Author Archives: Jennifer Shirk

Hey, all!

Jennifer here.

One thing I’ve noticed around the Twitterverse and Social Media realm is what other authors are doing there. I can’t help it. I’m social. I don’t just post and leave. I linger a bit. It helps me learn as a marketer.

Let’s face it, we’re writers. We don’t have marketing degrees. (Well, most of us don’t) As a result, I see a bit of a hodgepodge of marketing tactics. Some are REALLY good. But most, I have to say, are not.

I’m still learning, myself, but I recently hit the USA Today bestseller list and have been growing my Instagram following nicely and so far, have had much better engagement with my Facebook and Twitter pages. So I’d like to share some of my observations in order to help with marketing our books as well.

• One key factor is to THINK like a reader.  All writers are readers.  Readers/writers buy books. I’ve bought books because of Twitter. I’ve also bought or maybe checked out books I’ve seen advertised on Facebook.  Stop and PAY ATTENTION  as to WHY you buy a book and think about it. Where did you see it advertised? Who told you about it? What was so smart about the way the author told you about their book? Then mimic it.
• Stalk your favorite author. Huh? Well, don’t technically stalk them, but pay very close attention to HOW they market. Do they post fun things on social media or is it ALL about their books? Do they do collaborations with other authors? Do they have an engaging newsletter? If so, what do you like about it? Can you do something similar? Are their social media graphics eye-catching and do they make you want to buy their books? Then do what they do, but add your own twist to make it unique and personalize it toward your brand.
• Test your graphics and play around with them. Some authors have a knack with marketing and create sharp graphics for their books. It’s very impressive–or maybe someone else creates it for them. Whatever. In my humble opinion, simple usually works best. Think of it like picking out paint color.  One time I had picked out a beautiful rose tan that I thought would be perfect for my dining room. The painters had painted 1/4 of the wall when I walked in and yelled, “Stop!” The little sample paint color I had picked out looked pink once it was up on the wall, not the lovely tan rose I thought. (PS. I changed it to a plain tan and was very happy) Sometimes that happens with book graphics. You create something beautiful and different–and what you think will be eye-catching. But once it pops up on a feed, it ends up being hard to read and therefore missed by readers. If your post isn’t being “liked” or “seen”, it might be time to try something else.
• Giveaway what your readers really want. If you plan on organizing a giveaway, make it worthwhile to your readers. I find most readers want paperback/hardcover books. But maybe YOUR readers want something different. Ask them in your newsletter or take a poll on your Facebook page.

Hope this gives you some things to THINK about the next time you’re scrolling through your social media feeds. Really look at what makes you ignore posts and what makes you pay attention to posts. Start thinking like a reader and market accordingly.

Good luck and happy marketing!

Jennifer

Praise for Wrong Brother, Right Match

“Wrong Brother, Right Match is basically a Hallmark Christmas Movie in book form and I love it!” – Stephanie’s Book Reviews

If you want to be swept away into a sweet read that will keep you glued to the page then this is the book for you. There was just something about this storyline that was the right amount of sweet, romance and fun that made it unputdownable.”- The Sub Club Book

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About Jennifer Shirk

Jennifer Shirk is a USA Today bestselling sweet romance author for Montlake and Entangled Publishing who also happens to be a mom, pharmacist, Red Sox fan, P90x grad, and overall nice person. Check out her latest sweet romance: CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN

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