When Authors Miscommunicate: A Lesson on Branding

There’s a boutique in my hometown that sells antiques and various vintage items. You know, your typical Pyrex and old trinkets and Reader’s Digest books. But it also offers . . . pedicures??

And eyelash extensions?

And spray tans?

So, to recap, their sign says: Antiques, Gifts, and Collectibles.?

But . . . they have a shady nail salon situation going on in the back. Now, being a conspiracy theorist, I’ve of course marked this institution as a front for drugs. Obviously.

I believe there’s a lesson here. A weird one, but bear with me.

This boutique—they don’t know what they are. Are they a nail salon? Are they an antiques store? Are they a tanning salon? WHAT ARE THEY!??

I see this often with authors. (No, not authors who are antiques dealers with a pedicure chair in a makeshift cubicle.) They set up their social media, newsletter, podcast, whatever,?but they don’t know who they are. And neither do I.

Examples:

I’ve seen authors who are in the middle of marketing their upcoming book spend a lot of time trying to sell their MLM products. If you want to sell MLM products, then set up a different social media platform for that (but please do your research, as certain platforms, like TikTok, will not allow MLMs). Yes, those products may be a part of your life, but is it a part of your author life??

Caveat: I talk a lot about true crime. Does that have anything to do with my author life, though? Yes! For a few reasons, but mainly because I research that genre a whole lot for the genres I write in and for the future organization I hope to start one day.

Maybe it's not products necessarily. I remember one novelist who was so crazy talented, and she gave up writing, to some degree, and started offering like . . . horoscope / astronomy consultations of sorts? Her tribe was beyond confused. Tons of people unsubscribed from her newsletter when she made this transition.

Then, there are the authors who never tell us about their books at all. Like, ever. They may post authentic content, and I greatly appreciate that, but I never hear about their books. I shouldn’t have to tell someone I’ve been following, “Whoa! What? I had no idea you were even writing a book!” I should know that just from looking at their content.

You all know how often I push the idea of?documenting the process of being a writer, so it's sad when authors ignore this opportunity.?

Then there are the authors who have so many different social media accounts that I get whiplash. There is nothing wrong with having a pen name. In some cases, it’s a necessity.?But when you’ve got more pen names than you’ve got automobiles, it makes it hard for me to get to know the real you.?

Now back to the lesson:

Who are you—really? Here’s a helpful exercise I do with my authors who feel stuck with author branding:?

1. What is it about you that makes me want to hear from you every day??
2. Why should I come to your website/social media platform/newsletter/whatever? Will I be educated? Entertained? Encouraged?
3. Why should I follow you on social media (pick your most recent book if you’ve published more than one)? In other words, what will you be posting about that makes me want to stick around?
4. Why will I love your book?

Next, make a list of five words that describe you. If that’s too difficult, write down five specific things you’re passionate about.

Now, do these things ring true in your personal brand? They should!

I don’t know if this will help, but here’s what mine would look like:

1. What is it about you that makes me want to hear from you every day??I put my time and energy into helping indie authors write, market, and self-publish their books.?
2. Why should I come to your website/social media platform/newsletter/whatever? Will I be educated? Entertained? Encouraged??My hope is that you will primarily be educated, as I strive daily to provide as much up-to-date content as I can in my newsletter, blog, and social media.?
3. Why should I follow you on social media? In other words, what will you be posting about that makes me want to stick around??I will post about self-publishing dos and don’ts, helpful writing tips, fun marketing strategies, my life as an author, and silly moments in my life that I want you to be a part of (such as my pets, my family, my passions, etc.).
4. Why will I love your book (pick your most recent book if you’ve published more than one)??For?All the Things I Should’ve Told You: People will love my book because I am vulnerable and transparent in my poetry; because I shine a light on the reality of grief and heartache; because I encourage others to be real about their grief too.

Next, make a list of five words that describe you. If that’s too difficult, write down five specific things you’re passionate about.?

I’m passionate about self-publishing, reading, writing, marketing, and true crime.

Once you’ve completed this exercise, I recommend writing it down somewhere and placing it where you can see it. Each time you post on whatever platform, ask yourself:?Will this content be authentic to my brand??

If you want, you can ask yourself,?“Am I about to post the equivalent of a pedicure station when I’m an antiques shop?”

Good luck!

An expert editor, best-selling author, and book marketer, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with writers every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has been in the publishing industry for ten years and specializes in self-publishing.

Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books.

She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, “The Rotting” (in Shivers in the Night), The Suicide Tree, #1 bestseller The 10 Commandments of Author Branding, and her book of poetry, All the Things I Should’ve Told You. In her not-so-free time, she acts as organizer for the Yukon Writers’ Society, studies all things true crime, and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her dogs, Chanel, Wednesday, and Baker.