3 Ways to Turn Facebookers into Die-Hard Fans By J. Kent Holloway

I am please to introduce you to our guest author today, J. Kent Holloway. Kent is an author who will be speaking to people on Facebook (or will be) by telling them how they can create die-hard fans from other "Facebookers." This is definitely a timely post for just about every author.

Before you read Kent's post, make sure you sign up for my free video tips newsletter. You get how-to videos created to help you with some of the more technical aspects of marketing your book on the Internet.

Also, make sure you check out my newest marketing training product, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests. You'll learn a lot more than how to conduct contests; you'll learn things like how to find Twitter followers, how to build relationships with your peers that can lead to more joint venture opportunities, how to harness the power of the search engines to market your book, how to drive qualified traffic to your blog or website, and a whole lot more.

Now, on to Kent's Post...


3 Ways to Turn Facebookers into Die-Hard Fans
By J. Kent Holloway

Honestly, I haven't been at this nearly as long as many of my fellow writers…just a little more than a year. But in that short amount of time, I've definitely learned a great deal about reaching my audience. And I'd like to share some of those insights and experiences with you in hopes that you can cut through all the stumbling blocks I've had and get right to the good stuff.

When I first released my book, Primal Thirst, last April, I had no real plan for marketing strategies or a means to pull one off even if I did. I knew I had to get word out about my book somehow, but besides sharing it with friends, co-workers, and family, I was really at a loss. So, I did the unthinkable (at least to me)…I joined Facebook. You really have no idea how loathe I was to do it. But I knew that if I wanted to spread the word about my book, Facebook (along with a few other social networks for book lovers and authors) would be the way to do it.

A month after my book was available, I tapped those dreaded keys, created my own FB account, and sat back for the adulations and book sales to start patting me on the back. Let's just say that this approach was wildly underwhelming. Oh, I reconnected with friends of mine I hadn't seen since the third grade. I found long lost relatives that I was sure had died ten years ago. And I even ran into a few old school teachers that were very impressed that one of their students had become a world-famous author (I could just imagine them clutching their infernal red pens in their hands as they ordered a copy of the book). But the cold hard fact was, these friends and family and old acquaintances—impressed though they were—simply could have cared less about picking up a copy of my book. And don't even think about asking them to promote it to their friends for you. It's just not going to happen.

So, I knew I had to try a different approach. Had to discover a new path to literary success. I tried hitting the "book lover" pages littered throughout all of Facebook, only to receive ridicule and scorn by the denizens there for spamming (word of advice…don't bombard these pages with your book. It does more harm than good). I created fan pages and even a "What Primal Thirst Character Are You?" quiz (I think I've had one person actually take that quiz in the last six months). I even created a "Spread the Word About Primal Thirst" cause. The common response of all the people who joined these groups? "Um, I just joined 'cause my friend suggested it to me. I really don't read very much."

Then, I had an epiphany! Prior to this point, I had pretty much only accepted FB friends I knew. Never allowed strangers to be part of my community. But one day, I accepted a request by a fellow author. Then another. And another. They just kept coming. I thought I had finally hit pay dirt! My friend's list numbers were rising like crazy. It was great. I was learning so much from these people. Only there was one slight problem…every single one of them were on there for the same reason as I. They were looking for a way to sell their books. They were looking for fans. And they were not interested in the least about picking up a copy of my own book. The only true advantages of developing so many author friends is the camaraderie and the learning experiences. Occasionally, they might recommend you to their own fans. But as a marketing strategy, friending fellow authors hasn't really worked for me all that well.

So, you might be saying, "Er, Kent? I thought you were going to tell us how to get fans…not tell us how to drive them away." Well, keep your pants on. It's coming. The process is just as important as the results. There was one final step I took before I stumbled on the secret…which oddly enough, I'd been doing all along and never even knew it.

This step is the key. Pay close attention.

You see, my book was inspired by the SyFy Channel's hit TV show, Destination Truth. It involves a wisecracking cryptozoologist who travels the world in search of strange creatures with quite the nasty little penchant for human flesh. So, one of the first things I did when getting on Facebook was join a number of Destination Truth and cryptozoology fan sites. Not for the sake of marketing the book, but rather because it was an interest of my own. I was a fan myself. And in a single year, I had gone from being a nameless face among many fans of the show and the "science" to someone very recognizable in the community. I had been made administrator for one of the official fan sites of a DT cast member. Became good friends with several of the TV show's cast. By proxy, I became friends with a few TAPS (Ghost Hunters) members, as well as members of several paranormal investigations groups throughout the United States.

I had fans of these shows (both Destination Truth and Ghost Hunters) contacting me. Asking questions. Requesting I come and speak at paranormal conferences. My book began getting noticed. My sales started skyrocketing. And I had finally…and unintentionally…developed the notoriety that I had been seeking since joining Facebook.

So what are those 3 ways to developing die-hard fans out of Facebookers? It's really quite simple:

1. Don't push your product. Make your product readily available for anyone who views your profile (I often use my book cover for my profile picture). But don't push. There's nothing that turns people away faster than constantly reminding them to "Buy my book!"
   
2. Get involved. Find a place that interests you personally. Hopefully, it's a place that might tie in nicely with your book, but it doesn't have to be. Just find yourself a fansite somewhere on Facebook and make yourself at home. Join discussions. Talk to the people about the topics at hand. Develop a name for yourself within those communities (without ever pushing your book, by the way). Soon, you'll find that your book sales will steadily begin to rise as your co-fans begin to check out your profile to find out more about you.
   
3. Develop authoritative status. Whether you're an authority on the subject of the community you join or not, strive to become one. The more knowledgeable you are on the source material, the more recognizable you will be among the community. The more people will personally seek you out. Join these groups…then learn everything on the subject you possibly can. When you speak, make sure you carry within your words an air of knowledge (but NOT arrogance…keep yourself humble too). When people see that you know what you're talking about and that you're as equally pleasant, they will seek you and your book out.

I truly hope these experiences and three points help you as you strive to develop not only a reader base, but true die-hard fans. I can't guarantee it will work for everyone…but it certainly has for me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Kent Holloway has a passion for writing edge of your seat, thought provoking, sci-fi and fantasy adventures. He is a graduate from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master's degree in Christian Studies and serves regularly in his church as Discipleship and Evangelism Minister. He currently works full time as a forensic death investigator in St. Augustine, Florida.

Kent has published the exciting adventure series "The ENIGMA Directive" which chronicles the adventures of a smart-mouthed cryptozoologist and his team as they track down some of the world's dangerous creatures. He is currently finished with the third book in the series, "Sirens' Song" and is at hard at work writing the second book called "Devil's Child". (Yes, he's also aware of how strange it is to write a series out of order.)

You can learn more about Kent and his books by going to the following links:

His blog featuring a profile on a different author each week: http://www.kenthollowayonline.blogspot.com/

His publishing company's website: http://www.sevenrealmspublishing.com

And the link to his book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Thirst-J-Kent-Holloway/dp/0982609906/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1