Last night, I decided to change my blog and start writing about pop culture and all the wacky mistakes I make each day. I’ll start ripping on myself, and act like I know nothing. It worked for Lisa and Laura, right? And on a sudden flash of inspiration, my main character now sports pink hair.
Everyone’s writing and marketing journey is different. But let’s look at why their marketing succeeded.
1. Write a great book that is you – not a reflection of someone else.
Lisa and Laura present themselves as fun and quirky. And that’s the kind of book they wrote. When it came to their writing, they didn’t try and be someone else. No, it doesn’t mean we all have to be fun and quirky on our blogs and in our book, but we should be ourselves. Be vulnerable.
2. Marketing starts before you sign with an agent.
Even before snagging an awesome agent and landing a book deal, Lisa and Laura Roecker were approachable and likeable. It didn’t matter who you were – they were nice.
3. Be friendly after you land a book deal.
What made me want to support these sisters, outside of the fact they write the kind of book I love to read, is that even after they got the book deal, they weren’t exclusive. They still interacted with the aspiring writers on Twitter. They didn’t care. And I LOVED that.
4. Brainstorm, but let the marketing spring organically from your book.
Lisa and Laura shared how at first they were devastated by Kate’s pink hair on the cover of their book. Who knew it would turn into their greatest marketing tool. And that marketing didn’t cost a penny. Just time. At this point, I wonder how much swag really affects sales. They combined the pink hair with giving away signed copies. Who cares about a bookmark and a mug– I want the book!
5. Include your supporters in the marketing. (No spam!)
Not once, did Lisa and Laura send out tweets five times a day saying, ‘Buy my teen book.’ They didn’t go on and on, week after week, talking about their book on their blog once they got the deal. They kept being themselves. And I appreciate that. And they didn’t ask of people without offering something in return. They made it all about their followers, not themselves. Brilliance.
We can’t all approach our blog and our marketing like Lisa and Laura. Or can we? We can be true to ourselves in our writing and our interactions with people. We can be vulnerable. We can be friendly.
And yes, I’m anxiously awaiting my copy of LIAR SOCIETY in the mail. No Kindle version for me.
Has the marketing of LIAR SOCIETY changed your view of marketing at all? Or reaffirmed what you already knew?
If you can’t tell I’m a big fan of humor balanced by a great plot and a moving story. And this story is exactly what I love to read. And yes, I loved this book. Can’t wait for the sequel.
I had to group these two books together. Funny. Terrific plotting. But most of all, an inner journey of the main character that counts. Ally Carter pulls off what is hard to do: balancing the humorous with the serious.