Outrageous Ideas to Entice Readers to Talk You Up
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The document provides biographical information about Ann Videan, including her career as a professional writer since 1981, owning an award-winning marketing firm since 1996, and authoring several books. It also lists some of her accomplishments such as being selected for a top PR award in 2007 and serving as a catalyst to reintroduce white rhinos to a zoo in 2004. The rest of the document offers ideas and tips for marketing books, including connecting with reader emotions, using word of mouth tactics, and brainstorming unique aspects of one's book that could capture readers' imaginations.
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Outrageous Ideas to Entice Readers to Talk You Up
- 1. Professional writer since 1981 Award-winning marketing firm, vIDEAn Unlimited, LLC, since 1996 Editor: corporate, publishing house, and 60+ client books Author: Rhythms & Muse, Song of the Ocarina, Enchanted Faerie Portals Coloring & Writing Pages Co-owner Absolutely Wild! Enchanted Faerie Portals & Other Whimsy—inspired by Fae characters in Song of the Ocarina Other career highlights: 2007 – Selected by peers for the Public Relations Society of America's top honor: the PERCY Award 2005 – Selected by national panel for Crown Jewel Award: top U.S. home-based business 2004 – Served as catalyst to reintroduce white rhinos to the Phoenix Zoo 1996 – Enticed 15,000 extras to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ, to film football movie scenes for Jerry Maguire About Ann Videan Book shepherd, author, editor, illustrator, composer
- 2. YOU’VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK! OUTRAGEOUS IDEAS TO ENTICE READERS TO TALK YOU UP
- 3. FIERCE COMPETITION: U.S. 2019 • Printed books sold = 690 million • Ebooks sold = 336 million • Titles that sold more than 1 million copies = 3
- 4. CLUTTERED MINDS • Are traditional marketing tools effective now? • We see 5,000 ad messages a day. (Yankelovich market research) • What in your book captures a reader’s fancy?
- 5. CONNECT WITH READER EMOTIONS Requires thinking outside your usual book marketing box...
- 6. <— NO, IT’S NOT ME.
- 7. SECOND BOOK IDEAS: • Heroine’s iPod (music) • Dark Fae = burned-out rock stars • Noble Fae names from nature • New Zealand setting • Nerd fun (mythical/extinct creatures, Fae world, magic) • Faerie portals/Faeries’ Tales • Wrote in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
- 8. WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR BOOK WILL CAPTURE READERS’ IMAGINATIONS? Whimsy Absolutely Wild! Enchanted Faerie Portals & Other Whimsy (home décor with short stories)
- 9. WORD OF MOUTH TACTICS
- 10. #1 BE ACCESSIBLE Generate easy conversation and interaction. • Make it a no-brainer for readers to connect with you. • What do readers say they LOVE/VALUE? • How can they contribute?
- 11. #2 SHARE FREELY People want to see the value you offer. • How do you share your story/message? • Share your unique book aspects
- 12. #3 DEVELOP YOUR NETWORKS Identify and romance your key reader “hubs.” • What can you do to create buzz? (i.e. get readers and other groups talking about your story/message?) • Involve others who have different networks • Share indirect information
- 13. #4 BE INTERACTIVE Bring readers together to meet/share. • In what ways do you bring readers together, to make them feel like an insider? • Connect through: • Online portals • Events • Interests/hobbies
- 14. #5 GIVE SAMPLINGS Special, smaller offerings to entice readers in. • What can you offer or give away so readers can sample your story/message with little risk? • Use, tweak, or expand on existing content • Give something away
- 15. #6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE Focus on making the world, or a life, better. • Align with other causes? • What dream do you sell to readers?
- 16. #7 ENTERTAIN Fun and humor attract people. • What activity can make interacting with you fun? • What can you do to make people laugh?
- 17. HOMEWORK Research • Thumb through your book and pick out things which spark emotion, fun, connection. • Think about you. What compelling aspect would others like to know more about? • Ask friends/fellow writers to do the same for you. • Gather with these folk on Zoom, or over warm cookies, to generate out-of-the-box marketing ideas. • Also, consider my deal for a brainstorming consulting session. Brainstorm
- 18. MORE TIPS… Next presentation TOPIC: Tempe Public Library Zoom Meeting Top Secrets for Savvy Book Creators W. Oct. 7, 10 a.m.–noon Other resources Writing tips on my blog: ANVidean.com Discounted consultation: 1.5 hours for $50
Editor's Notes
- Housekeeping: • Full PPT, with speaking notes, available on Slideshare at https://www.slideshare.net/avidean/edit_my_uploads • Ask questions in chat to "everyone," and I’ll answer when I can • Please stay muted during the presentation
- Back to the Future story (why I became a Book Shepherd) How many have a book for sale now? Who's about to? Who is mystified by marketing a book? Secret is finding what’s unique about you and your book that people will attach to and talk about Lot of techniques, but you need something nearly outrageous to get people talking We’ll cover a ton of ideas, take notes if an idea connects with you as we go along. Slides available on Slideshare.com
- Today’s market: So many books for sale. Printed books sold = 690 million Ebooks sold = 336 million Titles sold more than 1 million copies = 3 Does your book marketing stand out? Will readers remember your book after seeing a bookmark or postcard, or is something else needed? Think outside the box and do something readers will find "chat-worthy." All it takes is a bit of creativity sparked from your unique story or experience.
- So how to cut through 5,000 ad messages a day? What will capture a reader’s fancy?
- Loads of traditional marketing out there. What makes people talk up/share a book? Something about it attaches emotionally. So, how can you do that? Align you and your book with something else unique, timely,, “chat-worthy,” entertaining, even outrageous Think emotional: what readers will react to
- This was my first novel, self-published R&M in 2011. Cover is a conversation starter First reaction, people thought I put myself on the cover, but I never would have thought of that I don’t even know who the model in this stock photo is... Story about a Grammy-winning singer living the Hollywood lifestyle, but hating it. When a dream happens in real life, she listens to her intuition, returns to her roots in Cd’A, ID, and strives to find fulfillment. Used these marketing ideas: Cd’A setting, book signing there Tie-in to 1970s rock and folk, Spotify playlist Trivia giveaways Original music CD “soundtrack” Coffee Bean Facebook page when book was free I didn’t do enough, especially before the book was published. 30-yr career in PR/WOMM Writer forever, marketing, social media Didn’t follow through as well as could Partly because the genre I really wanted to write = fantasy Still got into about 2,000 readers’ hands, made a couple thousand $, enough to earn PAN status with RWA
- Story: Teenaged New Zealander who finds out she’s the future spell-writer in the Fae realm of Delfaerune, and has to save the humans from a dark spell cast on them by her boyfriend’s brother. Unique aspects of Song of the Ocarina create emotional connections New Zealand setting Heroine’s iPod (music) Dark Fae = burned-out rock stars: Mikk, Axyl Noble Fae names from nature Nerd fun (mythical/extinct creatures, Fae world, magic) Activity giveaways Wrote in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Spawned a side business: Faerie portals/Faeries’ Tales Again, what strikes a reader’s fancy?
- People get emotional about imagination Look at what in your book inspires people. Absolutely Wild! story Now doing portals, Faeries’ Tales and coloring books Supporting young writers ASK: What imaginative sideline can you create? What will inspire readers? Faerie Loot box on Instagram What tactics can you use to drive this WOM?
- Given you ideas how some people think outside the box, but how do you do it? How do you decide how to capitalize on your book’s unique aspects? Word of mouth is perfect for book selling Let’s walk through ideas that generate WOM.
- Read slide Make yourself accessible to readers. Won’t get in front of people you don’t know unless you’re easy to find online. Use social media, folks. Find out what readers like about you/your writing, and feed them more. Blog, Facebook, Twitter… ask for feedback After the fact, ask for Amazon reviews Involve readers: Ask for contribution: those who do become vested in your work Music – Lark’s iPod, young adults asked for music recommendations Recipes – Fae are vegetarian, asked for recipes Art and original music – young musicians ASK: Take a minute to think of even one way to be accessible to readers so they can give you feedback. Contribute? Place to ask ?s, Get info?
- Read slide Share: Kris Tualla [DVD] Audio excerpts Book trailers Use book content Tips about your topic, writing: R. Lawson blog Research Trivia related to the book – Cd’A & 1970s trivia cards ASK: Take a minute to jot a fun thing you can do to share details about your book.
- Read slide Identify ”key" reader hubs, people who love reading/writing your genre and could share your info in: Blogs Writing Web sites (Goodreads) Media talk shows Writers groups Book clubs Bookstores Libraries Contests Fan art Reddit AMA Involve others in the unique aspects of your book, they talk it up Asked YA network for character art and music When I did book giveaway, I put it on CBTL FB pages Who has a network you can tie into? Expand your market by creating something loosely related to your book. Coffee CommuniTea blog CCTquestionnaire (handout) Is a game mentioned in the book? Contact gamers about creating a game based on your book Is there food? Contact chefs. Is it historical? Find researchers/experts on that era and do interview videos Hold events in unusual place with their own audiences: Karaoke signing Historical buildings Spy store Farmer’s markets ASK: Take a minute a jot down a network where you could share info.
- Read slide Bring readers together, create a community. Treat them as insiders. Give them a common bond to talk about Good ways to connect: Online, through groups and blogs (others’ as well as yours): Ask for input (art, music, video, trivia, photos, factoids, cultural info – Daphne McKenzie, Maori) Second book: Fae in NZ who use Earth energy and music to make magic. ALWAYS writer’s group for established writers: online and monthly meeting Jim Butcher’s tribe Previews, special editions Events: Animal dress-ups Workshops Virtual reading Interests/hobbies: Cake decorating Music Geographic locations Cultural bonds – 1970s Faeries! Helping emerging young writers ASK: Take a minute a jot down an idea for creating community
- Read slide Offers/giveaways: Any way to involve readers without much risk of time or money Use, tweak or expand on existing content: Post excerpts Write a poem, short story, graphic novel Create a game Develop trivia/tips to post or video Character reveal FB Live or Reddit AMA Give something away Promotional items: character images on t-shirts, mugs, capes, posters, etc. (Café Press, CostCo) screen cloth Simply offer a discount ASK: Take a minute a jot down a possible small sampling you could offer.
- Read slide Having a cause may encourage a reader to pick your story/message over someone else’s. Charity. Mine: 826 National and AZ Consortium for the Arts, Storytelling book benefits young artists/writers What dream are you selling? What’s it in for the world and the reader if they pick up your book? Think about what one word defines your book’s purpose? Escape, Excitement, Hope, Freedom Keep this word at the focus of all your marketing, provide more emotional connection. Core message probably requires brainstorming. Easy technique: 5 Why’s. Ann, you wrote a novel. 1Why? Love words and stories. 2Why? Words have power to move people from where they are. 3Why important? Might have a different thought, especially a positive one, to change how they think and make their life better. 4Why important? We deserve to enjoy life, have fun, more willing to share joy with others 5Why important? Happier people make a better world, they work better together. My dream: Fun and camaraderie ASK: Take a minute to jot down a cause serving as the focus of your marketing.
- Read slide We need fun and humor right now. Try these: • Post something funny that happens in your story • If you have a series, ask fans to create Bingo cards with predictions for the upcoming book. If your predications line up on the cards you get mentioned on FB. • Can you create cards of your characters for people to collect? • Can you create a game with plot points from your book? • How can involve pets in the conversation? • Book trailer, then do an April 1 spoof of it. DF • WWFD: Sept. 4, 2020, is National Beard Day, National Cheese Pizza Day, National Lazy Mom’s Day • YA: TikTok • Virtual launch with giveaways • Bookstagram ASK: Anyone care to share an outrageous idea they had today?
- So many ideas to pursue. Homework:
- Offer: Set-up by end of Nov., 1.5-hr. consult 66% off... any topic to jumpstart you. Books for sale at table, also on Amazon. Hope I sparked an idea or two for you. Next presentation: Tempe Public Library Top Secrets for Savvy Book Creators W. Oct. 7, 10 a.m.–noon
- So eager for each of you to have the best book possible. Authors in this adventure together, so check resources provided, my Web site and blogs. Sure you can find something to help you Here to help. Need ideas, contact me anytime for writing help.