So, my girl Paige and I have been coming up with some great, and I mean great class ideas, on the chance we win the lotto and get to open our much-dreamed-about writers’ cafe. Or more likely, work our tails off and earn it. Oh, you don’t know about that? Well, we have plans. And SuperGirl‘s our baker. But all that’s for another post.
One of the class topics I threw out was my love for animal symbolism. I mean, all y’all already know my affinity for bees and frogs and zebras, am I right? Hulloh, annoyingteasingnoticing everyone with my Bee pen at Blue Ridge two years ago? Priceless. And the Dazzling Zebra theme on social media? It’s just fun.
So now I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the New Inklings Press Media Menagerie. Ladies and Gentlemen (and lions and tigers and bears), I give you Bruce Allen.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Meet Bruce Allen
Bruce has been around for a while. As long as Nippers, actually. I’m a bear collector. For realz. I mean, how could I not be? My dad had to kill a bear to survive when I was a baby. It was in all the papers. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t all that dramatic, but I grew up with this story. He really did shoot a bear. And now the rug is in my cedar chest. [Read: The Bear Rug ~ A Heritage Story.] I still have the teddy bear my mom gave me for Christmas when I was nine months old. So, yup. I’ve been collecting bears since I was born. At last count, I have over a hundred, although most are in storage.
Thankfully, Bruce Allen (B.A. for short) stayed in the house. And he’s turned into a growly great reminder:
He reminds me that it’s okay to forage my way through the forest.
He reminds me that even when I’m not exactly sure what’s coming next, I just need to know whatever I need will be there.
He reminds me to slow down when I need to, give the body a rest.
He also reminds me it’s okay to bare my soul, to expose those vulnerable parts of me or my characters, that my audience can connect with.
And he reminds me to not be afraid to make some noise.
I mean, people and bears. Not always a good mix. Am I right? But B.A., he’s adorbs. Who doesn’t want his cute little mug around saying, “Go for it!”
And here’s another thing. Remember the A-Team? I’m talking the original TV series created by Stephen J. Cannell, (although the movie was pretty decent, too) and the character B.A. Baracas. Now there was a bear of a guy, but at heart, really just a teddy. Yeah. That’s another reason my bear is named B.A. [read: Why I Write. Every Day.] When I was a nobody, Stephen took my inquiry and made it something. He reached out, and through example on social media, helped me gain courage to claim the title Writer. He networked with me before I knew what networking was, and I was lucky enough to meet and talk with him a few months before he passed.
Frankly, My Dear . . .: Meeting Stephen J Cannell
That was really a foraging moment for me. I knew what I wanted and needed, and I found a way to get there and make it happen. He was the first famous person to call me “Molly Jo”. #suchatreasure
So here’s a little video advice from Stephen to every aspiring writer:
And here’s a little more advice from Bruce Allen: Take the word “aspiring” out of your vocabulary. As soon as you’ve put pen to paper or finger to keys, you are a writer. What you do with it, well that’s your journey through the forest.
My question to you is, what does your foraging look like?
You know those moments when you know what you know, you just didn’t know you knew it until someone else turns on the light bulb? Yeah. That’s how the new career is lighting up my world lately. And it’s ahh-mazing. It’s like a triple-caffeine-intake while racing the Indy 500 through LA Traffic and surviving kind of high. It is that kind of awesome sauce.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Which Bulb are You?
So, I’m still doing the writing thing, still doing the editing thing. But as you can tell, I’m also still doing the marketing thing. And this new career keeps reaffirming that I know what I’m doing. How’s that for sweet in me tea. (Oh, please. Y’all know it’s not a week unless I mention my sweet tea.)
BEE the Zebra is super excited, too. Because while NIPPERS is all about the media, y’all just know BEE is all about the marketing.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : BEE the Zebra has a plan
Now, whether you’re a writer, editor, quilter, clothes salesperson or dog walker, we can at least all agree that we’d have, like, zero business if it weren’t for marketing, am I right? And whether you have a team behind you, or you run a do-it-yourself ad campaign, here’s a few things I know.
So grab yourself a glass of that goodness and relax while I share with you five prominent marketing ideas.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. And again. And again. Word of Mouth Advertising only works if you open your mouth. You can’t very well be a dazzling zebra if you don’t let anyone see or share your stripes, now, can you?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Word of Mouth Advertising only works if you open your mouth.
Brand Awareness. This was a fun one for me to name. Because I love lovelove helping others find, and maintain, their online identity. You are not your brand. Well, sometimes you are, but not really. You have so many facets. And like most people, you keep a good portion of your private life, well, private. But if you were to poll your peeps, most of them could easily give you five to ten traits that make you, you. From those, you can easily curate your brand. It should be the image you want to publicly reflect. When people think these things, they should think of you. That’s the power of branding.
Needs Analysis. Holy cow, is that a fancy way of saying, “How can I help you?” A needs analysis is a term that’s been used for years. It basically is the LEGO connector between what you need and what someone else has to offer. Offer-Person says, “Let’s discuss this.” And Need-Person says, “This is where I’m at, and this is where I want to go.” So Offer-Person creates some strategies to help get you there. The information is the needs analysis, the diagnostic appointment to get the ball rolling.
Pivoting. We all do this. And as fiction writers we’re especially good at it. This is where Person A says, “I need Item A.” But Person B, who knows more about the situation, says, “I agree. Let’s take care of this and then let’s talk about that.” See? You went from A to B with just a turn of the page. Writers pivot every time we ask you to believe our characters then put them into turmoil. We cause you to read on, with different expectations. [Note to self: Stop letting Josie get into so much trouble in NOLA. no spoilers!]
Audience Engagement. Do I really have to explain this? Nope. But I do want to discuss it. This of course is when you get your peeps involved. You’re nothing without your audience . . . Unless you sing in the shower. And while most of us like the acoustics, do we really want to stop there? Not at all. We all have gifts, talents, product, merchandise, you-name-it-we-got-it stuff that we want to share with others. So we need to make sure we’re actually sharing it, and not just laying it down. It’s a hand-off, a relay-race if you will. Get your people involved and they’re more apt to pass the baton to someone else (that’s the referral).
Frankly, My Dear . . . Are you ready to run the marketing race?
So now it’s your turn: What are some of your marketing tips and tricks?
In this post you’ll find some subtle yet sweet behaviors that will keep your Swarm buzzing and building.
To Bee and Not To Bee
Being a ninja involves skill and knowledge, and the ability to fuse them cohesively. Sort of like bees in a hive, right?
I love being a Ninja Bee and helping others use their social media secrets to grow their online community.
MoJo – Social Media Ninja
Here’s a little honey to share, some tips on the fly that can help draw people into your hive and create some positive buzz for your and your books.
Use your (key) words. Ask yourself: Who will my audience be? When you post online, direct some of the conversation to their attention. Writing a cookbook? Use #recipe. Quote a sentence or two from your manuscripts or reference a character trait. Your hive will fly to your side and bring friends with them.
Connection is a two-way conduit. The Three R’s: Reach, Respond, Reply. Whether it’s a like, share, or comment, your swarm is more likely to help create a buzz if they know they’re appreciated. Keep the honey flowing.
Forget you’re a writer who needs readers. You are also a person, pet owner, coffee drinker, snowboarder, checkers champion. Whatever other things that go into making you you, don’t forget that your readers are also multifaceted. An honest online relationship is more than just marketing. Share those bits and bites of your life, and the next time one of your bees posts about their day, simply support them. They’ll think of you sweetly.
Share the sweet struggles. Writing isn’t always easy. Take your swarm on the journey with you. It’s okay to admit writer’s block or a belligerent character. Those behind-the-scenes moments are the extras readers like to experience with you. Just make sure you put your stinger away when venting.
Share the sweetness. Writing is a beautiful adventure. Give your swarm a reason to spread the buzz and share the honey. Offer freebies and discounts on your books. Swarm Swag like bookmarks and free downloads are terrific gifts to say thanks to those hard worker bees who spread the word for you.
Remember, your hive is built with community.
Field of Dreams
With some sweet tea and a big smile,
~ Happy writing and keep on Buzzing.
Molly Jo
Building a Social Media Swarm takes more than just constant posting. You need to know your audience, and let them know you. Read on to learn how to create a positive social media buzz.
To Bee and Not To Bee
Don’t Be That Person.
You know who I’m talking about. There are certain cyber-people who make you want to use Facebook’s Unfriend button more often than not. Am I right? We’ve all been in that person’s skin one time or another. The thing is, you shouldn’t stay there.
Here’s a quick run down of five social media personalities you should try to avoid becoming:
The One Who Only Wants to Sell. You know these people. They ask “How are you?” but don’t wait for the response. They don’t care. While you’re telling them about your day, they’re just waiting for you to catch your breath so they can interrupt and suggest how your – or any – situation relates to their newest title. Everything they post turns back to the product they have to offer. It’s as though their only vocabulary is “Buy my book! Buy my book!” If this is your goal for using social media, I suggest you simply open an online store.
Social Media isn’t just Squawking.
The Self-Focused One. This is similar to No. 1 except these people know how to personalize everything – toward themselves. Instead of mandating that you purchase their wares, they manipulate every conversation back to “Me, Myself, and I.” They’re not really interested in hearing about your writing adventures. They’ll often interrupt the conversation to be the center of attention. Now, if you notice a fire behind the person you’re talking to, this is a good skill. If you’re trying to be a good friend, notsomuch.
The Silent Streamers. These are the people who see everything online but do nothing about it. Sure, having a new “like” on your page or a new follower on Twitter is equivalent to Internet cash, but only a penny or so. It’s the interactions that keep you going. Right? In the Internet world, if you’re not going to support someone, don’t offer your likes and follows and then disappear. That’s like being the child in room who covers their eyes and says “You can’t see me!” You really do know they’re there, but they want to pretend they’re not. What’s the point?
The Streaming Stalker. Similar to No. 3 except creepier. This is the person who gives a like to everything you do, on all platforms, the moment you do it. It’s like they wait online just for you. If you post a photo your donut-and-coffee breakfast, the Streaming Stalker will like it, suggest ways to eat and drink, and share it nine ways to Sunday. The Internet is designed for interacting, not creeping someone out. It’s okay to show your support, but don’t do it in a manner that resonates something off a crime drama. Let the person you’re following know you support them. Help promote them by liking, following, sharing, and commenting on their posts. Just not everything all at once. And don’t hijack their posts. Remember, you’re there to support them, not steal their thunder.
Drama, drama, drama!
The Overly Emotional One. These are the people who are either happy-happy-happy, or woe-is-me. All. The. Time. Let’s face it. Life is full of a little bit of everything. It’s okay to be real online. Don’t be so cheerful that people want to put on blinders when they read your posts, but don’t be a chaos junkie either. We all have our up’s and down’s. So share bits and pieces of what’s going on in your world and by all means interact with your followers. But if you want more likes, the trick is to be likeable. Find a balance between Pollyanna and Eeyore and you’ll do just fine.
Next week I’ll fly by with some positive activity for you and your Swarm.
Until then, with some sweet tea and a big smile,
Happy writing and keep on Buzzing.
~Molly Jo
It’s quite possible I’ve had so much to write that I haven’t written a thing. Okay, true story: I (almost) don’t know where the month of March went. I almost feel like the Beatles’ Here, There, and Everywhere. Oh, don’t get me singing. Just give me some sweet tea or coffee and I’ll calm down.
There was a chaotic beginning in March. Projects up in the air, should I do this or quit that? Bless her glorious heart, after a morning out as we’re sometimes prone to do, Mum asks, “Would you like me to come over and help you clean your house?” Now, Bedford Manor isn’t a messy place. Not usually. But let me throw a few words out for ya: Flu. Cats. Media. Work. Any of these pieces fitting together? So when Mum asks, I do the only thing a responsible, caring, independent, adult child could do. I cried and said, “Thank you!”
The next thing you know, the house is clean, the body is healthy, and I’m on my way to Seattle. Seattle, people! The Emerald City! The land of . . . Well, the land of my children. And coffee. And probably the sixth location mystery in the City Series. Yes, that’s already in the brain. Suffice to say, I picked a good locale for the story I need to tell there. But that’s a separate post and about three years away. [You can wait, can’t ya?]
I spent three and half days visiting Dot and her husband, as well as enjoying some of the town. I flew up on a Thursday, took the tram directly into downtown and walked myself up Capitol Hill and into my son in law’s work. Dot joined us shortly after and from then on it was go, go, go. Here’s the part where I profusely thank my daughter for telling me in no uncertain terms, “Get over your love of heels. Don’t wear them here. You won’t survive.” She was right. My Keds barely kept the kicks alive. And I’m pretty sure I burned calories from alien beings, that’s how funky the legs didn’t work after ten hours of this thing called walking.
Anyway, I digress . . .
From different Starbucks (I mean, that’s not a surprise, right? That’s as obvious as eating beignets when I visit New Orleans next year.) to unique cuisine to family time around the TV watching, you guessed it, Frasier on Netflix . . . It was the best non-working vacation I’ve had in years. [Okay, so the Frasier thing didn’t happen until after we visited the Space Needle gift shop and a saw a mug that said “Good morning, Seattle!” at which point we looked at each other and said “Ohhhhh, yeahhhh” then went home and watched it over popcorn.] [NOTE TO SELF: Get. That. Mug.]
It’s been difficult to narrow down my favorite moments to just five. Actually, I can’t even say these are my top picks. They just happen to be some of my favorite photos. The moments . . . Well, there’s far too many of them for a Five Things Friday post.
In any event, these are my five favorite Instagrammable moments:
Nippers and I frequented the Willy Wonka of coffee places, the Starbucks Roastery. Here we are enjoying a hot chocolate made with real melted chips, not syrup, and a tiramisu topped with chocolate shavings. I might have been a little Type-A for a few hours after indulging . . .
Nippers at the Roastery
This amazing view of Mt. Rainier from the rooftop. This photo doesn’t do it justice. The beauty of the snow above the green above the city . . . And let’s be real: It’s name is Rainier. For my NOLA Swarm, you’ll know exactly why that excites me. Am I right?
Mt. Rainier from the Rooftop
Honey! Dot and I bought a handful of honey sticks from the Farmers market. These naturally sweet treats are good on their own, but we also love adding them to our hot teas. I bought the variety pack – like This Social Media Ninja Bee could pass up that opportunity.
Honey! This Social Bee’s favorite tea sweetener.
Seriously, potato pizza. Serious Pie, from renowned Seattle chef Tom Douglas, is a pizzeria with three locations including one in the Roastery. Dot and Her Man treated me to this amazing, I-didn’t-think-I’d-like-it-but-I-LOVED-it potato pizza the first night. The food and service were so good, when they asked where I wanted dinner the second night, I opted for different pizza, same pizzeria. That was not a mistake. And I’d do it again.
Potato Pizza, seriously? Yes. At Serious Pie.
My goodie bag is full of souvenirs from both the Roastery and corporate Starbucks where they work, the honey sticks, and, no shocker here, how could I pass up a book from the huge two-story Barnes & Noble? I couldn’t afford to buy the purse pen from Tiffany & Co. just yet, so I got myself the next best thing. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote.
Seattle Souvenirs: Coffee, honey, and books.
And since I always love to add a bonus photo or video, here it is. I can’t take credit for this. Ten minutes after arriving at the Roastery I met Cyrus who was kind enough to share his Seattle insights, and noted I came on a good weather day. He then showed me this time-lapse video he took a few days earlier of a storm. I loved the video so much I asked if I could share it and he said yes. He also gave us suggestions of places to visit. I later discovered he’s a real estate agent in Seattle, so of course he has become my Go-To Guy for any touristy ideas I might have. I’m trying to convince him he should start a YouTube channel and share his Seattle. If you agree, drop him a line on his real estate Facebook page. Tell him I sent you. And tell him he needs a YouTube channel.
Well, there you have it. My not-only-top-five for Seattle. What are your favorite travel moments? Share them in the comments.
As always, with some love and a big gulp of sweet tea,
Happy reading.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Sweeten my tea and share:
Buy NOLA, a romantic location mystery, by Molly Jo Realy
NOLA, by Molly Jo Realy
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