What to Include in Your Marketing Tool Box

Do you have a marketing tool box? Both established and new authors should start with a marketing tool box to help promote your work and establish your platform. Here are a few ideas to get you started in the world of self promotion, because that really is what you will be doing. There is no publisher in the world that doesn't expect an author do to his or her part in getting the world to know your work. So here we go......

• Pick a logo..... it might be as simple as your initial or as complex as a diagram or photo representing your work but it needs to be something consistent with what your write and who your audience will be. A logo needs to catch the eye of the reader so that reader recognizes it as you no matter what form of material they see. 

I have matured as an author and with that I have changed my idea of what I want to be recognized for but my budget is still not that of a multi award winning author so I have chosen a logo from Vistaprint.com . My business cards have a pen and ink drawing of a big old dog and his companion in a water color print representing the kind of drawings that are in picture books for kids. I am concentrating on writing for children, the logo is cute and light-hearted, and what kiddo doesn't love a big old clumsy dog? 

• Include your logo ...on as much of your written marking materials as you can so that others begin to relate your logo with your name and what you do. Address labels, letterhead, stickers to pass out at book signings, banners, decals for your car, calendars, pens, and whatever else you can think of to pass out to others will begin to let the world know who you are. While these items do cost, they are a less expensive way to advertise then taking out a billboard or radio and TV commercial especially when you are a beginning writer. But these printed materials do validate that you are an author with a product to sell and that is the main idea of marketing. Self promotion in printed form. You are a writer. 

I have address return labels, shipping labels, a coffee mug, stickers to add to plain white note cards for thank you notes, business cards, and post cards listing all of my available books all with the same cute dog (logo) Again, Vistaprint.com  has all kinds of products that can match your chosen logo and you can even upload a logo from somewhere else to get products to match. Other printing companies offer similar things. The important thing in the beginning is not how much you have spent but that it is consistent with the message you want to share. 

• Keep a list of clients... a list, a special notebook, a folder on your computer... it doesn't matter how you keep it but an email list to use to announce a new release, an address book of customers you want to connect with at holiday time or when you have a new product, businesses who might buy your book in bulk... those are all audiences you want to market to. They are potential repeat customers and will be interested in buying your book or written product each and every time you release something new. These kinds of lists are golden and should be lovingly grown over your writing and publishing career. Keep them in your marketing tool box and cherish them. They are your income source. They are your audience. They are why you do what you do.
• Resources on Marketing...In your writing space you should have a shelf of favorite hands on hard copies of good books on marketing. Easy to grab and refresh your mind on new ideas, these handy favorites will help keep your marketing fresh. They are by experts in their field. My favorite is The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. www.howtodoitfrugally.com . Another Favorite is Get Known before the Book Deal by Christina Katz. 

    Marketing is a big part of becoming a successful author and being recognized by your audience. Look for more on this topic in future posts including how to target your marketing to specific buyers including schools, libraries, and online and brick mortar book stores. What is in your marketing tool box? What does your logo say about you? Thoughts?

Visit my website at www.terriforehand.com