How to Create a Brand that Reaches Your Audience - Guest Post by Caroline George

Chances are, if you visit an art museum, you will be able to differentiate paintings by Claude Monet from those belonging to Pablo Picasso. Artists have their own styles, aesthetics and subject matter—they have personal brands that set them apart from other creatives.

Pin This!

In the same way, your personal brand gives you a unique edge, helps you cater to your target audience and boosts your overall recognition.

How does one build a personal brand?

Is it possible to develop a brand even if one isn’t media savvy?

Before we explore the benefits and process of personal branding, let me preface by saying not everyone is designed to be media superstars. In fact, personal branding is less about exposure and more about recognition, loyal following and longevity.

For five years, I worked to pinpoint my personal brand. I tried different color schemes on my social media, struggled to find my own media voice and failed to create a lasting brand over-and-over again. After many bouts of frustration, I concluded: Personal branding is all about knowing myself and knowing my niche—it’s not an acting gig where I get to try on different personas.

Before you can solidify your personal brand, you must first:

-        Know yourself

-        And know your niche.

Who are you? What are your goals? What do you want to achieve? Who would be interested in your content? What do they want and need? How can you reach them?

Getting to know yourself takes years of trial-and-error. However, once you answer the questions above, you’re ready to begin the personal branding journey.

Social media is a labyrinth of algorithms, influencers and excessive content. Attempting to develop a personal brand and audience through platforms like Instagram and Facebook may seem daunting.

Things to remember:

-        It is better to have a small, loyal audience that engages with your content than a large following that steers clear of your posts.

-        Social media fame doesn’t happen overnight. To gain followers, you must be consistent.

-        There is room for you in the social media world.

Things to keep in mind while constructing your social media:

-        Unity needs to be your number one priority. Unless your content is unified by your message, voice and color scheme, your personal brand will be indistinct.

-        Know your voice, then include it in your posts. Pinpoint the “most you” way of writing and use that style in your captions.

-        Choose a color scheme and stick with it. Your social media pages should have similar aesthetic.

-        Content is king. Be sure to offer your followers valuable information, pictures, etc. that encourage them to return to your pages. If the content aligns with your message and style, it will strengthen your personal brand,

Lastly, give yourself grace to grow. No one was born a social media guru. Those who seem to have a knack for personal branding perfected their skills over time. When you fail, try again. Always look for ways to better understand yourself and your audience.

If your brand succeeds, so will your personal business.

About the Author:

Caroline George commits her time and energy to telling stories in their many forms. As a 2017 Belmont University graduate with a double-major in publishing and public relations, Caroline aims to pursue a career committed to helping authors, publishers and organizations project their stories to their publics. She spends her time blogging, writing for various magazines, leading a local small group and authoring young adult fiction books (her current publications include “The Prime Way Trilogy” and “The Vestige”). She considers herself a not-so-southern Georgia peach, coffee-junkie, bona fide goofball and delights in being best known for writing the phrase, “Coffee first. Save the world later.”

Question for you:

What are your greatest struggles when it comes to personal branding?

Tweetable:

How to Create a Brand that Reaches Your Audience - Guest Post by Caroline George #branding #writerslife @tessaemilyhall @CarolineGeorge_ https://bit.ly/2P5g0za

How Beginning Writers Can Build a Platform P.3: Benefits of Branding

In the previous two posts of this series, I shared with you the purpose of a platform and how you can find your core readership on social media. In today’s post, I want to help you understand the benefits of branding yourself as an author—and how doing so can help you establish your author platform.

First of all, what is an author’s brand?

Pin This!

The term “brand” might bring to mind visuals of logos and advertisements of companies. What comes to mind when you think about McDonalds? Probably the golden arches, a (rather frightening) clown, and happy meals. This is the visual aspect of McDonald’s brand. It’s the image that comes to mind when we think of that fast food chain.

However, brand reaches deeper than just surface-level appeal. Brand is the reputation that a company establishes for itself. McDonalds has established itself as an inexpensive and quick fast food restaurant that accommodates to kids and families. This brand doesn’t just reflect the company of McDonalds, but it also tells the customer what they can expect from it. Customers know the benefits they’ll receive when choosing to eat at McDonalds.

That’s what branding is about: 1) Creating an intentional reputation with customers, and 2) Catching target customers’ attention by offering something of value to them. (Which is usually stemmed from asking the question, what does my target readership need, and how can I provide this for them?)

Now, let’s apply this to our brand as an author.

Even if you aren’t a published author, everything you post online—and even the presence you carry at conferences and events—will contribute to your reputation whether you like it or not. So why not be intentional with this reputation? Why not use it to garner attention from your target readership in a way that will contribute to your overall platform?

If you have no idea what your brand is, it’s never too late to begin establishing one. (Just keep in mind that, as an aspiring author, this brand might transform over time as you begin to discover yourself as an author.)

Here’s how aspiring authors can approach the branding process…

1. Create a visual that reflects your genre and brand.

If you write thrillers, consider sticking with a dark color scheme on your website and social media. Your visual brand is a combination of your color scheme, designs, images, and fonts you choose on your website and social media.

Consider researching various colors so you can select the ones that subconsciously give off the reputation you hope to establish. (For example, the color blue is calming, and it’s often associated with faith. This is why I chose to use it for my online visual brand.)

2. Portray your unique characteristics, personality, interests, and hobbies in a way that will set you apart from others.

Another benefit of branding is the opportunity it gives us to stand apart from the crowd. This is especially useful for the aspiring authors who hope to make a unique impression to readers, agents, and publishers.

Thankfully, each of us have been gifted with uniqueness, so we don’t have to try hard to allow these unique traits to shine through. Be yourself, because this authenticity is what will appeal and connect with your readers.

For example: Are you obsessed with cats? Don’t be ashamed to post cat pictures and videos. You might even consider including a picture of a cat in your website theme (perhaps one that’s sitting next to an old typewriter and a mug of steaming tea).

Your readers will connect with you because of who you are, so don’t be afraid to embrace this when it comes to establishing your brand!


3. Offer value to your reader.

This is probably the most important aspect of branding. Why? Because the core purpose of creating a brand is to hook your target readership into following you and purchasing your books. In other words: Creating a brand isn’t about the author. It should instead be focused on meeting the needs and interests of your target readership.

This is why authors create taglines for their websites; they want their readers to know what they’ll glean from their books.

My tagline, for example, reads as the following: Inspirational yet authentic young adult fiction. I want to be known for writing books that inspire teens yet remains authentic when it comes to reflecting their youth culture. On my website, I wrote a brief “introduction” (for lack of better word) to my reader. I tell them what they’ll get out of the books that I write, and I did this by approaching a need that many teens have—and that is the longing to feel accepted and understood. (You can read this on my website by clicking here.)   

To summarize: It’s tough for today’s author to break into the crowded marketplace. That’s why it’s important now more than that us writers effectively brand ourselves in a way that sets us apart, contributes to our platform, reflects the books we write, and offers value to our readership. If this is done successfully, then the online platform we build will consist of potential buyers of our books—and the time we spend building our platform will be effective and worthwhile in the long run.      

~ ~ ~

How do you brand yourself? Have you struggled with effectively communicating your brand? Leave your questions and thoughts in the comments!

Click to Tweet:

How Beginning Writers Can Build a Platform P.3: Benefits of Branding via @TessaEmilyHall http://bit.ly/2AJNTxX #writerslife #platform

Want to receive occasional writing tips, inspiration, and giveaways sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for my writers-only mailing list below! (I promise not to spam your inbox or share your info with others.)

* indicates required

Email Address *

How Can an Aspiring Author Build a Platform That Impresses an Agent or Publisher?

Pin It!

VIDEO VERSION ...





TEXT VERSION ...


It's not an easy feat for aspiring authors to sign with a literary agent these days. The competition is tough. Slush piles are high. And when a writer receives a rejection, it doesn't necessarily mean they're a bad writer. So how can you, an aspiring author, catch the attention of an agent or publisher?

For those of you who aren't aware, I've been working with Hartline Literary Agency as an intern for the past six months. It's been enlightening to see this side of the industry, to say the least. As I've helped Cyle Young weave through his slush pile, I've discovered more and more as to why, exactly, it's difficult for aspiring authors -- even the talented and experienced writers -- to land a literary agent. 

Agents receive floods of queries. This isn't just an excuse they give when they respond to your query six months after your submission. It's the hard truth. And unfortunately, responding to this flood of submissions is not an agent's primary job. 

When they do snatch an opportunity to comb through their submissions, they have to be strict about who they sign with -- otherwise, they'd take on hundreds of authors who share the same publishing dream as you do.  

So how can you, an aspiring author, separate yourself from the crowd? What are agents searching for these days?

As much as agents love to discover new talent, they won't sign with a client unless they believe the project has potential to sell to publishers. With that in mind, let's reframe the question: What is it that publishers look for when they receive a proposal?

Great writing + Intruiging premise + Strong platform

Of course, publishers only take on projects that they believe will sell in today's current marketplace. So if you can send them a project that fits the above criteria, then your chances of publication will increase.


Acquisition editors are becoming more strict about platform. In the past, only the non-fiction writers were expected to have a strong audience; now, the fiction writers are expected to have an established one as well. Yes, even before their book is published. 

What is a platform, exactly?

A platform is the total number of people you can reach when your book is published. It's your audience, your readership. The combined number of your followers online. Your "tribe". Potential customers of your book.  

I've even heard that some acquisition editors will choose a big platform over good writing. Why? Because, ultimately, it’s the number that will sell the book. Publishers have to stay in business. It makes sense that they wouldn't want to take on a project unless they know the book could sell well.  

In other words -- that book you've spent countless hours working on? If you hope it'll see the light of day, it's wise to devote just as much work into building a platform that will impress an agent or publisher.

Here are 5 ways this can be accomplished:

1. Blog consistently

If you post 1 - 3 times per week, blogging can expand reach to your target audience. Your blog is your cyber home, and it can become the area in which you discuss topics related to your writing, spark conversation, and interact with followers. Think of your blog as a virtual coffee shop you can go to and interact with your readers. 

Your blog is also an online portfolio of your writing. It can help you discover your brand -- which will, in return, expand your platform. Not only that, but if you do post consistently, you'll prove to prospective agents that you can write quality content on deadline.


But simply creating a blog and writing an occasional post isn't going to help. You must go into blogging with the specific intention to build your readership. If you'd like more advice on how to do that, check out my series on blogging -- Part 1 and Part 2.

2. Remain active {and interactive} on social media

Blogging is a passion of mine. I enjoy the process of sharing information and inspiration, then receiving instant publication and conversation with readers. 

Social media, on the other hand, took a bit longer to get accustomed to. As an introvert, I don’t have that natural tendency to spark random conversations or publicly display my life for others. However, social media is a powerful tool that allows writers to network with others in the industry and target core readership -- both of which can contribute to platform. 


You can use social media as a way to connect with readers. Your posts can inspire, entertain, inform, reflect, and educate. No, you don't necessarily have to use it to grant strangers an "inside peek" into your personal life -- but keep in mind that readers do enjoy learning about the person behind the books. It makes authors come across as more approachable. (John Greene is an excellent example on how to build a tribe on social media by remaining your genuine, authentic self.)


If you need more help on how to use social media to your advantage, I recommend Edie Melson's blog, The Write Conversation, as well as her book, Connections.

3. Discover and develop your brand

A brand is the reputation you create for yourself. It’s the image, essence, and impression that comes to your readers' minds when they hear your name. A brand combines an author's genre, personality, and unique characteristics in a way that sets them apart from other authors. 


At the same time, your brand can offer something of value to your readership, which is why it aids in building platform and selling books. If you can communicate your brand effectively through your online presence, then your readers will know what to expect every time they purchase one of your books.  

4. Focus on your readers

Going back to the example of John Greene: Another reason he has such a supportive tribe is because of the relationship he's formed with his fans. He didn't become a #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author simply by posting on his social media accounts and blog, My book releases in two days! Pre-order your copy now! Instead, he first focused on building a relationship with his readers. And it's because of that relationship that readers flock to buy his books as soon as they're available for pre-order.


We can accomplish the same through our social media accounts and blog as well. Rather than using our online presence as a means to post "commercials" of our products, we can instead use it as a way to connect with our target audience. Offer something of value to them in every post. Learn who they are. Cater to them, and make them feel special.


Why do fans love Taylor Swift? Not just because of her music, but because she establishes friendships with her fans. And of course they'll want to buy an album from one of their best friends! Never once have I seen her begging these fans to buy her album.


As you're discovering your brand, ask yourself: What is it that readers will get out of my products? Why will they want to return to my blog and interact with me on social media?

5. Generate a mailing list

Your readers might miss an occasional blog or social media post from you. But if they sign up for your mailing list, then that post can be delivered straight to their inbox.


This can be a powerful tool, but only if it's treated with respect. If you abuse your mailing list, then the frequent email blasts you send will come across as spam, and your readers will most likely unsubscribe.


When you set up your mailing list, use the same principles mentioned above. Ask yourself, what will my readers get in return? Why will they want to sign up? Is it because they'll receive an instant short story or coffee recipe? Is it because they're interested in hearing about the frequent YA book sales that you could include in your newsletter?


Treat your mailing list subscribers as if they're apart of your special club. Cater your email blasts and newsletters toward them, and watch as the size of your dedicated readership increases.   

SUMMARY: 



Building a platform that impresses an agent or publisher probably won't come quick or easy. But if you keep at it, it can turn into a snowball effect: The bigger it grows, the more people you'll reach -- and the bigger it'll grow, etc.



Eventually, you might feel as though you're taking away from your book-writing hours. But if you can balance time management well, then the hours and effort you devote into building a platform will pay off. 


In fact, it may be the very reason why a literary agent selects your query out of their pile of submissions.



TWEETABLE:

How Can an Aspiring Author Build a Platform That Impresses an Agent or Publisher? http://bit.ly/1YviHtP #pubtips @TessaEmilyHall

~ ~ ~

Do you enjoy the challenge of building a platform? Or would you prefer to devote time into writing instead? I’d love to hear your thoughts!