Authors
spend a lot of time and effort to get others excited about their books. They speak before groups, promote themselves
to the news media, and live on social media.
But what exactly is it that you say or do that draws people to you and
clearly defines why you are someone to be flowered with attention?
I
guess what I am asking you is this: What
is your brand, your core message, your voice, your image, your area of
expertise, your essence?
Ok,
now answer that in a 20-second elevator speech or even better, a one-sentence
tagline.
You
need a mantra, one that defines you and inspires others. But it can’t be bland or fill-in-the-blanks
generic. If your tagline or mantra sound
like that of everyone else you will not stick out, be memorable, or even
alluring. You will blend in with the
trees and be lost in a forest of competing voices.
Start
by listing -- in no particular order -- with no fancy verbiage attached, all of the
things you’ve accomplished. First look
at what you have done as it relates to what your book is about and your perceived area
of expertise. Next, think about your
qualifications for penning this book.
Exactly what authenticates you as an authority? Lastly, think of interesting parts of your
personal life, some of which might fit well with your brand recipe. Maybe you have an interesting hobby or do something unusual outside of your professional life that people would want to
cling to.
Your
tagline or mantra needs to sound good.
It lifts you and others up. It
distinguishes you from the pack. It’s
your moment to influence and impact others in an empowering way. This is your chance to shape how people view
you. Give them optimism, success, humor,
intelligence, and power. You want to sound professional and personable,
accomplished but relatable, innovative but grounded.
So
who gets to hear your branded message?
Everyone.
How? Every time you speak, brand yourself. Put it
on your letterhead, website, business card, email signature, social media
profile, and everything that you do.
Express it in your clothes and accessories. Let it be seen in your visual – videos,
photos, illustrations. Let it be
apparent in your choice of words, your voice, and your body language. Always be you and let others know just who
you are.
Oh,
and one more thing: believe what you are
saying. If this message doesn’t sound
legitimate, feel pure, or truly represent your ideas, values, skills, and
experiences, don’t use it. Toss it or
tweak it, but make sure what you come up with is not only effective and believable
but reflective of your truth.
In
publishing, there are a million brands running loose, each one reflecting an
author’s accomplishments and hopes, each one with insecurities and fears
propping it up. Discover who you really
are and then tell everyone. Don’t just
brand yourself – be a brand that represents who you really are.
“What
is originality? Undetected plagiarism.”
--William Ralph Inge
“Everything
that needs to be said has already been said.
But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”
--Andre Gide, Fresh writer
“Those
who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.”
--Salvador Dali
DON”T MISS THESE!!!
How authors get their book marketing
mojo – and avoid failure
Authors
cannot succeed without the right attitude
So what
is needed to be a champion book marketer?
Should
You Promote Your Book By Yourself?
The Book Marketing Strategies Of
Best-Sellers
How authors can sell more books
No. 1 Book Publicity Resource: 2019
Toolkit For Authors -- FREE
Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative
opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone
and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him
on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels
much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s Independent. This was named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the
top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best
resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.
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