Anne Janzer

Author

Book Marketing Blogs

The world of book marketing is in constant flux. I'm on a mission to share what I learn with other authors. Join me if you'd like.

Most of my author marketing blog posts end up on other sites, like the Nonfiction Author's Association, Jane Friedman's blog, or others. Some of the gems land here as well.

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At the end of every month I make notes on what I've learned about book marketing: new things I've encountered, experiments run, lessons learned.  Then I share those thoughts with my friends on this list. If you're interested in those geeky details, sign up here.

How Do You Measure Success for Your Writing?

“What’s the moment you realize you’ve been successful?”

A friend who was about to publish her first book asked me this question the other day. It made me pause.

Most authors, indie or otherwise, won’t find their books on the New York Times best seller list. They won’t make hundreds of thousands of dollars, at least from a single book. Few will be famous.

At the same time, many indie authors I know are quite successful – on their own terms.

We have to look for other indications, other metrics, to know that we’ve succeeded.

How Do You Measure Success?

Choose your metrics with care, because they influence your behavior.

  • If you define success on purely financial terms, you’re likely to price your books too high, which can limit their reach.
  • Authors who covet the “best seller” label may mis-categorize their books, or chase such a wide audience that they miss the people who will gain the most from the book.
  • Bloggers who constantly pursue elusive “viral” success find it difficult to build a loyal, returning audience of readers.

A more robust definition of success will help you weather the rough patches, negative reviews, and nearly relentless work of book marketing.

Here’s one that works for me: helping others.

Perhaps it’s easier for nonfiction authors, but consider defining your success as providing truly useful, valuable information to a well-defined group of people.

Fiction authors can focus on something similar: delivering a reading experience that is [enjoyable | fun | engrossing | thrilling] for people who love [genre].

Can you find an other-focused objective for your writing?

Alas, this definition is harder to measure than clicks, sales, or appearances on television shows.

Celebrate the Subtle Signs of Success

There’s no Google Analytics dashboard that displays “personal impact on a reader.” Not yet, anyway. Until that day arrives, look for the small, subtle signs that your writing is making an impact. These include:

  • The positive review from someone you don’t know
  • The stranger who sends you an email and lets you know that the book made a difference
  • The reader who shares a quote from your book on Twitter or Facebook

When one of those things happens for something you’ve written, it’s energizing. It means that you’re achieving the true purpose of communication – connecting with another human being.

These indications may be few and far between. For every person who speaks up, many others may have found value but said nothing – at least, nothing you could hear.

The author Jeanette Winterston shared this writing tip: “Be ambitious for the work and not for the reward.”*

This may be another way of saying that you should define success based on others, not yourself.

* Thanks to Maria Popova for surfacing this quote on her Brain Pickings blog post.

The Podcast Interview and Beyond

This is the third in a series of posts about being a podcast guest. Read the first one here.

The hour for your podcast interview has arrived.

If you’ve done your preparation work as described in the previous post in this series, then you’ve got a few notes together, you understand the audience, and you know what you need to do.

What happens in the next hour, and then the next few weeks, will determine how valuable this podcast is for your author platform.

Get in the Zone

You want to be both relaxed and attentive. The more conversational and real you sound, the easier it is for the listeners.

Tap your inner powers of personal communication. The most compelling podcast interviews feel like conversations. Picture the person you’re speaking with. It might help you relax and find your conversational groove.

Don’t worry about nerves. You might feel nervous for your first podcast interviews. It’s okay. Listeners will understand. Great podcast hosts bring out the best in their guests, so trust in that process.

Protect your focus. If you’re using your computer for the call, shut down other applications like email. Turn off or minimize anything that will distract you from the conversation at hand. Focus on the discussion.

My friend Karen Catlin tells me she goes into a walk-in closet during podcast interviews, both to dampen the outside sounds and minimize distractions. (Don’t do that on a video interview, though.)

How to Answer the Questions

I asked Douglas Burdett about his advice for podcast guests. Douglas hosts the wonderful Marketing Book Podcast. He is one of those podcast hosts that brings out the best in his guests while serving the listeners.

Douglas takes the time to read the books ahead of time, so he can ask careful, thoughtful questions that serve his listeners. He offers this advice:

“Answer the question.”

Hosts understands what their listeners want. Trust them. Listen to their questions carefully and respond as best you can.

If you don’t know an answer, don’t be afraid to say so. Admitting it might make you more likable.

Here’s more advice on crafting your answers:

Remember the show length. Don’t give a 10-minute answer to a question if the typical episode is 20 minutes. Adjust your answers to the time available.

Think about the listeners. Picture the host, but think about the audience. Who’s listening? What will they want to know? Can you provide something they’d find interesting, entertaining, or actionable? Be practical.

Also, remember that you have to earn the audience’s attention. Can you get them interested? Tell a story? Surprise them? You’ll earn bonus points for being an interesting podcast guest.

Don’t Sell

Ideally, the podcast listeners will rush out and buy your book. Oddly enough, pitching the book nonstop will have the opposite effect.

Every podcast host should mention your book and give you a chance to tell people where to reach you. But unless it’s the focus of the call, avoid the temptation to harp on it. If people liked what you had to say, they may purchase your book, even if you weren’t talking about it directly. People buy things from authors they like and respect.

Say Something Memorable

The host will look for bits of wisdom they can extract from the recording, repeat, or sum up at the end of the call. So, make it easy for them by creating sound bites.

In the post on preparing for the podcast, I suggested that you write down a few succinct sentences or phrases that express your key ideas. Refer to your notes and call on them, if you can do while sounding natural.

If you articulate your key messages clearly and concisely, and they may end up in tweets or show notes. Plus, you’re doing the host (and the listeners) a favor.

Mention Previous Episodes

If you did your homework and listened to other episodes, you might refer to a previous guest on the podcast. This helps the podcast host and creates a connection with loyal podcast listeners.

Dealing with the Unexpected

Coughs. Doorbells. Dogs. The outside world doesn’t stop when you’re doing a podcast interview. So be ready to deal with distractions.

Audio problems: Sometimes the audio cuts in and out. If your call drops, dial back in right away. If you cannot hear a question, ask the interviewer to repeat it. (If they edit the recording, they can fix it this interaction.) These things happen and the world never ends.

An awkward interview: I once did a podcast interview with a host who had the flu, and for some reason didn’t reschedule. It was flat as a pancake. It never aired. Sometimes you simply don’t click. No one’s perfect all the time.

On Publication Day/Week

Much of your most important job, as a guest, happens long after the interview itself.

First, thank the host. They’ve done you a solid favor by inviting you, so be gracious. You can help them by referring other guests or leaving a review on of the podcast series.

Your podcast may not air for weeks (or more) after the recording. When it does, promote it.

  • Let your email list know about the podcast.
  • Share it on your social media platforms.
  • Add it to your author website.
  • Retweet, like, and share anything the podcast host posts.

You can help the host spread the word about the podcast beyond their usual audience, just as they are exposing you and your book to a potential new circle of readers.

The Weeks and Months That Follow

Podcasts have no expiration date. People continue to contact me about episodes months, even years, after they have been published.

Keep a file with links to the interviews you’ve done for your book, and share them over the following weeks and months. (An automated social media scheduler like Buffer makes this simpler.)

Include the podcast link on your book’s page or your website.

Wrapping Up

Being a good podcast guest requires effort before, during, and after the podcast.

You won’t do it all perfectly every time. You may not have much preparation time, or perhaps you have an off day on recording. Do the best you can to be a valuable and valued guest.

If you do the work, people might invite you to return or refer you to their friends. Plus, you meet wonderful people in your conversations. Podcasters make great friends.

Related Links

An Author’s Guide to Being a Good Podcast Guest Part One (why to do it and how to find and query podcast)

Preparing for the Podcast (Part Two) 

I try to practice what I preach. Check out my most recent visit to the Marketing Book Podcast.

Review of Sandra Beckwith’s Book Marketing 101 Course

Short Version

Sandra Beckwith’s Book Marketing 101 for Nonfiction course is a valuable survey of marketing techniques, anchored by a strong marketing plan. Its advice applies to both traditionally published and indie authors. (Fiction writers should examine the companion course, Book Marketing 101 for Fiction.)

Long Version

In a college curriculum, classes numbered 101 are “survey” courses designed to introduce students to a subject area and entice them to study further in the field. In that sense, Sandra Beckwith’s Book Marketing 101 fits the bill perfectly.

As a nonfiction writer, I reviewed the Nonfiction version of the course; I assume that the Fiction variety is similarly strong.

I’ve long admired Sandra Beckwith’s her practical and worthwhile book marketing advice. She’s particularly well grounded in traditional marketing and public relations techniques. That expertise is on display in this course, which has the subtitle “How to Build Book Buzz.”

The course has four main sections, each of which contains several short lessons. Aside from a welcome video, the lessons are all text-based, so you can take them at your own pace and skip around as needed.

The sections are:

  1. Announcing your book. This section includes lessons on creating a press kit and getting book reviews.
  2. Working with the press. These lessons offer advice for pitching your book and expertise to the media.
  3. Promoting your book online. Multiple short lessons cover virtual book tours, Amazon, and various social media channels.
  4. Using your voice. This section offers advice on pursuing public speaking and podcasting opportunities.

The course includes a book marketing template to create your own, customized book marketing plan. In the assignments, Beckwith encourages you to take what you’re learning and flesh out your own marketing plan. This alone is worth the price of admission for many authors.

Sandra’s expertise really shines in the advice in the sections on working with the press and speaking. And if I’m ever asked to do a television interview, you can bet that I’ll pop back to that lesson!

In short, this is a terrific survey of many traditional book publishing techniques – and specifically the practices around building “buzz” with the help of media. I’ll refer back to it in the future.

Related Resources:

A Book Marketing Strategy for Any Budget

 

From Page to Stage: Speaking for Writers

Short Version

Like it or not, speaking is part of the author’s overall marketing toolbox. With her new book From Page to Stage, Betsy Graziani Fasbinder offers excellent advice for becoming a better advocate for your book, whether on the stage, at an in-person reading, or on a podcast interview.

Long Version: Why You Need This Book

In today’s publishing environment, authors of all types must speak up for their works. Resist the temptation to hide in your written words.

Now you’ve got a great guide in this new book from a coach who works with authors: From Page to Stage: Inspiration, Tools and Public Speaking Tips for Writers by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder.

The book makes a compelling case for why authors benefit from speaking in a variety of situations. When you are comfortable and effective speaking with others, you represent yourself and your work well, reaching potential readers and advocates. Showing up at events helps you connect with other authors. And as Fasbinder points out, writers can help or harm their causes by the way they speak.

A quick story reinforces this point. I first heard Betsy Graziani Fasbinder speak at the San Francisco Writer’s Conference in 2017, and was impressed with her expertise and approach. So when I heard that she had a new book coming out, I eagerly said that I’d review it – even though the book’s publication date is exactly two days before my own book’s publication date. Her effectiveness as a speaker earned my admiration and support.

This review is proof of her thesis that public speaking can help your book find its fans.

Fortunately, public speaking skills (like writing skills) can be learned and practiced. And Fasbinder is a terrific guide. As an author herself, as well as a coach who works with other authors and a certified psychotherapist, she knows whereof she speaks.

What’s In the Book

Whether you hope to speak at conferences or represent yourself well on  podcast interviews, you’ll find plenty of guidance in this book. After convincing you of the need to speak and addressing any resistance you may feel, the book dives into a comprehensive list of topics, including:

  • How to structure your content, with a story map and “spellbinders”
  • How to practice and prepare for your talk
  • Managing and tuning your delivery, including pacing, stance, and gestures
  • Handling audience interaction
  • Dealing with difficult people

Simply reading it won’t make you better a speaker. You’ve got to try things out and learn from others. The book includes numerous suggestions to try, and directs you to specific online examples so you can figure out what the most effective speakers are doing.

What I Find Particularly Admirable

In addition to knowing her stuff, Fasbinder communicates effectively. She illustrates her story map method with a specific, memoir-related example, so it’s easy to see how abstract instructions translate to the real world. She shares personal anecdotes to prove her points, and offers exercises and mnemonics to help you master and remember her approach.

There are other books about public speaking skills. This one has the benefit of focusing specifically on writers. If you want to share your ideas and stories, don’t stop with the written word. Use this book to polish your spoken delivery as well.

 

Preparing for the Podcast (Part Two of the Author’s Guide)

This is the second in a three-part series of posts about being a podcast guest. Read the first one here.

Congratulations! You’ve landed a podcast interview to talk about the subject of your book. What do you do next?

Prepare. Here’s my personal preparation time line.

Immediately

I like to take notes and assemble my research for a podcast as soon as it’s confirmed, even if the interview itself won’t take place for weeks.

Why? Because then I remember why I wanted to be on this podcast!

If you researched the audience, subject and reach ahead of time, it’s fresh in your mind. Assemble a file right away. Here are a few things to include in your notes.

Audience information. If you followed the advice in the first post, then you looked into podcast’s topic, audience, tone, etc. Keep those notes. And if the podcast listeners are outside your usual audience, do a bit of thinking now on what might interest them.

Host instructions. Douglas Burdett hosts the Marketing Book Podcast – you’ll hear more from him later in this series. He goes out of his way to be thorough in helping his guests be successful, offering detailed written and video instructions. He maintains high standards for his podcast (and is a fabulous host), and as a result, it has a loyal and growing following. This is one reason his listeners love his podcast.

If the host offers instructions, do them the courtesy of reading them, printing them, and following them. If the host doesn’t offer guidance, the notes that follow should help you prepare.

Standard questions. Some podcast hosts open or close each episode with a signature question. You should have noticed that when you did the research (see part one in this series). If not, make a note of it now. There’s nothing more awkward than being caught flat-footed by a question that the listeners have heard a dozen times. Listeners (and the host) might interpret it as being disrespectful.

Technical details. How will the interview take place? Over Skype? Zoom? On a phone call? Make a note of it now, because you may not remember weeks from now. If the interview will take place over Skype or Zoom, make sure you have equipment that can work. Schedule access to a quiet place with high speed internet. (If you’re traveling, this may require advance planning.)

Also, get a good headphone. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You’ll need a headphones with built-in noise cancelling, dynamic microphone, and USB connection. (Your fancy Blue Yeti or other condenser microphone only sounds great if you are in a perfectly quiet environment, because it’s designed to pick up all kinds of noises.)

Douglas Burdett (of the Marketing Book Podcast) recommends the Logitech H390 Comfort noise-cancelling  headset — about $25.  Seriously. Think of it as an investment in your personal brand. As Douglas says, “Your credibility will take a hit if you don’t sound good.”

(I’ve included his wonderful video on the topic at the end of this post.)

A few weeks before the interview….

Send the host everything they will need to promote the podcast once it’s done. Do this well ahead of time – then the host won’t have to bug you for it later. (Nobody likes hounding people.) Here’s what you should send:

  • Headshot (a professional-looking one)
  • Short bio
  • Introduction — something that the host can read to introduce you, tailored for their audience
  • Book cover image — you do want people to know about your book, right? Send the cover image.
  • Links to your author website, Amazon page, whatever you want to share with listeners.

If you plan to do a lot of podcast guesting, put this on a page on your author website and then you can just send the link to podcasters. They will appreciate it.

One week before the podcast interview

Confirm the time. If you haven’t heard from the host since you first scheduled, send a quick email confirming that it’s still on the schedule. Stuff happens, and you don’t want to spend time preparing for an interview that doesn’t take place.

Send some talking points (if the host has not sent you questions or topics). Some podcast hosts do extensive research (like, reading your book!) Most don’t. Draft some discussion topics or questions that the host might ask you, and share them. Volunteering possible discussion areas helps the host frame interesting questions that will appeal to the listeners, so you both sound smart from the start.

A day or two before the podcast interview

Make notes about the topic areas. Review your talking points and take a few notes. I don’t usually use them, but they offer a  lovely sense of security when the day arrives.

Practice talking aloud about your subject. You may feel goofy doing so, but it’s important. Otherwise, you might run right into the illusion of fluency.

If you simply “think” through the discussion points, you’ll sound brilliant and witty in your own head. We all do – it’s like singing in the shower.

But when you try to form those vivid thoughts into spoken words, particularly on the air with other people, you can end up tongue-tied. That’s the illusion of fluency. Please, practice ahead of time.

Draft a few tweets. Write down a few pithy takeaways or tweetable points. You might be able to slip them into the conversation in a way that sounds natural. That gives the host something to highlight in the show notes, or to tweet. You’re making it easier for them to share.

Test the technical details. If the interview will take place on Skype, log into your account. Make sure everything works, and you remember your password, etc. If it will use other software like Zoom, download the client and test it out. Make sure everything works. You don’t want to be caught by surprise at the last moment.

30 to 15 minutes before the interview

Phones, doorbells, dogs, babies.  Find a way to avoid all of the noise-makers in your life that might interrupt the interview or distract your attention. Silence the phone, shut down other tabs, and basically try to create a quiet space. Make sure people around you know not to interrupt.

Do you plan to do the call while driving a car or sitting in the airport? Not cool. It will sound terrible to the listener.

Necessities. Get a drink of water. Print out your talking points if you want them nearby. (Again, security.)

Energize and relax. Listeners don’t want to feel your nerves. So try to find that balance of relaxed and energized. Do some jumping jacks. Stand in a power pose, like superman. Listen to upbeat  music.

You can relax and sound brilliant – because you’ve prepared!

Ready? In the next post, we’ll discuss what to do during and after the podcast. Hint: the “after” part may just be the most important bit.

Read Part Three: The Podcast Interview and Beyond

Want to go deeper on the performance? Register for my webinar on being a podcast guest.

Watch Douglas Burdett’s video on the importance of microphone selection:

An Author’s Guide to Being a Good Podcast Guest

Part One: Planning

Being a podcast guest has turned out to be one of the unexpected pleasures of publishing a book. Through showing up on podcasts, I’ve made new friends with podcast hosts. Recently, I even connected with a second cousin, who listened to a podcast I did!

But aside from being fun, chatting about your book on a podcast can help you reach potential readers and followers. It’s a book marketing strategy.

According to Edison Research, 26 percent of Americans over 12 listen to a podcast at least once a month. More people are starting podcasts, and they’re looking for guests.

Why podcasting is good for authors

Many writers are introverts. Although they are perfectly happy to chat with individuals or small groups about their subjects, the idea of public speaking leaves them cold.

Podcasting is a perfect solution for the introverted author.

  • You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home.
  • It feels like an in-depth, one-on-one conversation – exactly the kind of thing you’re good at – while in reality, it’s a one-to-many way to reach people.
  • Listeners get a much better feel about you and your book from listening to you speak than they would by simply reading the book description alone.

Setting up and running your own podcast is a significant time commitment. But, lucky for you, there’s a small army of podcasters out there who need guests. That’s where you come in.

Podcasts are a wonderful book marketing strategy – but only if you do them well. Being a good podcast guest requires a little research and preparation.

Since starting on the podcast circuit, I’ve spoken with several of my favorite podcast hosts about what makes a good guest. This three-part blog series shares their advice on how to rise to the top of the guest pile.

Part One: How to find and query the right podcasts

The world of podcasts is huge and growing larger with each passing minute. The first question you might ask is this: where do I start? Where do I find out about podcasts that might have me as a guest?

Do the work.

There are services that will do this research for you, of course, but you can do it yourself. It’s not that hard.

Make a list of potential podcasts

Start by coming up with a list of possible podcasts. These should include:

  • Podcasts related to your book’s topic or your area of expertise
  • Book-related podcasts for authors in your genre

Remember that this is a book marketing strategy: ideally, the podcast’s audience includes people who might be interested in your book.

To find entries for your list, open up iTunes, select Podcasts, and choose your category. Browse through those. When you choose a podcast on iTunes, find the website link to visit for the next step, shortening the list.

If these results are too overwhelming, try a few other tactics:

  • Google “podcast about <your subject>” to find curated lists
  • Search out other authors like you and find out what podcasts they’ve done
  • Ask people in your core audience about their favorite podcasts

Create a short list

Listening to podcasts take time, so first narrow down your list. Visit the podcast websites, look at past episode descriptions, and use the following questions to eliminate podcasts from your list.

1 – Does it accept guests?

It seems obvious, but it’s worth saying. Eliminate any that don’t regularly have guests. Don’t try to be the exception.

2 – Does the podcast site include a page for potential guests to query?

Some podcasts only invite guests. Others describe precisely what they’re looking for.

If the host has gone through the trouble of putting this information out there, read it and see if you fit.

3 – Would you be a good guest for this audience?

Do you have something to say that this audience would want to hear? Is there an overlap between your readers and these listeners? Look for clues about the listeners of the podcast.

Listen strategically

Now it’s time to do your homework.

I know, I know, but it must be done. You can do it on the treadmill at the gym, if necessary.

Pick two or three of the podcast you want to query. Pick a couple episodes that most interest you, with guests similar to you or with high popularity ranking on iTunes. Then listen.

You might listen to one episode in full, and bits and pieces of a few others. Turn up the speed if you want to save time. (Written transcripts are great, but still, listen to an episode to get a sense of its mood and pacing.)

Take notes, paying particular attention to the following:

Beginnings: Most podcast hosts speak directly to their listeners at the start. You may learn something about their general approach and who they think their audience is.

Host questions: The questions are more important to you, right now, than the guests’ answers. How familiar is the host with the topic? What kinds of questions do they ask? Not all interviewers are equal – some want to talk mainly about themselves. Some, however, clearly advocate for their listeners, so pay attention to that.

Endings: Listen to the last two or so minutes of every episode. Does the host have a regular closing question? If so, make a note of it.

Interview length: Is it a 20-minute interview? 60-minutes? Are there commercial breaks? These are things you’ll want to know when constructing your pitch.

Ask politely

Now you’re ready to reach out and ask if you can be a guest. This is like inviting yourself into someone’s home, so be polite.

If you haven’t done a podcast before, consider starting with a smaller podcast and working your way up to the more popular podcasts in your category. You’ll get better at this as you gain experience.

Write a short email to the host (or use the contact form on the podcast page.) Communicate the following:

Who you are: Offer a one-sentence background, framed in a way that is relevant for the podcast listeners. For example, I might use this introduction to a podcaster focused on entrepreneurs:  “I’ve written a book about marketing strategies that are fueling successful subscription-based startups.” Include a link to your author web page and/or book.

Potential topics: The podcaster has no incentive to sell your book. Unless this is a book-specific podcast, the topic is almost never “my new book.” Find one or more conversation topics related to the book, for which you can offer valuable, practical information or insight.

What you can offer the podcaster: Offer to help the podcaster in one of two ways:

  • Bringing them new listeners (for example, sharing the podcast with your email list or social media following)
  • Providing valuable information to their existing listeners (helping them maintain audience loyalty)

If you can do both, you’ll probably be a guest!

Make it easy for the podcast host to say yes, and don’t waste their time with requests that don’t fit their format.

Even if you’re accepted, expect a delay. Popular podcasts schedule up to 90 days in advance.

Before we finish this part, there’s one more topic to cover:

The Unknown Podcast Invitation

If someone invites you to appear on their podcast, you might jump at it. Preparing for and doing the podcast consumes time.

If you get an invitation from a podcaster, do some research to determine if it’s a fit.

Who are the listeners? Does the podcast audience align with your book’s audience?

Can you add value?

There’s nothing more uncomfortable than being on a call and realizing that you and the host are coming from entirely different angles. I’ve been there. Save yourself from that situation.

What Next?

You’ve got the gig – now read Part Two: Preparing for the Podcast.

Want deeper insight? Check out my webinar on being a podcast guest.