Cat’s Friend Rahull Ravi of Dawn Hill Publications is Back With More Marketing Tips & Advice For Us. What is Marketing Non-Negotiables?

Marketing Non-Negotiables

Essential Rules to Live By:

I wish someone told me there are certain non-negotiables to marketing, before I entered the world of marketing, so I wouldn’t have made a fool of myself. I entered my first marketing role quite a few years ago, and to that job, I brought with me a few misguided pre-conceived notions about marketing.

The most dangerous notion being, assuming I could simply advertise my products on social media from the start. No value offers. No personality. Nothing. I quickly learned that you have offer something, some value, bring your personality to the table in order to increase my engagement, but we’ll get to that later, trust me.

Luckily for you, I made mistakes, so you won’t have to. I’ve improved and honed my marketing skills over the past few years, and I was lucky enough to realise there are a few non-negotiables to marketing.

These are the golden rules to marketing, so pay attention, and make notes:

Content is King:

• Burn those three words into your memory and repeat it like a mantra every-time you think of new marketing methods.
  
• You can learn the intricate ins and outs of Facebook’s Ads Manager and throw a £1000 daily budget into your many split-audiences and split-campaign objectives, but if your content is poor, if you’re using a shoddy image or a video shot with a 2005 Sony Ericson, then your campaign will fall flat on its face. Thud, bang, lights out.
  
• Remember to look at the content around you and I don’t mean scrolling on your Instagram feed for 5 minutes and then going back to your Netflix series. I mean, you need to make a proper report.
  
• Analyse your competitors, what sort of content do they release, is it visual, is it professional photography or is it digital design? What sort of engagement do they receive? How many social media sites are they on? Which sites are they not on? What sort of value are they providing with their content? Are they missing any areas of value or lacking in detail? These are just a few questions to consider.
  
• The final point is key, whatever your competitor is doing wrong is essentially a gap in the market. While you shouldn’t base your entire strategy around it from the get-go, you should pay close attention to it and see if you can fill that gap and provide your audience with the content and value they’re so desperately yearning for!

Provide Value before you Promote:

• Have you ever spoken to someone in real life who spoke about themselves non-stop and never asked how you’re doing? That’s how a lot of authors look like on Twitter and Instagram. They promote, promote and promote without ever listening to their audience and providing the value that they’re so desperately seeking!
  
• It’s simple, provide value to your audience. If you’re an author, you should have a pretty good idea of what sort of advice and help you’d like to be receiving. Writing tips, marketing tips or simply some writing related humour.
  
• If you can’t provide advice or help, then just have a conversation and support other authors, be nice. It’s certainly better than aimless promotion.
  
• We’re not saying promotion should never occur, it’s most certainly important, just remember to provide some value first, that’s how you draw your audiences attention.
  

Consistency

“I’m getting no traction; I can’t be bothered anymore” – probably some aspiring author after a few weeks on Twitter. Here’s the thing about marketing, it’s really fun to do, until it’s not. I’ve spoken to a lot of aspiring marketers who have asked me, ‘how do you stay motivated?’. The truth is, I don’t. Some days, I’ve woken up and realised I have to put more time and effort into a channel that has been underperforming for weeks but I just get on with it. I do the work.

I don’t care if my writing or content comes out looking like hot garbage on the first draft, I can always edit it later! Let me tell you, that’s when you really learn about yourself and how far you’re willing to go to achieve your success. Ask yourself are you willing to work even when you don’t want to? Even when you’d rather be watching your favourite Netflix series? Don’t be an excuse generator, be an excuse incinerator.

Consistent posting on your marketing channels such as your blog, Twitter, Instagram etc, is what separates you from a lot of authors. Let me tell you, when you combine consistency with high quality content, and you have a delicious recipe for success.

Don’t believe me? Go to a successful YouTuber’s channel such as ‘Jenna Moreci’, go to her videos and sort it from ‘oldest to newest’. You’ll notice three things:

• You’ll see consistent posting; most successful YouTubers post on their channel 4 to 5 times per month.
• With successful channels, you’ll notice, as time goes on, the quality of the content is slowly getting better, the author of the videos is slowly but surely understanding what works with their audience, and what doesn’t work. That only happens when you post consistently, make mistakes quickly and learn with speed of Usain Bolt, not literally of course.
• You’ll notice the engagement suddenly shoot through the roof, that’s what happens when high engagement, excellent SEO rankings and word-of-mouth all combine.

Consistency is key, there’s no way around it. There’s no secret to staying motivated either, some days you’ll have to grit your teeth and get through it. It’s never as bad as you think it’s going to be.

That’s it. Those are the three staples of marketing. These really are non-negotiables; you cannot avoid the universal truth that’s been laid out for you in this blog post. These three rules alone won’t lead you to glory, but they will be the backbone and foundation of your success.
Who said it would be easy?
Nobody.


Make sure you give Dawn Hill Publications a visit as they have more solid and sound marketing advice for authors and writers here https://www.dawnhillpublications.com/ They represent some amazing authors and a great place for readers to find new books to read!

Important Advice about Covid-19 from a pulmonary critical-care doctor — Why Evolution Is True…

 

Reader Rick sent me this video, which I’ve listened to in its entirety (57 minutes). It’s made by Dr. David Price, a critical pulmonary-care specialist at Weill Cornell Hospital in New York City. Usually he deals with all kinds of respiratory ailments, but, as he says, now he’s dealing only with COVID-19 patients. Here Price […]

via Advice about Covid-19 from a pulmonary critical-care doctor — Why Evolution Is True

Cat’s PR Friends Show us How To Social Media For ‘Building Your Brand and Use It To Grow Your Small Business Too.

Cat’s amazing friends of Strong Social – Media Blog is a great place to visit as they are a growing PR media site that helps “the little guys” become better at branding themselves as authors, writers, and if you are like me, run a small media marketing and book promoting brand and business.

They know the importance and power of Social Media to help authors build their brand and gain exposure, sales, and reviews for all their books. Let’s see what they are teaching us today about Branding and Using Social Media for your small business …~Cat Lyon

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4 Easy Tips to Apply Social Media Strategies to get your Brand Noticed

Social Media is no longer something that companies can go without. We’ve long past that time when small business owners thought that communicating with their key audience was more of a choice, rather than a mandatory necessity.

It so happens that being present on social networks has become a must in almost every sector of activity, and here are the top 5 social media must-haves for every brand:

5. A Social Media Manager

Sure, it sounds redundant, but trust us. Having a social media manager is mandatory if you want to get optimal results from your entire digital communication strategy. You can start by creating the social media accounts for your brand by yourself and try to keep them constantly updated, but sooner or later, you’ll realize that this activity is taking up more and more of your time.

This could lead to you getting distracted from your company’s core focus, making it necessary to hire a professional social media manager to take care of the work and to take things to the next level.

4. Instagram and Youtube Are a Must-Have

Even if you’re not activating in a very dynamic domain, your brand needs to be present on Instagram and Youtube. Assuming you already have a Facebook and a Twitter account, you should start placing a strong focus on the visual like book trailers or more about your craft as a writer.

When it comes to visual, Instagram (for photos) and Youtube (for videos, of course!) are the key social networks to focus on. More and more companies are shifting their communication efforts to visual content, because, we all know it, people have less and less time to read.

Keep it social with strong visual content!

3. Focus on Understanding Social Media Management Tools

If your brand has a lot of things to communicate, you can easily forget to post certain updates or news because you are present on too many platforms. This is why opting for a social media management tool that helps you organize and schedule posts on different social networks is a life-saver.

Hootsuite is one of the most popular choices out there, but feel free to look around to what best suits your needs, or consults with your social media manager (if you already have one) on what tools you should start using.

2. Try Getting More into The Analytics

Sprout Social is a very special social media solution for every brand. It’s being used by top worldwide companies because not only does it make social media easier to manage, but it also provides detailed-customized reports to help you improve your digital communication. And save time posting by automating your posts on social media by using Buffer (dot) Com. They are an affordable Social Media Management Platform.

“Buffer makes it easy for businesses and marketing teams to schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage all their accounts in one place.”

They both can also be considered strong lead generators for your business if you analyze all the reports carefully and make the necessary adjustments in order to achieve your business goals.

It’s definitely worth giving it a shot!

1. Focus on hashtags

Hashtags are as important today as they were the first time they were introduced by Twitter. It helps people search and index a certain topic, making it easier for you to connect with your core audience.

Use websites like hashtagify.me to get the best relevant hashtags you need to send out your message. Hashtags are one of the easiest ways to make your message visible to a wider audience, so be sure to include them in your updates.

Now let’s talk about to grow your business on Social Media!

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5 Tips on How to Use Social Media for Small Businesses

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It’s no longer a secret that social media helps any business in reaching its targeted audiences. Not only that, but social media has become a must-have for any business, be it big or small. It’s a very fast, efficient and easy to use way of getting in touch with your current and future possible clients.

It helps in raising awareness about your company, it helps in getting leads for your business, and it’s a way of letting people know what your company is doing on a regular basis.

Sure, everything sounds good in theory, but let’s look over 5 tips on how to use social media for small businesses. A more practical approach.

5. Start by setting up a social media plan for your business

First thing’s first. Set up a social media plan where you do an audit of your company and try to figure out which social networks work best for your industry. We’re not going to lie to you, research does take up a lot of time in the beginning. Help is out there, and affordable if you “just want to WRITE,” look to our friend ‘Cat’ of lyonmediaservices.com and she can surely help. WHICH?

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The good news? That it’s worth it and you only have to do it once. At least to that extent. After that, it’s all about her trying to keep you relevant in your field and do constant check-ups on what the competition is doing. Which brings us to our next tip…

4. Research your competition and keep up to date with the latest news

In the digital age, not knowing what your competition is doing is a definite disadvantage. Especially since doing research or checking updates from your competitors has never been easier.

Start by following their social media accounts and see what they’re posting. Analyze their content and try to identify a pattern. See what works with their audience and how they engage with people who approach them. You can even take it a step further, by subscribing to their newsletters, webinars, conferences and so on, just to be sure that you’re always in the loop.

Take whatever works from their social media communication and add it to your plan.

 

3. Master one social media platform

Spreading too much, too fast is almost never a good idea. Sure, start by creating social media accounts for your business on all the relevant social networks, but try to master one platform before being “too social” on all of them.

Time is a limited resource and most likely, you will not be able to invest the same amount of time on all social networks. Rather than having 3-4 accounts with less developed content, try on focusing on one and get yourself noticed there. After that, it’s easy to scale and take a part of your audience with you. This blends with the next tip we have in store for you.

2. Engage with your audience. See what they have to say

This tip is probably the most important one of them all, however, this does not mean that you should skip all the other steps. Engaging with your audience can prove to be crucial, especially when you are a small business or a company that’s just starting out.

Your customers and the relationship you build with them is all you have. This is why you need to nurture it and put almost as much time in it as you would put in your products and services. Establishing a loyal fan base is key in taking your business to the next level. Answer questions and ask questions. This will get the ball rolling.

1.Create Your Brand Recognition

If you manage to create a strong brand recognition, you can already consider yourself a winner. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should leave your guard down, but it does mean that you will need to put less effort into your communication activities and you can focus on taking your business even further.

You’ll be able to focus more on developing your product, think about scaling up and how to acquire more customers, once your company has established itself as a strong brand.

You’ll be able to communicate more, by saying less. You’ll appear professional, but also close to your audience.

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If you’re interested in learning more about social media management, or if you have any questions about social media for small businesses, do not hesitate to contact our specialized consultants. CAT SURE Highly Recommends Them!!

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How Do Authors Handle Publicity In a Spiritual Way and Not Sound Like Bragging? Tony Gives Us a Sample.

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Sharing Some Delight in Disorder

Since my book was published, I’ve not done much to get the word out. As a result, I haven’t sold many copies. People who have read it tell me what a difference it has made in their lives, but I have not followed up on this and reached out to others.

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“I have a hard time walking the fine line between bragging about myself and celebrating what God is doing in my life.”

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Lately, I have come to accept the importance of the mission God has called me to carry out. There are so many people impacted by mental illness who are in desperate need of saving faith. As the body of Christ, it’s our delightful duty to show compassion for hurting souls.

The emotional anguish caused by brain diseases like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression, is as real and agonizing as any bodily pain caused by a physical illness. I know this. First hand. I also know the grace of God that provides a measure of healing in this life and the hope of healing in the next.

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“It’s time to take my bushel off God’s light in me, even if I reveal the flaws I so want to hide.”

So this weekend, I posted this message on Facebook:

For almost twenty years, I served as a pastor with bipolar disorder. I have journeyed with this illness from manic (even psychotic) peaks to dark valleys of despair. At both extremes, I have flirted with death—coming very close to ending my life and doing great damage to those around me. .

Countless times, when I have been driven to the edge of a cliff, God has rescued me and set me on level ground. Why would God do this? Because God delights in me even in disorder. Delight is first an expression of God’s love for us. Since God delights in us, we have a “delightful duty” to share in God’s joy.

The media often portray the terrible extremes where untreated mental illness leads to horrific homicide or shameful suicide. What is missing is a compassionate portrayal of all the rest of us who struggle to survive and be faithful. Delight in Disorder reveals the beautiful grace of God that flows into grateful living if you have a mental illness and greater understanding if you want to love another who does.

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60 people have shared the message. I’ve sold more books in 24 hours than Amazon has sold for me in 48 months.

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“But the most powerful response was from one who didn’t buy a book or share the post. It was a desperate plea.”

 

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Me:   D., thank you for reaching out and being open about you suicidal thoughts. It’s important that you get help. Please message me.

D:   I am a daily survivor I do it for my kids I’ve tried suicide and failed. My sister has committed suicide it runs in my family my mother attempted when I was a kid

Me:  D., do you have a plan to kill yourself?  When you say you have suicidal thoughts, Denny, what do you mean? I’m praying for you, brother.

D:  No. I’ve planned but never went thru with is. I got two biological and one step son. I work daily sometimes I feel like I’m better off dead but my kids bring me back from reality

Me:  Well, I’m very glad you’ve found a reason to live. Your kids love and need you, for sure.

D:  I’m reminded every day I’m needed if not for anyone else then my two biological kids.

Me:  Amen to that!

D: Thanks man I need someone to talk to sometime. Thanks for even taking the time out to talk with me

Me: Message me anytime, D.. I can’t promise I will always be available. But when I am, I’ll respond.

D:  Ty really means a lot. I deal with it everyday. So I’m sure if I need someone to talk to I’ll reach out. No-one in my life understands. So it’s hard when no one understand and it makes me feel a lot different

Me:  I get that, brother.

 

Maybe you have a D. in your life. Maybe you are D. If so, get professional psychiatric and therapeutic help. And, consider Delight in Disorder to find spiritual support you will need to face difficult days ahead.

 

Get an autographed copy of Delight in Disorder for just $12.

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Delight in Disorder: Ministry, Madness, Mission

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I highly recommend Delight In Disorder. Tony has a way of humanizing mental illness and explaining things in a profound, yet simple way that resonates with his readers. Whether you have a diagnosed mental health disorder, some other kind of disability, know someone who does, or simply struggle with faith and believing that God delights in you, this book is for you. ~ Veronica J.

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Please make sure you stop and visit Author, Tony Roberts as he has so much help and information on his blog “Sharing Delight In Disorder” about life, living with Mental health, being an author and more as well as checking out his Podcast Called: Revealing Voices on iTunes! 

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This Weeks Writing Blog Spotlight Goes To “Writer Unboxed” ~Post: Book Promotion Fatigue.

I happen to come across an interesting blog post over on “Writer UnBoxed” as I feel all authors and writers need to read this post. Since I do book promotions and literary consulting as my every day at home business, I could sure relate to this post! And I know many of you will too. As an author myself, I do know how hard it is to get our books into the hands of readers.

It took my first book a good year to catch fire with hours of listing and promoting it everywhere I could find. As we all know it does NOT happen overnight and we have to be diligent as it is why many writers hire me to promote their books and build a readership and I work on the social media side in building their following as well. There is no real recipe or guarantees. WHY?

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Because there are several factors to consider. How well written is the book? What genre is the book? Is it a hard genre to promote? How popular is the author? Well, there are many ways to tackle these questions. But that will have to be another post for another day. But when you have been promoting your books hard? It is OK to take a breather every now and then as this weeks post and blog spotlight indicates. Here is a little of the Guest Post and I hope you will visit “Writer UnBoxed” as that is the MAIN Purpose for Spotlighting them! Lol. 

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HAPPY BOOK PROMOTING!

**CAT**

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Dealing With Book Promotion Fatigue

Writers get tired.

The process of writing, of editing, of writing some more, of editing some more, of searching for representation, of reworking the book yet again, of waiting so long to see your words in print that you forget you even wrote some of them, of publishing in its maddening and bountiful entirety… well, some days, it can feel like too much.

Every stage has its own ups and downs, but personally, I find the promotion stage both the most exciting and the most challenging. Many parts of the publishing process can feel out of your control. Partly that’s because they are. But promotion is different because, unlike other stages, it has the capacity to go on forever. The joy and terror of publishing in the social media age that once you have a book, you literally could be promoting it every minute of every day.

(Note to writers everywhere: do NOT promote your book every minute of every day.)

Right now, my latest book (published under a pseudonym, as regular readers know) has been out in paperback for a few months. Typically, this is when a publisher’s efforts to promote the book taper off and any further promotion is squarely in my hands.

By Jael McHenry  Now Read The Rest of The Story “Writer UnBoxed”