Advertising Yourself & Products

Tuesday Marketing Tips, Advertising Yourself/Products

As a self-published author and the founder of Southside Book and Writers Club, marketing for both starts and stops with me. Of course, I get help getting the word out, but I’m the one who has to plan, research, and implement ideas that I hope will get the most attention.

Southside Book and Writers Club just launched it’s Authors Reading Tour, from October 6 to November 17. We will be reading our past, present, and future work. I know this is a huge; undertaking, for our first time out! This is what I did to market the numerous events and what I am still doing weekly.

Make a list of how you can promote
Make sure your list includes free and paid advertising methods
Establish a budget (make sure that you are comfortable with this amount and don’t miss your mortgage payment trying to do something or be something)

Advertising where I started

1. I started with my free platforms first using social media

Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Google+
LinkedIn

For each of my social media platforms, I developed hashtags related to the Authors Reading Tour. Example #sbwc #sbwcrva #authorsreadingsbwc, you get the idea.

2. Advertise on your local channels community calendars

Primary platform is free in my area
Promotional packages are available for a large demographic (don’t sleep on this, I've used the community calendar in search of vending events in the past)

I posted on WTVR channel 6 and WRIC channel 8 in my area

3. Develop and pass out marketing materials

Flyers
Programs
Postcards

I passed out advertising materials to everyone I came across. I’m not that fancy that I can’t put on a pair of tennis shoes and hand out my promotional materials. I placed flyers on cars, yes I did! I had a banner made for the Authors Reading Tour and t-shirts. To save me some time and not overwhelm myself, I outsourced the printing of these materials. My go-to print places are:

Vistaprint
Walgreens
Office Depot
I made it ( locally owned small business, the owner made the book clubs t-shirts, hand painted too!)

As I get ready to close this Talk Session out. I just want you to remember that there is no magic way to market, its all about trial, and error. What works for some, may not work for you, and that is okay. Just take the time to figure out what will work for you.

p.s. Southside Book and Writers Club will have its own Youtube channel. I thought that I could just post the clubs videos on my channel! No, I had to learn this the hard way. The channel is named the actual clubs name. During October, I will be moving all videos to that one location. We would love it if you could view, like, and subscribe.

As I always say and ask...please share

Kim L. Walton, Indie Writer, Self-Published Author

Founder of Southside Book and Writers Club

www.kimlwalton.com

Kim_walton@yahoo.com

Facebook@southsidebookandwritersclub

Twitter@kim_L_walton

Richmond, Virginia

#marketing #sbwc #selfpromotion #supportindieauthors #authorsreadingtour #sbwcrva #KimLWalton