Author Marketing

Are you ready to get the word out on your book?

Even if you don’t have a book yet, the GOOD NEWS is that it is never too early (or too late) to begin marketing your book and building your audience!

Many authors come to us with a huge passion for their book and a defined vision to help people, but are perhaps a little confused (or even clueless) on where to begin. Guess what, that is OK because that is where we all start! We, the partners at Cherished Solutions, llc, (Cherish Flieder and Benjamin Hummel) have been working with publishers and authors of all sizes since 1997. We have watched the world of traditional publishing reach a climax and the world of POD/DIY/independent book publishing truly rise and begin to flourish in the past decade. We have kept on top of the latest technology and tools to get books published and marketed effectively and on a realistic budget. We have helped our authors get the tools they need and have watched these same hard-working clients grow and mature their businesses, win awards and get lots of PR on national media outlets. There is so much potential ahead of you, but without putting a team in place, you may feel lost and overwhelmed at the prospect of doing is all yourself.

So, that’s where our expertise come in! For us, there is no greater joy than watching our clients and students success (we also teach marketing, design and illustration at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design).

How can we help you?

We offer many design, illustration and marketing solutions to fit your needs. The way we like to work is to first get to know you and establish your goals as an author. After all, how can any artist create a masterpiece without becoming an expert on what they are painting? We can do this on a free introductory consultation call which you can schedule at your convenience. On this call, we will discuss your needs and look at where you are and how we can use all our combined skills and expertise to amplify your passion to share your book with your target audience.

This is a very collaborative process, so we come along side you and perhaps existing members of your team, to help to implement practical and helpful solutions that will make a positive difference to your reputation and to your bottom line.

Services we are pleased offer…

Custom logo design is a great place to begin building the visual appearance of your “author brand.”This is something that arc over all of your marketing efforts giving you one strong unified voice in the memory of your readers. Since we live in a very visual world, don’t underestimate the value of your visual reputation online. The benefit of hiing a porfessional, is that you will be in the drivers seat on what kind of image you want to put forth about yourself. Colors, shapes and fonts all have a language all their own and will say very specific things about you. Don’t leave this up to chance! Our expertise allows us the ability to design a visual message to say what you want it to before it goes viral on the web.

The great thing is that once we develop your brand’s logo, we can then translate that visual information into a banner for your blog, a header for your website, a new cover for your author Facebook page or even creative Twitter or YouTube background. To make the biggest splash online, be consistent and your message will amplify.

Book design is of course central to your success to selling books. As you probably know, people still do judge a book by it’s cover. How are you going to stand out and best represent your message to the world. Unless you are a professional designer  you absolutely must hire a professional if you want your book to look professional. There is much more that needs to be considered and known about that you may ever realize. There are many marketing efforts on a book cover design that are untapped because of lack of knowledge, creativity and experience. We would love to guide you though this process so you are not in the dark when it comes to the way you book looks and feels whether it is printed or read electronically.

Website and blog design is core to your ability to market yourself online. Why do author’s need a website? It’s because you must have a home base for all your precious original content in a way that will benefit you! Plus, it enhances your reputation (if done right) and allows you the opportunity to share your book and resources in a friendly non-salesy/pushy way. Here at Cherished Solutions, we love designing with the self-hosted WordPress platform. It is flexible and easy enough that even our least web savvy clients have learned how to update it and it is robust enough giving us the foundation to grow dynamic websites and communities. Do you have a blog and/or website? Do you know they can live happily together on the same WordPress installation? We can also assist you in a website and blog re-design? Some of Cherish’s clients like to call her the “Website Diva or” “Website Remodelista.” Whether you need a new site from scratch or need a visual upgrade to match your new branding, give Cherish a call to create a customized WordPress theme for your author website.

Once you have your website in place, we can also help your with setting us a shopping cart to sell your books, products, and even digital downloads. We often partner with Paypal and Ecwid for their state-of-the-art services. It is easier and more affordable than you know to have a robust online shopping experience that your readers will be able to use with ease.

Social media integration (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and others) is the name of the game today. Let’s make the most of your limited time and teach you techniques to engage with your choice networks with skill and effectiveness.

One-on-one social media and WordPress training. We recommend as an author you take the reins on your marketing efforts and we will be here to show you how. No one will ever be as passionate as you will be for your book. Also, taking an hour or two a day to talk to your audience on your blog and social media is time well spent. Let them get to know you, as the old saying goes, “people buy from people that they know, like and trust!”

Product Development. Many authors also have the need to develop other digital and physical products to sell alongside their books. We have designed many products that have sold in the millions and we know the kind of detail it takes to make something quality. PLUS, we have amazing resources to produce many amazing items on demand!

Benjamin and Cherish are both accomplished and award-willing illustrators as well. If you need custom illustrations, give us a call. We have several styles including children’s book, realism, whimsical, cartoon, feminine, portraiture and even landscape (check out our portfolios here). Illustrations breathe life into your publications, website pages and blogs. They will leave a lasting impression on your readers and will help your stand out from the crowd!

Lastly, with our author marketing coaching packages we can work together to brainstorm creative marketing ideas and plans with you and get you on your way. We can help you create a focused 5-page marketing plan that will be easy to put into action and then guide you as you take each step. Whether your are a DIY Do-it-yourself author or a DIY delegate-it-yourself author, when you work with us things are going to get done!

So, what are you waiting for?

Set up your free introductory call with Cherish and let’s begin working together to see you succeed in marketing your book!

(P.S. If you are a member of CIPA, let us know. We have special discounted pricing for all CIPA members.)

 

 

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