What Can I Say on Facebook?

Okay, here’s the thing. I know social networking is the wave of the future. I know we writers need to get our names out there as much as we can: on Facebook, Linked In, Goodreads, Twitter, etc.

Personally, however, I’m a bit frustrated.

How can I promote myself (in a positive sense, that is) if I have to censor myself? As a writer, I have a problem with that. On the other hand, as a business person I absolutely see the need.

Unfortunately, I’ve got a Push Me-Pull You thing going on inside.

What do I do when someone I don’t care for asks me to befriend them or “like” their fan page? Do I tell them the truth: No way in hell! or do I prostitute myself and be a hypocrite?

I also have to consider that if I “like” the other person’s page, maybe they’ll “like” mine. Maybe they’ll buy one of my books. Maybe one of the people who “likes” them will “like” me.

Okay, not very likely. But still, what if?

Another thing that frustrates me is when one of my FB “friends” posts forty-seven times in three hours. I don’t really care that her cat barfed on the bed, that she heard her favorite Aerosmith song on the radio today—not once, but TWICE, or that she plans to have lasagna for supper.

True, maybe other people DO care about those things. After all, if my granddaughter posts that stuff, I read it. But still…

And although I don’t want to give anyone the false impression that I lack confidence, I’m a bit leery of posting too much stuff about ME. After all, I want people to like me, buy my books, and spread the word. But cripes, they can’t really want to know what my favorite color is, when I last went potty, or who I’m going to vote for in the next election. Can they?

So, people, help me out here. How much is too much? What kinds of things do you WANT to see on Facebook?

Must Read About Marketing and Promotion...

ESPECIALLY for writers.

http://publishingperspectives.com/2010/11/should-i-tweet

Spotlight on Talent: YOU!

After taking a hiatus from hosting my Author Exhange Blog, I've got it back up and running with a slightly different format.  In addition to interviewing published authors (any genre/format) and other publishing professionals, I'm now also publishing Guest Blog Posts and doing some book reviews.

In the year between February 2009 and Feburary 2010, I published nearly 100 interviews with a variety of published authors, editors, publishers and other industry professionals.  All genres were represented, as were a magazine and a couple of book publishers.  My aim is to help other writers spread the good word about their work and their passion.

We writers walk just a step out of time with the rest of the world...after all, how many people do you know who actually prefer sitting in room all by themselves, living with imaginary friends and lives?

Due to time constraints (I was actually spending between 15 and 20 hours a week with duties related to the Author Exchange Blog before going on hiatus), I've implemented strict submission guidelines and have extended the length of time I need before scheduling guest appearances on the blog.  I'm hoping the new guidelines will not only help me manage my time better, but will also streamline the process of getting more people up on the blog.

Feel free to spread the word to any writers, or other people in the industry, you may know.

Marketing: Carolina Conspiracy style

A number of mystery/suspense writers in North and South Carolina formed a group to help promote themselves. As you know, writers tend to be a bit on the shy and introverted side and self-promotion and marketing does not always come easy.

Click here to learn all about how to market in Carolina style.

Want Marketing Tips and Advice?

If you're one of those people who loves to write but HATES to market yourself, you might want to check in on my Self-Marketing column on the Billings Examiner.

I write regular articles about self-marketing and promotion that will include the following angles:

• interviews with professionals willing to share terrific ideas that worked
• interviews with professionals willing to share lousy ideas that didn't work
• tips and advice from my personal experience of over 30 years in sales and marketing
• hints about where to do business locally and on the Internet
• how-tos

If you have information you'd like to share, or if you're willing to spotlight yourself and/or your business, shoot me at e-mail at: examiner@lindamfaulkner.com

Click the logo to be connected to my site on Examiner.com:




You might also want to check out some of the other terrific articles on the Billings Examiner!

The Secret Life of...Postcards

Bet you didn't know that Postcards are the chameleon of the stationery world.

Yep, they masquerade as all sorts of wonderful and beneficial marketing tools for us writers. Cheap little buggers too.

Here's the scoop: One of my online writing pals, Elizabeth Spann Craig, has a 6-year old marketing genius in her household and she claims that the genetic make-up skipped a generation--namely, hers. Well, although I don't necessarily agree 100% with that assessment, I shared with her some of the ways postcards get away with living their secret life.

Since Elizabeth now believes I'm a marketing genius (please don't disabuse her of this notion), I thought I'd share this genius with all my fans.

1. Design your own postcard and pay a printer a bucketload of $$, order them online (fairly inexpensive and good quality) from any one of a variety of firms (i.e. http://www.vistaprint.com/), or pay a graphic designer a bucketload of $$ to design AND print them. Purpose: put your book cover on one side and your website and details of where/how to buy it on the back - leaving enough space to hand write either an address for mailing OR a personal note if distributing by hand.
2. Bribe friends, family, and co-workers to pass out/mail your marketing postcards: i.e. in exchange for a free copy of your book, they must pass out X # of postcards
3. Display your postcards, with handwritten notes on the back side, in the office at your "day" job
4. Pass out signed postcards to your bank tellers, grocery store cashiers, hairdressers, manicurists, etc. - and all their co-workers
5. Pass out signed postcards at PTA meetings, Little League games, soccer matches, the local library, church, etc. You'd be surprised at how many people/places would love to take a couple of postcards - especially if the picture/book cover is terrific.
6. Allow your children/grandchildren to bring a copy of your book to school for Show and Tell - along with a bunch of signed postcards (this, actually, was my daughter's genius - she sent my 10 YO granddaughter Bridget to school w/book and PCs - way to go, Beth!)
7. Scan your PC into your computer, both sides, and e-mail to everyone you know (this is my other daughter's genius - yay, Laurie!)
8. Produce a son who, when he grows up, is part-owner of a lawn care business who is thrilled to pass out his mother's marketing PCs to all his clients (Michael, genius #3)
9. Imitate the marketing genius of my 79 YO father (who was an insurance salesman before he retired) and pass the damn PCs out at the casino - but only to strangers who qualify after you ask them specific prospecting questions, like: Do you like to read? Do you like to read mysteries? Would you be interested in reading my famous daughter's mystery? When and ONLY when you get yes answers to all 3 questions, THEN you pass out the PC. This is a true story - my Dad DID this: he didn't want to "waste" the good money I spent on the postcards by giving them to unqualified prospects. The funniest part of the whole scenario is that one total stranger tapped him on the shoulder about 4 weeks after he gave him a PC and told him he bought and loved the book!)

I could have given you 10, 12, or 15 tips, but I like the number 9 better.
Now that you're applauding my genius, all I ask in return is that you: a) add your genius to the blog in the form of comments with other ways to creatively distribute postcards, b) link to this post in your own blog so we can all exponentially expand our marketing horizons.
P.S. Just landed an online gig to write self-marketing articles. Once things are finalized, I'll post an announcement here.
P.P.S. Elizabeth, please share your daughter's genius. She's an ace - can't wait to see what she decides to do when she grows up!

Marketing - the Other Side of Writing

Many writers believe that so long as they faithfully crank out a certain number of pages or words per day, they're writers.

While the actual writing is certainly an essential part of being a writer, so is the marketing and promotion of your work. How are readers going to know about your masterpiece if they don't know it exists?

Readers don't have ESP, you know. They don't receive telekinetic messages from our publishers when our books hit the stands. Which means it's up to us to inform them about our newest release.

Here are some ways that you can help promote your work, 24/7/365:

• Help market and promote the books of other writers. We all have different circles of friends, family, acquaintances, business associates, fans, etc. By promoting other writers, we broaden our contact base and, as a result, our fan base. Host a blog, seek out blogs where you can post articles or announcements, join writer's groups and their listserves, join as many online writer's sites that allow you to post information about you and your books/works.
• Print up postcards or bookmarks to marketing/advertise your work and pass them out to the following people (some of whom you can recruit to pass them out to people THEY know): friends, family, co-workers, employees, clients/customers, bank tellers, grocery store clerks, your kids' teachers, member of civic groups, people at the gym, public bulletin boards, total strangers. (I've found postcards to be less costly. If you want a referral to an online site that prints quality material inexpensively, send me an e-mail.)
• Have nice business cards printed on quality cardstock. Pass those around to people as stated in the previous paragraph. If you take yourself seriously, and as a professional, others are likely to, as well.
• Contact local bookstore owners and offer to do book signings and/or readings.
• Contact local radio and TV stations and offer to give away signed copies of your books in exchange for brief free air-time.
• Offer to give writing workshops at local libraries, schools, bookstores, etc.

NEVER stop promoting your book(s) and telling people about them. ALWAYS have copies of them handy for sale.
One thing I've learned, which still amazes me: people are thrilled to know published authors! They love the fact that they KNOW a published author and love, even more, TELLING OTHER PEOPLE that they know a published author. Take advantage of that love and allow those people to help you.
Be sure, however, to thank EVERYONE who helps you along the way. Although it's possible to write a book all by yourself, it isn't possible to market it all by yourself.

Author Interviews

I believe it is important for writers to band together to help each other professionally--which is why I'm a member of half a dozen writer's groups.

I also believe it's important for us to help market each other. We can do this in a number of ways:

1. Posting links to other authors' sites on our web sites and blogs
2. Talking other writers up
3. Hosting blogs, hosting radio shows and other media events, writing magazine and newspaper articles, posting to blogs, etc.

I host the Author Exchange Blog, where I interview published authors each week. I don't focus on any particular genre and have past interviewees who write mystery, true crime, historical romance, medical thrillers, romantic suspense, etc.
Check out my Author Exchange Blog if you want to help market other writers OR if you're just looking to find another good book: Author Exchange Blog.
--Linda