Читать книгу MaFIA: Killer Marketing for Indie Authors - Kristen Boone's Marie - Страница 4

People who like JK Rowling’s books buy all of her books. People who read Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Stieg Larsson, Janet Evanovich and Elizabeth Gilbert buy all of their books, too. Sure, they write great books, but what is it that people are really buying over time? They are buying the author.

Readers, just like any other consumer, have come to trust certain brands (authors)—they know they are going to get a decent book because generally speaking, they know what to expect with that particular author, and they know it is going to fulfill their need (entertainment, knowledge, etc.). Look at your own buying habits. Do you randomly take chances and invest in things, books or otherwise, that you’ve never heard of? Probably not. Sure, there may be days when you feel a little spontaneous or like taking a chance on something, but for the most part you probably stick to spending your money on products and brands you know and trust. It’s just the safest bet.

Your potential buyers make purchases the same way. For that reason, as an independent author you must create a personal brand that people trust if you want any sort of longevity in the marketplace. It is one of those fundamental things that can help you lay a great foundation to build on. And if you do it from the beginning instead of having to create later, it puts you that much further ahead. It can also help you in other ventures you pursue in and out of publishing. It is definitely worth creating for yourself and, in my opinion, can also be a lot of fun. It’s not every day you get to really define yourself or in some cases, redefine who you are as a writer and a person. In a lot of ways, it can be like a whole new beginning.

Getting Started

Who are you?

In the corporate world, when companies are trying to create a brand, they always start with the USP: the “unique selling proposition.” Basically, they ask: “What is the biggest benefit this product has to offer that is different from anything else like it on the market?” Sometimes it is something big. As a classic textbook example, in the early days of Apple and IBM, Apple differentiated itself with a ready-to-go personal computer. This was dramatically different from IBM whose systems were sold in kits that you had to build. It’s not always something big; sometimes it is a lot more subtle. For example, take a bar of soap. It’s just a bar of soap, right? Well, some soaps contain moisturizing ingredients; others are fragrance-free and even more are differentiated by the way they smell. Some soaps are cream-based; others glycerin. You get the idea. If it were just a bar of soap, people would just buy whichever was the cheapest or most accessible. Instead, there are thousands of soap brands and products out there that sell their soap from a dollar or less on up to $20 dollars or more. All these competing soap makers stay in business by differentiating themselves and delivering on their brand’s promise.

As a writer, you need to come up with your very own USP. It should reflect your personality, who you are as an author and your promise to your reader. Many times, this will come down to your genre, subject matter or writing style. To get started, get a pen and paper and think about the qualities you possess that make you unique as a writer and write them down. Do you have personal experience or an impressive amount of knowledge built around a certain subject of interest? Do your books solve a problem? For example, do your books give your readers advice or psychological help, or does your work help readers fill some void in their lives? Or, are you such a dynamic writer that they just can’t get your style of entertainment anywhere else? If you have an existing body of work, what is it that your readers like the most about you or your books?

If you’re just starting out and don’t really have a body of work or even “a” book, don’t fret. Honestly, as a marketing person, I identified my personal brand long before I had ever finished a project. So, instead of basing it off of your book, ask yourself “Who am I?” and “What do readers really get from me that they can’t get anywhere else?” The only caveat is, that your writing from here on out has to support the brand you have created for yourself, so make sure it fits.

When you have your list completed, eliminate general characteristics that others in your genre can claim (Remember, a USP is about being different). If you still have a list, whittle it down to two or three qualities. Once you feel good about them, turn the remaining qualities into a personal statement that is one sentence in length. Don’t just throw the words into a sentence, but really think about how these “uniquities” separate you from other authors out there. Think about what you have to offer and try to establish your “gotta have” factor that will hook them. To give you a better idea of how your USP might come together, here are a few classic examples from the real world:

“Fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it’s free” Dominos Pizza

It’s been years now and lots of other pizza places these days can claim this, but when Dominos first introduced this concept, it was the only pizza place that promised fresh and hot pizza within that time frame. Then, Dominos took it one step further and backed it up with a guarantee. It was incredibly effective in differentiating them from its competitors.

“When your package absolutely, positively has to be there overnight” FedEx

FedEx separated itself from the competition by stating it was the fastest, most reliable package carrier. Although other players have entered the overnight space, FedEx is still top of mind when we want speed and reliability.

“Wonder Bread helps build strong bodies in 12 ways”

Wonder Bread wanted to differentiate itself as the most nutritious choice for growing kids and sold its bread to moms in practically every major city in America. Wonder Bread is still considered a pantry staple for families everywhere.

Obviously these are corporate USPs. As an author, depending on your genre, your USP might look like one of these:

1.Series of books with a character people will love: “Joe McAwesome is a guy you hate but can’t help wanting to read about.”

2.King or queen of romances: “Romance stories that make you fall in love over and over again.”

3.Historical fiction with a fantasy element: “Where history and fantasy collide and create a new legacy.”

4.Self-help: “Expert advice based on exclusive research.”

5.Financial self-help: “Financial secrets from a five-time millionaire.”

Note: Keep in mind, these are not meant to be commercial slogans, but rather competitive statements. Their purpose isn’t to be clever, but to communicate what you have to offer that no one else does.

Finally one last consideration: In addition to establishing your uniqueness, you should think about the lifespan of your USP and ultimately your brand. Is it timeless or will it go out of style like bell bottom pants and leopard print? While you can evolve and refine your USP over the years, you don’t want to pigeon hole yourself or build it around a character you’ll lose interest in writing about down the road. So, make sure your USP has the flexibility to grow with you.

I know this may seem like a tedious exercise, but once you have established your USP, it will make all of your branding, your marketing and communications so much easier and effective.

Once you have considered everything, and are happy and excited about your USP, write it down and etch it into your brain. Your USP should be the foundation of everything you do to brand and promote yourself from now on. Your books may change over the years, but your personal brand should stay basically the same—it will bring comfort to your readers and recognition in the marketplace.

Communicating Your Personal Brand

When it comes to promoting yourself and your books, you must communicate your USP in everything you do. It is the way you will describe yourself to others, how you will personify yourself in bios, be the basis of any personal slogans, the undercurrent of your website, everything. It is your marketing theme and it needs to be consistent at all of your communication touch points.

While there are endless opportunities to communicate your brand (LOTS more about this in future chapters), here are a few of the most basic ways to really show your prospects who you are so you can see what I’m talking about:

Your Work

As a writer, nothing will be more important in communicating your brand and building a following than the consistent quality of your books. As I stated earlier, customer trust is incredibly important when it comes to selling a product of any kind. If you want to build readers’ trust and loyalty, so they will buy again and again, you better write a quality book and deliver on your promises. You can spend hours tweeting or tons of money on advertising, but nothing will build a reputation as quickly as gaining readers’ trust. In fact, readers will not only buy from you repeatedly, but they will become your biggest fans and spread the word to everyone they know.

On the flipside, nothing will destroy your reputation faster than not giving your readers what they expect. If you sell readers on the idea that you are an expert and then deliver a lot of fluff, they are going to feel cheated and may even get angry. And who can blame them? Reading takes time and when readers invest time from their busy schedules and money from their wallets to read your story over someone else’s, they deserve a good experience. Overstating what you have to offer, making false promises or overcharging will not sell your books and may ruin your chances of being successful. Unless you have a long list of pen names, you really need to get it right the first time and deliver on your promises.

Color & Design

Words say a lot, but so does color and it communicates a lot faster than any other tool you have in marketing and design. Carefully select art work, website and logo colors that communicate your personal brand and keep it consistent in everything you do. For example, if your personality and subject matter are very serious in tone, you should use heavier colors and possibly stronger lines and more serious imagery in your designs. If you are wacky, perhaps bright, random colors combined with funny pictures would best reflect your personality. And while your design style may get updated along with the trends over the years, your color palette should stay the same. We’ll talk about strategic design (and content) in more depth in later chapters.

Voice and Tone

The two most important components in communicating your brand in copy are voice and tone. Good marketing and advertising people spend a lot of time on voice and tone—so should good writers who want to sell books. The good news is, if you did the USP exercise, you’re halfway there.

Voice is the personality of your writing. It should be an extension of your personal brand. If your brand is funny, the copy you use in ads, descriptions, etc., should be funny and make people laugh, too. If you are positioning yourself as an expert, your communications should include relevant industry terms and showcase your knowledge.

Tone is usually a lot more subtle, but can be a very valuable in differentiating yourself. Where voice represents your “personality,” the tone reflects the “mood” of your personality. For example, if you want to convince people you’re a mobster, you might choose to use concise and business-like phrases with a tone that is very serious and ominous. Sarcasm would be another example of tone. To me, your tone is your “edge.”

No matter what combination of voice and tone you select for yourself, it must reflect your personal brand and like everything in marketing, must be consistent in all that you do. Voice and tone may seem like a small, nitpicky thing, but it is HUGE when communicating and perpetuating your personal brand.

Headshots

When communicating your personal brand, the same thing goes for headshots. I can’t tell you how many writers (and professionals for that matter) haven’t taken the time or money to have a professional picture taken. In a visual world of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, reader sites like Goodreads or Shelfari and others, a mobile phone picture isn’t going to cut it—in fact, it will be a brand detractor. A good photo on the other hand is an opportunity, all over the Internet, to show people you are a pro. Depending on the site, your photo may be the one and only opportunity you have to represent your brand. I recommend using a professional photographer and getting a good solid headshot to use everywhere, and then a few extra shots that are more stylized that you can use on your website or various promo materials. If money is tight and you just can’t hire a professional photographer, read up on the basics of photography, find a friend with a good camera and try to capture a good, professional-looking shot.

If you are someone who really doesn’t want your picture all over the world for privacy or other personal reasons, you do have other options. Instead of hiring a photographer, hire a graphic designer and ask them to create an author logo that is designed to be uploaded in place of your profile picture. Make sure the dimensions and file size will fit the requirements of various sites.

Good examples:

The following are the links to what I consider really good examples of a properly developed and communicated USP. As you peruse the examples, pay attention to how the brand is communicated both in word and visual imagery—how each component supports the other. Obviously some sites have a lot of money dumped into them in the form of functionality and custom photography, but the most important components, the brand relevancy, copy and images don’t have to cost much. And, while some of these sites are huge, as an author, you only need one that reflects your brand and makes it super easy for potential readers to access your books.

Author Dan Brown

You’d be surprised at how many best-selling authors have TERRIBLE websites. It was actually difficult to find good examples for you. However, I did find a few. Dan Brown was one of these exceptions. In his very simple site, he stays true to his brand and provides everything a customer needs to learn about him and his books.

http://www.danbrown.com/?authorkristenmarie

Author Eckart Tolle

At this point, this guy is a commercial machine. However, his site remains one of the best author-related sites when it comes to communicating his brand. His light and airy site is peaceful, simple and conveys what he is all about.

http://www.eckharttolle.com/?authorkristenmarie

Saddleback Leather

Saddleback Leather isn’t an author or a publisher, but it is a good example of consistent branding. You literally live and breathe the brand with every image and section of web copy. Thanks to strict adherence to its USP, the Saddleback Leather site is as much an experience as it is a sales tool.

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/?authorkristenmarie

Mast Brothers

Also not authors, these artisan chocolatiers go so far as to dress up like craftsmen of old to convey its message of quality and commitment to traditional methods. Now known world-wide, these guys live their brand and are a perfect example of a properly executed USP. The site is simple and easy to navigate, but where it really shines is in advertising and PR. Take a peek at the press section to get an idea of what they have done so far. It’s great!

http://mastbrothers.com/?authorkristenmarie

http://mastbrothers.com/press?authorkristenmarie

Chapter Summary

•You are the product your readers buy.

•Customer trust is the key to long-term success.

•Write a thoughtful USP that demonstrates your personality and your promise.

•Make your USP the foundation of your brand.

•Nothing is more important in building your brand than the consistent quality of your books.

•Communicate your brand with consistent color schemes and design that reflects your USP.

•Infuse your brand into your copy with a voice and tone that supports your identity and then keep it consistent across your various media.

•Invest in a professional headshot/logo that will perpetuate your brand across the Internet and other promotional literature.