Marketing for Christian Writers. . . promoting our words in order to spread His

What is the goal of marketing?

• The right message!

• The right audience!

• The right time

Ways to Market Your Writing

• Traditional media (print, TV, radio)!

• Online - web presence & social media!

• Offline - networking, speaking & events!

• Word of mouth - online & offline

Why traditional media fails

• Television - Cost-prohibitive, TIVO, Cable, YouTube!

• Radio - Cost-prohibitive, Satellite radio, MP3 players!

• Print - Cost-prohibitive Blogs, websites, expensive!

• Billboards - Spray & Pray

Marketing Steps to Success:1. Determine your platform!

2. Develop your marketing hub!

3. Get to know your audience!

4. Spy on your competition!

5. Create & optimize compelling content!

6. Build strong online presence !

7. Direct readers to your hub!

8. Capture & nurture leads!

9. Engage your audience (online and offline)!

10. Sell products & services

Determine your platform

• Platforms make building an audience easier!

• What are your ministry goals as a writer?!

• If you’re unsure, then what are you passionate about?!

• Who do you wish to reach with your words?

Building your marketing hub

• Don’t be tempted by the word FREE!

• Ensure you control your online space!

• Choose a platform that is easy to update, maintain, secure & backup!

• Make your website mobile responsive!

• Ensure you comply with federal regulations and Google’s recommendations!

• Most professional marketers & bloggers use and recommend WordPress

Components of a website

• Domain - your website’s name) (purchase at registrar!

• Hosting - your website’s address!

• Platform - your website’s content (includes files, database & configuration)

Reasons for using the WordPress platform

• Flexible - blog and content management system!

• Professional!

• Easy to optimize for search!

• Control!

• Easy to update, maintain, backup & secure!

• Cost-effective

Get to know your audience

• Conduct thorough market research!

• Look at what they’re reading!

• Find out what they’re asking!

• Listen to what they’re saying

Spy on your competition

• Where are they?!

• What are they posting?!

• What keywords are they using and ranking for?!

• Which of their desired keywords are vulnerable?!

• Who is following them?

Your best marketing tool: Your Blog

• Why blog?!

• Connects with readers!

• Shows your expertise!

• Promotes your platform!

• SEO benefits!

• Increases Leads

Create compelling content

• Content: It’s not about you!

• Make a list of the top 10 fears/dreads your audience wishes to avoid!

• Make a list of the top 10 dreams/desires your audience wishes to attain!

• Create content based upon those two lists!

• Create different types of content - video, audio, images, posts, infographics, etc.

Optimize your content

• Conduct thorough market research & carefully analyze competition!

• Conduct thorough keyword research!

• Optimize content on page and off

Build a strong online presence• Social media - optimize & brand all

of your profiles!

• Video marketing!

• Podcasting!

• Author pages, such as Amazon.com!

• Guest posting!

• Webinars!

• When posting on off-site profiles, ALWAYS do so with the intent of directing readers to your website (marketing hub).

Manage your online reputation

• Claim & optimize business place pages - especially Google and Yelp!

• Complete applicable citations & always include a link to your website!

• Set up alerts with your name, business name, book names, and any other brands you own.

Capture and nurture leads• What are the four most important

page types on your website?!

• Squeeze page - opt into list in exchange for a freebie !

• Follow up using a reputable email autoresponder and the Know-Like-Trust system!

• Lesson page - offer training courses!

• Webinar registration page - generate traffic to your squeeze or sales page!

• Sales page - your “money page” - where you sell a product or service

Engage your audience - online & offline

• Network at conferences!

• Become a speaker/seminar trainer on your platform topic!

• Book signings & readings!

• Blog !

• Amazon author page!

• Webinars/Podcasts/Videos!

• Sponsor events & contests

Sell your products & services

• Make extra money in order to fund your fiction-writing habit!

• Books!

• Training materials & online training courses!

• eBooks!

• Consulting!

• Editorial services!

• Digital services!

• Design services

Develop a system to implement this list

• Find out what works best for you!

• Don’t try to do it all at once or even do it all!

• The key is consistency and persistency!

• Do at least 5 things a day - every day - to market your writing!

• If you do nothing else, blog.

Feeling overwhelmed?

Need a super hero to rescue you?

• Relax!!

• Help is on the way!!

• Introducing . . .

www.MarketingForChristianWriters.com

• Free resources!• Online training courses!• Consulting services!• Digital services!• And MUCH more!

Go to the website to get your FREE instant access to the report:!

102 Ways to Market Your Stuff!