Saturday, January 21, 2012

Hints to Organize Your Promo


Everyone who knows me knows I don’t think in organized terms. With this in mind, I'm presenting hints for organizing your life to include promotion for your books.
This is in no way meant to be instructions or directions on how to organize your promotion methods. I found out the hard way what every ebook writer learns: the only way to sell books is to market, market. market.
The other big fact is: Selling your book taked time away from your writing.
The solution: organize.
Aaaargh Just the thought makes my stomach ache, but its necessary.
Once I realized I needed to use my time wisely, I made decisions. Here is a partial list of things that helped me.

  1. What am I promoting? My books or myself?
    Really important to know to save wasted efforts. It doesn’t make any difference as far as objectives, but  does affect the subject.
  2. Where do I go to promote?
    My goodness, the list of places is endless and growing. I got lost in the tangled web of the internet. It takes real dedication to stop trolling and get back to work.
  3. Find a network of supportive and like-minded authors.
    I am on several blogs where various authors post. This gives me exposure without the daily expectation.
  4. Find how to check how many visitors go to your sites. Are your efforts paying off or a waste of time?
  5. Concentrate your efforts.
    I support my fellow authors by following their blogs and found a timesaver: I check the bloggerlist (also worpress and google) daily instead of clicking on each individual blog. Commenting is easy and the numbers add up.
  6. Create a blog.
    Focus on something. Writing, interviews, whatever will draw attention.
  7. Tweet. I know, I know.
    To make it simple I joined Triberr along with several supportive authors. My followers are growing and the most recent count is over 20 thousand reached. These are people who buy books.
  8. Join StumbleUpon.
    Never heard of it? Me neither, but it suggests blogs to people who list interests. Horses, dogs, cowboys, vampires? Click on it. A whole new audience for my books.
  9. LinkedIn
    Is a puzzle to me since I’m not looking for an employer, but there I am. It doesn’t take much time and my name is out there on several groups. Connections are growing. Another new audience.
  10. Set a time limit.
    I started with one hour a day. Now I’ve divided it into 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the late afternoon.Why? Because morning is my prime writing time. And I have organized my priorities.
Hope these hints help you. I'm willing to add to my list if you have suggestions.

Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net
Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards
Ancient Blood http://on.fb.me/naHRY5
Twitter: http://twitter.com/barb_ed
Authors Den: http://authorsden.com/barbaraedwards      
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/barbaraedwards

In Ancient Awakening, Police Officer ‘Mel’ Petersen investigates a death only she believes is murder. By disobeying direct orders from the Rhodes End Chief, she risks her career to follow clues that twist in circles to her backyard and lead the killer to her.

Her neighbor Stephen Zoriak is a prime suspect. Steve worked for a major pharmaceutical company where he discovered a weapon so dangerous he destroys the research. He is exposed to the dangerous organism. He suspects he is the killer and agrees to help her find the truth.

In the course of their investigation Mel and Steve find the real killer and a love that defies death.



www.wildrosepress buy link

18 comments:

Laura Breck said...

Great suggestions, Barbara. I'm going to check out a few of those sites you mentioned. You must be very organized if you can do all your promo in one hour a day! Wow!!!

Colleen Connally said...

Thanks for the insights, Barbara. Need all the help I can get when it comes to promoting.

Barbara Edwards said...

Hi Laura,
I admit that doesn't include stuff I do for fun, like personal email.
Barbara

Barbara Edwards said...

Hi Jerri,
We all need help. I'm happy to share.

Nancy Jardine Author said...

I have found your suggestions useful, Barbara. I did decide to spend around an hour a day to do promo but find that hard to stick to as a new author (2011. But rather than get too bogged down in all th epossibilities I'm taking smaller steps. Thanks for the help!

Barbara Edwards said...

You're welcome, Nancy. glad to help.

Jannine Gallant said...

Promotion is overwhelming, and you have a great approach to it. I'm off to check out StumbleUpon. Thanks, Barbara!

Colleen Connally said...

If you can figure out Stumble Upon, let me know. I heard great things about it. I joined a few months ago and can't make heads or tails about it.

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks, Barbara. I do some of these things, but I know I need to be much more effective (and more organized). I suppose I'll have to figure out Twitter one of these days. Sigh.

Barbara Edwards said...

Hi Jerri,
I have to go back and check, but its a matter of entering
'interests', then you recommend blogs to different areas you mentioned. Hmm, its easier to do than explain.

Susan Macatee said...

I've had to organize my time spent in promo too, Barbara. Especially since I have a new book out. Prior to that, I hadn't had a new release in nearly two years, so made writing my priority. And back then, we didn't have Twitter. I'm still kind of lost there, but I do have it linked to my blog, which encourages me to post something at least three times a week.

If you don't prioritize, you end up wasting time. And that doesn't get any new stories written.

Great post!

Barbara Edwards said...

thanks Susan.

Barbara Edwards said...

Hi Alison,
Do what I did: take advantage of a free on-line class. Lots of good info and help.

Unknown said...

Unlike you, organization is the only way I can live. Unfortunatly, I don't multi-task well, so I must have a certain list of to-do's for the day, the week, whatever. I certainly identify with being so confused about where to spend my time, but I do have a plan down and stick to up most of the time. I am, though, always watching for something else to get my name on.
I've heard of StumbleUpon, and I will check that one out.
Thanks for the great list! You were so organized!

Barbara Edwards said...

Oh no Celia, I'm not organized, I'm desperate. I have to do all these things to keep sane.

Unknown said...

Great info Barbara! Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. Time is so precious and 1 hour a day is good advice indeed. Hugs.

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi barbara,
Great suggestions. Promotion really is so frustrating sometimes. It is the not knowing what is working and not working that really bugs me.

Cheers

Margaret

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

Great post, Barbara. I've saved all the emails in our loop about Tribber. One day soon--honest--I'll take the time to read them and get started. I tend to shy away from new things...sigh.