Petite model shares 5 big social media self-promotion tips for self-publishers

If you've never heard of author, model, and petite model advocate Isobella Jade, then you haven't been on the Internet in awhile. Thanks to her saavy and relentless self-promotion, this petite model (5' 4") has a big online presence. 

We talk about author branding a lot on The Celebrity Editor. Interestingly, Isobella's size dictates her brand. She refuses to see her small stature as a negative obstacle to be overcome in an industry that prefers tall models. Instead she says she took stock and put to use what she had. Isobella is proving that small is beautiful, too, and is just as capable of selling products as tall.

"I have been able to overcome the odds in a business where every inch counts," says Isobella. "But it hasn't happened from being born lucky.  Instead it has been through my own will and persistence and the result of just simply trying and chasing what I wanted to happen and making it happen."

She didn't even own a computer when she decided to write her first book, Almost 5' 4", but that didn't stop her. Determined, she wrote it at an Apple store in New York City.

After self-promoting her story, she proved that self-promotion can lead to great things – including modeling jobs with Marshalls, Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, Bon Appetit, Time Magazine, TLC, Easy Spirit, Women's World, Macy's, and more.

She's so good at self-promotion that her story has been featured in tons of media: NY Daily News, The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Allure.com, The New York Post, Ad Age, WSJ, Nylon, Glamour, Media Bistro, Luna Magazine (Milan), Bon Magazine (Sweden), GQ (Italy), Marie Claire UK, and several online sites.

How does she do it? She cross-promotes through her website and blog, her podcast show, more than 100 YouTube videos, and her Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace communities. 

Want to know how you can duplicate Isobella's success? I asked her to share her secrets on how to self-promote through social media. Graciously she consented, and in her own words here's what she had to say.

5 ways self-publishers should be using social media right now

1. Be accessible. The writing doesn’t end after the last chapter.

Finishing the book doesn’t mean the writing ends for the author. In this era of connectivity readers want to communicate, and communicating through social media means more writing for the author. Readers want to feel connected with the author these days. Readers want to communicate with the author more than ever. They want to send comments and questions, and they expect a reply from the author. Readers expect to be able to connect with authors through social media. 

So it is a good idea to be accessible to your readership. It helps build a following and loyal readers.  

Of course a website is a nice platform to start with, but also writing a blog is an easy way an author can communicate with readers. Having a blog that has the theme of the author’s book or is related to a topic within the author’s book is a good idea. Actually sometimes a reader will discover an author through her blog alone and the content in it while searching for topics that relate to the author and her books on Google. 

A free blog can be set up at www.blogger.com. On the blog you can promote your book, but also write about topics that would intrigue your readers. Perhaps the content in the book can relate to a recent news story. Titling your blog posts with headlines that are Google friendly and that relate to your book and readers is a good idea.  

The blog is an easy and quick way to lead your readers to your social media or main website. You can use the blog as a platform to share a video book trailer and the ability to connect through Twitter, Facebook, etc. Many authors hold contests and giveaways with their books. Some put up polls on their blog to find out more about their readers.

It is good to consider a subscription feature on your blog to allow visitors to subscribe to the blog. They will receive emails daily or weekly from posts on your blog which will keep readers in the loop about your events, new blog posts, and new books. 

What’s great is that connecting through web 2.0 doesn’t take a lot of money. Most of the outlets are free to use, but it does involving investing the time to update and keep up with the platforms you are using. 

2. Manage time with social media and your blog.

Deciding what to post and when is important for authors and self-publishers. For many authors and writers, social media writing is secondary to their main writing for their books. 

It is easy to become obsessive over social media, so it is best to delegate a certain time of the day to write and a certain amount of time each day to connect with your readers. Otherwise you can feel overwhelmed. Visitors to your blog appreciate to-date and updated posts. But of course some weeks can be very busy, but it is still a good idea to post frequently. You can schedule blog posts and prepare your content days or weeks ahead of time if you are unable to post on a certain day. Having a successful social media platform involves a lot of organization to be able to spend time in many different areas of the web 2.0 landscape (plus the focus it takes to be a writer and work on your next projects).

3. Decide what social media is best for your readership.

Depending on the demographics of your readership and who your book/s are targeted towards, you can decide what is best for your readership and where to spend the most time when it comes to communicating through the web. For example, your followers on Twitter might not be as active as your Facebook followers or vice versa. It can take time to build a loyal following; trial and error will let you know what is best for your readership. It is good to be a part of as much as you can, but keep in mind the ways your readership might like to best communicate with you. Some authors receive a lot of personal emails from readers, some have more readers contact them through commenting on their blog, their Facebook wall, or through Twitter. 

It is also important to remember “why” your readers want to connect with you through social media and why they are reading your posts and following your updates. Consider that your followers on Twitter might not care what you had for lunch. Be aware of why your followers are following you and reading your posts and blog and tweets. 

4. Podcasting. Can you hear me now?

I’ve hosted my own podcast radio show since 2007, and I think podcasting is a great element to add to the self-publishers’ social media platform. You can talk on the podcast about topics that relate to your book/s. Authors can conduct podcast readings, and publishers can feature authors and plug their upcoming books. Readers can listen in to live and archived podcast segments. Authors should be involved with podcast readings. An author can read a chapter from her book on the podcast. It is a great marketing tool to spread throughout your social media network.

5. Press Record! We’re using web video.

For authors that are experts in their field or those who have a niche topic within their books, it is all about branding (really for any author it is about branding!), and web video can be a great outlet for building a web following. An author that is comfortable in front of the camera can use web video to use their personality to sell books. Producing weekly or monthly videos to share tips and advice or interviews based on the book's content is a nice marketing element to add. You can bring your web videos to your blog and share them through other social media outlets: Twitter, Facebook, etc. Beyond just the book trailer, authors can use web video as a part of their own branding. 

Isobella Jade is a petite model and author based in NYC. She wrote her first book at the Apple store. She is the author of her modeling memoir called “Almost 5’4””, “Short Stuff: on the job with an x-small model,” and a graphic novel called “Model Life: The Journey of a Pint-Size Fashion Warrior.” Isobella is currently writing a YA novel.

Website: www.isobelladreams.com

Model Talk Radio: www.blogtalkradio.com/isobellajade

Petite Modeling Tips Blog: http://petitemodelingtips.com/

Personal Blog: http://isobellajade.blogspot.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IsobellaJade

YouTube Videos: www.youtube.com/isobellajade

Twitter: www.twitter.com/IsobellaJade

Myspace: www.myspace.com/isobellaspaz

The Beautiful Undead on Figment.com: http://figment.com/books/7928-The-Beautiful-Undead

Tim Ferriss' amazing new book trailer (pt 2)

Tim Ferriss doesn't know it, but he's become a mentor to me. During a 4-hour road trip this week, I listened to The 4-Hour Workweek and became an instant convert. He describes a life of freedom and discovery that I've always wanted to live. The nest is finally empty, and the little birdies have flown the coop. Now's a perfect time for me to redesign my life and have a little fun for goodness sake!

When I reviewed the video book trailer for Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body (read here), I was so smitten that I decided then and there to buy the book. Well I bought it as a Christmas present for myself. It's big (592 pages), so I doubt if I'll read it from beginning to end. I'll probably jump around a lot to chapters that pertain to my situation (read here).

Ferriss is a marketing machine, and his Amazon stats tell the story: Body is #4; Workweek is #51. His blog was already attracting more than a million visits per month (an author platform that would make any publisher drool), but the video book trailers sent him into the stratosphere.

Here's another trailer promoting Body:

Why am I promoting Ferriss' books? I've always loved the idea of setting "impossible" goals, but that's not why I've devoted now 2 articles to Tim Ferriss. His marketing is a thing of beauty. He understands what we authors must do to market and sell our books. He really gets the mindset we need to have to be successful. Now Ferriss is published by Crown, but the principles still apply to self-publishers -- more so given that we have to do it all ourselves.

Here are some words of wisdom from his HuffPost article:

Authors need to come to terms with a sobering reality: no one is going to care about your book as much as you do...

You are responsible for shepherding your book onto the bestseller list and into the hands of millions. From the idea to finished product, from the marketing plan to windowing, you need to be informed and act as a driving creative force...

Fight for what you believe, using data and compelling arguments. Beyond the satisfaction of a book you've produced with blood, sweat, and tears, there is a science to the bestseller.

Source: The Huffington Post

Donna Marie

My Sarah Palin dream: how to ghostwrite for celebrities

Sarah Palin doesn't speak to me, even though I have been hired to write her next book. Without communication, the project fails. She must know this, but she just stares warily at me and makes sure I don't hear her secret discussions with others.

Yes, this was a dream, but it made me recall a ghostwriting experience I had years ago. I was hired by a PTB publisher to ghostwrite the autobiography of a famous celebrity. In accordance with the ghostwriter's code, I won't mention names.


Now I've been able to forgive low down dirty men who hurt me, but not this celebrity. The thought of what I went through still pisses me off. Get over it? Maybe writing about my horror story of a ghostwriting job will prove a cautionary tale for writers who are interested in this line of work -- and help me send this ghost into the Light.


This celebrity has a life people gossip about, but what excited the PTB publisher was this person's awesome brand and marketing platform. In addition to an outline, my proposal for the book included a scheme of metaphors and symbols that would play off the celebrity's brand. (See, I was thinking about branding even before I knew what it was!) I got the job.


I flew to Los Angeles to meet and interview this star. Contractually we were obligated to meet 10 times. I'd call the assistant every morning to try and get on the celebrity's calendar, but every time there was an excuse. Ultimately we met 2 or 3 times in all. So instead of interviewing this person, I went shopping, hung out with my cousin, and drove to Mexico. At every stage I let my agent and publisher know what was going on. 


At the end of the 3 weeks all I had to show was a bad case of food poisoning and a lot of miles on my rental car.


I was mad. The publisher was mad. My agent was mad. With no access to the celebrity, there was no communication. With no communication, there was no information. With no information, there was no book -- at least not by me.


The book was eventually written by someone who had access, someone in the celebrity's inner circle. I went on to ghostwrite several books for stars you may never have heard about but who are respected in their fields.


Lessons
Ghostwriting can be a lucrative way to earn a living, and good writers are always in demand. Self-publishing and the public's fascination with celebrities have opened up many opportunities for writers. If you're interested in this line of work, here are some things to keep in mind.


1. Don't be star struck. Celebrities are people too. If you go into a project goo goo eyed, you lose respect. Come to the project as a peer, an equal. 


2. Expect ego explosions. 


3. Make your ego invisible.


4. Respect the client's creative input. You're the expert, but still, clients will have ideas, and rightfully so. It's their book. Your job is to shape their ideas if good. If the ideas are not workable, you'll have to be straight with them, but be respectful. Ultimately however, if they insist, you'll have to make it work.


5. Insist on open, honest, and ongoing communication. If information is not forthcoming, consider exiting the project. It's your reputation on the line.


6. Creatively incorporate the client's brand into the book.


7. Keep secrets, and honor the celebrity's privacy.


UPDATE: I'm happy to report that I've finally sent this ghost into the Light. In writing this post I realized I learned what I needed to learn from the experience. R.I.P.!


Donna Marie

Tim Ferriss' amazing new book trailer

If you've been following The Celebrity Editor, you know that I tend to go on and on about boring book promotions. See here and here. 

Well, what do you think about this book trailer promoting Tim Ferriss' new book, The 4-Hour Body? 

I love a good book trailer, but how can the book ever live up to this hype? 

If I took a flying leap like the last guy, I'd end up in at least 2 or 3 pieces. But I have to admit, watching it made me feel good, like I could do something amazing with this middle-aged body.

The trailer sold me. I'm going to buy!

Ferriss has a strong brand, which was launched with his first book, The 4-Hour Workweek. Folks who loved that book will definitely buy his second. Body hasn't even been released yet, but it's already #78 on Amazon.

The important question for self-publishers is, How can we produce exciting book trailers like Ferriss' on a budget? Here's one idea, but obviously this doesn't come close to Ferriss' masterpiece. On the other hand, like my mother the English teacher says, "Do what you can" (which is why we always had mismatched furniture in the living room).

Any ideas? Please share with the Celebrity community!

Donna Marie

How self-publishers can become sought after media experts

Goal: to become the media's go-to person in your area of expertise. 

Problem: in some circles, self-published books are not viewed as credible. 

Challenge: how can self-published authors position themselves in the media as experts? 

Let's face it, publishing with established houses or university presses is still the widely accepted gold standard. This elitism means that self-published authors will have to work harder to establish themselves as experts in the media's eyes.

Positioning yourself as a media expert means that you must continuously build exposure plus credibility, and you must directly let the media know you're available to speak with authority on certain topics. It's an ongoing process and a challenge, but it's not impossible to grab the attention of interviewers, journalists, and producers.  

The mystique of the college degree

It certainly can help to have a college degree in your field. Even self-help dating books are written by authors with doctorates. But what if you're just good at meeting and flirting with guys, and you've got the stories to prove it? What if you don't have a degree? What if you're just passionate about your subject and really good at what you do?

To illustrate how self-publishers can begin to establish themselves as legitimate experts regardless of educational background, I present to you the true tale of 2 clients. Both work in education – one on the "soft" prevention and motivation side and the other on the "hard" academics side. These award winning consultants are both widely recognized for their work with young people from diverse, underserved schools and communities.

The 2 consultants couldn't be more different. One was an excellent student and went on to get his PhD. He has automatic credibility with the media and is a frequent guest on radio and tv talk shows.

The other is dyslexic and was the class clown throughout his grammar school and high school years. He does not have a higher degree – yet he is a college professor and a visiting lecturer on college campuses. His self-published books have been required reading in psychology, sociology, education, and child development courses. He's a high level, self-taught, independent scholar. He too is a frequent guest on mostly radio talk shows. 

Roger Isaacs, the author of Talking With God, has a degree in language and literature, but that didn't stop him from independently studying ancient languages, going on archeological digs around the world, and lecturing at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. He too is a high level, self-taught, independent scholar, and his book, with its 500+ pages of thoroughly researched content, footnotes, and extensive bibliography, proves his credibility. 

Lay the groundwork for credibility

Writing a book is a good first step in establishing credibility, but a book alone is not enough. You must develop your author brand in ways that are recognized and accepted by the media. Here are some ideas.

Book quality. Make sure your self-published book is the best it can be. Is the content well written? Has it been edited and proofed? Are layout and design (internal pages, back and front covers) pleasing to the eye? Does the back cover copy make a reader want to buy the book? Your book must be good enough to stand alongside books published by the big guys. Quality is a must!

Get credentialed. Degrees are wonderful, but what if you don't have the time or inclination to go back to school? My consultant who lacked a higher degree is a certified violence and drug prevention specialist, and he's leveraged the heck out of that certification. There are ways around the lack of a degree. You'll just have to work a little harder.

Teach a class. Giving workshops and teaching at The Learning Annex and continuing education programs at colleges will help you establish credibility with the media. If people are paying money to sit at your feet, you're credible.

Lecture on college campuses. This is a great way to establish expertise (and sell books). Both of my consulting clients speak at colleges. They do general talks as well as guest lectures, which of course is more prestigious (and students have to purchase books). By the way, have you included university media in your media list?

Documentaries. If any of my writing stars know how to pitch to producers of documentaries, please let us know! Whenever I watch a documentary, I'm sold on the credibility of the expert being interviewed.  

Educate the media 

Self-published books often venture beyond mainstream thought, and that's the opportunity and challenge of promoting yourself to the media. If your book presents a truly unique idea you may have cornered the market on a topic few know about. On the other hand, few know about it so you must educate and enlighten as well as promote. Think more infomercial than ad or press release to enhance believability.

Your website. Make sure your author website is rich in information about your book and beyond. Create an archive of articles and a links list to other relevant sites. Post pictures and video so that people can see you in action doing your thing. Blog about ongoing developments in your field that were not covered in your book.

Your press kit. In addition to the typical press release and bio, make sure to include information that will help an interviewer, journalist, or producer easily understand what your topic is all about. Include an article and a list of questions that they can ask you during an interview.  

Email/fax blast to media. Send a brief statement about your book, a brief bio that focuses on why you're an expert in the field, and a direct statement to the press: "Here are the topics I am qualified to discuss." Include brief quotes from the book and most importantly, testimonials from reviewers and recognized experts in your field. As the old saying goes, you're known – and respected – by the company you keep.

The 24/7 media cycle is a blessing in disguise for self-published authors. It's a beast that must constantly be fed with news, information, and features. Lay the groundwork that establishes your credibility, and then pitch yourself with confidence.

Self-publishers, we'd like to know about your successes and challenges in establishing yourselves as media experts. Please drop a line and let us know how you're doing. Let's learn from one another!

Donna Marie

Published novelist forced to market like self-publisher

I met novelist Kenn Bivins at an online book marketing forum, where we talked about the challenges of marketing PIOUS (Two Harbors Press, Oct. 2010), his debut novel about forgiveness and redemption.

Although his book was published by a traditional publisher, he’s had to do the marketing himself, just like a self-published author.

Unless you’re already an established author with a strong marketing platform, you’ll probably receive only the bare minimum of marketing support from your publisher. It’s one of the things authors complain about the most. When you need the support you can’t get it. When you don’t need it, you get millions of dollars in advertising and publicity.

Although Kenn shares the same marketing challenges as self-published authors, he has one huge advantage: he’s an art director at JWT, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. He’s responsible for overseeing and executing the design and development of the firm’s interactive work.

Kenn knows how marketing works, and in the following interview he shares his insights and experiences. 

THE CELEBRITY EDITOR: What kind of marketing support have you received from your publisher?

KENN BIVINS: I'm not entirely happy with my publisher because they're a bit passive about marketing from what I can see. I'm seeing my book in a lot of places online and offline but I'm not sure, other than wide distribution, what else is being done to promote my book. I work in advertising so I have high expectations that seem to have exceeded the capabilities of my publisher.

EDITOR: Do you feel author branding has a place in your marketing or in the writing of your novels?

KB: I'm learning that it's ALL about branding myself instead of my novel. I plan on creating a body of work, and I want to draw an audience to me and not one particular book. With fiction, readers are interested in the author. If they love one book, they will pretty much read anything that author writes. I know as a reader, that's how I behave. I have to remember that as an author with my own marketing. I'm still developing my approach on author branding as I put together collateral for the festival and book signing season next year. I will need a PR person to multiply my efforts and reach. Do you know any good, affordable, and available PR people?

EDITOR: Um, we’ll talk. As you’re in advertising you have an edge on most writers when it comes to marketing know-how. What advertising principles have you applied to the marketing of your own book?

KB: Repetition is the one principle that I'm using with PIOUS. The typical human attention span responds to a concept or idea after it has been presented seven times. I have the challenge of marketing PIOUS while not appearing annoying or intrusive. This is where getting book reviews and having other people talk about PIOUS comes into play. If I can get other people to talk about PIOUS while I'm talking about PIOUS, then people will go in a book store or browse online and say, "Hey. There's that book, PIOUS. Let me see what that's all about." So by the time my second novel is released, people who have read PIOUS will recognize my name and hopefully want to read more from me.

EDITOR: Did you have a marketing platform before getting the book deal? Was a marketing platform important to your publisher?

KB: I had to present to my publisher what my marketing plan was and that included social networking, book festivals, blog proliferation, national book club penetration, and book reviews.

EDITOR: What kinds of low-cost things are you doing to promote your book online and offline?

KB: I think grassroots marketing still reigns supreme and that entails being seen. Social networking has put me in touch with a lot of people that potentially want to read my book. Also, I plan on making myself available to book clubs on a national level. 

The biggest low-cost way to promote myself has more to do with promoting others outside of myself. I believe that helping others not only gives my brand more value, it also helps me to grow on a spiritual level.

EDITOR: Can you see yourself publishing your own books in the future (since you're doing so much of the work anyway – writing, illustration, marketing)?

KB: I haven't ruled out self-publishing, but I would do it ONLY if I had help on the marketing end. I'm new to the realm of publishing, but if I'm honest, I'm also big on quality control so who knows?

For purchasing information and more, visit Kenn's website at Piousbook.com.

Lessons in author branding from ANTM cycle 15

What can models teach celebrity authors (you!) who are about to step into the spotlight? Judge not for they can teach us mere mortals a lot. 

In every cycle of America's Next Top Model, the models-in-training must endure a make-over. Hair is weaved, cut, and dyed. Why? It's not just about being prettier. It's about bringing out the uniqueness of each model. This is branding in action!

This week the top 4 models competed on ANTM cycle 15. As Tyra and the panel deconstructed the art and science of modeling, it struck me that these are exactly the things my writing stars should know.

The braces were worth it!

1. Practice taking pictures. With a mirror and a digital camera as her only tools, my daughter Ayanna practiced taking pics all throughout her high school years. Now she can't take a bad picture. Tyra tells her models to tilt chins up and down, turn this way and that. They have to learn the best ways to move their bodies for the cameras, and they have to learn how to play with light, shadow, and angles for the camera.

What are your best features? Do you know your best side? Well you should. Let's say you have to speak at a banquet and everyone wants to take a picture with you. Suppose you're doing a book signing and a photographer for Business Week, Essence, or Vanity Fair snaps your photo with you unaware. (It could happen.) You don't want any of your publicity photos looking like mug shots!

During one photo shoot, Tyra told the models to whisper their names as the camera clicked. The visual effect was beautiful. If you want to take a good picture, don't say "cheese" or "money." Whisper your name!

2. Nail your first impression. That old cliche is true: you may never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression. Before going on their go-sees, the models took acting lessons to learn how to project their unique personalities. Ann, the tall shy one, really struggled with this exercise. She reminded me of some writers I know. 

Sometimes you have to be more of yourself. Talk a little louder, smile brighter. Even if you have to fake it, project confidence.

Whether you're speaking before a large crowd, doing a workshop, networking, or doing a media interview, don't lose your energy. Be full of yourself. Don't let shyness or fear give folks the wrong impression about who you really are.

I believe in role playing, visualizing desired outcomes, and practicing how you look in the mirror. Practice!

3. Let competition motivate you to be the best you can be. I enjoy reading success stories about authors who are miles ahead of me. They show me things I didn't even know were possible. I may not be in their sphere yet, but with faith and perseverance I will. Folks think competition is about beating the other guy, but really, competition challenges us to fulfill our own potential.

4. Always look good. Even if you're a jeans and t-shirt type of guy or gal, make sure your clothes are always clean and neatly pressed. Make sure your hair and nails are always done (preaching to myself here). You're a celebrity author, so don't go out in public looking crazy. During "panel" on ANTM, the judges don't only look at the models' pictures. They also look at how they're presenting themselves on the runway at panel. If their clothes and hair aren't right, they're called on it. This feedback (which can be brutal) trains them to be true to their unique brand as a model.

When my books first came out, I was doing a lot of media. I've been recognized many times in the street and even in the grocery store. Not bragging. Just saying that you've got to be prepared to meet your public. You don't want folks walking away with the wrong impression of you. They may not buy your book and ultimately that's what stepping up your game is all about.  

Donna Marie

Jay-Z book update: Gucci designed BOOK JACKET for Jay-Z

Writing stars, this is what I'm talking about. Remember the collections of Barack Obama fashions that paraded down runways during the 2008 election? Gucci has taken the concept to a whole 'nother level. 

Creative Director Frida Gianni designed a literal book jacket with a page from Jay-Z's book Decoded printed on the lining. Talk about a 3D pun!

Here's the press release:

Gucci will partner with JAY-Z on the release of his first book, Decoded - the music icon’s story of the hidden meanings behind his songs and his journey through the hip hop experience. The partnership is part of a collaboration between JAY-Z and Bing to expose every page of the book in a unique way before its official release on November 16, 2010. 

The Bing interactive experience enables people to decode the 36 songs in the book with clues leading to locations, like Gucci, that have inspired JAY-Z’s lyrics in Miami, New York, London, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Clues will be distributed on JAY-Z’s Facebook and Twitter pages, JAY-Z.com and Bing. 

On November 11th Gucci will reveal one of three hundred Decoded pages in its 5th Avenue flagship store. The page is printed on the lining of a Gucci one-of-a-kind leather bomber jacket designed by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in collaboration with JAY-Z. 

Once the specially created bomber is discovered at Gucci, fans are instructed to text in a code found at the location and are encouraged to upload an image of the decoded page. Any player who locates a page online or in-person is entered into a draw to win the page they have located, signed by JAY-Z.

source: Gucci

I've never bought a CD or attended a concert of Jay-Z's. I'm not a fan, but I do recognize a good game when I see one – and this is interesting. Besides, what's the point in hating? I'd rather learn from the masters.

On my DIY budget, I'm thinking of a t-shirt with my book cover (which I own the rights to)...

Donna Marie

How sexy is your marketing campaign?

That I have to even ask the question suggests something is terribly wrong in bookdom.

Yesterday Edward Nawotka at PublishingPerspectives asked, "Will an author ever release a sex tape?" If that author is Chelsea Handler, maybe. Jane Austen, no. Edward's question got me thinking.

Why is it that authors are expected to be so professorial in demeanor while reality tv "stars" can act badly and get book deals? 

Let me define "sexy marketing." I don't expect that writers who labor at the computer for hours a day will be releasing sex tapes – although I could be wrong. 

That doesn't mean we should be all status quo and boring about how we market our brand and our books. People appreciate an entertaining marketing campaign. Read here about my current favorite case study on wild author marketing and branding, Jay-Z.

It is assumed by rappers, actors, and reality tv stars that they're too sexy for their marketing, no matter how over-the-top outrageous it is. It is assumed by authors that they will read from their books and then sign. Yawn.

The author book signing is an established status quo-type marketing event, but I recall a book signing where the novelist wore the biggest church hat I've ever seen in my life. That was kind of sexy. That hat made her interesting to look at while we waited in line. That hat made me feel like I was in the presence of a celebrity, and at the time, that was unusual for the typical book signing event.

I've done my share of boring status quo author events, but once I did step out of the box for my first book, Sister Feelgood. Since my book was about health and fitness, I decided to do an exercise demonstration to one of my favorite old school tunes, "In My House" by The Mary Jane Girls.

I laid on my back and moved my hips up and down to the beat.

Did I mention this was a church picnic?

I've since wondered, what was I thinking? As inappropriate as that stunt was for the setting, and as much as I probably embarrassed my mother the English teacher, now that I think about it, that was pretty sexy.

Fun is an important component of sexy marketing. Fun communicates that you're not so literary that you can't let your hair down. 

I haven't done a study yet, but I suspect that entrepreneurial writers for whom writing is more a means to an end vs. the whole show are more gregarious and thus more inclined to jump out of the box. I'm thinking about best selling author Anthony Robbins and a seminar I attended years ago. There was loud music. He didn't stand at a podium; he constantly paced the stage. He spoke into a rock star head mic. We walked across hot coals. Now that's sexy. 

Why do honor roll students get boring school assemblies while basketball and football teams get loud and exciting pep rallies? 

I'm not suggesting that authors start taping their intimate moments for the world to see, but how comfortable would you be with letting your readers see sides of you that only your closest friends and family members get to see? 

Donna Marie

*Free* blogging resources for unemployed writers (pt 1)

In addition to my publishing ventures I used to work as a corporate communications consultant at various companies. I learned the hard way that this is the first position to be cut in an economic downturn.

I can only imagine how many unemployed corporate writers are reading this blog.

Will the corporate communications specialist go the way of the factory worker? I don't know, but I do know this: corporate writers have a powerful skill set that they can begin to leverage right now. 

How? Publish your own blog. 

DIY small businesses, self-publishers, and micro-niche publishers would find your knowledge invaluable. You could become a writing star in the B2B world.

Or you could go in a completely different direction. Whatever you feel most passionate about. 

Many writers are using the daily discipline of blogging to develop content for the books they will self-publish one day. For unemployed writers, blogging is one of the best ways I know to keep writing, keep working. 

The Information Age is tailor made for our kind of work. Where many writers have fallen short, however, is on the monetary side of the ledger. We must get smarter about getting paid. Blogging is an opportunity you can't afford to pass up.

I talked to a friend about blogging and why she, a writer and healer, should consider publishing her own. Blogging is true self-publishing in the purist sense, and with the many *free* online platforms it's a no brainer. You can offer your wisdom to readers, monetize your blog with ads and affiliate programs, and market your products and services.

I love the discipline of writing that blogging requires, and I really love that you can make money. Maybe not right away, but enough people are making money to give me hope.

Before publishing your own blog, read my articles about author branding here and here. Make sure that your blog's overall look and content authentically represent what you're all about. That will take some brainstorming and planning.

As you start researching this topic you'll find a lot of pricey programs, get rich quick schemes, and ridiculous promises being made. A word to the wise: don't spend too much (if anything), and don't believe everything you read.

The following online resources are *free* and will be very helpful in publishing and monetizing your own blog. I'm still a novice at blogging, but here's what I've been learning and using so far. (Read to the end to see how I'm doing.)

1. Steve Pavlina. This guy is a master at providing quality content and making money online. You can tell the blogs that are just in it for the money a mile away. The content is rehashed and watered down. Oh, but there are a million ads on the site. Read "How to Make Money From Your Blog" to get an outstanding overview of the entire process. From a writer's perspective, I found Steve's focus on excellent content right on the mark. Even though the article was written in 2006, it is still useful, despite all the latest tech developments on the web since then. At 7,300 words, this is a very generous offering to the blogging community. (Note to writers: Steve's traffic is so high that he got a book deal with Hay House.) 

2. Google AdWords: Keyword Tool. If your goal is to be read by the widest audience possible for your niche topic and to make money, you'll want to know the top keywords people are using to search for blogs like yours. Skilled writers will have no problem creatively incorporating those top keywords into their articles, meta tags, and labels to drive targeted traffic to their site. Also, this tool is a Godsend for the dry times when you've run out of things to write about (it happens). The goldmine of words and phrases that can pop up in a search will stimulate all kinds of ideas for articles. Best of all, Google's keyword tool is free, unlike some comparable tools. 

3. 23 Free Blogging Platforms. I like Blogger, but other platforms may be better suited to your needs. Web Hosting Secret Revealed reviews 23 free platforms. (Update: after reading what Steve Pavlina says about Blogger I may have to reconsider. Still learning!)

4. The Book Marketing Network. Let's say you've self-published a book or two and are looking for ways to promote your work and drive traffic to your site. John Kremer's website (here) offers a wealth of ideas. If that rich site wasn't enough, John's Book Marketing Network gives writers another blogging platform to market their books and sites. I use my blog at the site to drive targeted traffic to The Celebrity Editor. It's a DIY way to syndicate your blog. 

5. Facebook and Twitter. When I first launched The Celebrity Editor, I knew I'd have to become a social butterfly to drive traffic to my blog. My teen daughter would roll her eyes if she read this but I have been amazed to discover that whenever I click the Facebook and Twitter buttons that Blogger provides to alert friends about a new post, my traffic increases. It's like magic! The more friends and followers, the better your blog traffic. 

6. Dating sites. Some dating and friendship sites have blogging platforms. Use them to syndicate your blog. (The same idea applies to topic-specific sites and portals, such as those for crafts, hobbies, fashion, sports, ufo's, etc.). I decided to launch a blog on one dating site just for the purpose of syndicating The Celebrity Editor. As a free way to build links to my blog, it has been valuable. So far I haven't gotten traffic from this site, but I have gotten a lot of notes from guys wanting to talk. I guess that's ok.

7. Adsense. The first step in your monetization strategy will probably be to get an Adsense account and then activate the program on your blog. I've spent a lot of time reading about Adsense, and I have to admit I'm not fully versed (yet). But basically, when you sign on to Adsense, you're giving Google permission to place ads on your blog. This is why you must be aggressive about driving traffic to your site. You want targeted viewers interested in your content because Google's magical formula matches ad content to your articles. Some bloggers are making a healthy living with Adsense, which fires me up.

8. Free blogging templates. If you don't like the templates that your blogging service provides, there are many sites out there that provide free templates. Rahul Jadhav at CoolTipsNTricks.com has made it his mission to sort through the hundreds, maybe thousands, of free blogging templates out there. I haven't used any of the templates, but I have used some of Rahul's tips 'n tricks. 

9. Professional membership directories. Are you a member of a trade association? Usually as a free service to members or as a benefit of paid membership, many allow members to provide their contact information online, including their blog/website url. This provides yet another link to your site and could drive targeted traffic there, too.

10. Alexa ranking. Download this free handy tool to see how your site is doing compared to all other sites on the Internet. The lower your rank (Amazon's rank is 15), the better. 

So how am I doing? 

When I first launched The Celebrity Editor on Sept. 25, 2010, my Alexa ranking was in the 4 million range (can't remember exactly). But as I've worked hard to produce content for you and implement the tips you've read in this post, I'm happy to say that as of today, Nov. 16, 2010, my Alexa rank is 806,218. I don't know about anybody else's progress, but that's enough to keep me motivated to serve my writing stars! 

I had some Adsense issues, and it took awhile to get the program activated so I don't have anything to report, except that I'm happy that Adsense is now working.

To reiterate, blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but we can have hope and feel empowered. If I was working 9 to 5, I'd be terrified about getting laid off, especially in this economy. But no one can lay me off from blogging. Further, I get to write about my interests, and no one owns my content but me. Blogging and my client work keep me busy and, dare I say, happy.

Blogging gets a bad rap for many reasons, but mostly there's a lot of haterism out there. Blogs put self-publishing power into the hands of we the people. We're no longer so dependent on newspapers, magazines, journals, and publishers to communicate our message – although as you build traffic to your blog they may come looking for you. As a writer, I find that exciting. 

I'm still learning about the wonderful world of blogging, and as I learn more, I'll pass it on to you.

Donna Marie