4 Marketing tips for an author

 Are you an author who is trying to get her first book published? Or maybe you are two books in, yet you need to market your third book to get the desired results. To succeed as an author, no matter whether it is your first book or second, you will have to promote or market yourself. That is how this works! To sell your books to your publishers, you have to promote not just the book but yourself. Sure, they might like your manuscript. However, if they don’t love your attitude, they might not take it.

Thus, work on both to succeed as a writer, and here are a few marketing tips to promote yourself, the books, and the whole nine yards.

Start even before publishing

If you think that you need to start promoting yourself only after you publish a book, then you are wrong. As a rule of thumb, when you start writing a book and are looking for publishing agents, this is the right time to build your network. Look for people who can help you promote your books, like librarians, other writers, or bloggers. They can help set up various events where you can market the book. Ensure you give them your digital business card and take theirs for future collaborations.

If you are writing a non-fiction book, work on meeting leaders in your niche and let them know your thoughts and understand theirs. It will undoubtedly come in handy later.

Work on creating a website and keep it up to date

We are in the digital world, and you have to follow its norms. That includes having a website that can inform people about your new book and keep them updated about everything. This tip works for both a new writer and a published writer. Also, ensure that your website is updated at all times. It means updating all the links on the website from where your users can buy the book, amongst other things.

Have a social media page set up

Even if you haven’t published a single book yet, you need to set up yourself as a writer on social media. That will help you land a publisher. It is not a prerequisite, but it helps them see how much influence you have on your readers. Your website and social media links can help with this as here you publish original blogs, poems, short stories, and more. If they are getting good reactions from the public, publishers will place more trust in your book.

Learn to market

Even though you can self-publish on Amazon these days, you still need to market it for better sales. So, educate yourself. There are multiple resources out there that can help you out.

Try these tips and you will see better results. The book that you write is always a reflection of you in one way or another. Therefore, to sell it, you have to put yourself out there and meet new people. It is the only way to get more opportunities and see a high ROI.

6 Pro tips for growing your professional network

Several factors are responsible for your professional growth such as determination, hard work, passion, discipline, to name a few. One more thing that can impact your professional growth is a professional network.

If you do not have a strong professional network, it can start to decrease your professional growth. When you connect with people with similar traits and train of thoughts, your chance of success increases.

There are few things that can help you network, like having a digital business card and presence on social media. Other than these tools, here are a few things to try to build a professional network.

Tip 1: Greet people according to their culture and confidently

 

When you meet people the first time, you must leave a good first impression on them. That will happen only when you are yourself. So, be polite, friendly, and shake their hand firmly. Show how pleased you are to meet them through your actions. Also, be confident and greet them as per their traditions. For instance, in India, it is a tradition to greet each other with folded hands. Remembering the culture of people and greeting them is a great way to build a network.

 

Tip 2: Have some distance between you and the other person

 

When you meet someone, whether a second time or initially, it is essential to remember to keep some distance between you two. Do not crowd their personal space as it comes across creepily.

Keep at least a distance of two feet between you two, leaving space for a third person to come and be part of your conversation.

 

Tip 3: Keep your business card handy

 

You meet people at events, and you want to build a professional relationship with them. For this purpose, keep your business card always with you. After a point in the conversation, you would need to verify your information, like the services you provide and your designation. Therefore, carry your digital business card with you always. People often forget to carry their business cards. Thus, it is best to have a smart business card, which you can share with people through emails and text.

 

Tip 4: Do your research

 

When you attend a professional network, do your research about the people coming to the event. Find out a few common interests for initiating conversation.

 

Tip 5: Let the other person talk too

Sometimes when we start talking, we are unable to stop. We keep talking about our likes or want to explain our opinions so well that we forget to listen to other people's opinions. So, keep this in mind and also ask them questions about them to keep the conversation going. Asking about their interests gives you a better chance to build a strong connection.

 

Tip 6: Always follow up

 

Following up after you meet someone at an event is essential. Send a simple mail saying, ‘It was nice to meet you. Looking forward to future collaborations.’ It will place you in their mind, and doing future business with them will be easy.

Share other tips for professional network building that worked for you in the comments below.

4 effective marketing strategies for your new business

After launching a business, the second step always is to find ways to market and promote it. If you aren’t able to show your presence to the customers you are launching the business for, how will you build a client base? Therefore, marketing your business, especially in the right manner, is quite necessary for any business, irrespective of its size or inception date.

Marketing, though, is tricky! Not every idea will work for your business, and you cannot know this without giving it a try. Another challenge is that coming up with excellent marketing strategies doesn’t mean that you will cover every target customer. It is quite impossible to do that with the traditional market. Thus, finding creative solutions like going digital with your marketing efforts is the best way to reach more customers.

Here are few creative solutions, including digital ones, for marketing your business.

1. Come up with digital marketing strategies for growth in this world

As we covered above, the world is going digital. That means that every business that wants to survive needs to have a digital presence to reach more audiences and attract them. Here are a few suggestions for making your presence known with digital tips:

Have a digital business card: In a world that is moving fast, a paper business card may not work every time, especially if you keep forgetting to take it with you. A business card is essential for marketing and networking, so carrying it is necessary. With a digital business card, you do not have to worry about putting it in your pocket or worrying about upgrading it by paying extra.

Be on social media: Social media can connect you with more people globally. It also allows you to build a personal connection with your customers, which is integral in building trust. The trick here is to be on social media that your audience uses and not waste your time being present on every social media platform available in the market.

Have a website: You should always create a website for your business. It is a must in this age as it lets people know about your services and contact you with ease.

2. Do not give up

No strategy will work or give results immediately. You need to give it time and not get impatient. Also, keep an eye on the trends that are showing better results and keep learning.

3. Sponsor events

Events are a great idea to meet new customers and attract them to your business. Try sponsoring a few events especially, local ones, to make your business more recognizable.

4. Work on customer experience

Marketing your business will work when you offer the best customer experience to your consumers. So, try to ensure that your product fulfills every requirement of the customer. Only then your marketing strategy will work and make the consumer come back to you.

These tips may seem elementary to you, but most business owners often neglect them. If you do proper research and add these tips to your marketing strategy, it will unquestionably aid your business in getting more success.

Why a digital business card is beneficial for you?

Marketing is the backbone of any business. Without a clear and detailed marketing strategy, getting customers and making sales is challenging and a hard bargain. Thankfully, this is the golden age, and we have tons of marketing options with us. Also, a business can customize it to meet their budgeting meets.

But in all the new arenas for marketing, the one traditional form of marketing that still works is a business card. This small marketing tool is quite critical for every business or entrepreneur who wishes to take advantage of various opportunities coming to its ways.

Yet, we cannot ignore the digital age we live in, and thus, we need to shift or switch to electronic business cards or digital cards. Why? There are tons of reasons, and one of the commonest reasons is that we interact with people online more now. A thing that can connect us and provide us with instant details is exceptional, and a digital card is that thing.

Other reasons why a digital business card is beneficial for your business are as follows.

1.      It is affordable

A business has quite many operating expenses, and with a digital business card, you can save a few bucks. There are no printing costs or re-printing costs in case you made a few mistakes. When you go for a paper business card, you have to spend a lot more money, if you are looking for a card that stays with the customers/clients. The paper and ink and coloured ink add to the expenses, which can be quite a lot for startups or new businesses.

2.      No contact

The year 2020 has given us a few things to think about, and one of them is social distancing. A paper card needs to be held by the recipient, and everyone is wary of that these days. So, an electronic business card is a quick solution. It is shareable through text or email or through scanning a QR code.

It doesn’t require any contact and is perfect even if you are working from home and networking through your computers.

3.      It helps with first impressions

First impressions are the one that people remember the most. It is the one thing that attracts customers and clients alike towards your business, which is necessary for its survival. A digital business card is an exceptional first impression because it has all the details of your business. It has the logo to the services you provide to your contact details and even clickable links. It is one of the best tools to attract people towards your business.

4.      It is good for the environment

All businesses need to be eco-friendly. Being responsible towards the society and environment is the need of the hour and switching to smart business cards ensures that you are one step closer to this goal. If everyone or maximum people start this practice, it can save a lot of trees.

Thoughts on digital business cards and their impact on society? Share in the comments below.

The dos and don'ts of making a digital business card

With everything going digital, how can business cards remain behind? Business cards or visiting cards are a small piece of card that people give to prospective clients so that people can contact them when required.

Nowadays, the trend of digital business cards is becoming more popular. It is not different from a physical business card, it is the same, but it is digital, and you can create it using a website or an app. You can also get it in a physical form, but having a digital business card is better as it saves paper, and also you don’t have to worry about carrying them with you everywhere you go.
But you must know how to create a digital business card to make sure it works for you. Here are
some dos and don’ts for making a digital business card.

Do’s
1. Add a note to make the business card a little personal
 A digital business card is still something new thus you must make it a bit personal before sending it to a client. Include a simple note that makes the customer feel special; they should not feel that they received a generic card. The note can be simple, but explanatory like “It was a pleasure doing business with you. I am attaching my contact details, and I look forward to doing business with you”. You can change it, but the gist of the note should be like this.

2. Design the digital business card well
 A business card is quite important for your business, and whether it is physical or digital, it should not affect its importance. Thus, make sure that you design the business card in a manner that everyone is proud of it, especially you. Keep improving it until you feel like it is the best version and defines your brand and its goal and has all the information about the same well.

3. Practice sharing the card
Sharing a digital business card is a bit different than a physical card. That is why you should first practice sharing it with your friends or colleagues so that you don’t make a bad first impression on your client. Once you are familiar with the process, it will be a piece of cake.

4. Use a headshot
 A professional headshot used in your digital card is important and can increase its effectiveness by 40%. And your business card needs to look professional and represent your brand well.

Don’ts

1. Never use an unprofessional picture
It is important that you use a picture that makes you look like a professional. You cannot use a picture from a vacation or dinner party.

2. Don’t forget to upgrade your details in the card
You will keep changing jobs or your house or your phone. If there is a change in your job or contact information, you need to update your business card immediately. You cannot give people a card with old details; otherwise, they won’t be able to contact you.

The time is changing and with that, you have to change too. Having an NFC or digital business card can work for you and you must explore this opportunity once.