BadRedhead Media

We’ve had quite the first #NaNoProMo Week so far, haven’t we? Amazing tips and giveaways from top book marketing experts.

Let’s do a quick recap.

Day 1: Who is the Reader You Save Every Night by guest @EAWwrites

Elizabeth Ann discussed reader avatars (reader profiles) and how creating and using them can help you create promotional materials:

What is a Reader Avatar?

When you try to reach everyone, you reach no one. The exercise of a reader avatar is not designed to exclude people from your audience; there is no such thing as a book for everyone. But identifying a couple of reader avatars that come home from work and seek out your books for their relief from the daily grind gives you many benefits:

• You can design advertising campaigns to reach a specific reader avatar, increasing your conversions and decreasing your costs.
• You can find the spaces where readers who follow your work, especially if you write in multiple genres, will have common ground. This saves you from turning OFF fans with pitches about your latest books that they aren’t interested in buying.
• You can prioritize your publishing schedule to suit the reader avatar profiles that are most energized and engaged in your publishing efforts.

Her giveaway is ONE All-Access Pass to the May/June classes on WhatAuthorsNeedtoKnow.com, valued at $335. You get every class, from Selling Directly on Gumroad to our class just on Finding Your Reader Profile.

But she hasn’t forgotten others! Everyone can use code: badredhead for 25% off any class.

And the Day 1 winner is…Dean McKenna!

Day 2: How to Create a Successful Media Campaign by guest @Girl_Who_Reads

Guest Donna Huber (publishing expert and blogger) reviews media campaigns and ways to get you and your book more coverage and visibility:

One of the first conversations I have with a new client is what their marketing plans are in regard to media appearances. Often times, the author is unsure how to go about getting media attention and therefore puts it on the back burner. Follow these three steps for creating a media campaign to get your book noticed on a local, national and even international level via:

• Schedule a Blog Tour & Book Blast
• Book Ongoing Blog and Podcast Appearances
• Pitch to Traditional Media Outlets

Donna breaks out details in each section. Be sure to read her post — tons of great, practical advice and links!

Her giveaway is 10 copies of her book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour

And the 10 lucky winners are…

1. Iola Goulton
2. Lissa Johnston
3. Alexandria Szeman
4. Dana Lemaster
5. KJ Waters
6. Donna M Baptiste aka D.B. Moone
7. Pauline Wiles
8. Cynthia Herron
9. Tarang Sinha
10. Daniella Shepard

Day 3: Want Publishing Success? Be a Great Writer and Clever Marketer by guest @EvatopiaLit

Margery Walshaw discusses the importance of writing and marketing — and how it’s possible to do both:

Marketing of a book is so important that one should plan their book’s promotion simultaneous to writing it. I know what you’re thinking…you’re a writer and therefore, it’s the plot, pacing, characters, and dialogue that must be considered when writing. All true, but one can do this and simultaneously consider marketing. As a writer, this is your job whether you choose to do the marketing or hand it off to someone else. Either way, if you think about marketing while writing, that job becomes easier.

Selling isn’t easy. But if you spice up your campaigns with creativity, suddenly you’ll enjoy the process and your readers will reward you. It does take time and there’s no shame in hiring someone to do the marketing for you, or at least to create the template for your campaign. What you must remember, whether you are doing the work or hiring someone to do it for you, make your campaigns resonate with authenticity. Ensure that your marketing campaign is appropriate for your book’s genre.

And finally, never let your writing fall by the wayside.

Margery is giving away a signed, print copy of her creativity-inducing book, Full Color Life: How to Live a Creative, Balanced Life (value: $12), a wonderfully empowering guide to help businesses and individuals find their creative spark and develop the self-belief and tools to make their business and personal life flourish.

And the Day 3 winner is…Pamela Cook!

Day 4: Learn More on Focusing Your Promotional Efforts with the Four Quadrant Method by guest @PaulineWiles

Pauline Wiles is an author and writing coach who shares this excellent technique for deciding where and how to put your time and effort: The Four Quadrant Method.

To succeed in book promotion, while leaving time for writing and the rest of your life, it’s essential to focus your efforts. My favorite way of doing this is with the Quadrant Method. It’s a simple but effective technique you can apply to narrow down choices in many areas of your life.

You really must read Pauline’s post to get the gist of the method and see her clear example (don’t worry, it’s a short post!). The winner of Day 4 receives a 30-minute coaching call to one winner to apply the quadrant method to your own book promotion options. (Value: $150) (I’m kinda jealous — I’d love to go through this process with Pauline!).

And the Day 4 winner is…Jena Henry!

Day 5: Need the No Nonsense Book Marketing Truth? Get These Titles by guest @cdetler

My good friend and talented author, Cyndy Drew Etler shares the three books that helped her learn how to market her books (and yes, she is traditionally published and yes, she still has to do the work).

The three titles that scrubbed away my delusions, gave me realistic expectations, and taught me what to do to sell books (and save my dignity). Read Cyndy’s terrific post for specifics on why she placed her career in the hands of these visionaries.

• The Business of Being a Writer, by Jane Friedman
• Perennial Seller, by Ryan Holiday
• Known, by Mark W. Schaefer

Broken record alert, but: book success doesn’t come fast. And it doesn’t come via advertising or pushing. It comes because people like, and trust, the author.

Cyndy is also giving away a 30-minute consultation on: querying agents, writing YA, writing memoir, reaching out to influencers, and/or doing one’s own publicity (winner’s choice) PLUS ebook copies of Jane Friedman’s The Business of Being a Writer, Ryan Holiday’s Perennial Seller, and Mark Schaefer’s Known.

And the Day 5 winner is…Jessica White!

Please continue to join us for this next week of #NaNoProMo amazing expert posts and giveaways. Remember to comment so you can enter!

*Winners will be contacted via the email used to comment.

**All prize winners must agree to hold BadRedhead Media entirely free from any liability, including financial responsibility.