The answer? The most important by far is that you should market your book and build it’s momentum as early as possible.
Authors underestimate how much promotions are required to leverage social and online marketing fully.
The Added Psychological Value Of Pre-Promotions
First, when you get a jump start on promoting your book, you’ll have the added psychological pressure to make it happen.
I know that sounds crazy. Yet, you’d be surprised at how many people start writing a book and don’t finish.
Look, I get it.
Life can get overwhelming. So, if you don’t have a hard-core commitment to finish it, it may not happen.
However, when you’re writing your book with purpose and make a promise to your audience, customers, and community, you’ll be more motivated to follow through.
Trust me; my book launch was on a tight schedule. Therefore, during the last few weeks, everything took a backburner to me, delivering it on time.
When Is Too Early To Market Your Book?
Never. The sooner you can build momentum and excitement about your book, the better.
Here’s a tip I’ve learned about online marketing, people’s attention spans are short when they’re online.
Your book’s topic, launch date, and promo schedule will compete against everything else being shared.
Your audience is consuming lots of content, but very little of it makes a real connection.
Consequently, online market research says that a person needs to see a marketing message several times before taking action.
On top of that, we all have different habits and ways we consume social media.
As an author, don’t underestimate how much promotion is needed to reach 50% of your following.
To get a better idea of how much promotion it’ll take, look at your current engagement ratio.
Listen, some people follow me on social media that don’t even know I’ve written a book.
And it’s two years old.
I know this because every time I post about it, I get congratulatory comments like the book is brand new.
LOL, and usually, I’ll notice a spike in sales that day too.
As you think about how to market your book’s pre-launch, here’s an excellent strategy to consider.
Identify Influencers To Help Push More Sales
Who are the media influencers in your industry, public relations professionals, and local librarians?
What book organizations, conferences, book fairs, and media professionals can you reach out to?
Now create a plan to educate as many of them as early as possible about your book.
These will be the people to help spread the word and promote your book at scale.
Build Relationships With Journalists And Conference Coordinators
From my early career days of working within public relations and the media, I learned that journalists, media contributors, and conference coordinators work diligently to book out content and programming months in advance.
You certainly want to give journalists and conference coordinators a heads up about you, your book, and the launch date early.
Think about it, likely you or someone on your team will be approaching them for the first time. So give yourself months to reach out to them, introduce yourself and your book, nurture the relationship, and follow up.
You’ve got a fantastic new product or service. Fabulous!
For new online entrepreneurs, new bloggers and solopreneurs online marketing mistakes are common.
You don’t need to make the avoidable ones, and this article will help sidestep the most prominent online marketing mistakes and up-level your online marketing.
For seasoned entrepreneurs and new ones alike, no matter how much business insight, experiences, strategies, and hacks, you learn, you’re going to have slip-ups.
I tell my daughter, “You’ve got to learn from your own unique experiences, and there are some lessons that you’ll have to go through.
The very same wisdom holds in online marketing and business building.
After working on the marketing of hundreds of brands and businesses of all sizes, I discovered there are proven marketing strategies that work universally.
Elude Online Marketing Mistakes
All online marketing strategies won’t work for every business or in every phase of your business.
The most significant online marketing mistakes, are referred to as ‘ rookie mistake,’ but should be avoided by all online businesses, bloggers or solopreneurs.
Whether you’re a rookie or a vet, don’t get caught guilty committing the following online marketing crimes!
As Maya Angelou dropped the gem, and I’ve often repeated, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
The most offensive online marketing mistake is a costly one, and you’ll avoid it.
If you aren’t quilty, kudos to you.
If you are, all good, time to pivot, and readjust.
The #1 Online Marketing Mistakes
The biggest online marketing mistake to avoid is NOT speaking in your dream customer’s language.
When your ideal customer is relaxing and scrolling through their social feeds, they’re in a chill mode most of the time.
Your would-be potential customers are online to get their minds off of what they really should be doing (like work- haha!) or finding inspiration and knowledge.
They’re ready to be social (hence-social media) or scrolling by habit to see what’s happening.
No ONE goes to social media and says, “Let me see what online coach, consultant, or expertise I can give my money to today.”
Your dream customers are likely not actively looking for you (no offense) or your fantastic service.
They Don’t Know About Your Secret Sauce
You’ve just created the bomb new product or service.
You created it just for them and a need you’ve already identified they have.
Although you’re on top of your game, they likely have no idea you’ve created the perfect solutions for them.
Here’s the deal, we all have things we’d like to do and achieve one day.
Think about your own goals? How many problems do you want to solve, dreams you have and aspirations to conquer?
Those thoughts, achievements, and goals loosely linger in your mind, but they’re not always top of mind for you.
Due to that psychology, it’s unlikely your dream customers are actively searching for the newest online expert.
Be the one to breathe new life into their dreams, goals, or aspiration.
That’ll captivate their attention and allow you to start an online conversation with them.
No one is waving their Amex in the digital ‘webisphere’ begging you to swipe it, but you can become the expert that inspires them into action.
And to get started doing that, speak to your customers in their language and address their problems, dreams, and aspirations.
You’re the expert: Inform, inspire or educate your audience, because once they know, like, and trust you, your journey to securing the bag with them gets 10x easier.
Online Marketing Mistake #2
New entrepreneurs, new bloggers, and solopreneurs have a lot to manage.
Some things will fall through the cracks but making it a priority to earn your dream customers’ attention should never one of them.
No one signs up to be chastised by the expert who knows everything and sits on her pedestal judging.
Instead, earn your customers’ attention and dollars by celebrating and serving them.
Share helpful stories and content with them that’ll help them achieve their goals.
You can share testimonials and comments from students and clients who’ve gotten success using your products or services.
Or, content that shares your expertise and experiences in a way that can help them.
To avoid the #1 online marketing mistake, new bloggers, new entrepreneurs, and rookie solopreneurs make: Learn as much as you can about your dream customers.
Then use that insight and regurgitate their very own dreams and goals to them in an educational, informative, or inspirational way.
There are lots of other people and brands vying for their attention, time, and money.
So what? None of them offer what you do in the very same way you do.
Observe Big Brands
Research the mega brands that target the same niche market you do.
Pay attention to how the big brands in your niche speak to the same people you’re targeting.
Those brands spend millions of dollars in market research to understand consumer insights.
They then use that knowledge to learn how to reach their target audience best.
Reap those benefits girl!
No secret, in today’s Digital Age, people do business with businesses and brands they feel a strong resonance toward.
Keeping that in mind, and as the savvy modern marketer, you’re becoming, adopt the online marketing strategies of the big brands.
Instead of using your language, communicate your brand’s messages to your ideal customer using their own words and language.
Makes sense, right?
Speak To Their Face
If you speak to your dream customers in their language, using their social influences and layman terms, they’ll understand what you’re saying.
Remember this, you’re the one with experience in your field, and now you’re helping your tribe achieve their goals.
What better way than using their distinct language, jargon, and catchphrases to grab their attention and build trust with them?
And once you’ve got their attention, use that open dialogue to move your online conversation with them forward.
Use their very personal language in your marketing messages to capture their attention and connect with their hearts.
Again, it’s your job to communicate to them exactly how you can help them and why they should care.
Your dream customers don’t necessarily always walk around with their dreams and goals top of mind.
Once you do your research, you’ll know a lot about your ideal customer, her hopes, dreams, and what inspires her.
Or him.
You get where I’m going.
When you use your dream customers’ exact words to address her aspirations in your messaging, your ideal customer knows you’re talking to her.
And, that’s a boss move!
She’ll be flattered: As if your messages were created just for her, and what you say will undoubtedly have an impact on her.
Once you connect the dots between what you’re offering and how it provides value to your ideal customers, you’ll attract more of her into your online tribe.
That’s right, be the conduit that connects the dots between her dreams and your products or services.
Online Marketing Mistake #3
Speaking of connecting the dots, the marketing messages you share online should connect the topics around your products and services, and your dream customers’ needs, dreams, and aspirations.
Before you sit down to write another piece of copy, new blog post, email, social media post, video or podcast episode, google your dream customer.
Find a picture that you feel best represents her. Scotch tape it the side of your laptop and start writing directly to her face.
Your dream customer has a problem, an unmet need, or an unfulfilled desire.
They make a certain amount of money, have specific cultural influences that shape how they see the world, and have particular needs and wants.
Use your marketing messages and the content you share to let your dream customer know you understand her.
Make it clear you’ve listened to your dream customer and have created a solution for her.
That’ll guarantee you avoid this third and final online marketing mistake I’m addressing.
You understand three of the biggest online marketing mistakes new entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and new bloggers often make.
You’re a smart cookie. You know your dream customers aren’t perusing the internet thinking, ‘What expert can I find today to drop some cash with.”
A more likely thought floating through her mind may be, “What the heck am I going to do with my career? How can I make more money and do something I love? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of this job.”
See the difference?
Your ideal customer has problems, dreams, and aspirations floating in her mind.
Communicate to her that you’ve got an incredible product or service to solve her problem and get her emotions stirring.
Get Your Ideal Customers To Know, Like And Trust You
Slay these common online marketing mistakes and level up. Don’t forget that at the core of all your marketing strategies should be getting your dream customers to know, like, and trust you.
To do that, keep your marketing messages focused on your ideal customers and their needs.
They care less about you (don’t take it personally) and more about how you can help them reach their own goals.
They’ll scan what you say and quickly decide if they’re interested in playing with you online.
Make it easy for them to understand precisely who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and why they should care.
You’ve got this!
I’d love to hear from you and what’s been the most significant online marketing mistake you’ve dodged or made in your business?
What was the most prominent online marketing lesson you’ve learned so far, and what tips do you have for your fellow ‘Revolutionaries’?
