episode of Season 4, Becky talks to Lucinda Halpern���Author and President of Lucinda Literary. Listen as Lucinda discusses her brand new book, Get Signed, what she hopes to achieve with her launch, and some of the surprises she has experienced throughout her book launch journey.  

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:25] Lucinda introduces herself and shares a pitch for her book. 

[03:13] Lucinda explains what success looks like for her and what she most wants to achieve with her book launch. 

[06:15] Becky reveals the smartest thing she did for her book launch. 

[08:02] Hear some of Becky���s best book marketing tips, like hosting a Virtual Launch Party and creating bulk incentives. 

[10:55] Becky shares a helpful approach from Robbie Samuels for obtaining book reviews. 

[12:39] As someone who has been in the industry for a long time, Lucinda talks about some of the surprises she has experienced on her book publishing and marketing journey. 

[15:45] Lucinda shares some final advice for listeners who are launching a book. 

Action Steps:

Please consider filling out this survey to help us better understand our audience so we can continue serving your book marketing needs in future episodes. Get a copy of Lucinda���s new book, Get Signed , available now! 

Resources:

Season 5 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast is coming soon. In the meantime, catch up on Seasons 1-4, here. Listen to Becky���s interview with Robbie Samuels about his approach to building a dynamic launch team and obtaining Amazon reviews. Follow Lucinda on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.Follow Lucinda Literary on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Key Quotes:

This is the playbook that no New York agent in the trenches of booksellers every day has ever revealed. It’s all of the shortcuts, it’s all of the secrets. And it’s called ���Get Signed.��� ���Lucinda Halpern  

You actually need to know what questions to ask an agent so you can find the right advocate. ���Lucinda Halpern  

You have to give each book the space that it needs. ���Becky Robinson 

I think the smartest thing I���ve done is give away as many books as I can all the time. ���Becky Robinson

Quite often, we’re not bold enough in what we ask for. ���Becky Robinson

Nearly everything begins and ends with how you mobilize your network to become advocates for your book. ���Becky Robinson

Writing this book helped me really clarify my message in ways that I’ve never been able to do before in keynotes and course presentations, or anything else. ���Lucinda Halpern  

There’s a long tail to it; it’s a long road. ���Lucinda Halpern  

I do not want you to make the mistake of not pausing to celebrate the milestone of the launch as an important part of your life and career. ���Becky Robinson

To connect with Becky Robinson and get access to ongoing learning and conversation, sign up for the weekly newsletter. 

The post Episode 130: A Literary Agent���s Book Launch Journey appeared first on Weaving Influence.

An Orphaned Book is an Opportunity

You may have an orphaned book when your publisher goes out of business or chooses to put your book out of print.

I had a client reach out to me last night when she learned that her hybrid publisher is going out of business. The copyright to her book is reverting back to her. She is wondering about next steps for the book.

While I understand that this is less than ideal and a cause for concern or overwhelm, regaining the rights to your book presents a few unique opportunities. 

When the book rights revert to you, you can republish the book and set it up for distribution as a new product. You have the opportunity to update, correct, or refine your book to keep it current and incorporate your new and best thinking. You can refresh the cover if you desire. You can try new formats, producing a paperback if the book was previously released in hardcover or add an audiobook if you didn’t produce one previously.

If the book fits into your bigger picture goals for your life and career, this road bump can also introduce an opportunity to market the book in a different way than you may have the first time, sharing the ideas more widely, making a bigger difference in the world, growing your brand, and reaching new audiences with your content. Additionally, owning your own work increases the financial benefit to you for every book sold, since you will no longer share royalties with your publisher.

Bonnie Marcus��� rerelease of her bestselling book, The Politics of Promotion: How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, provides an interesting case study about the possibilities you create when you regain the rights to your book. Bonnie acquired the copyright to The Politics of Promotion, originally published by Wiley, as the hardcover inventory dwindled. She had a small stock of the original book, which she made available for sale on Amazon through their Seller Central program. 

Bonnie chose to update the content in her book, adding a new chapter, designing a new cover, and rereleasing in paperback in 2019, about 4 years after the initial release. For this relaunch, she energized new marketing efforts, creating new possibilities for her work to reach her audiences and setting the stage for her launch of Not Done Yet! in 2021. 

Here are some questions to consider as you transition ownership of your book���s content from a publisher back to you:

What does success look like? A book is an asset that can provide value both to you and your readers for a long period of time. If you have a clear picture of what success looks like, you���ll be able to make the right choices about what���s right for you and your book.

Is the book an important part of your current career goals and work? If the book is not an important part of your current story, you may want to minimize your financial investment and not make any significant changes. If the book is important to the work you���re doing now, making a more significant investment may be wise. 

Are you ready for a refresh as a new edition? Are there valuable new approaches, insights, or research to add as you republish the book? Would a new cover invigorate marketing approaches? Do you have any book awards to highlight or mention? 

If you acquire print inventory of your book, how can you use the book to fuel your current projects? Books are powerful seeds and sharing them exponentially grows the good they can do in the world. If you end up with inventory of your orphaned book, why not look for ways to give the book away to increase its reach? For example, if you have a new book coming out, you could use a free print copy of your other book as a pre-order or bulk order incentive, giving copies away to people who commit to ordering the new book. Or, if you are developing business, you can give your book away to people interested in your organization���s services. If you are a speaker, you could fold a giveaway of your book into your speaking fee. Your inventory is not a problem to be solved, but instead possibilities to be discovered.

What support might you need to format, distribute, and market your book? Professional support may be helpful as you navigate republishing your book. A book production partner, like my team at Weaving Influence, can edit your book to make any updates or changes, design a new cover, and troubleshoot any other issues that may arise as you work through setting up your book for distribution through Amazon or another distributor like IngramSpark. We can also help connect you to a resource to create your audiobook (such as Twin Flames Studios) or partner with you to plan and execute a marketing campaign to fuel your important career and life goals. 

Of course you feel bewildered, shocked, frustrated, or overwhelmed when you find out your publisher is going out of business. We���re here to empathize with those feelings and help you move forward to all the possibilities that await.��

The post An Orphaned Book is an Opportunity appeared first on Weaving Influence.

January 2024 Leadership Development Carnival

Weaving Influence has the privilege of hosting the January 2024 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

David Grossman of The Grossman Group provided What Is Crisis Communication? A Best Practices Guide for Leaders. David shares: “Whether it���s big issues or small disruptions, how leaders respond to the situation makes all the difference in securing the company���s reputation and maintaining the confidence and trust of employees. This guide shows you how.” Follow David on Twitter at @ThoughtPartner.

Diana Peterson-More shared Communication Resolutions for 2024: Five Key Tips. Diana explains: “Year-end is a time for reflection, renewal, and commitment, often through pledging to New Year���s Resolutions. For 2024, why not embrace a quote from an admired historical figure that informs communication? After all, it���s something we do 24��7, whether we want to or not, and whether we intend to or not. By focusing on how we communicate, we may have more successful results.��� Find Diana on Twitter at @DianaPMAuthor.

Karin Hurt of Let’s Grow Leaders provided 4 Communication Strategies for an Unpopular Return to Office Decision. Karin shares: “As a leader, not every decision you make will be popular. Sometimes you���ll be tasked with delivering news that you know won���t be popular. How to communicate an unpopular “return to office” decision with grace.” Follow Karin on Twitter at @letsgrowleaders.

John Stoker of DialogueWORKS contributed 10 Behaviors to Avoid When Talking about Tough Topics. John writes: “Holding difficult conversations offers a variety of challenges. Given the nature of the topic, there are certain behaviors that everyone should avoid when talking about difficult issues. This article will identify those behaviors that should be omitted from your tool kit when attempting to talk about what matters most.” Connect with John on Twitter at @JohnRStoker.

Development

Ken Byler of Higher Ground Consulting Group contributed The Gift of Presence. Ken writes: “Most leaders I know seem wired for activity and take pleasure in preparing, doing, or fixing. Few of us surrender to the quiet presence that is needed to think clearly and make wise choices.” Connect with Ken on LinkedIn.

Frank Sonnenberg shared Be Kind and Considerate…It’s More Than Just a Catchy Phrase. Frank explains: “Although slogans are great, they���re just words. The key is to treat people that way.” Connect with Frank on Twitter at @FSonnenberg.

Julie Winkle Giulioni shared Give Yourself and Others the Gift of Mentorship (This Holiday Season and All Year Long). Julie explains: “The talent development strategy of mentorship is getting a lot of attention these days. From books to boardrooms, everyone is trying to crack the code and tap its potential and power. Consider these 6 ways you can personally benefit from the process.” Connect with Julie on LinkedIn.

Dana Theus of InPower Coaching writes 2023 Career Audit: How Much Worklife Bliss Did You Achieve? Dana explains: ���How are you doing in your career? Are you where you want to be? Is everything hunky dory? Do you end every day at work glad to be alive? If every answer isn���t an enthusiastic YES! Then it���s time to do a career audit and see just how much ���bliss��� you���ve got in your work and life. It may even be time for a Worklife Reset to get yourself on track.��� Find Dana on Twitter at @DanaTheus.��

Bill Treasurer of Giant Leap Consulting contributed Keeping an Opportunity Mindset. Bill explains: “In a world often governed by fear and uncertainty, embracing an opportunity mindset is not just refreshing but transformative. This mindset shifts our focus from avoiding threats to seizing the chances for growth and development. It’s about understanding that opportunities are not just external chances that come our way, but are created and nurtured by leaders who understand their power to change lives.” Connect with Bill on LinkedIn.

Mary Ila Ward of Horizon Point Consulting shared SPECIAL FEATURE! BBB Torch Awards Speech. Mary writes: “Character is innate. It is a fixed characteristic. You are born with it or you aren���t. Putting this another way, character is a will issue, not a skill issue. We talk about skill and will a lot in the work we do and often say, hire for will (because it is static, innate, not changing) and train for skill (because it can be learned and people can acquire and grow in skills), but what if character is a skill?” Find Mary on Twitter at @maryilaward.

Jon Verbeck provided Progress and Growth: Things I Learned in 2023. Jon writes: ���At this time of year, I���m usually pushing to finish strong, both personally and professionally. I���m helping my clients get ready for a quick year-end close and effective kickstart to the new year. I���m finishing my own planning and goal setting as well because I like to start each year with a clear direction and strategy. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things I learned and experimented with this year.��� Follow Jon on Twitter at @jonverbeck1.��

Randy Conley of Leading with Trust shared A Simple Truth about Leading with Integrity. Randy shares: “Virtually everyone agrees that integrity is critical to being a successful leader, but few have a defined plan of how to develop it. In this post, Randy Conley shares a game plan from his recent book, Simple Truths of Leadership Playbook, that any leader can follow to increase their integrity.” Connect with Randy on Twitter at @RandyConley.

Dan Oestreich provided Three Voices: Truth, Kindness and Destiny. Dan summarizes: ���Over time, I���ve come to feel there are three internal voices that influence our larger choices. This is a metaphorical way of saying things ��� the voices I���m talking about are just patterns of thought and perception.��� Find Dan on Twitter at @DanOestreich.

PRODUCTIVITY

Sean Glaze of Great Results Team Building shared Mirrors, Windows, and a More Successful 2024 with Reflection. Sean writes: ���It is only natural to begin to look forward and to direct your focus to the things you anticipate and things you want to accomplish in 2024. We look out windows every day as we consider what might be possible. And as the new year approaches, the tendency is to look ahead. Looking out windows is helpful. Windows gives us a vision of what is possible��� what is ahead for us.��� Find Sean on Twitter at @leadyourteam.

Eileen McDargh contributed A Clue for Balance: PATIENCE, NOW! Eileen explains: “I admit that I am, at times, inpatient. So, is this a behavioral flaw? A personality trait? Answer: it’s not a flaw but it is behavior that has no genetic bearing. It can be altered.” Connect with Eileen on Twitter at @macdarling.

Neal Burgis of Successful Solutions contributed Happy New Year & Welcome 2024. Neal explains: “As you bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024, prepare for a year of growth, innovation, and success. By following these tips and staying committed to your vision, you can set the stage for a prosperous year ahead. January is an opportune time to lay the groundwork for a year brimming with accomplishments and progress.” Follow Neal on Twitter at @exec_solutions.

Marcia Reynolds of Covisioning Transformational Leadership provided 3 Questions to Balance Hope with Reality. Marcia shares: “How do know when to hope and when to let go? These three questions will help you choose what is the right action to take.” Connect with Marcia on Twitter at @marciareynolds.

Creativity/Inspiration

Marcella Bremer of Positive Culture contributed Let���s Prepare for a Positive Future. Marcella considers: “Let’s prepare for 2024. Preparing means learning and adapting, training resilience and skills. Read this selection of articles on organizational culture, change, and positive leadership to inspire!” Follow Marcella on Twitter at @MarcellaBremer.

Robyn McLeod provided Is the Life You Imagine One You���re Ready to Live? Robyn summarizes: ���While it is easy to let the ‘until’s stop us, it is also possible to dive in and live the lives we���ve imagined now. We have the chance ��� and the choice ��� to begin living our imagined lives today.��� Find Robyn on Twitter at @ThoughtfulLdrs.��

OTher

Jon Lokhorst of Lokhorst Consulting shared 2 Types of Goals You Need to Succeed in the New Year. Jon explains: ���Research shows that 90% of businesses fail to achieve their strategic goals. The success rate for individuals is even lower, with an astounding 92% of people missing the mark. How can you increase your likelihood of success? Using this two-part goal-setting structure will get you closer to achieving your goals in 2024 and beyond.��� Find Jon on Twitter at @jonlokhorst.

Angela Hummel of Angela Hummel Consulting writes The Leader’s Role in Blending Workplace Cultures. Angela shares: ���During transitions, leaders often talk about the need for collaboration and connection early in the process, only to be long-forgotten words, not actions. The successful integration of workplace cultures can only happen through intentional and purposeful leadership to make the combined organizational masterpiece possible.��� Follow Angela on Twitter at @AngelaJHummel.��

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.

The post January 2024 Leadership Development Carnival appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 129: PR for Authors

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is all about the world of public relations for authors. Becky is joined by PR coach and publicist Lilian Sue. During the episode, Lilian talks about how impactful mindset is when it comes to PR, some of the most important components of a PR strategy for authors, and how PR supports book promotion and marketing. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:44] Lilian shares a little bit about herself and her work in the world. 

[05:40] Lilian reveals how authors can shift their mindset on issues related to publicity and how to make PR more approachable. 

[11:16] What are the crucial components of a PR strategy for authors? Lilian outlines them. 

[19:08] Lilian talks about the value of an author doing their own pitching to media outlets versus outsourcing to a publicist.

[23:12] Lilian explains why PR is such an important piece of the book promotion puzzle. 

[27:17] For any fiction authors who listen to the podcast, Lilian provides some inspiration and guidance as it relates to marketing and PR for fiction books.

Action Steps:

Sit down and start brainstorming about what your goals are. Don���t just say that you want more sales���figure out how you are going to get there and what different methods you could use to get there.Think about whether you have some self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back. Reflect on what your mindset is and the role it might be playing as you market your book. 

Resources:

Follow Lilian on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Contact Lilian through her website. Learn about Lilian���s first nonfiction PR book, The Powerful Publicity Prescription , and consider supporting her launch campaign.

Key Quotes:

I empower authors to gain the confidence to push past limiting beliefs such as fear, anxiety, and impostor syndrome to really learn how to use the tools, resources, and skills to launch successful campaigns. ���Lilian Sue

Instead of looking at a media outlet, a podcast, a freelance writer, or a blogger as a stranger, find some common ground. ���Lilian Sue

What makes your story unique, as an author and for your book, and why should a media outlet care? How is this going to appeal to them? How is it going to appeal to their audiences? If you can answer those questions in your pitch, it’s going to make it a lot easier and much more likely for you to get a response from a media outlet.  ���Lilian Sue

I always put an emphasis on the promotion piece and say, ���Hey, this is awesome. We had that interview that went live. Now we have to work together to really promote it and make sure audiences see it.��� They listen to it, and they follow you, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your book because of it. ���Lilian Sue

If you’ve never done publicity before, reach out to your community and your fellow authors who may write in similar genres to see who they would recommend. ���Lilian Sue

To connect with Becky Robinson, send her an email here!

The post Episode 129: PR for Authors appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 128: Breaking Down Book Distribution

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the various platforms for book distribution and how to use each one. Becky is joined by Everett O���Keefe���Founder of Ignite Press and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author. During the episode, Everett shares his vast knowledge of three book distribution channels���KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital���including their benefits, cost, and how they impact a book���s pre-order campaign. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:16] Everett shares about himself and his company. 

[03:31] Everett introduces the three distribution channels, starting with KDP. 

[05:56] Why would an author not only want to distribute their books through KDP but also choose another distributor like IngramSpark? Everett reveals the answer. 

[08:18] Everett discusses Draft2Digital and what it is used for. 

[09:17] If you���re curious about the costs of all of these distribution channels, Everett outlines them.

[11:48] Everett explains what an ISBN is and how an author can purchase their own. 

[15:48] Everett talks about how the various distribution channels impact the ability for a book to be available for pre-order, as well as why Ignite Press does not offer pre-order campaigns. 

[21:35] Learn about how Everett goes about pricing Kindle books, what strategies he uses to help Kindle books obtain bestseller status, and the results he has experienced.

[25:53] Everett shares some of the changes happening on Amazon related to bestseller launches. 

Action Steps:

Explore Draft2Digital . Learn more about expanded distribution for your ebooks.Get very clear about your own goals as you get ready to launch your book. If the idea of becoming an Amazon bestseller in a category is critically important to you, research the approach that Everett advocates for, which is a Kindle-centric launch.

Resources:

Get familiar with KDP and IngramSpark.Buy ISBN numbers from Bowker���this is the only source you should use.Browse the website for Ignite Press and consider scheduling a consultation. Follow Ignite Press on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.Order Everett���s book, The Power of the Published .

Key Quotes:

There are multiple channels available for distribution, and they each have the things they’re best at. ���Everett O���Keefe

We used to do a little survey every year where we compared different print-on-demand printers, and every time, Amazon came up as the least expensive source. ���Everett O���Keefe

KDP is the absolute best tool for you to use to control your book as to how it appears on Amazon, how it’s priced, and how it’s categorized. ���Everett O���Keefe

The Ingram network is the network which bookstores and libraries purchase their books through. ���Everett O���Keefe

Draft2Digital is our preferred method for distributing the digital version of your book everywhere except Amazon. ���Everett O���Keefe

It is better if you own your own ISBN for multiple reasons. ���Everett O���Keefe

Every format of your book needs to have its own unique ISBN number. So you need one for your paperback, you need one for your hardcover, and you need one for an audiobook. ���Everett O���Keefe

Category selection and the research behind it are absolutely critical. ���Everett O���Keefe

Once a bestseller, always a bestseller, as far as credibility and marketing purposes are concerned. ���Everett O���Keefe

To connect with Becky Robinson, send her an email here!

The post Episode 128: Breaking Down Book Distribution appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 127: Investing in the Long-Term Value of Your Book

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the importance of having a long-term view of the value your book can bring to the world. Becky is joined by two former guests, Gena Cox and Kevin Wilde, who have both reached the one-year anniversary of their latest book launches. During the episode, Gena and Kevin share what they have learned about book marketing and some of the tactics that have helped them continue to gain momentum for their work post-launch. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:57] Gena and Kevin share about themselves and their work in the world. 

[04:23] Gena and Kevin outline some of the tactics and approaches they have used after the launch of their books to continue getting their work out to new audiences.

[11:06] Are there any tactics that Gena and Kevin tried that were not worth it in the end? They reveal what strategies didn���t work as well as they hoped. 

[13:34] Both authors talk about the journey of figuring out who their audience would be for the book and how those audiences have evolved.

[20:12] Discover how earned media���podcast appearances, interviews, articles, blog posts, etc.���have propelled momentum for Gena and Kevin���s books post-launch. 

[27:57] Gena explains the standard she has set for herself when it comes to marketing her book: Do at least one thing each week to support and promote the book. 

[30:49] Becky shares a key approach she uses, and that all authors can use, to continue the momentum of their book after it has launched. 

[33:40] Gena and Kevin share some parting wisdom about investing in the long-term value of your book. 

Action Step:

Email becky@weavinginfluence.com to get a free copy of the Google Jamboard for organizing your book marketing. Think about one big thing each month that you could do to keep your book in the conversation and share your message in a bigger way with others.

Resources:

Listen to Gena and Kevin���s previous appearance on the podcast, where they talked about book awards.Order Gena and Kevin���s books. Explore Gena and Kevin���s websites to connect with them and access resources.Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.Follow Gena on LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Key Quotes:

For me, the one tactic that I have used most consistently and with the greatest success is social media. ���Gena Cox

I’m selling more books now than I did at launch. ���Kevin Wilde

It’s actually quite a journey to figure out what are the best ways to market your book because it’s a journey to figure out who your book is for. ���Gena Cox

Get clear about who you’re writing your book for, and then center your efforts on reaching those people. Be open along the way to discovering the possibility that maybe you wrote your book for someone and you didn’t even know that it was for them. ���Becky Robinson 

If you have Amazon or Goodreads reviews from people you don’t know, what they choose to highlight as they talk about your book could be a clue into the audience that your title resonates with. ���Becky Robinson 

Try to get some local media first; don’t even worry about national media as a starting point. ���Gena Cox

You probably have more people and networks than you think that can help you sustain over 12 months post-launch. ���Kevin Wilde

I try to do at least one thing each week that I would put in the category of marketing support for the book. ���Gena Cox

To connect with Becky Robinson, send her an email here!

The post Episode 127: Investing in the Long-Term Value of Your Book appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 126: Writing the Right Book for Your Business

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the process of writing a book for your business and how to overcome the inner obstacles you might face along the journey. Becky is joined by Catherine Gregory���Book Coach, Publisher, and Co-Founder of Modern Wisdom Press. During the episode, Catherine shares her expert guidance for writing a book and understanding when it���s the right time to share your message with the world.

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:33] Catherine shares a little bit about herself, her own author journey, and her business. 

[02:53] Catherine dives deeper into the resistance and fear she faced as a first-time author and the resistance and fear she sees in other first-time authors.

[06:06] What should authors be thinking about as they pursue the goal of writing a book to support their business? Catherine explains. 

[06:20] Catherine reveals what causes authors to overthink as they plan their book projects. She also shares how she helps first-time authors get clear about who their ultimate reader is. 

[08:51] Discover how an author ��� who is not sure what their business will become ��� can go about writing a book for that business.

[10:24] Catherine talks about how she gets authors into a space where they will allow their inner wisdom to emerge. 

[11:57] Why can having a beginner���s mindset help an author as they start to envision the right book for their business? Catherine shares her thoughts. 

[13:44] Catherine explains how she evaluates whether or not a book idea from one of her authors is the right book for their business. 

[15:08] Learn how to tell the difference between fear and intuition when it comes time to share your work with the world. 

[18:03] Catherine wraps up by revealing how the book writing process has been transformative for her and the authors she supports.

Action Steps:

Download this free resource from Modern Wisdom Press. Use it to access your own inner wisdom and the vision you have for your book and your business. Ask yourself some hard questions about the goals you have for your book. Who is your ideal reader? What are the business outcomes that you want to achieve with your book? 

Resources:

Explore the work of Modern Wisdom Press and the services they offer. Purchase Catherine���s book, Fertile: The Wise Woman’s Guide to Pregnancy Success .Follow Modern Wisdom Press on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Key Quotes:

Showing up in a new way, as a new version of yourself, can bring up all kinds of self-doubt and fear. ���Catherine Gregory 

Know your business well, know your ideal client well, and really understand the language they’re using to talk about their current challenges or their current problems. ���Catherine Gregory 

Organizing the content of your book can often be where you birth new, creative ideas and offerings for your business. ���Catherine Gregory 

Stay open to being surprised that there may be another direction to go in, or there may be a new story to tell that you didn’t think about telling. ���Catherine Gregory 

Sometimes that voice telling you it���s not the right time yet is actually fear. ���Catherine Gregory 

To be willing to look at the book journey as part of your own personal growth and evolution is super important. ���Catherine Gregory 

To connect with Becky Robinson, send her an email here!

The post Episode 126: Writing the Right Book for Your Business appeared first on Weaving Influence.