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It was really interesting to watch, earlier this year, as Pinterest, the new social media site, exploded in popularity.
All of a sudden, you had to be on Pinterest. Bloggers, internet marketers, authors and just about everyone else tried to figure out how Pinterest was suddenly driving so much traffic, entrancing so many web surfers and just generally getting an awesome amount of attention.
When I decided to check it out, I couldn’t even open an account because at the time you needed an invitation. I had to scour my contacts to find someone who would invite me (thanks Beth!) before I could start using it.
Under the radar, there are lots of people working on new ways to use the tools of social media to create excitement, attention and hopefully grow popular. We don’t hear about most of these until they take off.
What’s interesting is watching people struggle with how to integrate a new service like Pinterest into their marketing strategy. It can be a challenge.
Marketing Strategy?? You Have One of Those?
Yes, in that paragraph just above here I referred to your marketing strategy. You have one of those, right?
A strategy can be seen as your overall plan, the way you’re going to use your precious and limited resources—like time and energy, for instance—to meet your publishing goals.
For instance, your strategy might be to focus on offline marketing; speaking engagements, writing articles on your area of expertise for magazines within your niche, or running workshops.
Social media, though, requires special attention. With mature sites like Facebook and Twitter attracting hundreds of millions of users, and with more and more sites springing to life all the time, it can be a daunting task just to come up with a strategy.
Luckily, I already had a strategy firmly in place that I’ve been using for a couple of years. I learned it from Chris Brogan and Darren Rowse, and it works.
It’s the strategy I’ve used to find tens of thousands of people who are interested in my training courses, consulting services, and this blog.
Enter the Webinar
When I was asked by Lisa Krebs at the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) to run a webinar for authors, it was this strategy that sprang to mind.
I’ve talked to lots of authors who are overwhelmed with social media, or just plain reluctant to even get involved.
It just looks like a big waste of time, or like some super-complicated machine that they’ll never get the hang of. Or they think it’s all pointless celebrity worship.
Hey, I get it. There are lots of reasons to not do things that seem confusing.
But I wanted to put this great tool into the hands of as many authors as I could.
The webinar went off quite well. The 47-minute presentation allowed me to step through the process of integrating your online assets into a cohesive and productive whole. And I got some great feedback.
Why do I keep buying webinars/instruction from @jfbookman? Because the teaching Joel provides is always fantastic. #writing #writingtip
— Kelly Langston (@Kelly_Langston) October 20, 2012
Have you seen @jfbookman ‘Hub and Outpost’ webinar? A bargain worth every penny to help clarify your social media approach. Thanks Joel! :)
— Henry Hyde (@Henry__Hyde) October 22, 2012
Now I’ve packaged up the slides, re-recorded the entire webinar so it doesn’t have that “recorded over a bad phone line” look and sound, and put together a downloadable checklist to help you keep track of some of the points made in the presentation.
I’ve just uploaded this webinar, so here’s the deal:
- If you’re unsure of how to put together your social media strategy, or
- If you’re reluctant to even get involved, or
- If you want to see how you can build an amazing, content-driven, non-stop network of influence and interaction,
… then take a look at the page I’ve set up that explains exactly what this is all about. You can find it here:
–> The Hub and Outpost Method of Social Media Marketing for Authors Webinar Bundle.
And let me know what you think, I’d love to hear from you.
Hi Joel – I’m a “newbie author” And I thought I had given my soul to writing my book. Now I have to have a marketing degree. I don’t. I did target mychildren’s book to a certain audience. But, I need an illustrator, cover designed and what the hell kind of paper do I print it on. Toilet paper crossed my internal radar screen. I love your info and patience with us “newbies who have enuff trouble getting our email! Please keep it coming. I am inspired to read everything you write but if I log onto all your great stuff, I’d never have time for my second book. Thanks a mil from an appreciative fan.
Nancy, I feel your pain. You are in the midst of the most difficult and time-consuming part of your process, and I know there’s a lot to take in. You might think about consulting with a book shepherd who can help you find your way through the production/marketing thicket, it’s a lot easier with some guidance to get you going.
Thanks, Mary. I would be really interested in your feedback on the webinar bundle. I’ve been using this strategy for years and it has helped me tremendously, so I’m happy to share what I know.
Hi Joel … this offer came just at the right time. I’m struggling to keep up, figure out, select and balance all the social media tools. TX