One of the reasons we write for publication is for other people.
We either want to help them through information or inspiration, or we want to entertain people and perhaps make them think. It can help if you consider marketing in the same way, because it focuses on the customer, not on you.
This makes you think about what they want, stops you feeling self-conscious, will give you ideas as to what to share, and it will help you to connect with a community.
“Make stuff you love and talk about stuff you love, and you'll attract people who love that kind of stuff. It's that simple.” Austin Kleon, Show Your Work
Generosity and social karma
The word karma implies that you get back what you give, and I believe this is true in the social environment. If you give, you will receive.
Being useful, helpful and generous is satisfying personally, but also builds up a bank of goodwill. When you later mention that you have a book out, or people are attracted to you because of your generosity, and see you have books/products available, they are more likely to buy.
Co-opetition or collaboration with other authors
Co-opetition is about co-operating with your perceived competition so that both parties benefit. When there is a congruence of interests, co-operating together can create greater value than acting alone.
The self-publishing environment, in particular, is full of authors with an entrepreneurial spirit, sharing experiences openly. We discuss sales numbers and promote each other through blog posts, email lists and social networks, especially when our books are in the same genre.
In working and educating ourselves together, we can learn lessons faster, respond and adapt more quickly.
Traditionally published authors also do this through promoting each other's books, forming groups that speak together at festivals or doing book signings together.
For example, let's say you write science fiction. There's no need to see other science fiction writers as competition. Instead, think of them as potential collaborators on marketing projects. Both of you bring an interested group of readers who will read your books fast and be ready for the next book. If you collaborate with other writers in the same genre to promote each other, everyone benefits.
In the same way, non-fiction writers can work with authors in the same area to target the same readers. After all, a reader who buys one diet book will likely want to buy a whole load more of them!
Some practical ways of doing this include:
- Promoting each other’s books to your email lists or including back blurbs at the end of your books. This can even go as far as producing collaborative books and bundles together.
- Guest blogging or interviewing each other in order to cross-pollinate readers. For example, I interview thriller, crime and dark fiction authors on my site JFPenn.com.
- Creating genre-related sites around multiple books of a similar genre that everybody promotes.
- Sharing other authors’ books or content on social networks, and reviewing books in your genre on Goodreads.
If you do this type of thing consistently, without expecting a return, you will find the favor is repaid, sometimes from other sources and in surprising ways. That's social karma in action.
The importance of know, like and trust
“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”
Oscar Wilde
An important principle behind all of this is authenticity. Marketing from a personal perspective is about people getting to know, like and trust us. It’s about delivering value and not just being about the sale.
Everything I do online is focused on these principles. For example, I might include a photo on my Twitter timeline of my desk, a sunflower from my garden or pictures from a research trip. This enables people to get to know me a little more without actively promoting specific books.
It's more personal but is also related to my books in a tangential way. Sharing like this is about building a relationship with people and allowing them a glimpse into your real life. If people know you, like you and trust you, they are more likely to want to buy your books.
Don't betray that trust once it has been built
So if you start to build a following, respect them and don't betray their trust. People come to expect what you give, so keep on giving it and they will continue to buy. I do believe that it is the author's right to choose what they write, but consider using a different variation on your name if it is wildly different to what you usually produce.
A great book on this principle is Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation and Earn Trust by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith.
Authenticity and being yourself
“There no longer has to be a difference between who you are and what you do.” Gary Vaynerchuk. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
The Internet is a marvelous place, full of creativity, generosity and amazing human endeavor. But it also has a dark side of scammers, dishonesty and trolls. I want to live in the former world, which is why I am fanatical about integrity and authenticity online. I share real stories about my life and real emotions, and they resonate with those people who want real connection. I find that being positive, upbeat, generous and creative leads to attracting similar people online. Yes, occasionally, I get haters, but I prefer to stay in the glass-90% full world.
How can you be authentic as part of your brand if you're using a pseudonym?
It's the same as writing authentic characters in fiction. You have to humanize them. You have to share personal details that make them a real person. I've done that by sharing articles, videos and audios about my journey as an author, the downs as well as the ups, and I don't hold back when I am scared or vulnerable – as long as what I'm sharing relates to writing! For my sweet romance pen-name, I'm sharing a picture a day on Facebook under an avatar profile. They are pictures that resonate with the novels but are also from my real life.
Decide on your boundaries
Of course, you still need to protect yourself and your family, and you need to draw the line you won't cross. Some authors happily share pictures of their children, others refer to them using code names and only share obliquely. You can still talk about details of your life without revealing too much. For example, talking about the challenges of writing while being a parent is a natural and authentic thing to discuss which also resonates with your brand as a writer.