By Amy Collins
Each month, I go out and find authors and publishers willing to share their mistakes and goofs. It is a very public and scary way of being helpful when these talented men and women share what they did that they wish they had done differently.
Well, this month, it is my turn. My book is now 14 months old and I have made a LOT of goofs over the last year. So, with no more delays or hesitation, here is the Amy Collins DO THIS NOT THAT list of goofs.
What I Did: I did not manage my keywords, tags, and metadata in my listings or ads
What is awful about this is that I TEACH CLASSES on how easy it is to manage keywords and why it is so important. But I got “busy.” I “didn’t have time.” So my book languished when it could have been floating on the top of the search engines for the last year.
What I Should Have Done Instead
I should have used Keyword Tool and found the top keyword suggestions for books in my topic. This online tool allows you to search Google, Amazon, AND YouTube. It is terrific. I also should have searched out books just like mine using yasiv.com. Then I should have USED those keywords to run ads on Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
What I Just Did
I just found over 2000 keywords and tag words using Keyword Tool and yasiv.com. I typed in:
- my book name
- my category name
- my competition
- the buzz words on my back cover
- everything I could think of
I now have a VERY large list of keywords to start experimenting with. I just launched an Amazon and a Facebook ad campaign using those keywords. Now, I have to watch the results every few days so I can fine tune the process.
What I Did: I did not call up two libraries or stores each day
Again, I am on record encouraging and cajoling all of you to just do TWO things a day to promote your book. I cringe to admit this, but I have not done that for my own book. I was always “going to get to it.” The problem is, I never did. Months and months went by and I told myself that if my book was “meant” to be in the libraries, it would find its way there eventually.
What I Should Have Done Instead
Well, to start… I should have SMACKED myself hard. Just read the last sentence in the previous paragraph. What CRAP! OF COURSE my book would not FIND its way ANYWHERE. No matter how amazing the book may be, it only moves onto shelves when I move it there. No book no matter HOW fantastic ever grows legs and develops the ability to appear on shelves on its own. It HAS to have our help. I should have been making these calls all along.
What I Just Did
I just called seven libraries in the Dallas, TX area and asked for the name and contact info for the reference librarian. I then wrote an email telling them that I would be promoting my book in TX for the rest of 2017 and would like to mention their libraries in my marketing materials and in any interviews I do. In essence, I took my own advice. It is hard, even for experts, do make the calls and send the emails asking librarians and stores to consider our books. I get how hard it is for all of us, but now? I am going to make two of these calls each day. No matter what.
What I Did: I have not been writing the next book
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that my book was over 14 months old. I have learned a LOT in the last 14 months. Yes, the information was disseminated in blogs, articles and video classes, but some people PREFER books. I advise all of YOU to make sure you put your content out in audio, video, article AND book. Why have I not done it myself?
What I Should Have Done Instead
I should have been writing my next book during that time. Authors become MORE appealing when they have more than one book. I have a wealth of knowledge on my subject. I write 20-30,000 words each week in email advice, articles, and blogs. WHY have I not been writing 5,000 words each week for another book?
What I Just Did
I have gone through the blogs and articles I have written over the last year. I have started poring over the emails that I have received and sent where I give advice and guidance. I am going to pull all the most frequent questions and quandaries I have been presented it the last year and write a book that addresses each and every question that seems to plague a lot of authors. If several people keep asking the same question, then it is time to put all of that information into a book format.
Well, one of two things are going to unfold here. Either you are all going to drag me over to the woodshed or you are going to recognize some of your own thoughts and actions in this month’s list of Do This, Not That. They say that the Cobbler’s children go without shoes. I am willing to take the ridicule and derision that I deserve for not putting shoes on my own children’s feet. I should have known better. I should have DONE better. Now, thanks to you. I will.
Photo: Pexels.com
