Being an author myself I have observed other authors on Twitter and paid attention to what they do.
For most of us Twitter is yet another channel to execute our marketing strategy and of course some do it well and some not really.
What is there to do, you might think?
You just create a Twitter account and tweet about your books, right?
Wrong!
Authors on Twitter have the challenge of standing out among thousands of other authors and everyone else on Twitter.
So what should you do?
Here’s a 6 step formula that if followed will lead to more book sales in the future for any author:
How to Use Twitter Lists to Build Relationships that Turn Into Sales
1. Create a Clear Twitter Bio
First of all you have to create your Twitter bio and it has to be great.
Look at it this way. When someone who doesn’t know you sees your tweet and wants to find out more about you, they are going to check your Twitter profile.
What do you want that person to know about who you are?
Possibly you’d like them to know you are an author or the types of books you write.
In your Twitter bio think about sharing what you do, your mantra, your highlights, accomplishments, humor or other details that can really help someone looking get to know you.
Being intriguing or witty can help too. I personally like when authors on Twitter put their own picture instead of their book cover as their profile picture and when they use their Twitter cover to feature their books instead.
Here are some good examples:
2. Share your writing process and behind the scenes info
People love peaking behind the scenes.
They are curious about how and where you write, where you get ideas from and what’s your writing process like.
I believe that your followers need to know not only about your books but also about how those books were brought to life.
When you followers are able follow your journey, they get emotionally connected to you and your books, which means that you get higher chances to end up with an engaged audience and loyal readership.
From the authors on Twitter I know, Ksenia Anske does it best. As a result her readers love her and are ready to support her anytime.
Even more – I would say involve your Twitter followers in the process.
Look how bestselling author Nicholas Sparks does it below:
3. Follow Followers of Writers in your Genre
In order to succeed as a writer you need readers.
Obvious, right?
Yes, but where do you find them? You have created your Twitter account, you have joined the awesome tribe of authors on Twitter and now what?
I think the easiest way to find your potential readers is being proactive and going to them.
And where are they you may ask?
Well find more popular authors on Twitter, who are writing books similar to what you are writing.
Let’s say I am writing romance with dramatic twists, for example. Then I will go to Nicholas Spark’s (already mentioned above) Twitter account and tap into his fan base.
The logic is that if I am writing similar books, then his fans might like me also. Now simply follow that person and start engaging with them.
Chances are that many of them will follow you back and start engaging with you. This is probably one of the easiest ways to build a tribe of followers who’ll be there to support your next book launch.
4. Explore Twitter Lists
Many Twitter users already have combined different lists of users, which you can see.
I personally have 2 Twitter lists, which can be useful to any writer. One list features authors on Twitter and the other one features different useful resources that writers may use (eg. editing services, blogs and podcasts for writers, etc.).
Pay attention to what kind of Twitter lists your peers keep and some may be really useful for you too.
5. Tweet Relevant Content
Your tweets should be about things that your potential readers are interested in.
Tweet about new and/or good books from your genre. You can also tweet about things that are related to your books storyline or characters for example.
Retweet authors on Twitter who have similar audiences to what you’d like to gain too.
Consider offering a free chapter to your next book for your followers and driving them back to a landing page where you can capture their email address in exchange for that chapter. Now when the book is ready to launch you’ll have a nice list of people who you can email and let them know it’s ready for purchase.
6. Engage
Twitter is all about engagement.
The more you actively tweet and talk with your followers the greater chance you’ll have of them not only buying your book but also sharing your story with their followers.
The best ways to increase your Twitter engagement and build your following is to simply be present on Twitter, share people’s tweets, start discussions, share photo’s, send video messages and just be real.
Conclusion
Twitter offers a huge opportunity for authors to truly build great relationships with a tribe of followers who’ll be there to buy your books and share your story.
Be authentic and really give people the chance to get to know who you are and what you stand for. The more real and authentic you are the bigger success you’ll have on Twitter.
If you’re an author on Twitter, how is working for you? Share your story in the comments below, we’d love to know.
Source: Social Quant
The post 6 Spicy Steps for Authors on Twitter to Sell More Books To Your Followers appeared first on Optimize Marketing.