#AuthorSuccess Part III : Dedicated Readers, How to use them

Dedicated Readers are those readers who will buy your books no matter what. It doesn't have to be part of a series or a certain genre. If you wrote it, they will buy it.

Aside from them making your paycheck, Dedicated Readers are useful in your marketing plan.

A very popular marketing platform is the use of a street team. Usually street teams are formed through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The street team is formed around Dedicated Readers who like to personally interact with the author and will help to promote the author. The street team utilizes the reach of its members to promote the author usually for free. I say usually, because it's nice to recognize your street team by holding giveaways, contests, and discounts.

Your street team is a great source for putting out status updates, tweets, blog posts, and for simply getting the word out about your books. Dedicated readers used in this method are usually very complimentary and loving, so they make you look good.

Dedicated Readers are also a great source pool for beta readers. They love your work. They're going to love to get the chance to read you for free before the book comes out. I usually choose 3-5 random Dedicated Readers to beta read for me. Everyone gets a chance and they get very excited  to have the chance.

Another area they are helpful is when it comes to reviews. Sometimes, if you have enough Dedicated Readers, you'll never have to ask for a review again just to fill that dreaded 10 review minimum that some PR opportunities look for. Dedicated Readers not only run out to buy your book, they suck it down, and then turn around and review. However, it never hurts to ask them for those reviews.

As an author you need Dedicated Readers. As an author, you probably are a Dedicated Reader for at least one author. So think about how you'd do anything for them.

Keep being personal and friendly to your readers and your team of Dedicated Readers will continue to grow. In no time you'll have that 1,000 Dedicated Readers and every book launch will go bestseller!

Good Luck


Please Follow my #AuthorSuccess Series
PART I: Dedicated Readers: Get Some!
PART II: Dedicated Readers, Where to find them
PART III: Dedicated Readers, How to use them

Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it, because she lives it. 

When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too. She is also the owner of Illumination Author Events, which brings authors and readers together. Through IAE she is also able to share her expertise in the fields of publishing, marketing and writing.

To find out more about Bernadette Marie you can find her here:

FACE BOOK

TWITTER

LINKEDIN

EMAIL: info@bernadettemarie.com

PINTEREST

GOOGLE+

YOU TUBE

#AuthorSuccess Part II: Dedicated Readers, Where to find them.

In part two of my Author Success series, we are going to discuss where you find a Dedicated Reader.

First and foremost you must have written a good book. You have to have had a good story people became absorbed in. You have to have put out a quality book. You also need to have, or need to be, following that book up with another book.

Dedicated Readers are not only series followers, but if you're writing a series I think your chances of gaining Dedicated Readers is better. Simply put, people want to follow the characters they have fallen in love with --when reading your well written book.

Now, if you have the book, you're wondering where do I find these readers? If I need 1000 Dedicated Readers to have success who do I get those on my first book? My advice...you work social media!

A great way to meet new readers is by taking part in a blog takeover, an FB takeover, an online party...the list is endless. As an author and a publisher, I utilize Facebook parties. How does this work? Begin to follow groups on Facebook that are for authors/readers. This is a great place for people to interact with you, whom you don't know. Be active during a launch party or a celebration party. Reply to posts and get your face out there. Then look around. There are ample opportunities to have page takeovers. Some page owners do this for new authors or they include new authors in their takeovers. You can also pay for this service where a page owner will host a party for you and invite readers. This is also a great way to introduce yourself to new readers.

Get reviews! Pitch your book to book reviewers. Sign up for services such as Net Galley (this is a paid service, but the reviews are not paid for.) Again, there are also services that will send your books out to reviewers, usually as part of a blog tour. This puts your book in front of people who don't know you. That is the important part of finding Dedicated Readers. When you follow up with a review make sure to thank the reviewer as well.

The Dedicated Readers I interviewed all mentioned that they enjoy finding new authors to read. In this, the movement of Indie Authors, readers are finding the joy in new and fresh voices. They know that authors are reachable and therefore seek them out (and often they seek them out in online reader events.) Readers especially enjoy finding new authors whom they can follow from day one and get to know on a personal level as well. Imagine you go to a bar and follow the band that plays there every Thursday night. Then, one day they are Grammy winning! You could say, "I knew them when!" Readers are the same. They like to be part of your journey.

Be active on your Facebook Author page. (If you don't have one, get one!) Be active on your Twitter account. Don't forget these gems are sitting there waiting for you to engage with their followers. Once you hit a few hundred followers you'll find that they begin to come faster, if you're working it! And once you hit that 1000 mark, they come even faster.

Now just saying you have 1000 followers isn't saying you have 1000 Dedicated Readers. This is a journey that doesn't stop. You have to keep working all these angles and keep being personable. And above all else, you have to keep writing so that those Dedicated Readers have something to read and be dedicated to.

Please Follow my #AuthorSuccess Series
PART I: Dedicated Readers: Get Some!
PART II: Dedicated Readers, Where to find them
PART III: Dedicated Readers, How to use them

Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it, because she lives it.

When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too. She is also the owner of Illumination Author Events, which brings authors and readers together. Through IAE she is also able to share her expertise in the fields of publishing, marketing and writing.

To find out more about Bernadette Marie you can find her here:

FACE BOOK

TWITTER

LINKEDIN

EMAIL: info@bernadettemarie.com

PINTEREST

GOOGLE+

YOU TUBE

#AuthorSuccess Part 1: Dedicated Readers...Get Some!

I recently hired a PR firm to help me launch a new trilogy. I've already been an International Bestselling Author. I've made good money as an author. So why do this? Education!

There have been many points that she's gone over that my Marketing Director, Publishing Team, and I already do. But we are certainly learning more. I always think there is room to learn more.

One thing she pointed out was the need for what I call Dedicated Readers.  She called them Super Fans. (I don't care for the term fans, but that's a different post.)

What is a Dedicated Reader? They are the people who follow you daily on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest...and anywhere you might be. They are the readers who will preorder any book you write no matter what. They are your loyal base of readers that will tell the world about you and you (usually) will never let them down.

We were taught that to ensure a book's success on release day, you must have 1,000 Dedicated Readers. Those 1,000 readers will not only rush out to buy that book, they'll tell everyone else to do the same thing.

How do you get these readers? First of all you write a good book. This will help to get them hooked. However, one book is never going to do it. You must keep writing and keep publishing! Most first time authors don't have this kind of base, unless they have been contributing to blogs and Facebook parties leading up to their release.

Dedicated Readers usually will come once an author has a small catalog of books. Something they can get excited about. Series is great for this. If you write series your chances, I think, are much better at building a Dedicated Reader base.

I find that Twitter and Facebook have been my best marketing tools in gaining this reader base for myself. Now, mind you, nothing is free. Yes, you can have Facebook and Twitter for free.  You can post until you're fingers fall off (but then you're not writing are you?) I promote my page and the campaign has been going for nearly two years now. I am climbing toward 12,000 Facebook likes on my Author Page. I don't spend much a day, but I do promote it in that way.

Another way to ensure you get these Dedicated Readers is to interact with them. Readers want to be part of the author's life, because you have become part of theirs the moment they pick up your book. Be present. Be personable. You're there to sell a product.

I asked a few of my Dedicated Readers what made them follow me, or other authors. What made them want to pick up my books and interact? Here is what they had to say.

Lara Lovell said that she found me through one of my free books. (Another topic for another day, but a great way to get readers when you have more than one book.) I write family series and she fell in love with the family. But what drew her to me, as an author, was not only the stories that I write and capture her into, but the fact that she can find me on Facebook and ask me my I did something a certain way--and I answer her.

Ava Marshall said she loves the depth of emotion I put into my books. She says its as if I write from real experience. She too often contacts me on Facebook to discuss my books and because I'm reachable we have created that bond.

Lesli Godfrey said, unlike writing an author in the past, where you never knew if they got it or not, social media offers a new way for readers to connect with their favorite authors. Social media makes it easier for readers to find new talent to follow, as well.

As you can see, writing a good book is KEY! Being accessible and marketing to those who read the material you write is important.

Now that you know what a Dedicated Reader is we can explore where to find them.
Please Follow my #AuthorSuccess Series
PART I: Dedicated Readers, Get Some!
PART II: Dedicated Readers, Where to find them
PART III: Dedicated Readers, How to use them

Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it, because she lives it. 

When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too. She is also the owner of Illumination Author Events, which brings authors and readers together. Through IAE she is also able to share her expertise in the fields of publishing, marketing and writing.

To find out more about Bernadette Marie you can find her here:

FACE BOOK

TWITTER

LINKEDIN

EMAIL: info@bernadettemarie.com

PINTEREST

GOOGLE+

YOU TUBE