Building a Powerful Author Platform
For some authors, building a strong platform comes naturally. It is simply a fun part of the process for them. But for others, this extroverted activity of networking takes a lot of work and it is highly uncomfortable.
Let's face it. Writing can be a lonely pursuit and so many authors feel like they have to do it all by themselves, writing, revising, and seeking publication in solitude.
Whether it feels comfortable or not, the reality is that an author’s work needs to reach the right community of readers to be successful. This means that one of the most important aspects of book marketing is building relationships with people who will promote your book.
Fortunately, in today's digital world, there are more opportunities to build author connections in-person and online than ever before and it is these author connections that will be among your best self-publishing tools.
Don’t be afraid to connect with people you already know. Enlist their help in finding readers who will really love your work, turning them into true fans—those who will follow you wherever you go, from your social media to live author events.
1. Begin Before the Beginning
When it comes to networking, it’s never too early to start.
If you wait until your book is released to start building your connections, you’ll be left playing catch up. Start as soon as you begin tap, tap, tapping the keys on your computer, or put pen to paper.
The best networkers are always cultivating existing relationships and looking for new contacts. Continuing relationships will ensure an audience not only looks for your upcoming book, but the next book, and the one after that. (Watch for our blog article on the wisdom and practicality of publishing a series of books.)
Before your book is even published you can attend writing conferences and find
professional groups, organizations, and associations to help you be successful.
Go to conferences and join groups specific to the industry or genre you write about. These are fantastic places to build relationships with potential readers, other writers, and publishers who can serve as great resources.
Check out conferences on marketing, public speaking, and ways to get your message out. These are excellent places to begin building relationships of supporters, joint venture partners, collaborators, and even your launch team.
These outlets help you stay plugged in to what’s happening in your field, including developments, challenges, and trends.
They also help you build editor, publisher, and author and reader connections. You never know who will help you reach the next level of success.
2. Start with Your Existing Community
Your family, friends, coworkers, and other community members can be your most
loyal fans and best advocates—people who are automatically predisposed to support
you.
Think about it and you’ll be surprised at how many automatic fans you can identify. The thing they all have in common is you. These people know, like, and trust you and will support you regardless of whether the book you’re publishing is their kind of book. These people aren’t necessarily in it for the book; they’re in it for you.
Waiting until your book comes out and then asking your community to promote can
be a mistake. It is important to involve those who have supported you throughout your writing process in your journey to authorship also. Make them feel included and expand your reach by letting them help you build momentum.
3. Join Online Communities and Social Media
Online forums, communities, and social media platforms are great places to build
your author platform and establish connections by providing new friendships,
entertainment, author support, and a sense of community.
Find groups related to the subject you write about or find author groups about writing
in general on Facebook, Yahoo, Google Plus, and LinkedIn. Online communities
have many positives; they’re often free, you can access them immediately, and you
can participate in them at any time. In online author groups, you can get feedback on
ideas for pieces you’re writing, potential blog posts, and marketing and publicity
strategies.
Because forums typically focus on a particular subject, you can get tons of attention
by offering your own expertise.
Be respectful of other members’ authority, but feel free to engage by providing your own questions, comments, and resources.
4. Find an Author Group Near You
While much of the writing community has moved toward the online environment,
there’s nothing like communing and commiserating with a group of writers in person.
Look to your local library and bookstore for connections with other writers. Also, try
Meetup.com, a free networking site that allows users to find special interest groups
near them.
It’s crucial to maintain contact with your community—not just when you need to ask
for a favor in the form of sharing or promoting your book.
Actively supporting your local libraries and bookstores and attending group activities prior to publication will create goodwill when it is time to promote your book. In this way, you’ll cultivate stronger relationships that will serve you well now and in the future.
5. Focus on Your True Fans
Quality is more important than quantity. Kevin Kelly, the founder of Wired magazine,
writes that an artist can thrive with only 1,000 true fans.
True fans are those who engage with anything you do. They’ll read your blog, follow you on social media, listen to or watch your interviews and other media appearances, and eagerly await the release of your next books. Stay connected with your true fans by providing them interesting content through all available channels.
Update your blog regularly, and share relevant information on social media. Try other
ways of creating content, like video or podcasting. These are the people who love
your work—don’t give them a reason to forget you.
6. Define Your Author Brand
Your best brand is your name, but your author photo, typography, and colors are also
part of your author brand. Brand recognition means that those who remember your
name are more likely to pick up and promote your book. (Think CocaCola, Pampers, Proctor & Gamble, etc.)
7. Be Real and Have Fun
If you’re not having fun, learning something, or are uninterested in the others in your
author community, you’re either in the wrong group or you’re not engaging properly.
Remember, treat your online presence as you would a gathering at a meeting or
party. These are personal relationships and require authenticity and manners. Initiate
two-way conversations and be generous sharing content and promoting other
people.
People do business with those they know, like, and trust you, which is the formula for creating relationships that encourage sharing, sales, and reciprocity.
8. Time Management
Of course, you can’t be active with all of your connections in all of your outlets all at
once. That would be exhausting! Keep in touch, yes, but it’s not necessary to be
active in all forums at the same time.
Pick a few ways to engage every day and every month so you don’t neglect the author community you’re working to establish. Make goals to do the following to maintain your author connections:
- Spend a designated amount of time in your online communities and social media per day.
- Post a new blog post on your author website a few times per week
- Visit your local bookstore or library at least once a month
- Organize a monthly meetup or book club with your local author community
- Attend at least one author conference per year
Once you find your audience, it’s important to nurture them and maintain contact.
These will be your true fans and the more time you give to them, the more likely
they’ll be to support your books.
Welcome to becoming an...
Authorpreneur!
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