High Class Books: Heather Manley – The Key to a Successful New Book Launch

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Heather Manley – The Key to a Successful New Book Launch

The Key to a Successful New Book Launch Using Social Networks

by Heather Manley

Social media is daunting to many authors but those authors who don’t want to engage in the social media networking might be losing out on sales; especially, global sales. Blogging, twitter, facebook and pinterest are the bare essentials and musts for all authors to establish a successful book brand. And remember, social networking is not about self-promotion, it’s about networking with other authors: sharing posts, re-tweeting, and re-pinning. All of this will enhance word of mouth for your book and let you meet a lot of new friends!

Below are my top 5 ways to get started on social media:

First, purchase an URL through 1 and 1, BlueHost or Go Daddy.
Second, set up a wordpress blog. This is much easier than it was few years ago as there are hundreds of YouTube tutorials. On your blog, use widgets side to showcase your books with a link to your amazon page). Plan to blog at least one time a week. It is best to designate a specific day for this; every Tuesday at noon, your blog published. Most readers appreciate continuity.
Next plan to tackle the social media outlets. Set up a Facebook account for your book, your author or series name. Post relevant statuses: ask friends’ questions, share from other pages and place comments on your favorite pages. These will all help increase your facebook friends and get your page noticed. When you post a blog, update it on your facebook page. Only Facebook post 2 to 5 times a day.
Twitter: You might want to wait a bit for Twitter but at some point it will be important to broaden your reach. It moves a lot faster than facebook and because of this, you can automate numerous posts via Hootesuite.
Set up a pinterest account. Create boards such as: Best Kids Books, Best Fiction Books, Best Mystery Books, and Best Book Trailers. Be creative and support your fellow authors.
Lastly, be gentle with yourself. Nothing will happen overnight so take your time to find what works best for you but do move forward!

A little bit more about Dr. Heather:

Dr. Heather Manley, who in 2001 received her medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, is a practicing physician whose primary interest is preventative healthcare for families. She is the author of the award winning Human Body Detectives, her children’s educational adventure series of story-telling books, curriculum, eBooks, and iPhone/iPad apps. She also promotes wellness and naturopathic healthcare on her website DrHeatherND.com. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband and two daughters, and is currently at work on the next Human Body Detectives adventure.