The Best Ways to Build Your Brand and Value Proposition  

By Rachel M. Anderson, Publicist, RMA Publicity

There are a lot of great books out there that never really seem to take off. Why is that? The simple answer is that the people behind them haven’t done a good job of building their brand.

Having a strong brand is often what makes the difference when it comes to determining which books will become best sellers, and which will sell only a few copies. Even the best ideas will fail to catch interest if no one knows who you are.

So, what are the best ways to build an author brand and value proposition that stands out? Here are a few ideas to consider that will help you get the attention you deserve.

1) Define what sets you apart from other experts in your field and make that known.

Oftentimes, this will be your personal story. How did you come to gain the knowledge and expertise you shared in your book? Help your readers relate to you by sharing the story behind the story.

As part of every campaign RMA Publicity offers, we write a promotional feature article that can be posted on your website to help readers get to know you. We also use that personal story to help our clients get the attention they deserve from the news media.

2) Develop complimentary promotional tools.

A lot of authors spend a great deal of time deciding on a book cover, website and social media graphics, but don’t put much thought into how they will present the brand they’ve built online when they go out in public. You need to be recognizable!

If you’re dressed in a pink suit in the photos on your website, when you go out in public, or do presentations, dress the same way as you do on your website. One of my former colleagues at a television station in Tampa, Sue “Pinky” Benson, who is now a Real Estate Agent in southwest Florida, has done an amazing job branding herself. Check out her website: PinkyPresents.com

3) Connect with your readers as often as you can.

After more than a decade of working with authors, I’ve found that many of them would rather leave their book marketing to someone else while they stay behind closed doors and write their next self-help book or novel.

When it comes to branding yourself, that’s a big no-no! The most successful authors are those who get out in the world and make connections. Sign up to appear at a few book festivals every year, do a bookstore signing event or two, teach a class, and/or connect with an organization and offer to speak at one of their events.

4) Collaborate with others.

And finally, one of the easiest ways of all to get your brand out there: collaborate with others. The most successful authors are those who can tap into not only their own networks, but the networks built by others.

An easy way to do this is to put on a joint event featuring multiple authors. Maybe this summer, you and five or six of your author friends can collaborate on a signing event at a bookstore.

Want an assessment of your existing brand, or need help building a brand before you even publish? RMA Publicity offers free consults. Contact us today to set one up.