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Note: This outline was used to record the episode. Its included here to help search engines categorize the audio.
Esther’s Story:
- Esther Had a Tough Marketing Position
- Not in favor with the King. He hadn’t asked for her in 30 days.
- Had a big ask. His law could not be overturned.
- Even approaching the king was dangerous.
- What does she do?
- She doesn’t ask right away, even when the king offers half his kingdom.
- She offers value and invites the King to a banquet in his honor.
- At the banquet, does she ask her big ask? No! She invites him to a second banquet.
- It is not until the second banquet that she makes her big ask.
Ok… So why does this story matter to authors?
Many authors are like Queen Esther. They are not in favor with readers. They have a big ask to make when they ask strangers to buy their book.
Take Away #1: Timing Changes Everything
There is an old saying that you must strike while the iron is hot. As a blacksmith, success in shaping metal is more about timing than it is about effort. If you let the iron cool, it doesn’t matter how hard you hit it.
If Haman had asked a day earlier to have Mordecai executed, he would likely have been told yes. But as it was, he was a day late and that timing changed everything. Why? Because the king couldn’t sleep and so he re-heard the story of Mordecai saving his life.
Haman tried to divine the best time for his pogrom by casting lots (which were called Purim). Esther made her own good timing.
Good timing can be manufactured. This is why Esther invited the king to a banquet instead of making her real request right away. At that banquet, she invited the king to another banquet. It was only after the king asked her what she wanted a third time that she answered him.
Which leads us into our second take away.
Take Away #2: Throw a Banquet First
To think like Esther, you must change your marketing mindset. This is not about you! Throw a banquet for your readers before you ask them to buy your book. Commit to seeing marketing as an act of service rather than an act of self-promotion.
So how do you throw a banquet for your readers? Well, you could throw them a literal banquet at your launch party. But in all seriousness, how do you do it?
Jesus told us that if we want to have followers, we must be a servant (Mathew 20:26). The first thing I recommend is to put a sticky note on your computer that says “How can I bless my followers today?”
The second thing you should do is to ask them! How can you serve your followers if you don’t know who they are?
Third, write a book for your audience rather than trying to find an audience for your book.
How can you bless your blog followers?
- Review & recommend similar books. Be like Santa in Miracle on 34th Street.
- Answer questions.
How can you bless your email subscribers?
- Give away free short stories.
- Offer discounts.
- Review & recommend similar books.
How can you bless your social media followers?
- Make them laugh.
- Pray for them.
- Powerful encouragement is often personal encouragement.
- Review similar books.
- Help them.
Putting it Into Practice
So I would like to put this into practice and ask you how I can better serve you with this podcast.
- Which episodes have you enjoyed? Which not so much?
- What would you like me to talk more about?
- Where are you on your publishing journey? Published? Just getting started?
- Where are you headed? Are you planning to walk the traditional route or the indie route?
Final Thought: Be creative. Every book has a hook for a unique banquet.
Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute
The Art of Persuasion by Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Persuasion is one of the most important things we do as Christians. As authors, persuasion is not only part of the selling process, it is also at the heart of good writing.
Yet, persuasion is hard to do well and easy to botch. In this video course, Thomas Umstattd Jr. breaks down how to help your readers to truly change their minds for good. This is one of Thomas’ most popular and enduring talks.
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I listen faithfully to both this and the Novel Marketing Podcast. Thank you! You (and Jim) are encouraging and fun to listen to.
I began my publishing journey in 2011 and have published out 22 books (mostly novellas and novelettes). I suppose you could say I am a double-hybrid author. I have indie published several books and have several others with a small press publisher. I also have a mix of fiction and nonfiction.
I like the current format of the show, the blend between hearing just your thoughts and opinions and the occasional interview of others in the industry. I also enjoy the mix of topics, particularly trends in the industry, the future of various aspects of it, and discussions like episode 26 (What Makes a Book a Christian Book).
Thank you for all your efforts to make this (and the Novel Marketing Podcast) good, informative, and enjoyable.
Thomas, first off – GREAT SHOW! I really needed this mindset shift around marketing. I like the very focused teachings (like in this episode) but the interviews are really great, too. You have a nice blend of that going, no change needed. I can’t seem to find it now, but episodes that have stuck out in my mind were the interview with Jenny Randle and the interview on how to pitch at a writer’s conference. I am at the beginning of my publishing journey (brand new, geared toward traditional publishing), so episodes that give a landscape of the industry and how things work are so valuable for me, but I also want content around the craft of writing and practical advice on how to walk all this out with the Lord. You’ve put out a great spread! Thanks for all your effort and expertise in putting together this banquet for Christian writers.
I have found your show extremely helpful. I’m a fairly new writer and have been absorbing all the tips and knowledge you have been sharing. I like the mix of you sharing information and bringing in people to interview.
For an introverted writer, the pressure around cultivating a strong marketing and social media platform is a little intimidating. Any tips and perspective you can provide in that world would be helpful. For example, do you have to publish a blog every day? If so what are the tips to balance your time between writing a book and writing content for blogs and other social media. Thanks!