Like many creatives, I love to create and write and I don’t love to market myself. I’ve written dozens of books as a ghostwriter and didn’t have to be concerned about marketing or building a platform. That was up to my clients, and most were as clueless as me.

Yet with the books I’ve written and those I still want to write as I build a career as an author, I know I am the one to sell these books. So I had to bite the bullet and study up on marketing, primarily building a platform from scratch. I knew I had to build a fan base, because few of who I consider my ideal readers know who I am, and won’t know about my books unless I find a way to let them know.

Build a platform

So to build a following–a platform—I purchased Build Your Author Platform With a Purpose. I “met” Mimika Cooney on a few webinars and was impressed by her energy and knowledge. She was helpful in teaching in a way that even the beginning author would understand what was needed to create a presence before publishing a book.

Mimika covers a lot of ground from the what and why of building a platform and author branding to the significance of building a mailing list and the value of social media. “In today’s society, the term platform simply means how you stand out in a crowded marketplace.” She stresses that anyone can stand out and create a presence online. She says, “Many people think that you have to be a celebrity or a big name to have influence.” She explains that it’s a myth, and with the ease of reaching people through social media, anyone can build a following. 

She places a lot of emphasis on building an email list of raving fans. One of the best ways to do that is to create a “freebie” or as some call it a “lead magnet.” She also stressed how important it is to automate as much of your marketing as you can, such as an automated email marketing sequence.

Additionally, Mimika touches on the value of social media, video, publicity, guest blogging, podcasts, and paid advertising. Indeed as authors, we have myriad opportunities to market our books.

Be discoverable

She stresses that because every author feels what he/she has to say is valuable, it’s vital to find a way to “show up in the right places and be present. You need to put the effort into being discoverable.” Mimika outlines strategies any authors can follow so they can implement the right actions at the right time to the right audience.  

With Mimika’s guidance through her book and valuable handouts, I’ve stepped into the journey of authorship with more confidence. I see this book as an essential guide for first-time authors to get over their fears and build their confidence in marketing their books so they can realize their writing dreams.