Hosting a Facebook Hop to Promote Your Book

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Recently, I organized a Facebook Hop for our anthology's prelaunch. I'd participated in several and found it was a great way for authors to share connections and to find new fans and readers. A Facebook Hop is an online event that starts at your book page and connects a group of authors by linked posts. Guests start at the first site and hop through each, registering for the give-away.

Here's what I learned from putting the event together.

  1. Before you begin to plan your event, check Facebook's terms and conditions about contests. They do change, and you want to make sure that you're following all the rules.
  2. Recruit authors about 3-4 weeks before your event.  Have a recruitment email ready with all the pertinent information. Decide up front if you want all authors from a specific genre or not.
  3. When the authors sign up, create a spreadsheet and collect names, emails, phone numbers, links to the author Facebook pages,  the prize, and an estimated prize value. I didn't put the individual prize values on any of the materials. I just used it to total the amount for all the sites (e.g. Over 25 authors and over $750 in prizes).
  4. Arrange the order of the hop, starting with your page. You will want to mix up the prizes. We had a lot of ebook and book give-aways. I mixed these in with the gift cards, jewelry, and other things.  Make sure to put at least a couple of valuable items at the end to keep people interested in all the stops.
  5. Make sure that all of your participants have an AUTHOR page.
  6. Have a cut off date for recruiting and stick to it. Avoid adding authors. If you do, you have to go back and redo links.
  7. Send an email to each author with the verbiage for the post, the artwork for the event, and a link to the next person. It took a little time to compose all of the emails, but it made the process easier for the participants.
  8. Instruct the authors to schedule their post for the designated time and pin it to the top of their newsfeed. (I had to include instructions for both of these tasks in the author email.)
  9. Specify the time for the hop to your authors and fans in the time zone you're in. We had folks from all over the world participate (e.g. 6:00 AM EST April 1 - 12:00 AM EST April 3).
  10. We let each author pick his/her winner and post the name when the hop was over.
  11. If you have rules or procedures, let everyone know them up front (e.g. like authors with hop stops shouldn't participate).
  12. Get all of your participants to help advertise the event. It's a great way to share fans and readers.
  13. Do not plan to do anything the morning that the hop goes live. You'll need to check all of the links. We got almost to the end before we hit a broken link. I spent several hours that morning helping a couple of authors get their posts updated.

What I Learned from Hosting an Author Facebook Party

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As part of our recent launch for our mystery anthology, 50 Shades of Cabernet, we scheduled a Facebook party. It was a great way to interact with fans and friends. And we created some buzz about the book. Here's what I learned from our virtual party experience.

  1. If you're planning on having a give-away or contest, make sure you read Facebook's Terms and Conditions on contests before you start your planning. These change from time to time, so you need to make sure you have the latest information, so you don't violate any agreements. (In Facebook, click on Settings and select Terms.)
  2. Schedule your event in advance. Think about the time for the party. You don't want to limit it to just your time zone, but you don't want to commit to a large time block either. Ours lasted three hours.
  3. Recruit author friends to stop by for a specific time. We had a group of authors, so we divided up the time slots. You want people who will chat, ask questions, respond to questions, and keep the conversation going.
  4. Divide your party into 30- or 60-minute blocks for the authors to staff. Ask them to sign up for a slot. We also invited them to stay as long as they wanted, and many stayed longer than their hour.
  5. Plan your give-aways. We offered some each hour, so we asked the authors to sign up for these too and let us know what the prize was. We spread these out throughout the evening. And many of the guests stayed to see what the next prize was.
  6. Decide if you want your party to have a theme. We decided that our book launch was the focus. We talked about the book, our stories, wine (the theme of the anthology), and all things writing. Each author had some questions to throw in to keep the conversations going. Make it fun! Many of the authors posted a picture of the wine they were drinking and where they were at the time of the party.
  7. We were going to have different threads or Facebook posts for different topics and give-aways, but some of the guests got confused, so we kept all of the conversation in one thread. You'll want to decide the logistics before you start the party.
  8. Remind your guests and authors to refresh their pages frequently.
  9. Publicize your event about two weeks in advance. Create a Facebook event and invite guests. Have all of the authors share the event and talk it up on their social media sites.
  10. Make sure you specify the time zone for your party, so folks in other areas don't miss your event.

Ways to Look for Book Sale Opportunities

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I am very fortunate to be a part of several writing groups that are invited to book talks, workshops, and book fairs. Here are some ideas that you can use for networking and promotion.

1. We've had the pleasure of being a part of the local Friends of the Library's "Murder at the Library" event fundraiser. We wrote a short mystery for the library staff to act out, and we were asked to host a panel discussion and book signing. Approach your local library or Friends of the Library group about hosting a fundraiser or a programming event that you and your author friends can volunteer to assist with.

2. My mystery writers group has offered workshops and programs for book festivals. We've received rock star treatment at the events, and it's nice to be a part of the event's publicity and book signings. We keep a pool of workshop proposals, panel questions, materials, and handouts that we can use if a new event is seeking submissions or proposals. Look for book festivals, book fairs, and fundraisers in your area.

3. My company has an annual giving campaign, and I donate a book and sweets basket each year. Fundraisers and silent auctions are always looking for donations. This is a good way to build a themed basket to promote your books. And you can always partner with another author to keep costs down.

4. Look for guest blog opportunities. Interviews or blog posts are a great way to promote your blog and books. And many bloggers are thrilled to have the content.

5. Volunteer. It's a great way to do positive work in your community, and it's an opportunity to meet new people. You'll be surprised at the contacts you'll make.

6. Call your local book stores. Many would love to have a panel, discussion, or workshop in addition to a signing.

7. Check with the museums and cultural centers in your area for opportunities. We've done several panel discussions at local museums.

8. Make connections with the colleges and universities in your area. Also let your alumni association know that you'd be willing to do a presentation or Skype with students. We're going to be part of a city Lit Crawl this year that involves several writing groups and universities. (It's like a pub crawl, but with books. There are multiple book readings across the city over a two-day period, and people hop from event to event to see local writers.)

There are a lot of opportunities in your local communities. Sometimes, it just takes making some connections and asking if you can volunteer. Let me know what else you'd add to the list. Best wishes with your book marketing.

25 Book Bloggers You Should Follow on Twitter

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How to Network When It's Not in Your Nature

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Writers tend to be solitary creatures. My last Myers Briggs personality test results listed me as an ESTJ. My "extrovert" score was just over the axis, so I'm really on the fence between introvert and extrovert. I love being around people, but there are times when I have "peopled" enough, and I just want some solitude. 

But, relationships are key in everyone's personal and professional lives. Even if it's not in your nature to be outgoing, networking is a skill that writers need to hone. Here are eleven tips to help you with your online and in-person networking.

1. Look for opportunities to volunteer. Helping others is an incredible way to give back. And it gives you an opportunity to meet new people.

2. Join a book group to meet other readers. What a great forum to talk about books!

3. Stay involved with your alumni groups and organizations. Many of these have newsletters for member celebrations. These are great places to announce book launches.

4. I use Facebook to keep up with friends from my hometown and college days. Most of my book news goes on my author page, but I do post every once in a while on my page - especially if it's a book event in a town where I know I have friends and family. 

5. I use Twitter to network with readers, book bloggers, writers, and librarians. It's a vast source of information, and if I have a research question, I can always find help.

6. I have joined several blogging network groups on Facebook. These have helped me set goals and promote my blog and social media sites. Search for blog network groups. There are lots out there.

7. Find your writing tribe. I'm a member of Sisters in Crime Central Virginia, Guppies (online), and James River Writers. Members of each are so supportive of writers, and they offer great programs on the craft of writing and book marketing. You're not alone. 

8. If public speaking terrifies you, look for a Toastmasters group in your area. I joined years ago, and it helped me FINALLY get comfortable with talking in front of all kinds of groups. The public speaking experience and feedback were invaluable.

9. Talk with your local librarians about co-hosting a program - a writers' panel, a publication discussion, a book reading, or a workshop. My groups partner regularly with local libraries. They get an education event, and we have an opportunity to talk about our books.

10. If your book's main character has a hobby, talk to folks in your area with related shops (e.g. knitting, craft brewing, sewing, crafting, etc.). There might be an opportunity for you to visit and talk with their customers.

11. Create a signup sheet for your newsletter and collect email addresses at all of your events. make sure that guests can sign up on your website too. It's important to have contacts for people who are interested in you and your books.

It does take a lot to muster the courage to cold call or network in a room of strangers. But it is worth it. I've had some really great opportunities because I made a phone call, sent an email, and offered my services. Let me know what other ideas you have to add to the list. 

Tips for Making Time for Social Media

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I never imagined how much time is involved in book marketing and building (and maintaining) your author platform. I work full-time and write part-time. Life gets in the way sometimes, but I make sure I build in time for the care and feeding of my social media sites. Here are my ideas for writers.

Social is the key word. You need to have a presence, and you need to be active on the sites you choose. But, you can't do everything, and all platforms may not work for you and your books. Decide what sites you and your readers like. And know the demographics of each site. The Pew Research Center has a good overview of each of major players. For my readership, I focus on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads. I occasionally post on LinkedIn, but that's usually about my IT life.

Lists in Facebook (Interests) and Twitter are a big time-saver. This helps me stay organized. The list gives me a newsfeed of just the accounts I select. There are a lot of posts out there. This helps me see just what I'm interested in.

Create a daily schedule for your social media time. I get up at 5:00 AM, so I check my sites during breakfast. I often check on them at lunch. In the evening while watching TV, I spend time catching up on posts. You need to respond to comments and participate in conversations. Social media doesn't work if you don't post or if all your posts are "buy my book."

Schedule Facebook posts (author page) and tweets to happen when you're not usually active (during the work day or in the wee hours of the morning). I've picked up followers from different time zones this way. I'm an early bird, but a lot of readers are night owls.

Look for blog/social media support groups. There are also quite a few hashtags that encourage support for writers and bloggers. I have joined several online groups, and we share each others' content and engage with posts.

For your social media to work for you, you can't just be a poster or a reposter of others' content. That's a good start, but you need to comment, like, and share. The interaction is what increases your reach.

These are the things that work for me. How do you manage your social media?

7 Ways to Help Your Friendly Neighborhood Author

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After my short stories and novel were published, I was a little surprised at how much marketing is involved in the writing journey. If you like a book, here are some quick ways you can help spread the news (and help out your friendly neighborhood writer).

1. Leave a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or other book sites. It doesn't have to be a long, detailed literary analysis. It can be a couple of sentences. Book retailers use the number of reviews for ad placement, author ranking, and marketing.

2. Tell your friends about the book and the author. Word of mouth is the best endorsement.

3. Share the link to the book or a book review on your social media sites.

4. Request that your local library purchase the book.

5. If you're in a book club, nominate it as a future read. Many authors will visit or Skype with book groups.

6. If you blog, post about your favorite books and authors.

7. Buy the book for yourself or for a friend. Books make great gifts. My author friend supports other authors by buying the book and then doing a give-away on her site. I love this idea.

Authors are small business owners, and they always appreciate recommendations, referrals, and social media shout outs. Happy reading!

Which Author Events Should You Do? How Do You Decide?

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I love meeting readers and writers at book and writing events, and I'm fortunate to have quite a few near me. But as a writer, how do you decide which ones to participate in -- especially when your primary job is to write your next work? Traveling and marketing are an investment of your time and money.

1. ROI (Return on Investment) should be a consideration. Selling books is important. But I've done events at indie book stores where we didn't have a great turnout, but the store ended up selling a case of books during the week when there was more foot traffic. I've also made some invaluable contacts at events. Sometimes, building relationships is worth more than selling tons of books. If there is a cost for a table or an event, you need to consider whether or not it is worth the effort and value. If you've never attended the event, ask around to see what other authors have experienced.

2. I try a lot of events (at least once). We've done several over the years where the readers weren't my target audience (mystery). I attended and had fun, but I probably won't go back.

3. I believe in helping other authors, so I do a lot of writing workshops. Again, you may not sell hundreds of books, but you do make contacts, build email lists, and pick up fans and followers.  

4. I am also fortunate to be a part of several writing groups, and we plan events and signings together. There is nothing worse than sitting alone at an author's table. When we band together, our social media and fan reach grows exponentially. Plus, we often carpool, and that saves some money.

5. We've done some signings at some unconventional places for mystery authors (e.g. a Hallmark/gift store, a gas/restaurant/gift store complex on the way to North Carolina's Outer Banks, a winery, several museums, and several farmers markets). You would be surprised. We've sold more books at places like this than traditional book stores. Be creative when you book signings.

6. Be prepared -- no matter what the event. Make sure you have business cards, bookmarks, or postcards. Sometimes, folks don't buy a book at the event, but if you have something to give them, you may make a sale or referral later. I even take bookmarks on vacation. We stop at a lot of little gift shops that sell books.

7. I appreciate the events that do a lot of publicity, and I always make sure to share, tweet, and post. I want to be a part of groups that are organized and interested in building their audience. (I've attended several events, where there was little to no publicity. Surprise, surprise, the attendance wasn't that great either.) 

Best wishes for the marketing of your book. It's a lot of work. I logged over 2,000 miles this year for book events.