DIY Marketing - 2 things you can do NOW during COVID-19 to connect with readers

Do it yourself marketing is kind of like remodeling your bathroom with a cheat sheet. (Pretty good going so far, but I'll get with you again after the pipes are cut to fit the new vanities). There is always trial and error. Stuff you've never done before. Videos to watch, books to read on the subject. Time to spend.

You may not finish it in a few months like you thought. :)  

 

The difference between bathroom remodeling and DIY Marketing, however, is obvious. You will more than likely enjoy the results of your new bathroom for a few years, but when it comes to marketing, the minute you think you've got it all down, it changes to something else. 

Consider your teens favorite hair color as an example.

Enough said.

Now, with COVID-19 keeping readers pretty much at home I've had to rethink DIY marketing all over again. I will be at an event at the Tremonton City Library on August 3rd, (outside) but the focus is "still" books, so there isn't much of a surprise.

Here are two new things I am doing right now, during COVID-19 to connect with readers.

Thing 1:

Facebook Interviewing

I have recently done a video interview with Celeste Martin. She has a health and wellness group on Facebook called Wellness Wise. She exercises and posts what she does, posts inspiring quotes, and the week this blog was written, her focus was on books. She asked if I'd do an interview with her on how writing affects our wellness. I was excited to do this. I have interviewed before, but never "off paper" so you can imagine I was a little nervous. 

But I loved it! DYI interviewing is great! And I've decided that this is a step-up that I'm going to continue to take. So many people are online, on their phones, especially now, and it doesn't cost anything but your time to put something together.

Thing 2:

Blogging with My Reader at Heart

Sure, I want to sell my books, but I also want to turn my readers to books I haven't written, or teach them a writing skill I have just learned. I want to answer their questions.

No matter what you may think, blogging isn't really about YOU, it's about all those people who have questions about how to write, how to sell, how to meet people, how to do anything that you may just have the answer to!

I used to blog whatever I wanted to. Now, I hope you can see a change in the way I blog. I do a bit of research to discover what YOU WANT. DIY Marketing should be a hit because most writers do it themselves. They can't afford to pay someone else. 

I have learned some great things from other authors out there, as well as marketing gurus that know more than a little about things like keywords, headlines, plugins, Google analytics, and more.

Take some time, and take some free classes to improve your blog. I am in the process of learning more as I write this post.

Now it's your turn.