Select a page

      177 Search Results for thursdays with amanda

      • August 22, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: What to DO with your Street Team

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        It’s fairly easy to recognize that a Street Team would be helpful. It’s even pretty simple to put a Street Team together and give it/them a place to congregate.

        But putting them to work…that’s another matter entirely.

        The more I write these posts on building an author platform, the more I get questions that are basically nothing more than requests for me to provide a step-by-step guide to x, y, or z, complete with screenshot examples and graphs. I get requests for me to share EXACTLY what to do (printouts would be handy!). To leave nothing up for chance.

        There are a number of things wrong with this. The main one being not everyone’s audience will respond to the same strategies. Everyone is different. Every reader group prefers certain approaches over others. That’s how it works! So if I told you to launch an Instagram campaign when in fact your readers are middle-aged nerds, it’s going to be a complete miss. Why? Because middle-aged nerds aren’t on Instagram as much as they’re on message boards and forums.

        So, let me be clear (and please forgive me for yelling):

        THE ONLY WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANY PROMOTIONAL ENDEAVOR IS TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE TARGETING AND HOW TO REACH THEM

        Because of this, only you can really come up with those million-dollar ideas that will garner the buzz you need. ONLY YOU can do this.

        Now, I know you’re probably shaking your head, thinking “I’m not a marketer! I’m not a salesperson! I’m not wired to think

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: What to DO with your Street Team"

      • August 15, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Organizing Your Street Team

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

         

        So, we know the reasoning behind why you need a Street Team and then the basics of building one, but once you have your tribe of minions, what do you do with them? Before you send them out into the world (which will probably be next week’s post), you need a home base. 

        Street Teams are all about communication–that is you communicating with them and them communicating with each other. Now a simple (and lame) way to handle this is to send out mass emails. BUT we all know how annoying those can be, and there’s always a guy who hits “reply all” EVERY FREAKING TIME even though he has nothing to say except for some stupid joke that no one finds funny.

        So, your other options are to form a private Facebook or Yahoo! Group (or something similar). You can even make the space fancy by adding pictures and files and other items that you would normally email everyone. In turn, using such an outlet will encourage your Team to actually interact with one another…which reminds me…

        WARNING!!!

        I know it’s great to believe that your peeps will all get along like one big happy family, but let’s be real. There are going to be personality clashes, competitiveness, overwhelming personalities, and maybe even a few street brawls. So be clear about group etiquette. Make sure everyone plays nice.

        Some other ideas include…

        You could go one step farther with your group (if you have a big enough team) and create regional groups. This way, if you

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Organizing Your Street Team"

      • August 8, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: How to Build a Street Team as an Author

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        Last week, I made the argument for Street Teams. But this isn’t the sort of venture you just throw together. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, I do have some guidelines for when you’re in the BUILDING PHASE. That is, when you’re taking applications and adding people to your team.

        1. I’d argue quality over quantity. You want people you can trust. People who will follow through on their commitment. So while it may be a big ego stroke when you get 100 people ready to sign up, remember that you’re looking for people you can count on…not just people who are wanting free stuff.

        2. You’ll need some sort of application process. Unless you have time and money to spare, you want to vet your team members, ensuring that you have only the most dedicated followers on your roster. Ask questions like:

        • Are you on any other Street Teams?
        • What are your favorite books?
        • Are you on social media? If so, what are your numbers on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Your blog? Etc.?
        • Do you have connections with local groups or organizations that you believe you could tap into to help promote me and my book? List them.
        • What ideas do YOU have to help promote me and my book that you’d be willing to spearhead?
        • Are you able to commit for a full year?
        Weed out anyone who doesn’t measure up or who comes across as less enthusiastic than others. And definitely weed out those who are already on Street Teams with other authors.
        And while
        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: How to Build a Street Team as an Author"

      • August 1, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Why Authors Need Street Teams

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        Remember in the 90s how you’d buy a CD (or tape) and inside would be inserts that advertised band t-shirts and other artists on the label? And remember amidst these inserts there was one that promised to make you a groupie and all you had to do was send your postal address?

        Before the Internet…before musicians connected with fans via Facebook and Twitter, Street Teams were all the rage (look! There’s even a Wikipedia page about it!). You’d simply send your info and in return you got a boatload of band paraphernalia. Bumper stickers, flyers, buttons, posters–you name it. And all you had to do in return was promise to plaster your high school with said items.

        To any teen wanting closer contact with their favorite band, this was a must. I mean you didn’t get any cooler than being known for being such-and-such band’s local promoter. (Me? My method of band promotion was to wear band t’s everywhere…to the point where a college professor remembers me as the “Death Cab for Cutie Fanatic.” But that’s neither here nor there.)

        So where am I going with this?

        Bands of the 90s were on to something. And they HAD to be. In a competitive industry that demands you travel from run-down venue to run-down venue via a 15-passenger van in hopes that you make a good impression and create enough buzz to be invited back to a BIGGER venue that hopefully maybe sells out so that your single gets radio time so that more people hear your music so that

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Why Authors Need Street Teams"

      • July 25, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Four

        by


        Amanda Luedeke         is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow h        er on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        We’re on the last symptom of Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, so in case you missed any, the symptoms have been:

         

        The fourth and final symptom? Unbalanced application.
        Test for this by noting the time you spend with family, the time you spend with yourself, and the time you spend with work/marketing your book. If you’re spending more time on your book than in the other areas of life, chances are you’re either in the middle of a book release, or you suffer from this symptom.
        This is NOT an excuse to work less or play more or ditch all of those great marketing plans you had in place. Fact it, a writer’s busy times come in waves. Some weeks or months will be crazier than others.
        BUT this IS a nudge to evaluate your time and how you spend it.
        Those afflicted with Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome eat, think, and breathe their book and their sales. They check their Amazon rank numerous times a day (months after the book has released). They obsess over checking their Twitter and their Facebook and their blog comments. They take their computers or tablets to their kid’s football games and make excuses why they don’t have time to do this or that.
        It’s workaholism, really. And it stinks.
        Get control of this symptom by identifying the IMPORTANT things in life.
        Outside of your responsibilities (You may have a 9-to-5. You may coach a high school sports team. You may volunteer at the shelter. You
        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Four"

      • July 18, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Taking Topic Suggestions

        by


        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        As Amanda is attending RWA’s annual conference in Atlanta at the moment, she isn’t sharing her usual Thursday dose of marketing wisdom. However, in a couple weeks she will be talking about all things related to street teams, so stay tuned.

        For today, Amanda is asking for your input—do you have a publishing topic you want her to discuss on a future post? Any marketing concerns that need fresh insight? Please use the comments’ feature below to share your questions and ideas. Thanks!

         

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Taking Topic Suggestions"

      • July 11, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Three

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        We’re addressing our third symptom of Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, and it’s Solitary Administration.

        Test for this by looking through your correspondence for times in which fans, bloggers, friends and family have come to you, seeing how they can help. If you have very few instances in recent months in which others have taken the initiative or the lead…heck, if you feel alone in most of your marketing endeavors, you may suffer from this symptom.

        While it may seem that I’m pointing to those who carry the world on their shoulders and refuse to let it go, I’m actually talking about those who have so overworked their supporters that the desire to help is gone.

        It looks like this…

        My book is on sale this week! I need to let everyone know!

        So, I go to my friends and family…people who I KNOW I can rely on to share the info on Facebook, Twitter, and such.

        But wait! Barely anyone is responding! WHY AREN’T THEY SHARING MY NEWS WITH THEIR FRIENDS?! It only takes a second to send a Tweet! What’s the hang-up!

        Okay, maybe I can strike a deal…

        Friends, if you share this news, I’ll be eternally grateful! 

        Crickets. 

        Okay, maybe a different approach…

        Friends, it’s really important that you Tweet this for me, so all who do so will get something special from me!

        A few comply.

        Now that’s not the response I wanted! What am I going to do?!

        FRIENDS, IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL RETWEET THIS.

        Sheesh, what’s a girl gotta do?! Oh,

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Three"

      • July 4, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Two

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        First, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, AMERICA! And a big thank you to everyone who has sacrificed to make this country what it is.

        We’re on symptom #2 of the Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, and it’s Social Media Saturation.

        Test for this by looking at your recent Tweets, personal Facebook status updates, and blog posts. If multiple times per day your updates and Tweets focus on your book and/or career, chances are you’re either in the middle of a book release or you suffer from this symptom. 

        Social media is full of people demanding your attention. “Like” this! Read that! Watch this video! Visit that link! With so many requests needing decisions and response from us, we start to filter. We pick the links we want to visit, the videos we want to watch, the posts we read, the status updates we “like,” the Tweets we share. And the more friends or connections we have, the choosier we have to get.

        Our “choosiness” quickly becomes somewhat formulaic. We give most attention to our closest friends and family. We give a fair amount of attention to those we find humorous, entertaining, or thought-provoking. We leave a smidgeon of attention for those who may surprise us…those we have previously written off or mentally excluded from our list of favorites. And we leave the least amount of attention to those who always have something to say…to those who overwhelm with their shared photos, links, requests, and jibber jabber.

        My friends… don’t be so forecful with your online promotions that you end up in that

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom Two"

      • June 20, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom One

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        We’re going through the symptoms of Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, and today’s symptom is Conversation Domination.

        Test for this symptom by interacting with a potential reader, and then when finished ask yourself what you know about them. If you come away only knowing their name and where they’re from, chances are, you suffer from this symptom. 

        Have you ever met an author or writer who will simply not stop talking about their books/deadlines/ideas/plans/what their editor said/what their agent said/what their fans said/and on and on and on? These are writers who ask a question and then leave no room for you to answer. Writers who find ways to steer conversation toward their books and lives. Writers who don’t take the time to get to know their readers.

        There’s nothing wrong with being talkative. Many times, talkative people have a knack for making others feel comfortable and welcomed. But excessive chatting can result in conversation domination…a dangerous symptom that will turn potential readers away.

        Now, I get it. Talking is a way to stay in control. It’s a way to keep the conversation where you want it, and by preventing the conversation from going in an unknown direction, you may feel as though you’re more likely to make a sale, create a fan, or win someone over. But it just doesn’t work that way.

        So how do you treat this symptom? I’m no psychologist, but I wonder if these ideas may help…

        1. Have questions ready. One way to win people over is to let them talk about themselves. So, by

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome, Symptom One"

      • June 13, 2013

        Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome…do you have it?

        by

        Amanda Luedeke is a literary agent with MacGregor Literary. Every Thursday, she posts about growing your author platform. You can follow her on Twitter @amandaluedeke or join her Facebook group to stay current with her wheelings and dealings as an agent. Her author marketing book, The Extroverted Writer, is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

        Wow, it feels like it’s been forever since I last posted here! As always, we’re going to talk marketing and platform-buidling, but since we haven’t done so in awhile, let’s ease into things with a fun post.

        Have you ever thought that you’re doing the marketing thing right only to find out that your sales pitches and strategies are falling on deaf ears?

        Have you ever been convinced that so-and-so was CERTAIN to buy your book only to discover that they walked away empty-handed?

        Have you ever felt that people are lying to your face, acting interested when you tell them about your book but then completely forgetting it exists when you leave the room?

        Have you ever wondered why no one retweets or shares your statuses with others?

        If so, you may suffer from Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome. Here are its symptoms:

        – Conversation domination. Test for this symptom by interacting with a potential reader, and then when finished ask yourself what you know about them. If you come away only knowing their name and where they’re from, chances are, you suffer from this symptom.

        – Social media saturation. Test for this by looking at your recent Tweets, personal Facebook status updates, and blog posts. If multiple times per day your updates and Tweets focus on your book and/or career, chances are you’re either in the middle of a book release or you suffer from this symptom.

        – Solitary administration. Test for this by looking through your correspondence for times in which fans, bloggers, friends and family have come to

        Continue Reading "Thursdays with Amanda: Overly Aggressive Marketing Syndrome…do you have it?"