Marketing tip

Building Relationships of Gold with Readers

Marketing Your Book through Articles and Relationships

by Diane Eble

One of the great things about being an author today is we have this thing called the Internet that allows us to actually connect with readers—or would-be readers—and begin a relationship with them.

This benefits us authors AND the readers. Think about it. When you buy a book you really enjoy, fiction or nonfiction, don’t you want more of the author? Don’t you want that relationship to continue?

Or, when you’re searching for information online, say you find someone you really resonate with. They offer something enticing, so you sign up. When you get the free mini-course or special report, or you listen to a teleseminar, and the information blows you away—don’t you tend to feel like a relationship has begun?

You want other people to respond the same way to you, don’t you? That’s what’s called “building a list.”

It’s merely connecting to as many people as you can who want the message you have to offer. (Remember, YOU are the message. People want more of YOU.)

Nothing too complicated about it, really.

Yet it needs to be at the heart of everything you do online and even offline. When you speak, when you send out a press release, you should be sending people to a page where you offer something of value, something that will make people give up their email address in exchange.

Why?

Because a “list” is so much more than people to whom you sell stuff to (your book or other information products).

What a List Can Do For You

If you treat them right—treat them like gold-- these people can help you in many ways.

(Important side note: Never forget that they are people, not “names” or “prospects.)

So these people on your list can help you in many ways.

• They can, of course, spread the word about your great book or other information you offer. (That’s what Seth Godin calls “sneezing” on others. You want people to “sneeze” all over other people about your book and "spread the virus.")
• They can also keep you on track by giving you feedback. That’s why I’m always asking you to fill out my survey or ask me your burning question about writing, publishing, or promoting a book. I want to make sure I’m giving you what YOU want. 
• They can advise you on what to focus on as you’re creating new products. They do this through Ask campaigns you might do, through commenting on a blog post or article, through actually responding to your offers. 
• They could also participate in the creation of your content. Ask them to submit their top tips, interview them, ask some of them to preview your upcoming product.
• They can offer you testimonials. They can become your partners for when you launch a new product.

What we’re talking about is a reciprocal relationship. You give your best stuff to them, and they’re likely to want to give back to you.. Isn’t that what all great relationships are about?

One other huge benefit: Having a responsive list can attract a traditional publisher who will pay you an advance and publish your book and get your book in the bookstores and promoted by the media.

In fact, nowadays, you almost can’t get published by a commercial publisher (or even land a literary agent) without a list.

It’s a System

So, how do you build such relationships with people who are, at the beginning, virtual strangers?

Well, there’s a system to it. And several people teach this system.

One person I recommend is Jeff Herring. Jeff’s List-Building Gold Secrets course is unique in that it is centered on using articles for list-building.

For authors, this should be as easy as microwaving one of those instant dinners.

You’re already at least somewhat comfortable with writing, so you have a distinct advantage over a lot of people.

You already have a book, or at least enough ideas to create a book. So you have lots of content to draw from.

The great news for authors is that articles are some of the BEST ways to build a responsive list.

Numbers don’t really mean much. Oh, the bigger the list, the better, just from the law of percentages. But what you really want is a responsive list. A smaller but responsive list is better than a big, unresponsive list.

Of course, a big, responsive list is the best of all!

Jeff Herring will show you step by step the exact system he uses every day to build his own big, responsive list.

What I look for in a mentor/teacher for myself, and for those I recommend to others, is someone who is actually doing and succeeding at what he or she teaches.

Jeff Herring is such a person. (Click here for the 5 reasons I recommend Jeff Herring.)

I encourage you to check out his List-Building Gold Secrets course. Listen to the Preview Teleseminar he offers (last year’s or this year’s).

If it makes sense for you at this time, I don’t think you’ll regret it. If you do, he’s personally pledged to remedy the situation. So you can’t go wrong.