marketing

Don’t quit your daydream.

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Hello everyone. I hope you’ve had a great month so far. I’m still following my dream of publishing as many gorgeous books as I can and discovering more readers along the way. My other goals are constantly changing, but this one always stays the same. I love chatting to other book lovers and have been updating my social media feeds and trying to find time to post on TikTok and Instagram, a bit more.

I now post a marketing quote each day on Lizzie’s Book Group on Facebook, to hopefully help the writers of the group and I also share anything new I learn about book marketing there. We also have a lot of readers in the group who help us with their thoughts on cover design, why customers pick up one book over another and in sights into which genres they adore. It’s a lot of fun if anyone wants to join. Just hit the link.

I have a new book which is almost complete, about a woman who has just moved to a beautiful new area. Her business is very successful, but she is unsure about fitting in with the other people on the street. Her sexy boyfriend is also an issue, because her friends don’t know she’s dating him! More news and a cover reveal for that book soon.

Have a brilliant day. From Lizzie. x

 

/ lizziechantree / 3 Comments

coffee deadline for writers meme by Lizzie Chantree.png

Hello everyone. How are you all?

It been exciting here, as all five of my books have been in various bestseller lists recently. I’m an indie writer who is published by an independent press, so it’s wonderful to see people reading my books. A big thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, shared news of online and told their friends about my work. I appreciate each and every one of you.

I’ve just completed my 7th novel, which means I have two new books which will hopefully be out this year. I have also invited four other bestselling authors to join me as admins for my Facebook group, Lizzie’s Book Group. This group shares news of books we love, has marketing tips for creatives and it about mutual support of writers, artists, creatives and readers. If you are a writer or avid reader and would like to join the group, feel free! The link is Lizzie’s Book Group.

LizziesBook group FB headwer 2019.jpg

To grab one of my latest books, click here.

I’m also trying to work out how to update my newsletter more often. I apologise for any delay, but for someone who thinks she is quite tech savvy, the instructions go straight over my head! I just managed to change my welcome email to an updated newsletter by mistake and now every new subscriber will get my July news! Lol:) I will work it out one day.

Have an amazing week.

Relax, enjoy and have some fun.

From Lizzie.

 

Facebook Masterclass.

/ lizziechantree / 7 Comments

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Hello everyone. I went on a Facebook Masterclass last week and as soon as I got home I deleted my personal profile and my business account and started again! I now have a page that’s a few days old and barely finds an audience, but I’m working on it again. The page is Lizzie Chantree Author if any of you want to pop by. My other page had over a thousand likes and follows, but it’s much easier just having one business page linked to one profile page.

You can only have one profile on Facebook, so you can’t have one for your close friends and one for your business that has friends on it. You can however have several business pages linked to one profile. With your business profile, although it’s great to get ‘likes’ and ‘follows’, the best way to widen your audience is from comments. Facebook like interaction and are focussing on meaningful posts and mental health. This means that ads or links are not as valued as chat and will not reach as many people’s FB pages.

Another thing I didn’t realise was that you can still be followed on Fb if you don’t approve a friend request. Check where it says INTRO. Under that it will say how many people who  are following your profile anyway.

I’ll be posting more tips in my FB book group Lizzie’s Book Group and here on my blog in the coming weeks.

I finally completed my latest manuscript and am on my second set of my own edits before it wings its way to my editor. It’s such an exciting feeling to hold a finished book in my hands. I can’t wait to start on my next one too! Have an amazing week everyone.

 

BookBub.

/ lizziechantree / 4 Comments

Hello everyone. I’ve just started to take a closer look at Bookbub. I ran a promotion with them for my first book, Babe Driven, when I was first published in 2013 and hadn’t a clue what I was doing! I think BookBub must have been pretty new then too and I was very lucky to have my application accepted.

Babe Driven beach meme

I have just tried with another book and been told to apply again in three months and to think about applying for my backlist to be included. It’s kind of exciting to think that your book could be accepted, as it’s a wonderful lift for any book to receive. It does cost a lot for the promotion, but the readers your book might catch the eye of, could become true fans of your work . For me, with the first promotion I ran, it was well worth the investment, as Babe Driven swung in and out of the bestseller lists for its first year, getting as high as #323 overall in all of the paid kindle store. It got to #1 on most of its free book runs. Babe Driven is currently back in the bestseller lists, years after its first publication, and it’s great fun to see one of my indie books finding new readers. To be honest I love seeing all of my books finding new readers!

My BookBub page link

Back to BookBub. I have updated my author profile and BookBub sends out hints to have a greater presence there. One of their tips is to recommend books, as this sends your profile to lots of timelines and can help you to gain more Bookbub followers, who are all book lovers like me. It’s also  a good way of sharing news of books you enjoy and helping those authors be seen.

If anyone here is on BookBub and would like to link up and follow each other there and share news of latest releases and books we read, then that would be great. I’m still learning more about it and I’ll share any updates here on my blog.

Have a great week. From Lizzie.

Monday thoughts.

/ lizziechantree / 12 Comments

Tweet by Lizzie Chantree 19

Hello everyone. How are you all? Over the past week, I have begun to experiment with advertising. I’ve taught myself a bit about AMS ads, or Amazon Marketing Services ads. I’ve tried my first ad, which has just been approved, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve also been learning about Facebook ads, as they used to seem quite confusing to me, but I now understand about how to reach more readers and to let them know about my books. Most of my readers come from word of mouth, where someone discovers one of my books and then tells their friends and family. This is such a wonderful way for me to meet new readers of my work and it makes me smile so much when someone tells me that they have been recommended to my books.

Each time I read a new book now, I try to share it in as many places as possible, to help the author. A little can go a long way, so every review you give, recommendation you share, bookmark you give to a friend or business card you pin to a coffee shop noticeboard, is giving an author a helping hand.

5 ways to help authors find new readers:

  1. Tell your friends and family!
  2. Post reviews to online book groups.
  3. Share your love of a book on social media as many times as you can.
  4. Write a Facebook post about why you loved the book.
  5. This is actually the most important. Leave a review if you can. Reviews help readers you don’t know, find out about books you’ve read and enjoyed. I know some people hate writing reviews, as they don’t know what to write, but one or two lines saying something like…

‘I enjoyed this book because it’s well written and made me smile. If you like romantic comedies, you will love this book!’

… is often enough to make someone read the blurb and think about trying the story for themselves.

Have a fantastic week. From Lizzie.   🙂

Monday Mojo. 4/1/19

/ lizziechantree / 7 Comments

bad hair day meme by Lizzie Chantree

Hello everyone. I was reading an article recently about making your home your haven and it made me think about my writing space. I made myself a really long desk out of an old piece of kitchen worktop and was so excited to have room for my computer, printer, paperwork etc. The problem is that now I have all of those, plus a banana, a cup of tea, a set of keys, a ruler, four notebooks, sellotape, an inhaler, a pot of pens, hand cream… the list could go on for a few pages at least! My point is that to work efficiently, we need a clear mind and some space around us that isn’t cluttered. I know that some people work well with trinkets around them, but I’m not one of those people and I feel happier and more alert when my desk is clear.

Apparently a few tricks and small changes can ensure that the space where we work actually enhances our ability to get on with the job and not hinder it.

Here is why clutter is not good for our creativity:

It is hard to navigate the space. It collects dust. It makes the environment we work in chaotic, which drags our focus from our work.

Do we actually need all of the things on our desks? I certainly don’t need the banana or the tea as I only ate breakfast ten minutes ago and the hand cream is probably ten years old. In reality, I only need one pen and a notebook, plus my computer and printer and I’m all set to go.

Top tips for an easier work flow:

Declutter.

Connection with the outdoors if possible, as this helps with the feeling of contentment. Sitting by a window is productive apparently.

Smell can have a positive and negative impact on your mood, so stick with soft fragrances. Peppermint, lemon and rosemary are good for productivity.

Add visual prompts that remind you to relax your mind, like family photos or art that makes you smile.

Remember that your work environment is important to your wellbeing and if you can take a few moments to make it your haven, then hopefully it will show in your work.

Have a great week! From Lizzie. 

 

Monday Mojo. 25/2/19.

/ lizziechantree / 3 Comments

Enough Books Meme by Lizzie Chantree

Hello everyone. I’ve done so many marketing posts over the years that I’ve decided to change things up a little. I will still be doing marketing posts and sharing extra writing tips on my Facebook group, Lizzie’s Book Group, which you are all welcome to join, but I also thought I’d share some ways to keep your writing mojo alive and to motivate us all to feel good about ourselves and write more.

When it comes to ambition, both internal and external forces come into play and things like praise, accolades, money, status, friends, family, sometimes take over when research suggests that personal desires and motivation last longer and can ultimately lead to us achieving more in life.  If you are stuck in a rut, revisit what brings you happiness and clarify your personal goals. Put aside goals that you feel others expect of you.

Can you clearly see what motivates you as well as what holds you back? If you understand where you might be failing, you are more likely to be able to overcome it. Fear of failing often prevents us with actually getting on with a task, so have courage and start that new book. Silence your inner critic and reach for your dreams.

Learn. Knowledge is a great way to gain skills to succeed. Maybe find a mentor and soak up their experience.

If you are struggling to meet your goals, rethink them. Make them smaller and more achievable and then move on to the next step of your career. If you set yourself a target of writing a book in three months and that’s not achievable, as you have another job or busy family life, why not extend the boundaries and try and write a book in a year? You might find that without the added pressure of timeframes that the words flow and the book is completed in eight months.

A top tip I was told when I began my writing career was: You can’t edit a blank page. Just get those words on to paper. Believe you can and you will.

 

Have a fun filled and fabulous new week! From Lizzie. 

Monday Marketing.

/ lizziechantree / 3 Comments

Book tweet 2 by Lizzie Chantree

Hello everyone. I’ve been busily writing a new novel and am now over halfway there. I’ve changed my routine and have been going to the gym more… not to work out, as I have an injury, but to sit and write. Originally I took my work there as a way to keep myself in the habit of going to the gym, but now I find I can easily write 1-2,000 words in a couple of hours. I think it is because I know I will only be there for a a short while and I set myself a 1,000 word target, which I’m disappointed if I don’t reach. Do you find a change of scenery helps with your flow of words?

For todays marketing tips, I was thinking of the fact that I’ve been contacted by some bookshops recently and asked to do some author visits and book signings. These were wonderful and I’m looking forward to them. They saw my interaction with readers online and contacted me about visiting their shops. So here are my 3 quick tips for being asked to book signings.

  1. Be social on social media and show your personality. Why would you be a good fit for a bookstore looking to fill their calendar with new authors?
  2. Have a website that is easy to find, fits your brand and has a way for bookshops to contact you. Be professional.
  3. Make it as easy as possible for the bookshop owner. Have press releases ready for them to send out. Have book links etc available for them and have author photos and book covers sent over for them to use in marketing material.



Monday Marketing with guest Lizzie Lamb.

/ lizziechantree / 26 Comments

Today it’s my great pleasure to invite author Lizzie Lamb onto my blog to share with you her top three marketing tips. I’m Currently writing my seventh romance novel, so I can relate to the ‘sit down and finish the novel’ tip!

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#2

#3

Lizzie’s author bio with links –

After teaching her 1000th pupil and working as a deputy head teacher in a large primary school, Lizzie decided to pursue her first love: writing. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme, wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted(2012), quickly followed by Boot Camp Bride. She went on to publish Scotch on the Rocks, which achieved Best Seller status within two weeks of appearing on Amazon and her next novel, Girl in the Castle, reached #3 in the Amazon charts. Lizzie is a founder member of indie publishing group – New Romantics Press, and has co-hosted author events at Aspinall, St Pancras and Waterstones, Kensington, talking about the research which underpins her novels. Lizzie latest romance Take Me, I’m Yoursis set in Wisconsin, a part of the USA which she adores. This novel also achieved BEST SELLER status >travel>USA. She has further Scottish-themed romances planned and spends most of the summer touring the Scottish Highlands researching men in kilts. What’s not to like? As for the years she spent as a teacher, they haven’t quite gone to waste. She is building a reputation as a go-to speaker on indie publishing, and how to plan, write, and publish a debut novel. She is currently working on #6 – a road trip ‘movie’ where two warring guardians are forced to join forces and set off in hot pursuit after a runaway niece and son.  Lizzie lives in Leicestershire (UK) with her husband, David.

She loves to hear from readers, so do get in touch . . .

Lizzie’s Links

https://www.amazon.com/author/lizzielamb

www.facebook.com/LizzieLambwriter

lizzielambwriter@gmail.com

website: www.lizzielamb.co.uk

https://twitter.com/lizzie_lamb

Newsletter – http://tinyurl.com/ELNL-2016

Linked in: uk.linkedin.com/pub/lizzie-lamb/18/194/202/

Goodreads http://tinyurl.com/cbla48d

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lizzielamb/

 

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Take Me, I’m Yours

India Buchanan plans to set up an English-Style bed and breakfast establishment in her great-aunt’s home, MacFarlane’s Landing, Wisconsin. But she’s reckoned without opposition from Logan MacFarlane whose family once owned her aunt’s house and now want it back. MacFarlane is in no mood to be denied. His grandfather’s living on borrowed time and Logan has vowed to ensure the old man sees out his days in their former home. India’s great-aunt has other ideas and has threatened to burn the house to the ground before she lets a MacFarlane set foot in it. There’s a story here. One the family elders aren’t prepared to share. When India finds herself in Logan’s debt, her feelings towards him change. However, the past casts a long shadow and events conspire to deny them the love and happiness they both deserve. Can India and Logan’s love overcome all odds? Or is history about to repeat itself?

 

Monday Marketing.

/ lizziechantree / 6 Comments

Lizzie Chantree Monday Marketing2

Happy new week everyone. Today’s post is about how you can help yourself with your marketing approach. When I published my first book, I didn’t know where to go to for help with marketing and I felt quite isolated. I then joined a book group called RRBC and also some Facebook groups and found that there is a lot of help out there. Here are my three top tips for marketing that have worked for me.

  1. Shout out about other people’s work on social media, but always remember to tag them in on it by adding their Facebook page name or Twitter bio name with the @ symbol in front. This disappears on Facebook once you type the name, but it tags the person you are talking about. More often than not, people will see that you are trying to help promote their work and do the same for you if they can. This is all about helping each other. It doesn’t mean spend all day tweeting or posting about other people’s work, but a few choice posts will make others see that you are willing to help them. They might check out your work, tweet about it, or share it on their Facebook timeline.
  2. Join groups on Facebook. You will often find people who have similar interests to you here, and if you are a writer, most groups about books will be full of other authors and readers of different genres. Just type something like romance readers book group etc in the search bar and ask to join. I have a book group and FB have just dropped 60 of my members without my knowledge, because they weren’t active, even though they may have enjoyed reading the posts. This seems to be a new thing, so if you want to stay in a group, be sure to post in it every now and them or join the group discussions. My book group is full of marketing tips for writers and book suggestions for readers. Lizzie’s Book Group. Feel free to join if you want to.
  3. Have bookmarks or business cards made up – not just with your business details, but make them interesting! You can put quotes, photos and anything that will make other people pick them up. Leave them in coffee shops, on notice boards and in shop windows. These are often free or cost as little as 50p per week to post.