Wandering Thoughts of a Writer: marketing

Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts

Street teams.

Have you heard of them?

It sounds like a gang, huh?

Actually a street team is a group of people who helps market a product or event—hit the streets and promote, promote, promote.

It’s wonderful.

The people on an author’s street team helps her get the word out about her book(s) and in return the author will gift the members with free ebooks, swag, signed paperbacks, and sneak peeks into her up and coming projects.

But do street teams really work?

Are they worth an author’s time to have one?

I created one on Facebook months ago. The people on my team are great, but honestly as of right now, only just a handful of them are really involved in helping me spread the word about my books. I’m still learning on how to engage them and keep them motivated. I realize they have other priorities, and frankly with me working a f/t job, having to do the mundane things life requires out of us, and writing two books at the same time (yes, I’m attempting to write two books), I don’t have the time I need to run a street team like I should. The authors who have the good fortune to not have to work or are already established in their writing careers, can focus more on their team and hire someone to run it in their stead.

Good for them.

I’m happy for them, but I’m not at that point yet.

So then what?

What does an author do who wants to have a street team, but doesn't have the time to pump it every day and get the members motivated?

Hey, back up . . . what about the members who haven’t even read your books?

Yeah, I do have members who haven’t read my trilogy yet. The ones who have are the ones promoting all three of my books and are the most active. I’m seriously considering doing a sign-up sheet with some house rules, so we’re all on the same page.

My street team is fun btw. We get into some silly, off-the-wall discussions. It’s closed to the public—only members can hop into our wacky conversations.

It’s great.

In fact, there are many nights when I should be writing, but I’m having too much fun with my girls to leave.

But back to not having the time to run it like it needs to be in order to be successful. What does an author like me do who is captive to the J.O.B. and doesn't have the luxury to focus on the team every day?

Get someone who can be an administrator for your team.

I had one, but she’s too busy to monitor it.

*sigh*

I understand.

Shit happens.

She’s wonderful and does help me promote my books. But now I’m back to finding an administrator.

Having a street team kinda sounds like a pain-in-the-ass, huh?

I've seriously considered closing mine down, but I’m not going to. Do you know why? Because I have fans on my team, and I adore them. They love my books and supports me as an author to the best of their abilities. They’re my cheering squad. So to me, as I write this post, it’s worth having a street team.

authors, fans, marketing, promotion, street team, 2 Comments

Normally, I wouldn’t post this until tomorrow, however, lately nothing has been normal in my life.

Well, if you don’t count the mundane things that most of us have to do on a daily basis: go to work, do dishes, laundry, clean house, grocery shopping, etc.

So this was my world last Wednesday night . . .

I’m on the computer working on marketing my book. It’s 8:30 p.m. Kevin enters the computer room and stands beside me.

Kevin: "You need to eat something."

I’m typing on the computer and don’t even look at him.

Me: "I’ll eat in a few minutes."

Out the corner of my eye, I see him frowning at me.

Kevin: "It’s nice outside. We should go for a walk."

I still don’t look at him because I’m trying to figure stuff out on the website I’m looking at.

Me: "I’d love to take a walk, but I have too much to do, and I’m tired. I haven’t slept well in two days and seriously thinking about buying some brandy to help me sleep."

Side note: I’m not much of a drinker, although I usually have a mixed drink once a week, when we go out. I also don’t mind drinking brandy from time to time, and had discovered that it does help you sleep when desperate times calls for it.

Kevin leaves the room, and I continue working on marketing my book. A half hour later, he steps back in the room and lingers by the door.

Kevin: "Are you going to eat?"

I wave a hand in the air, still staring at the computer.

Me: "I’ll grab a granola bar in a minute."

He goes into the other room and about twenty minutes later, I emerge out of the computer room, grab a granola bar, and get back at it.

That’s how it’s been at my house lately. I’m doing everything in my power to spread the word about this book. I have two people who are reading it right now and will do a book review on it. I also did another interview last night, however, that interview won’t be up until August. I’ve contacted more than a handful of people, asking if they’d do a book review on my book. I’m hoping they’ll contact me back, but the thing I’m learning is, not everyone will respond and some won’t follow through. All I can do is the best I can and keep plugging away at it. I did join quite a few websites to help spread the word. Here they are . . .

Goodreads, Pinterest, Shelfari, The Indie View, BookDaily, World Literary Café, Manic Readers, and Author Marketing Club.

So yeah, I’ve been super busy with marketing this book. But that’s okay. I have a love affair with the, Beyond the Eyes series, and I believe strongly in it. If I didn’t, I would have abandoned it a long time ago.

Oh. I don’t have a Facebook author page up. I’m still wondering if I should do it or not. Also, my paperback is taking longer than expected because my team and I want to make sure it’s perfect.

Now, I must get back to marketing this book before this day escapes me.