Twitter…Tweeps…Tweeties…Oh My!!!

Twitter…Tweeps…Tweeties…Oh My!!!

By Guest Blogger Kisha Green

 

Today’s guest blogger is not new to the literary community; in fact, we stepped on the scene around the same time. She is a publisher, talk show host, and marketer. Armed with a wealth of information, you can learn a lot from Kisha Green. Be sure to join her Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/literaryjewels. Twitter is a great marketing tool for authors and publishers, be sure to use it. Thanks for the great tips Kisha!

Ok let me first say that the creation of twitter was a godsend to me because I am so random at times and this social media site let’s me be just that and others actually want to follow my randomness.

What is Twitter you ask? Well according to PC Magazine it is —> A very popular instant messaging system that lets a person send brief text messages up to 140 characters in length to a list of followers. Launched in 2006, Twitter was designed as a social network to keep friends and colleagues informed throughout the day. However, it became widely used for commercial and political purposes to keep customers, voters and fans up-to-date as well as to encourage feedback.

After establishing a Twitter account at www.twitter.com, individuals can import their e-mail addresses as well as use the Twitter search to locate and invite people. Twitter messages (“tweets”) can be made public and sent to anyone requesting the feed, or they can be sent only to approved followers.

Messages can be sent and received via cellphone text messaging (SMS), the Twitter Web site or a third-party Twitter application. To follow a Twitter feed, the Twitter site and feed name become the URL; for example, Microsoft’s Twitter feed is www.twitter.com/microsoft and for an actual person the twitter feed would be www.twitter.com/kishagreen

What does all of this technical twitter stuff mean to you? Well it means that you can tell the whole world wide web what you ate,plan on eating or don’t want to eat. The beauty is that even though you think this is useless information it is actual relevant to your followers since they find you interesting.

Commonly used Twitter lingo

Followers

These are the people who “follow” your tweets. Every time you tweet these people automatically see it on their timeline whereas someone else who have to search and find you on Twitter. the same goes for the people you follow, their updates will appear on your timeline

Retweet (RT)

Twitter became a viral conduct when users initiated “retweeting,” which forwards tweets they get to their followers. People retweet to pass on worthwhile information, and the ease of retweeting can quickly build large audiences. This is the same as sharing on Facebook.

 Direct Messages (DMs)

Initially a one-way broadcast from writer to follower, this is not seen on your timeline this goes to one person’s inbox. Writers can send followers  a “direct message” (DM), and followers can do likewise. Followers can also delete the DMs they sent, making them disappear from the writer’s inbox.Please note: You cannot send DM’s to people who are not following you.

@ Signs 

When someone replies to a Twitter posting, they use their Twitter account name preceded by an @ sign; for example, “@KishaGreen” This is how you know someone is talking directly to you.

# Hashtags

A hashtag is a # prefix used to group tweets together. For example, people commenting about my online radio show would use #WritersLifeChats  in their postings (tweets) and all those messages could be viewed as a group by searching for #WritersLifeChats

Why should you tweet? Because it’s fun! Lol…Seriously because it is a way to reach any and everyone all at once as opposed to just saying it to the same people on Facebook. Meaning if you have 1700 friends on Facebook and you want to advertise or promote something you are limiting yourself to just those 1700 whereas Twitter let’s you tell the whole world wide web, well all of those with a Twitter account.

How do you tweet? Easy just say what is on your mind, good or bad but the trick is to keep it under 140 characters so this requires you to be clever yet creative. You can tweet from a computer,iPads (tablets) and cellphones.

Is Tweeting effective? According to Twitter there are over 200 million registered users but how many are active users that we don’t now yet.According to businessinsider there were 119 million Twitter accounts following one or more other accounts. Either way if your have a business to promote or a product to sell or in my case books to sell, Twitter is where we need to be to connect with a bunch of people for FREE!! Yes, I said free so I don’t know about you but that’s a  good enough reason for me.

I promote my radio show,author promo services and my books all on Twitter and have been more successful with it than on Facebook. How do I do this? Simply by tweeting all relevant info to them all. If there is someone I want to interview I tweet them and begin a rapport with them and then we exchange contact information and from there I arrange my interviews. For selling books I post pictures (twitpics) of my book cover along with purchasing URL’s. I then tweet about the most random things that to a complete stranger it is interesting and makes them want to follow me and eventually purchase my books. As  for my Author Promo Services, I am constantly tweeting pertinent literary information and those in the industry are interested and then later on utilize my services. I cannot lie, it does require time and effort but it is well worth it.

Examples

Book Tweet-> A Write Way to Love by @KishaGreen on Kindle for $2.99. One Click today! #ReadingIsSexy #GoodBook #Ebook

Author Promo Tweet-> Authors: Do you need help promoting your book? Let DivaBooksInc help YOU today. www.divabooksinconline.com #Promo #Books #Marketing

Radio Show Promo Tweet-> Writer’s Life Chats with @KishaGreen Mondays at 7pm

www.writerslifechats.com #literaryjewels #authorinterviews #writerslifechats

See how the hashtags are all relevant to all of my tweets BUT most importantly less than 140 characters.

Kisha Green is no stranger to the literary world. She is the well-informed and very knowledgeable publisher of DivaBooksInc.(www.divabooksinconline.com) author of many books under her imprint, including “And Even If I Did,” “If It Aint One Thing, It’s Another,” “Dear Mommy” and “Mental Seduction.” In 2007, Green was nominated Self-Published Author of the Year.

As the host of her own Blog Talk Radio show, “Writer’s Life Chats,” (www.writerslifechats.com)

Green is a senior writer and founder of the Writer’s Vibe (www.writers-vibe.com) a literary site to help promote artists. Kisha also participated in a panel discussion at a Rutgers University, where she sat with other authors and poets, speaking with students about the literary industry: publishing and writing books, the importance of investing in an editor, and the hardships up-and-coming authors may face.

We Are Now Live: Tips For Online Interviewing

Online talk radio is popular and many are syndicated radio shows that with a click of a button can go viral for years to come. Before you step out for your next interview keep the following tips in mind.

Most shows are archived so do your best to make your brand shine.

1. Research the show before you agree to be interviewed, learn as much as possible about the host and the listeners that they attract.

2. Determine if the show is appropriate for you and your brand, there are tons of shows on online radio. Seek out and grant those that will represent you and your brand in the best manner.

3. Ask questions, many people don’t do this. Never be afraid or neglect to ask a host what the topic of the show is. Make sure the topics and discussion reflect things that will grow your audience and brand. Ask for a show outline if this makes you feel more comfortable or ask to be sent and suggest appropriate questions.

4. Send your media or press kit to the host and be sure to outline topics that best fit your image and brand.

5. Develop techniques that help you pinpoint what it is you are trying to convey to listeners i.e. new product, appearances, new venture. Talk radio should be informative, inspirational and fun . Always be polite but stern if the conversation begins to turn sour (think before you speak). Divert negative energy to something more positive and if need be, end the interview.

6. Stay away from call-in shows if your brand recently has come under fire, politely suggest to the host a one-on one interview. This will allow you to concentrate on the interview topics and address any issues with the host in a professional manner.

Lastly, never be afraid to decline an interview if you feel it doesn’t suit you and your brand. Always promote your appearances via social media outlets and direct people to your website, products, and thank the host and guest for tuning in!

7 Promotional Tips You Should Use When Participating In Festivals and Events

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to share a few tips on how you can assist in spreading the word about forthcoming events and festivals that you plan on attending.  With the shift in online sales in the publishing industry, it is now imperative that all vendors assist the host of festivals and events by participating in the marketing and promotions of them. To follow are seven promotional tips that can help.

Successful events take a collective effort.

1. Reach out to media outlets by press release announcing your participation in the event and outline exactly how you are participating in the event, i.e. featured author, panelist, book vendor etc.

2. Promote the event via your social media outlets and website. Create a schedule for such, reminding your followers weekly and then daily as the event draws closer.

3. Send an email blast to your email contacts announcing the event several times; developing a schedule for this is important so that you don’t kill your list.

4. Create your own flyer or reach out to the sponsors to see if flyers have been created that can be inserted in your books (use the jpg to insert in your  e-books and insert the flyers in your  paperback book orders leading up to the event.) Post the jpg image of the flyers on you walls, in groups and on your website.

5. Run a contest that you can announce and reward the winners at the event with, this will create excitement and also give you an idea of who plans to attend.

6. Mention the event in both written and radio interviews and be sure to point them to the event’s website or your website where they can find more information.

7. Connect with the event host and other participants via twitter and other social media outlets and repost, like and share information about the event.

Lastly, the day of the event be sure to stand behind or beside your displays and books. Sitting down appears to be too relaxed at your display, you most likely paid for the event so go the extra mile and make your presence known!

See you at the next literary event!