Marketing: Attract, Engage, Convert

I'm still dispensing wisdom I sucked out of Randy Ingermanson's class on marketing last week. I can't give away all of it, but I'm sharing the basics. I already discussed writing a vision statement for your career. Once you know where you're going, you can plan your strategy and your tactics. But what's a successful strategy?

(photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

Here are the steps to your strategy:

1) Attract

2) Engage

3) Convert

First, you attract a buyer's attention. Then you engage with them. When they see you have something worth buying, they buy it. It's that simple. You can't skip steps, you can't do them out of order, and you can't force them on anyone. But they work. And every marketing tactic you use must perform at least one of these, or it's a waste of your time.

Here's one of the examples Randy used in his class: Goldilocks had wanted to write a novel all her life. One day, she decided to do it. But she had no idea how to get started. She typed "how do you write a novel" into Google. The first Google result was a long article about the "snowflake method." The more Goldilocks read, the more excited she got. This gave her exactly the strategy she needed! At the end of the article, she read that the author was an award-winning novelist and he had software to help walk her through the process. She clicked through to read about the software. The more she read, the more she wanted it. But it was expensive. Could she afford it? Hey look! The author of the software also had a book out--and buying the book would give her a massive 50% discount on the software. Goldilocks clicked through to Amazon, bought the book, and then came back and bought the software. 

Here's how that worked;

1) Attract: Google brought Goldilocks to the web site. Tactics used: Web site with good search engine optimization.

2) Engage: Goldilocks read the article and loved it. Tactics used: Web site with strong writing.

3) Convert: Goldilocks read a sales page with strong copy and a Call to Action with a high incentive. Tactics used: Web site sales page with good copywriting, plus a link to Amazon to close the sale.

Granted, this example was for a non-fiction product, but the principles apply to selling works of fiction. A good website or a blog with excellent content will attract readers. They become intrigued with the writer's voice, or descriptions of the characters, or photos of places that appear in the book, and they want to know more. A link to Amazon or a discount will entice them to purchase the book.

There are other tactics you could use, like Facebook, Pinterest, Book Launches, and things like those. Choose tactics that work for you to move through the three steps listed above. If the tactics you're using don't attract, engage, or convert, then stop using it.

Randy's class went in-depth on all these concepts, but I don't feel I should share it all with you when he earns part of his living teaching these things. If you need to know more, take one of his classes. It's worth the time and money. If you have questions about any of these concepts I've covered in the past three posts, put them in the comments section and I'll do my best to answer.

-Sonja

Vision Statements

In my last post, I briefly discussed vision before launching into the more exciting stuff. Today I want to back up and look at vision a little closer. Why, you ask? Because if you don't have a vision (a goal) for your writing career, how will you know what strategies and tactics you should use to become successful? 

(This example of a financial vision is brought to you by freedigitalphotos.net)

Everyone has a different idea of what success is. Some want to hold their book, in their hand, in print format. They can hit the print button on their computer and have a copy. If they want it to look like a book published by a traditional publisher, they can go to a print-on-demand service and have a copy of their book made for them. But if your idea of success is to hit the NY Top 10 list, you'll have to do quite a bit more work than the guy in that first example.

Vision, according to Randy Ingermanson, is "a clear definition of where you want to go and what you want to be as a writer." I'm quoting him because I took a class from him last week on marketing, so I'm handing out a tiny portion of the good stuff he offered. But back to vision. Your vision statement could include the category/genre you write in, your financial goals, your fame goals, and anything else that might appeal to you. Sounds simple. It is. I whipped one out in three minutes when he told us to do it in class. Here's my vision statement:

I want to write mystery and suspense stories that have a touch of the fantastical and plenty of twists: stories like those written by Sharon Shinn, Kay Hooper, and Janet Evanovich. My target audience are men and women who like an exciting story with mystery, suspense, and a bit of romance. I want to earn enough cash to remodel my house, hire a house-keeping service, and attend a couple of writing conferences each year. I don't care if I win awards, but it's nice to have the words "award-winning" on the cover of a book. My books won't have an overt spiritual theme, but they'll reflect my love of God and my theology. I don't need to become famous, just famous enough to achieve my financial goals.

Everyone's vision statement will be different. Some people want to sell tons of copies and make boatloads of cash. Some want to win awards. Some want to be in the top 1,000 on Amazon, while others want to be on the NY Top Ten list. 

What do you want from your writing life? What kind of books do you want to write? Who are your target audience? This exercise only takes a few minutes of your time, but it's worth the effort. Identify your vision, and you'll be better equipped to plan your strategy for getting there. If you're feeling exceptionally brave, share your vision statement in the comments section. 

-Sonja 

Marketing: Vision, Strategy, and Tactics

I'm back from my writing conference and all fired up to do more writing stuff. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm hasn't translated to more words in my WIP. It'll come, as soon as life settles back down to normal. I promised last week that I'd share what I learned. (To be honest, I promised to share starting last Friday, but I missed that deadline due to unpacking, getting the house back in order, running 19 loads of laundry, herding minions to do their chores, and a host of other life necessities.) But here I am! You don't have to wait any longer for conference notes. Contain your excitement, please.

(photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

The most productive time I had was in Randy Ingermanson's class on marketing: vision, strategy, and tactics  I can't share everything he taught, as he makes money doing that and it would be unethical for me to give it away for free. However, I can share small bits of it, especially those that relate to my writing life. He began by having us write our vision for our writing future. If you have no vision (goal), you can't know if you've been successful. Once the vision is in written format, you can strategize how to get there. Only then can you identify which tactics will work for you. Without a vision and a strategy, any tactics you use could be complete wastes of time.

The Good News for me: Twitter is not a necessary tactic for my vision and strategy! But a website and a blog with excellent content are both tactics that will help me achieve my vision. (Side note: THIS blog won't help, because it's geared to writers, and I need to attract readers. So I'll be starting a new blog soon that's designed specifically to the target audience of the novel my agent is currently trying to sell. I won't quit doing this blog, as it's something I've learned to enjoy, so the new one will be in addition--I'll talk about this in a bit because I've gotten ahead of myself already.)

Identifying my target audience is a huge piece of marketing. If I don't know who my target audience is, I can't choose the proper tactics for reaching them. My novel CASSANDRA'S CURSE is about a young Greek-American woman who bakes for a living. My target audience are young to middle-aged women who enjoy suspense with a touch of romance and a healthy dose of the fantastical. I am NOT saying that men, teenagers, or older women won't enjoy my book. I'm saying that most of my readers will be younger women, and they're the ones I'll reach out to with my marketing tactics. 

Randy and I brainstormed tactics for reaching out to this demographic, and he came up with an awesome one. He suggested my new blog offer recipes. Specifically, recipes for foods that appear in the book.  Muffins, breads, Greek dishes, etc. If I post one recipe per week, by the time my novel shows up on shelves, I'll have offered enough recipes to fill a cook book (which is another great marketing idea to reach these women). I realize that not every young woman likes to cook, but it's a good starting place. (Another side note: Randy says it's HARD to market for fiction, so sometimes you just have to take a risk and give something a shot. If it doesn't work, stop doing it. If it does work, put more effort into it.)

I have more I want to say about marketing, but this looks like a good place to stop. Come back on Wednesday for more nuggets of marketing wisdom. Comments or questions on today's topic?

-Sonja

What you get at a writing conference

I'm off to Portland, OR, for the Oregon Christian Writer's Conference tomorrow, so I'm posting Monday's stuff a day early. The conference is a whopping four days, but I can only afford to go for two. Since I'll be gone and ultra busy, there won't be a Wednesday post this week. However, there will be a dandy one on Friday when I relate some of the awesome stuff learn, and it may leak over into next week's posts, too. Since I'm gearing up for this wondrous occasion, I thought it only fitting that I talk about conferences in today's post.

Conferences are fabulous for all writers, no matter your place in the learning curve. Randy Ingermanson likes to classify writers by class: freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. A senior is someone who's learned the craft and is published. If you're not published, you're in one of the other three categories. Pop on over to his site and do the quick questionnaire if you're dying to know which one you are. I'll wait for you. As far as conferences go, it doesn't matter which one you are, because everyone can benefit. It's my opinion that conferences are best for newbies (freshman) and those ready to break into publishing but haven't yet (juniors). The freshmen get all the classes on craft and learn to polish their writing into a publishable state. Juniors have the opportunity to pitch their work to editors and agents. But again, everyone benefits because of the networking: the published, the teachers, the newbies, those that have never been, those who go all the time. It's an opportunity to build community with other writers.

For what you get, conferences are worth the expense. The word expense is spot-on, because conferences are expensive. I can only afford one a year, and it's a small one. I usually attend a Seattle conference. This year I skipped it so I could go to the Portland one--but my money only got me two days. If it's not too much of a financial burden, I encourage all writers to try to attend at least one conference in their lifetime. And once you've been to one, you want to go to them all. If only I were independently wealthy...

I enjoy the classes, but the part I love the most is meeting famous people. Well, maybe not world famous, but they've published books I like, or they're agents I've queried, and I want to meet them. Randy Ingermanson will be there (I'm signed up for his marketing courses). I'm also looking forward to meeting Jeff Gerke  He and I have worked together via email, but I've never met him in person. (He's the guy behind WhereTheMapEnds and Marcher Lord Press.) I love shameless name-dropping. Here are more people I'll meet and eat lunch with: James Rubart, Karen Ball, Chip MacGregor  Jill Williamson  Mick Silva  Susan May Warren, and Nick Harrison  Some of these people I've already met at previous conferences, and it'll be fun to play the "do you remember me?" game. No, just kidding. I don't expect any of them to remember me (although Jeff may recognize my name, but I won't hold my breath). For the first time ever, I don't have a novel to pitch (that's now my AGENT'S job--boy, do I love that), but that won't stop me from introducing myself to all the editors and agents I can find in the hopes that they'll be able to put my face and my name together when they receive my manuscript from my agent. (Yes, I'm an introvert, and yes, 'm typically shy. I manage to put all that behind me for the benefits, but if you watch me closely, you'll see me retreating to quiet corners frequently to recharge my inner batteries and de-stress.)

Those are the three best things about conferences (classes, networking, meeting famous people), in my opinion. What do you think, loyal readers: are conferences worth your time, effort and cash? What's your favorite thing to do at conferences? What do you dislike? Please share with the group.

-Sonja

A Comfy Writing Space

I had no clue what I was going to blog about today, but after reading two other blog posts regarding the same topic, I thought I'd jump in. This is a tough one for me, because while I'm organized in most areas of my life, my office space isn't one of them. Today's topic: Organizing Your Office.

Don't run away! Stick around and you might find something useful. Randy Ingermanson blogged a few days ago about how to maintain your writing schedule during times of chaos. (I think my desk qualifies as chaos, but he was talking about externals, like health problems, moving to a new house, stuff like that). He said that writers NEED a place to write, a place that's comfortable and useable. If there isn't one in the home, then he suggests finding a coffee shop or other public space to "be alone" without family members sticking their faces in every few minutes. He has his own office, with a door that closes out the family noise. But it's a sin to covet, so moving on.

(This photo of my nasty corner office courtesy of my iPhone)

April at Holistic Homemaking posted the six steps to an organized office. (I don't know when she posted it, as I found it via a pinterest board, and there wasn't a date on it.) Anyway, her post and Randy's got me to thinking about how wonderful it would be to have a writing space that was organized. If I could find the surface of my desk, maybe I could write more. If I could find my research notes, maybe I could write more. If I could find that one book that mentioned how to fix pacing problems, maybe I could write more. 

Here's the thing. I'm a fairly lazy person at times. If faced with cleaning my desk or reading a book, I'll chose the book. I'd rather surf facebook than search for a pen that works. I'd rather develop an immunity to iocane powder than exercise. (I don't think I'm alone on that one.) I've got great excuses for my desk being the way it is, too. Check these out: I don't have the cash to buy another book case, so all those books need to remain stacked on the floor in the corner. I don't have enough time to write, much less carve out six hours to declutter my office and file my reams of paper. My sinuses are accustomed to the dust bunnies hiding behind my monitor--if I clean them up, I'll have to get used to not sneezing.

They're all bogus, and I know it. The real bottom line is there are other things I'd rather do than organize my office. It's a universal truth: we do what we want to do. But once I find my "want to", here are some of the things April talked about on her blog that sounded like good ideas to me:

1) Put everything in boxes and move it to a different room. This leaves only big furniture and flooring. (It also guarantees that you'll take care of ALL of it because you don't want those boxes cluttering up your bedroom for the next six months.)

2) Wipe down everything in the cleared office. Even the walls. Get it clean so it'll be more fun to use when the room's put back together.

3) Gather "like" things and place them together. Example: all pens and pencils go in one place. A soup can would work if there isn't a desk drawer (I don't have any drawers in my desk, and I can't afford a new desk, so I'll scrounge in the recycling bin for an appropriate container). All books go in one place--preferably a shelf, not the floor. All files goes in one place. If you don't have a filing cabinet, an accordion file works. They're not as expensive as an entire filing cabinet, so jar loose that four bucks and go to the office supply store. Or check out Goodwill for the filing cabinet. You might get lucky.

4) No loose papers. They should all be filed (and labeled properly so you can find them again) or recycled. I'll admit this is the big one for me. My desk is covered from one end to the other with stacks of paper. All of them are important. Even the grocery ads. Argh.

5) Bring in the last of the stuff in boxes and find a home for all of it. If you can't find a home for it in the clean office, then it should go someplace else. Maybe Goodwill. Or the trash. It can't go on the desk top, because that should be reserved for at-the-moment items that are necessary for work.

It looks easy, but it's rough. I'd rather have a new office, with paint on the walls (right now it's sheet rock and bare studs), curtains on the window, a real desk with real drawers, and lots of bookcases. I don't have the cash for all that. What I DO have is a dedicated space in the corner of an unfinished basement that's just for me and my writing. I may never get it to look the way I want, but it can be functional and clean. 

I'm off to find my will-power now. Those dust bunnies develop nasty pointed teeth when they get big.

-Sonja

Reflecting World View and Targeting Audiences

I've had this subject I've wanted to talk about. Some might find it offensive. Some might disagree with me. Some might not like it. So I hesitate to bring it up. However, the last time I truly worried about what someone thought of me was in high school, so I think I'll go for it. I want to talk about world views. 

(photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

Everyone has one, whether they know it or not. You might not even be able to define yours. But it's there, and it's reflected in everything you do, even your writing. My world view definitely shines through my writing. If asked, I'd label myself a conservative reformed Christian. My protagonists usually share my belief system, and live their lives according to those beliefs. My bad guys also live in this system: they are sinners and do evil things. But my books don't "preach" a Christian message. They don't contain "come to Jesus" moments, or alter calls, or have overt Christian themes. I don't make my bad guys a little nicer so they're non-offensive to Christian readers. I'm a Christian writer, but I hesitate to say I write Christian books. I write suspense, mystery, and fantasy books that have an ultra-subtle Christian message.

Your world view not only reflects in your writing, it also affects your target audience. I know some people would be frustrated by my books because my heroines don't jump in the sack with the handsome hero when he first shows up in her life. She doesn't have sex with the handsome hero once she realizes she's in love with him, either. That first scenario happens a lot in romance books, and the second scenario happens almost all the time in nearly every genre. But it doesn't fit into my world view, and I don't feel comfortable writing it. So I don't.

I'm an avid reader, and I'll admit I'm abnormal in this: I don't often stick to authors who share my world view. I read plenty of books where there is a sex scene or two, and most of the time it doesn't offend me. I also read books where characters curse, or drink too much, or disrespect their parents. I still enjoy them. I am not a typical reader, so I ruin my own point. But I digress.

There was one book I read recently that truly offended me. I won't tell the author's name or the book, but do want to share why I disliked the book so much. The author portrayed all women as sluts, willing to sleep with any man as long as she got out of it what she wanted. I'm not sure if the author thought this lifestyle was a valid way to search for fulfillment and love, or if she behaves in her own life the same way her characters did, but I found I couldn't identify with any of the main characters. Their world view was too different from mine.

I'm taking too long to get to my point. I need to identify my audience and strive to please them. It's impossible to please ALL readers, so why set myself up for failure? My books won't appeal to hedonists or post-modernists, no matter what genre they read. I probably won't even attract the mainstream evangelical crowd. My target audience is ultra-specific. Most of them will share my world view. Those that don't will read my books because it's a genre they love. Identifying my audience will help me market my books so they get to the readers who will enjoy them the most. If you haven't identified your target audience yet, it's worth the effort to figure it out.

If you have already identified your target audience, share it in the comments section.

-Sonja

All In the Name of Research

I ran into an interesting situation this past week while writing. I put my character into a bit of a pickle, as is proper, but then didn't know how to get her out of it. The problem wasn't related to plot. The problem was that I was ignorant about the solution. Enter research.

(These pickles brought to you by freedigitalphotos.net)

Here's the pickle: the protagonist lives in a converted building. The bottom floor is retail space. The upper floor was originally built as office space, but the owner made it into a couple of apartments: one for his family, and one for the protagonist. But he didn't get permits for the remodel, the city found out people were living in the space, and an inspector arrived to check it out. The scene ended with the inspector telling the protag that her apartment didn't meet code, and she'd have to move out.

It was a highly stressful moment for my hero. And for me. What would happen in real life if this scenario were to play out as I wrote it? I had no clue. 

So I opened my phone book, looked up the Community Planning Department, and called. I told the receptionist what I wanted. She connected me with a man named Ryan. I explained to Ryan who I was, what I was doing, and the scenario in the book. Oh, the building I set my story in exists in real life. He knew the building and that section of town. He seemed to get a kick out of helping a local writer. He spent quite a bit of time telling me what would happen if it were a real situation. When his knowledge ran out, he transferred me to a man named Jeff. I explained all over again who I was, what I was doing, and that Ryan had connected me. Jeff also seemed pleased to help me out, explaining all the building codes that would have to be met or exceeded to bring the building into compliance. 

I had a great time talking to these two guys, they seemed to enjoy helping me, and best of all, my scenes will be truly authentic when I'm finished. But the fun didn't end there. 

Another one of my characters is a Community Corrections Officer (that's the fancy title for parole officer). I don't know a ton about these guys. So I called the Department of Corrections and asked to speak with a CCO. I was transferred to a nice lady named Mary. I told her who I was, that I was writing a novel that had a CCO for a main character, and then I asked if I could come down to her office and have a fifteen minute interview. She agreed! I showed up at her office with a list of questions, I recorded the entire interview on my phone, and I got a tour of the facility. I even got to sit in the lobby with a couple of parolees waiting their turn (not as scary as it sounds). The part that surprised me the most is that Mary, an ultra-tough woman with a badge, a gun, and the training to kill me with her two little fingers, was nervous about the interview! But I made her feel at ease, and we had a lot of fun with it. It ended up lasting nearly a half hour, but she didn't seem to mind. She walked me through what she did on typical days, told me how she interacts with her clients, how she keeps emotional distance, all the interesting things I needed to know about how a CCO lives in and out of the office. Now I know my CCO character will be realistic.

The lesson here is not to be bashful and think you'll waste someone's time. Call the expert and ask for an interview. The worst they could do is say no. If that happens, call another one. I've made dozens of phone calls over the years in the name of research, and I've never once been turned down. Most of the time, the person I interview enjoys speaking about what they're good at. Deep down, all people want to feel necessary, special, and knowledgeable about something. There's no greater boost to the ego than to have a total stranger call and ask for an interview.

If you've interviewed someone for your novel, share your results in the comments section. We'd all love to learn from your experience.

-Sonja