7 Common Mistakes Authors Make in Social Marketing
by Dana Lynn
Smith
Social media
marketing is a great promotional tool, but be careful to avoid these common
blunders:
1. Diving in without a plan. Before you
begin your marketing campaign, think through what you are trying to achieve and
which websites and marketing methods will be most likely to reach your target
audiences. A social media marketing plan can include social networking, microblogging,
online forums, virtual reader communities, expert sites, media sharing, interactive
blogging, and more.
2. Focusing solely
on attracting customers. Social marketing is a great place to meet
potential customers and stay in touch with existing ones. But you may find it even
more valuable for meeting and developing relationships with other authors and
experts in your field or genre, as well as publishing and marketing
professionals.
3. Trying to do too
many things at once. Prioritize your marketing plan and implement one thing
at a time. Don't try to be active on too many social networks. Select a couple
of sites as your primary networks, then develop profiles on several other sites
that you will visit occasionally.
4. Spending too
much time on social marketing while neglecting other tasks. It's easy to
get sucked into social sites and spend way too much time there. It's best to
set aside a specific amount of time each day for social marketing. If you
budget an hour a day, you might spend 20 minutes on social networking at
mid-day, spend 20 minutes in the evening on other social sites, and do several Twitter
sessions during the day.
5. Sending friend
invitations with no introduction. To increase the chance of acceptance and
make a good first impression, always introduce yourself and say why you want to
befriend the other person. Mention what you do, what you have in common with
the other person, how you heard about them, etc.
6. Trying to
"sell" on social sites. It's okay to subtly promote yourself and
your products as long as you do it sparingly. You don't want to get a
reputation as someone who just sends out sales pitches all the time. Add value
to the community by sharing knowledge, ideas, and resources.
7. Forgetting the
"social" part of social networking. Remember to be courteous and
to thank anyone who answers a question or does you a favor. Don't forget to
inject some personality into your communications and make some personal posts. Share
good news or ask for advice. Mention your hobbies, travels, kids, or pets, and
link to a photo using Twitpic at http://www.twitpic.com
If you keep
these tips in mind, you'll find that social media sites are great tools for
building brand recognition and expert status, networking with peers and
potential customers, and driving traffic to your website—all steps toward
making sales.
Dana Lynn Smith is a book
marketing coach and author of The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful
Social Marketing, www.SavvyBookMarketer.com. For free book marketing tips, go
to www.BookMarketingMaven.com. |
