Marketing Tips from Mark Leslie Lefebvre

I decided to take advantage of two last-minute additions to the workshops offered at Write Canada. Mark Leslie Lefebvre describes himself as a Writer, Bookseller, Book Nerd, POD & eBook Keener. He is the Director of Kobo Writing Life & Author Relations. Here are some of the tips he shared:

• Author involvement in marketing is required no matter which way you get your work published
• The goal of traditionally published authors is to earn an advance whereas the goal of self-published authors is to cover their costs

Tip #1 – Know Your audience

• What are your readers like?
• What problem will your book solve for your readers?
• Where are your readers hanging out?

Your goal should be to connect with your audience; to engage, not broadcast. Your focus should be on giving, providing value, sharing things that entertain, inform, and inspire.

Tip #2 – Think Long-term: Practice, Patience, Persistence

Rankings go up and down

• Comparison-itis gets in the way; Follow your own path
• “Define yourself as the big fish in a small pool.” (Quote from Robert J. Sawyer)
• In the self-publishing “Gold Rush” most people don’t make #1, but many make a moderate living
• Don’t forget you’re always “on stage”
• Focus on the next title

Tip #3 – Build a Basic Website

• Get your own URL
• Have a professional photo
• Share your bio
• Add links to your books and booksellers
• Blog on a regular basis
• Encourage people to sign up for your newsletter

Make it easy for people to follow and connect with you

Tip #4 – Blog to Connect with your audience

• Have fresh content available
• Provide value
• Embed your URL
• Auto-feed your blog into Facebook and Twitter
• Add a Twitter feed to your website
• Share what interests and intrigues you
• Use free tools like Youtube, Google, and podcasting

Check out the Kobo Writing Life Blog

Tip #5 – Send out an Author Newsletter

-Embed a signup form into your website

-Include your newsletter form link into the e-mail signature

-Share links to blog posts, podcasts, Youtube videos (any content you’ve created)

-Promise you’ll never spam anyone

-Be consistent (at least monthly)

Tip #6 – Social Media (e.g. Twitter)

-Make sure you have a current, professional headshot

-Check your bio and make sure it is interesting, informative, and up-to-date

-Less than 20% of your posts should be about your book

For more information:

Self Published Covers

Maximizing Your Sales at Kobo (Written by Mark)

Ebook Publishing on Kobo (Written by Joanna Penn)

WattPad is a great place to cultivate a team – it’s like Facebook for readers and writers.

Pricing Tips: Optimize your pricing for each country. (Round it up or down to the nearest dollar ninety-nine.) In the UK round the price down. In Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, round the price up.