Why a Good Author Brand is a MUST to Sell More Books is a recap of a recent episode on our Book Marketing Tips & Author Success podcast.
Be sure to download and listen to the show for all the details, recommendations and considerations!
What’s your author brand saying about you right now? Not sure? Don’t have one? Well, guess what? You do. Because your brand is out there, whether you want it to be or not. Here we break down some key components you need to know for a good brand.
How to Set Your Tone and Target Your Reader to Create Your Author Brand
Author branding is everything, and we literally mean everything–from the font you use on your website and book covers to the color scheme on your website. But most of all, it’s your TONE. This is important because your tone tells readers how you want to be known!
We know the term “branding” can sound intimidating, but shake that off. Think of author branding as controlling the narrative surrounding you and your books, and the more tightened up and consistent it is, the easier it will be to determine your brand.
First, where does your book belong in the marketplace? If you can’t explain it succinctly, it’s almost guaranteed to hinder your marketing efforts. Step one is figuring out where your book belongs–what genre is it? Who will be the readers?
Without an author brand, potential buyers have a hard time connecting to products and if that connection is complicated or unclear it’s really hard to get your buyers back.
Now’s the Time to Get Creative and Have Fun with Your Author Brand
For example, find your signature color. If you have an author logo you can carry that color through on your website and back to your author photo, where you could be wearing that color.
The key really is that you want readers to know your brand, which will really help separate you from the pack. Even if your book covers all look different, there are elements–like the font you use for your name–which can be consistent throughout.
Your author photo is another example; does it exuded your personality? We covered more examples in other podcasts recently, including “Your Critical First 30 Days on Amazon” and “How to Market Your Book As a Great Summer Read”. Check out those episodes listed below under Resources and Free Downloads.
Successful Author Branding Starts with Smart Planning and Focused Consistency
Another element of smart author branding is planning ahead. It’s true, marketing sounds challenging enough but the reality is, planning your marketing and branding ahead of time leaves more dedicated time for writing, for your family, for seeing friends, all the things. Giving 100% of your focus for a set period of time always produces better author branding. And above all else, consistency is key.
Because author branding feels overwhelming, a lot of authors just skip it. But whether you decide to invest your time and money into your brand, it’s still “out there” and telling readers about you, which may or may not be flattering.
One of the biggest reasons authors struggle is because they lack branding and consistency. If you want more help, that’s where teams like Author Marketing Experts come in–to develop your brand and gain some new perspective.
These questions will help you begin your author branding process:
What is the promise to your reader?
What makes you UNIQUE?
What are other authors in your genre doing and what makes you different?
These are just a couple of considerations from Penny Sansevieri’s newest book, From Book to Bestseller, which guides you through the writing and book marketing process. Answer these questions and you’ll be on your way to finding your own personal brand.
If you found this post helpful please use the social buttons below the Resources and Free Downloads to share on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and tag me, or you can email this post to a friend or colleague!
Resources and Free Downloads
Your Critical First 30 Days on Amazon Podcast
How to Market Your Book as a Summer Read Podcast
Check out Jane Friedman’s site, she’s an excellent resource
Thanks for putting this info into a book hopefully making it clear and simple. I need time to digest all the info that arrives in my inbox.
Hi Madeline-I know, there is a lot to digest when thinking about all the ways to promote a book–and your brand! I’m always happy to offer more guidance in a coaching session, so feel free to reach out!
I have 3 books on amazon and I just can not get any sales for the money I spend. The books are intended to reach the trucking world and can not do that with amazon . Any help in this area would help
Hi there, Richard-I offer coaching sessions that can be really helpful for authors trying to reach their intended audiences. Please reach out if that’s something you’re interested in.
Contacting to featured my book
Hi There Curtis – Feel free to reach out if you’re looking for more marketing strategies; I’m happy to talk about all that in a coaching session.