Marketing Versus Self-Promotion

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Marketing Ideas From Cheri Cowell As Christians at this time of year we are particularly aware of the commercialization of the season. We look for ways to put “Christ back in Christmas.” Yet, when the decorations are put away for another year, many of us still struggle with the need to market as a Christian author and our desire to put Christ first with us second.  As a new writer at a conference once said to me, “It all seems so self-promotional.” If this is you, here are a few thoughts that might help during this holy season and in…

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Say Thx!

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One of the best ways to build relationship is to be THANKFUL!  Others want to lend a helping hand to those who are grateful and appreciative! Look for ways to thank those that surround and support you. As an author thank your publisher, and all who work for them; thank book store owners, meeting planners, blog site hosts, magazine editors, radio and TV producers, pastors—and even other authors who have said or done kind things for you. This is the time of year to send out thanksgiving cards with a note of appreciation, a Christmas card with a personal note…

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Tips from the Pros: Dena Dyer

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Greetings from Marti Pieper in lovely Mount Dora, Florida, where October means we’ve turned off our air conditioner and opened the windows. Our weather doesn’t get cold enough to produce leaves with true autumn color, but we do have plenty of pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and the ubiquitous pumpkin spice coffee drinks to help us join the rest of the northern hemisphere in celebrating  fall. Today, I’m delighted to introduce to you a friend-by-writing, Dena Dyer. I “know” Dena from several mutual friendships and of course through the Christian Authors Network, but we have yet to meet in person. Her Texas…

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10 Tips to a Killer Interview

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Hola from Janet Perez Eckles…Igniting Your Passion to Overcome I was excited, I was prepared, and I was grinning at God’s grace to allow me to be on radio. Sound familiar? That was a couple of decades ago. And sitting behind that microphone, I began…and  didn’t stop. Maybe I took a breath, maybe not. But my host might have been gasping, annoyed with my endless gab. I thought I had a killer interview, but instead I killed the audience’s interest. Then I figured out interviews that sing over the airways, and those that prompt a second and a third invitation,…

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Tips from the pros: Kathy Ide

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Greetings from colorful Colorado. Davalynn Spencer here, soaking up the beauty of fall on the Front Range and thrilled to introduce author/editor, Kathy Ide. Kathy, please tell us how you got into writing. About twenty years ago, a friend from church asked me to help her with a conference she was running. She said I was so much help, she asked if I’d like to attend for free. “I don’t know. What kind of conference is it?” (Clearly I hadn’t paid much attention to the material I was stuffing into three-ring binders.) She told me it was a writers’ conference….

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Picture Perfect

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Jesus used words pictures to carry His message so, to follow in His example, in today’s media culture, a photo is often “worth a thousand words”. Getting a great promo shot that captures you and your brand can feel nearly impossible – especially if you have a shoestring budget. Here are a few tips for getting that W.I.N.N.I.N.G.  photo: Wear what you LOVE- and what loves YOU: Test clothes ahead of time with simple snaps on your cell. You will soon see what colors, lines and fabrics look best on you. It is also helpful to know what mood or…

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#1 Marketing Strategy: Cultivate Community

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Marketing Ideas From Cheri Cowell I’m often asked to name the number one marketing strategy for authors. With that question most are asking whether it is Facebook, a blog, writing articles, or one of the numerous other choices for marketing. But I choose to answer that question another way. I believe the number one marketing strategy is to cultivate community, and thus to identify what that means for you. Here are some questions to help you.

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The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes

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  For nearly two hundred years, women in Ashley Tolliver’s family have practiced the art of midwifery in their mountain community. Now she wants to take her skills a step further, but attending medical school means abandoning those women to whom she has dedicated her life, the mountains she loves, and the awakening of her heart.

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Marketing mania? Think again

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  Linda J. White here, writing from Somerville, Virginia. I write mystery/suspense but to me, there’s not much more mysterious than marketing! I’m an introvert, like many writers, and the thought of self-promotion sends serial chills down my spine.

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