Moderating the MFRW Facebook Group - Contacting Potential Members #MFRWorg

In my inaugural post about moderating the MFRW Facebook group last month, I talked about screening requests. This month I’m going to pick up where I left off and discuss what I do with join requests that require a little more attention.

When I’ve done my run-through of things I look at in a profile and determined the account is probably not spam but also have not found what I’m looking for, I send the requestor a Facebook message. I keep it fairly short and simply introduce myself, thank the individual for the request to join, and ask about her/his/their connection to the literary community. Originally, my note said only that; as more responders seemed to wonder why I was asking, I expanded and tweaked my original message to explain the nature of MFRW and why it isn’t best-suited to those who are purely readers. This saves the time it was taking to explain that to people when they wrote back asking why I was asking. Kayelle also recently came up with the idea of putting a "deadline" date in my message, explaining that I will delete the request on a certain date if I have not heard back by then. That’s worked out very well in keeping the queue manageable, as it is not unheard of for the group to receive up to 15+ requests per day at times.

I’d estimate at this point that I receive a reply about half the time, and the response almost always supplies the information I’m seeking and results in a new MFRW Facebook group member. In a few cases, people have responded months later and explained that they just discovered my message (generally in their "Other" box—see next paragraph), at which time I reply with a link to the group and ask them to send another request, which I approve as soon as I see.

One way Facebook has made this kind of communication a bit challenging is by sending messages from people who are not one’s Facebook friends to the individual’s “Other” messages folder. I'm pretty sure some people don't even know they have an "Other" folder, much less how to find it. If, incidentally, you’re not familiar with your "Other" folder, you can locate it thusly: Click on the "Messages" icon on the top of your Facebook profile. When the box opens, look right next to the word "Inbox" on the top left, and you’ll see the word "Other" in gray, followed by a number in parentheses (the number of messages you have in your "Other" box). This folder usually contains messages from people you don't know/with whom you aren’t connected on Facebook or mass messages from FB Pages with which you may be associated.

Over the last few months, I have noticed Facebook doesn’t seem to be sending my messages to "Other" folders so automatically. I suspect that having messages from non-friends go to the “Other” folder perhaps used to be a default setting and was recently made to be one we had to go in and set manually. (Note: To view or change these settings, go to your privacy settings and see the questions "Who can contact me?" and "Whose messages do I want filtered into my Inbox?") In any case, Facebook now tells me at the bottom of a message box that a message will go to someone's "Other" folder (conveniently offering me the option of paying $1.00 to have it go to the individual's regular message queue...), and this hasn't been showing up on nearly as many message boxes in recent months.

My overall aim with the request approval (or rejection) process is to strike a balance between letting in members—MFRW is an open group, and we want members, of course!—making sure members are well-suited for the group (i.e., have some connection to the professional literary community), and keeping out spam or other malicious profiles. Because of Facebook’s "Other" folder system, I do suspect we've lost legitimate potential members sometimes because they simply didn't see my message. At some point, though, it seems there’s only so much I can do…I admittedly tend to err on the side of caution in wanting to keep spam profiles out, which is something I’ll talk a little more about next month.

Thanks for reading!


Emerald
Emerald is an erotic fiction author whose short stories have been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust. She serves as an assistant newsletter editor and Facebook group moderator for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW). Find out more about her at her website, The Green Light District, and follow her on Twitter @Emerald_theGLD.

Using Niche Marketing for Your Book @kayelleallen #MFRWorg

DEFINITIONS

Let's start with two definitions for the term niche marketing. Niche -- A position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it; the status of an organism within its environment and community (affecting its survival as a species). Marketing -- The exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money; the commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service; engaging in commercial promotion, sale, or distribution.

Niche marketing is networking. It is not selling. It is not carrying around your books or even bookmarks or business cards. Niche marketing is finding out who likes what you write, and finding ways to be seen by them. Let me explain.

Most marketing efforts are overt. Television commercials show a product and explain why you need it. Car commercials focus on the vehicle's aesthetic appeal, economy, dependability, affordability, and the prestige of ownership. An ad for a new product explains how it's used, why you need to try it, and often offers a bargain for ordering now. Who hasn't heard "But wait! Order now and get..."

IT'S NOT SELLING 

The point of niche marketing is not to sell. It's to rub elbows with people who like "what" you sell and letting them discover your product organically. Your signature on forums, emails, and groups should always have links to your website. Never send anyone anything -- even other writers -- without including your professional signature and a link to something relating to your brand. A book, your website, your blog, social media, etc. You can't have niche marketing if no one knows how to find you. By all means, if you have a tagline (and you should get one asap if not), display it in banners and buttons. Mine is below.

I'm not talking about an in-your-face "DOWNLOAD NOW!" approach, but a simple and direct one. Set up your profile so that every message ends with your name, your writing tag, and your website. If you don't have a tag and website, create them. These are gems! You can use these everywhere you go. A website gives people a central location to learn more about you and your books, and a tag simply tells people what kinds of books you write. Mine is "Unstoppable heroes, Uncompromising love, Unforgettable passion." Anyone who reads my books is going get these things. It's a few words that say everything about my writing. Using your tag in your signature is a form of passive marketing. By combining passive marketing with niche marketing, you can get a double opportunity to tell people about your books, without hitting them over the head with a "BUY NOW!" message.

Go where people who read your type of book can be found. If you write books about horses, you associate with horse people. If it's cats, then you go where cat folks meet. If it's vampires, maybe you hang out with people who watch vampire movies. Niche marketing means you are part of a group that likes the things you write about. It's not selling or talking about your book. You're just there, being one of the gang. Finding the right niche means being with like-minded people. A guy who sells tractors should find out where farmers hang out. His niche is people who need what a tractor can do. Figuring out what the tractor does and what problems it solves will help him figure out who will buy his product.

Think "what problem does my book solve?" If you write fiction, don't assume your book solves no problems. It likely solves many, including boredom and not knowing what to read. One of the first things to consider is that fiction creates a fantasy for someone. If you can fulfill a fantasy, people will pay you for it. A fiction book entertains. People who want to escape and relax with a good story will pay for the privilege. What prompted you to write the book? Think about that and make notes about your thoughts and needs regarding your decision to write, other than "to make money from a book." We all want that as an outcome, but it's not why we write, is it?

Jot down fantasies your book fulfills. You might be surprised. Then look at who is buying similar books (and movies/TV) that fulfill those. It's not necessarily what you thought at first. Be open to new ideas. Where can you go to reach that crowd? Be prepared to spend some time in research, and in getting to know the fans of the genre or series.

FAN CLUBS

For example - is there a fan group for a movie or TV series with characters like yours? Look into sites like Get Glue. Search your book's keywords on Pinterest or perform a Google search to see what sites cover your niche. What do books like yours use for keywords? Why not adapt them to your book?

If you have a logo, use
it everywhere.

Study the advertising offered by sites you find. Can you rent banner space? Is there an event you can sponsor or for which you can offer a prize? Can you write an article for their blog? Do they accept editorial articles about the fandom or the fandom's interests? Don't forget to get involved in local, offline groups that focus on your niche or genre. If you write fantasy, science fiction, or paranormal fiction, are there conventions you can attend? What costume events are coming up where you can dress like one of your characters or themes from your books? When people ask who you are or what your costume means, tell them. Does your heroine tend a rose garden? Are there gardening clubs that might like to have a guest speaker who talks about roses? Think of ways you can incorporate the themes of your books into local interests and clubs. If you write erotic literature, consider advertising on sites that feature fan fiction. They are some of the biggest draws for readers, and they are hungry for new books.

BOTTOM LINE 

Niche marketing is nothing more than networking. That means it's not what you have. It's who needs what you have. Set out with that mindset and you are more likely to find your answer.

===
Post by author Kayelle Allen, multi-published, award-winning Science Fiction Romance author of unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.

Homeworld http://kayelleallen.com
Unstoppable Heroes Blog http://kayelleallen.com/blog
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen

The Author's Secret https://theauthorssecret.com
(post also shared with Savvy Authors)

EPICon Teaches The Art of Discoverability @EPICorg

Amazon bestselling author Elle Lothlorien leads three presentations at this year's EPICon... she explains how understanding algorithms is critical in developing a discoverability plan for your book (or finding a date), responding to reviews and offering free books.

Dating Your Book: Understanding the Amazon Algorithm Through Online Dating
Ever done online dating? Scrolled through dozens of photos, skimmed the profiles, waiting for that tingle of interest? I've got news for you: the same algorithm that helps you find an online date also matches a reader to a book. Learn how “click-throughs” and reviews affect your book’s ranking, how “designing for the thumbnail” can drive click-throughs to your product page, and how an excellent book description can lead to that critical “first date.”

When You Wish Upon a (Review) Star…
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything, right? Good advice, but when it comes to websites where your book is available for purchase (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, etc.), responding to negative reader reviews encourages repeat readers and is, quite simply, excellent customer service.

Elle Lothlorien, whose 2012 Digital Book World blog on this subject released a firestorm of controversy (the blog was named one of the “Top 10 Digital Publishing Stories of 2012”), will explain why keeping your cool and following “Dos and Don’ts” when engaging unhappy readers will only help your career. Case studies discussed.

To Free or Not to Free? That is the (Discoverability) Question…
Can a free book promotion help your novel rise above the 'white noise' of over 10k new ebooks being published daily? According to Amazon self-published author Elle Lothlorien, who took early, full advantage of Amazon's KDP Select and its free promo days to “force” her second novel, Sleeping Beauty onto the Amazon bestseller list in February 2012, the answer is yes, yes, and yes!

Let Elle guide you through the complex algorithms that determine how to make giveaways work for you. If time permits, Elle will touch on other social media strategies that can help coax your e-book into the public eye--and keep it there.

EPIC, the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition™ (www.epicorg.com) was established in 1998 and is a global organization of published authors and industry-related professionals who actively advocate continuing education and further enlightenment of electronic publications.

EPIC’s annual conference, EPICon™, invites industry professionals to share the latest eIndustry information, hone writing and editing skills, and explore new markets and promotional ideas. Keynote luncheon speakers range from world-renowned authors to established publishing houses to eBook and print agents. For more information, please visit http://www.epicorg.com.

Register today at EPIC.org!

PRESENTER BIO

ElleLothlorien’s first self-published romantic comedy The Frog Prince became an Amazon bestseller in December 2010—a distinction it kept through the summer of 2012 when it peaked at #2 on Amazon's Top 100 List for Humor. On Valentine’s Day 2012 her second novel, Sleeping Beauty, catapulted to Amazon’s Top 100 List for Romantic Suspense. In March of 2012, she published an alternate ending version of her rom-com Sleeping Beauty in response to fan feedback. In December 2012, both versions were named to Kindles & Wine “Best Reads of 2012.” In October of 2012, she wrote Alice in Wonderland in 35 days and e-published it seven days later.

Elle’s appearance on Digital Book World’s (DBW) “Successful Self-Published Authors” panel in January Publisher’s Weekly. In February 2012, she was named to Expert Messaging Group’s “25 Self-Published Authors to Watch." She is considered a “reluctant expert” on the topic of self-publishing and is well-known for taking advantage of her full creative control by pushing the envelope—and advising other self-published authors to do the same.

2012 was noted in

Elle has contributed to articles on self-publishing for both TIME Magazine and Writers Digest. She’s been interviewed for USAToday.com’s “Happy Ever After” with Joyce Lamb, GoodEReader.com with Mercy Pilkington, and Your Book Is Your Hook with Jennifer Wilkov.

In April 2012, Elle was invited to be a regular contributor to DBWs Expert Publishing Blog, an industry blog with 20,000 subscribers. She almost immediately created a firestorm of controversy by blogging that authors should respond to negative reader reviews—a blog that was later named one of the “Top 10 Digital Publishing Stories of 2012” for its “importance.” She was one of 93 authors—including over 50 New York Times bestsellers—invited to blog for “National Read-a-Romance Month” in August 2013.

In January, 2014, Elle and co-host Isobel Irons launched a self-publishing consulting company, The Book Escorts as well as “The S&M (Self-Publishing and Marketing) Podcast with Maven and Minx” on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network. In 2014, this dynamic duo will be presenting workshops on self-publishing at conferences such as EPICon, RWA Chicago’s Spring Fling, Romantic Times and RomCon. Isobel and Elle will also be attending Thrillerfest in July 2014 in a press capacity, interviewing authors and covering the conference workshops and festivities.