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FEATURED ARTICLE APRIL 2013
What's Missing in Your Marketing Materials? Perhaps a CALL to ACTION?
by Laura Orsini
Have you ever met anyone who, when approached with an idea, responds with all  the reasons it won’t work? Are the reasons ever things like “We’ve already tried that – and it failed”? In all likelihood, we may have uttered similar words ourselves: “I tried it once, but it didn’t work.”
Now I’m not a big believer in banging your head against a wall, trying to force a solution that just isn’t applicable. However, I think before you abandon an idea, it may be worthwhile to evaluate why it didn’t work.
Take the example of marketing collateral – any sorts of marketing materials you use to promote your book or your business. Bookmarks, postcards, flyers, business cards – even on- and offline advertisements. Have you spent money on any of these in the past, just to have them yield little to no results? OK – yes, we’re inundated with advertising and marketing messages. But if you put your best effort into your marketing materials, had them professionally designed, professionally printed, and distributed them through viable, visible channels and they still yielded zero results, I’d like to suggest that perhaps something else was lacking in them: a strong, easy-to-understand CALL to ACTION.
Do you still have any of those marketing pieces – even just digital copies? Go study them and answer this next question honestly: Do your marketing materials tell your prospects what to do next?
Say you left a stack of snazzy postcards for your new book at your favorite coffeehouse – a venue that hosts readings by local authors from time to time. These are your people. You know they took your cards because you went in every other day and saw the pile dwindling. And yet, not one person called to ask about your book, and you saw no new sales or noticeable pickup in traffic to your blog, website, or Facebook page. Did you guide them to do any of those things?
Call me to schedule a reading and book signing.
Buy my book on my website.
Like my Facebook page and download a PDF of the first two chapters.
Does this sound absurd? Funny thing is, it happens all the time. That’s why it’s essential that you understand the importance of including your call to action on ALL of your marketing materials. Every single instance of marketing you create must contain a call to action. What’s the next thing you want the person reading your newsletter, blog, or promotional postcard to DO? Marketing materials without a call to action are like a car with no fuel. They may look pretty, but they’re not going to do their job very well, are they? Yet it’s amazing how many authors and business owners fail to include a call to action on their marketing materials, websites, or blogs.
What should your call to action include? Think about the questions your potential reader might have when viewing your marketing info:
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Where can I buy this book?
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When and where is the author's next live event?
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Do they Tweet? Have a Facebook page or Pinterest board?
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Are they running any sort of special right now?
Are your marketing materials answering all of those questions? Here’s the last piece – the WHY. Why should your prospect buy your book, ask you to speak, or visit your blog? What will they get or learn if they do? Will you save them time? Will you solve their relationship problems? Will you teach them how to train their pet gerbil to walk on its hind legs? Will you entertain them with a great story that makes them laugh and cry? ■
NEXT MONTH: Your Time Is Your MOST Valuable Possession: How to Plan a Book Launch Strategy
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If you really want to learn the ins and outs of self-publishing, mark your calendar for the weekend of June 8 & 9 and get enrolled NOW for the Self-Publishing Boot Camp! Just $97 for two days of speakers who will teach you all you need to know to self-publish your book.
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Clients we're supporting...
Though we're not really at liberty to say who we're working for, we've recently been hired by SEO COMPANY "X" to do some copywriting, including an 8-page special report. This is a juicy gig, as it's stretching our creativity in terms of content, layout, and concept. If your special report isn't doing the job or just needs some jazzing up, we've got you covered! |
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Blogs we're following...
While we often suggest publishing industry blogs, this one is truly a readers' blog. Subtitled "Illuminating Conversations about Books and Reading," it lives up to the moniker. I love the aspirational nature of the posts like this one: "We review the stacks of books we wish we could read right now." [emphasis mine] |
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Sites we're using...
Thinking about using a QR code on your marketing collateral? MobiBrix offers you the ability to generate a complimentary QR code you can reuse numerous times. You can use the same QR code to lead users to your website today, your Facebook page tomorrow, and your YouTube channel next week, and you can change it without physically changing the QR code. More options, less money — and a great explanation of how QR codes work, if it's still a bit foreign to you. |
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Resources we're recommending...
Snowfall Press is a small printing company with distribution centers in Phoenix, Colorado, and Tennessee. A great resource for self-published authors, printing with Snowfall couldn't be easier. You upload the PDF of your cover (front, spine, back in one file), upload the PDF of your text, select how many you want, and they're printed in a few days! Better still, you can order just ONE copy or hundreds of copies. Even better than that, they can set you up to distribute your book through your own website, so you can keep more money in your own pocket instead of referring buyers to Amazon!
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Conferences upcoming...
The 11th Annual Southern California Writers' Conference will take place in Newport Beach the weekend of Sept. 20-22. With fiction and nonfiction workshops, as well as critiques, speakers, and an agents panel, this is a great opportunity to get your book in front of industry pros and receive feedback from them. This conference is, first and foremost, about the writer. Get support, learn to navigate the ever-changing publishing waters, and make great connections. |
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Contests for submitting...
The Santa Fe Writers Project is accepting full-length manuscripts, collections short and long, and excerpts submitted by July 15. The Grand Prize winner will win $1,000 and two fiction and two nonfiction runner-ups will each receive $650. SFWP will review all entries for 2014 publication via their press. GUIDELINES
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Books we're reading...
In something of a mashup between Sark's Succulent Wild Woman and Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love, this book is utterly delicious. Gorgeous images, thoughtful guided journal exercises. If you need a creativity infusion, this book will do it. Buy here. |
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Movies we're watching...
In Kumaré, American documentarian Vikram Gandhi transforms himself into a fake Indian guru, with the goal of proving the absurdity of blind faith. Controversial and provocative, this film is a great exploration of our culture's views on spirituality. Interesting to see recognizable faces from around the Phoenix spiritual scene. |
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Freebies we're offering...
Whether you're building your first author website or revamping an existing one, this worksheet will guide you through the process, from choosing keywords to writing tags for your images to creating autoresponders so you can follow up with those who download your freebie. Get your copy here. |
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Places Laura's speaking...
For just $35, you can attend this 2-day summit where you'll get help with your business plan, social media, branding, and of course, Laura will teach you everything you need to know to get your first eBook out into the world. Laura is speaking on Day 2, Saturday May 17. The event is at the Phoenix Civic Center. Register here. |
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THIS MONTH'S OFFER...
$1,099 Special. Get your eBook published and distributed before Memorial Day! This special includes editing, cover design, formatting, ISBN, and upload to Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Reserve your spot now. First 4 only! 602.518.5376. Be sure to mention the Creative Quill Newsletter. |
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How do we discover what we really have to say, that which arises from our true nature? The key is to ... live in the light of inquiry, not seeking immediate answers and simply allowing the process to unfold. The ability to embrace mystery, to stand bravely in front of the unknown, and to encourage the process of discovery is a key requirement.
David Ulrich
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Reserve your seat for the Self-Publishing Boot Camp, Saturday and Sunday June 8 & 9. Just $97 gets you seminars on every aspect of self-publishing, including:
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Editing | Cover Design and Interior Layout | eBook Conversions | Your Book as a Business | Selling on Amazon | Your Author's Website | Your Book Trailer | Crowdfunding to Fund Your Book Project | Printing Options | Book Launch Strategies | Your Book as a Launchpad for Speaking Gigs | Failsafe PR and Marketing Strategies
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In just two days, you'll walk away, confident in the knowledge of what's involved in successfully self-publishing your book. SelfPubAZ.com |
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