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The Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast

Award-winning marketer Chris Syme and bestselling indie author Becca Syme give self-published authors the latest social media tips and strategies that sell more books and build loyal fans. Join them as they interview top book marketing experts, showcase successful indie authors, and offer tips from their own successes on this weekly show.
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Now displaying: December, 2018
Dec 29, 2018

Sorry--somehow the introduction got dropped on the file. This is episode 111 of the Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast

In this episode of the Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast, Chris interviews USA Today Bestselling author Sara Rosett about marketing strategies she is experimenting with including using Pinterest to provide bonus content for her fiction books. 

Show Notes & Links:

- How authors can use traditional retail events like Black Friday to give loyal readers an exclusive promotion.

-Why you need to deliver on what you promise in your newsletter.

-The importance of getting good at organic (non-paid) promotions.

-Why your promotions need to have a specific goal.

-Ways you can use Pinterest to build reader loyalty.

-How Pinterest boards can become bonus content for fiction books that will boost sales and enhance the reader experience.

-Why you need to find a marketing system that fits you.

Links (click 'em, they're live)

-Link to Sara's Pinterest page

-Link to Sara's blog post on how authors can get started using Pinterest for promotion.

-Link to Sara's website.

-Link to Sara's Amazon author page

Be sure and visit the podcast page at cksyme.com/episode111 to leave a comment or question. 

Dec 16, 2018

In this episode Chris defines word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing and talks about why it will be a go-to strategy going forward. Chris shares seven key WOM strategies you'll need in 2019.

Show Notes & Links: 

-What’s coming to the show in 2019? 

-What is word-of-mouth marketing?

-Why the data for WOM marketing is your why.

-Statistics on why word-of-mouth marketing is key to any marketing system.

-Our present marketing systems rely too much on paid ad strategies.

7 Word-of Mouth Strategies to Start Now:

  • Build an author friend network in your genre.
  • Build an advance reader/review team.
  • Encourage fan-generated content on your Facebook page.
  • Share reader reviews on social media.
  • Consider a rewards program
  • Highlight a super fan book review every newsletter.
  • Be generous! 

Links (Click' em, they're live):

22Social (rewards and promotions application for Facebook) – check them out here: https://www.22s.com/app/site 

NY Times bestselling author Roni Loren “building a fan group” podcast: https://cksyme.com/episode37/

Anne Janzer blog post of books to give writer friends: https://annejanzer.com/shopping-guide-writers-life/

Dec 10, 2018

In this episode Chris teaches authors how to scale (or copy) the promotion of another author and have success. 

Show Notes & Links:

Why do you need to know how to scale a book promotion you want to copy?

The three cardinal rules of book promotion—rules you can’t violate:

  1. Always consider value over cost.
  2. If you copy another author you may not get the same results, so start with scale
  3. You can have good success with free promotions but sometimes you’ll have to spend money to make money. 

Don’t waste your time with promotions that don’t return.

Why you need a goal for every promotion you run.

Why new authors probably shouldn’t be buying ads

Why every author needs to get good at running organic, nonpaid marketing promotions. 

How to copy a promotion that another author does and make it work for you

How to check if another author’s promotion will work for you. 

What is the biggest mistake new authors make with promotions?

How to find out if a particular promotion will work for you?

Why you need to go into every promotion able to lose all the money you’re spending and not get a return.

Links: Click 'em they're live

Download your platform level cheat sheet here

Reedsy Book Promotions Resource

Dec 2, 2018

In this episode, the discussion continues about the new marketing and where we need to be going in 2019 to optimize book sales and business growth (yes, author--you are a business owner). Chris also shares where the podcast is going in 2019 and changes listeners can expect as the show expands it content. 

Links & Show Notes:

"The biggest mistake we've made in marketing is ignoring the emotional connection that readers have to our stories."

-Chris Syme

-What's coming in 2019 and why you'll want to stay tuned.

-Takeaways from Seth Godin's new book, This is Marketing.

-Why advertising and marketing are not the same thing.

-Why we need to quit telling people what they should be buying.

-Why ads are no longer a go-to strategy for most authors.

-Why you may want to take a second look at redefining "write to market."

Links:

Seth Godin's new book, This Is Marketing.

David Gaughran's Strangers to Superfans book

 

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