Collaborate Like Cardi

Sooooo, I kicked 2018 off by teaching a visibility and relelvancy series on Facebook. Last night’s lesson was on Getting Comfortable with Colloboration if you want to remain visible and relevant between projects. This also happened last night.

 

That’s right Carbi B and Bruno Mars teamed up and dropped a dope ode to the 90s video. Now for those of you side eyeing me for even supporting, celebrating, and using Carbi B as a teaching point because you don’t like her messaging–you’ve been focusing on the wrong thing for so long you missed the methods and all the lessons she’s been teaching us on how to get this schmoney. For those of you who are concerned about what I’m watching you should be more concerned about how I’m walking (stay focused).

Cardi B closed out 2017 with two major collabos and opened 2018 with an awesome collaboration. If you want to elevate your brand in 2018 you better learn to collaborate like Cardi B. The method can be broken like this visibility + versatility = coins.

Here are 3 Tips to Help You Start Collaborating Like Cardi:

1. Each collaboration that Cardi B has been featured in has showcased the Trap Selena in either a different genre or a different side of Cardi as an artist demonstrating she isn’t a one trick pony. Do your collaborations allow you show your versatility?

2. With the exception of Cardi’s collaboration with Bruno Mars. She thoroughly promoted each collabo, by sharing snippets, footage, and thanking them. Bruno pulled a fast action move and dropped the video just when she started prompting it, but it worked. They’re trending and after the trend comes the checks. What’s your promotion strategy look like after you secure strategic collaborations?

3. Each collaboration has been with an artist that is at the top of their game or will introduce Cardi to a new and more diversified audience. Who are the influencers, authors, and brands that you should be collaborating with. Have you been talking to the same people online everyday and wondering why your PayPal isn’t blinging? It’s time for you to start collaborating like Cardi.

I don’t know what your goals for 2018 are, but if you clicked on the link to this blog or you’re following me then I know that one of your goals is to glow up. However, you have not been able to get in front of the right people to support your vision, you don’t want to waste time on investing in tactics that don’t make sense, and don’t fit your brand.

That’s why I’m hosting the Collaborate Like Cardi Masterclass. This step-by-step masterclass will show you exactly how to easily identify which collaborations are key for your brand, exactly what you should showcase in these collaborations to increase your conversions, and how to gain collaborations even when no one is looking for you.  Register for this class and start creating the collaborations you need to collect more coins in 2018, immediately. 

#WriterWednesday All Eyes on Me: Virtual Book Tour

Let’s break it down a bit for those who don’t know about Virtual Book Tours. A virtual book tour is when an author visits blogs, radio shows, writes guest post, etc. to share their latest work with readers during a specific period of time. The length is up to you–one week, two weeks, a month.

This your can take place before the release of your book, when the book is released, or after the release of your book. 

Options

You have two options–hire someone to organize your tour for you or organize it yourself. Every virtual book tour I’ve been on I organized myself because at the time I didn’t have the budget. 

DYI Tips
Organize, organize, organize. If you’re not well connected in the publishing world or know a bunch of bloggers and radio show host then you’re going to have get organized, well in advance. Most bloggers schedule posts in advance and they are not going to break their timeline for you.You need to start arranging the tour six months in advance. If you don’t know many bloggers or want to step outside of your comfort zone visit Book Blogger Directory to find bloggers in your genre.

Also, be prepared to be rejected. Some bloggers will not want you, your content, or book. If you’re not going to be spending money on this tour you better be prepared to spend time putting this tour together.

• Beware of sites in which you have to pay to be featured on their website. Yes, this a promo tour and sometimes you have to pay for promotion, but paying to be featured on a blog is a little sketchy unless that blogger has a huge audience with some guaranteed results.
• Some radio shows charge for guests. Don’t be afraid to ask for stats and demographics. If they can’t prove they have a diverse listening audience that includes you ideal reader. Keep your coins and move on to the next one. 
• Create graphics for free using Canva, Pic Monkey, Be Funky, or Ribbet
• Select several different excerpts so that your fans, followers, and friends can have a rich experience while following the tour. 
• Try to do guest post with content connected to the book and of interest to the blog audience. Those posts usually generate lots of hits. 

Know your purpose. A blog tour is to create awareness and announce your presence. Don’t go crazy if after you’ve organized this phenomenal tour the only person who buys a copy of your book is your grandmother in Toledo. People cannot purchase something that they don’t know about. A Virtual Book Tour is your introduction to them. 

Have you organized your own virtual book tour before? Share your experiences in the comments. If you haven’t tried one yet make sure you come back and let me know how it goes.

Pathways to Your #Passion: Are You a Brand?

Branding. The one word that drives almost every author crazy. One of my very first posts on The Neophyte Author was about branding, “Building My Brand (and yours)”. I didn’t know what I was doing then and I’m not claiming that I’ve got the answer now–there’s a reason this blog is called The Neophyte Author. One thing that I realized was after establishing a brand you want to make sure that what you’ve established as your brand is actually being recognized in other people’s mind.

I was going to do that evaluation when my one year anniversary came, but since it blew right past me in December I decided to let the sleeping dog lie. Actually, I didn’t want to have to deal with the idea of rebranding if I wasn’t successful. However, if when you’re brand isn’t an instant hit rebranding isn’t the first step for me or you. After a review of Born at Dawn was published on USA Today I realized it’s a fine time for some reflection for me and for you.

A brand needs time to be developed before you can decide it doesn’t work. Take Coca-Cola for example, during it’s first year nine servings of were sold per day. Doesn’t sound like the start to a brand who’s logo was trademarked in 1888 is still recognizable today and is probably responsible for several thousand cavities. 

Are You a Brand (only in your head or in other people’s eyes)?

What is your catchphrase, your one liner, your slogan? What is it that you do in one sentence. I write fiction for the renewed mind.

• This line should adequately reflect your product, your purpose/mission, and who your audience is.

Check the break down

Writing Fiction for the Renewed Mind

What do I do: I write made up stories (Writing Fiction)

Purpose: Entertain and Edify (Fiction and Renewed Mind)

For Whom: Christians. Will non Christians like it? I hope so, but my intended audience are those who are already Born Again. (For the Renewed Mind a reference to Romans 12:2) 

Are You and Your Brand Synonymous?

Are you who you say you are? Check. In today’s social media driven world we’re all only one Google search away from, what is done in the dark being revealed and what was said in a corner being shouted from a mountaintop.

If you’re not who say you are you better get right. This is particularly true if you are a Christian author. What we do requires a level of transparency, consistency, and commitment that other genres don’t require. People do not expect J.K Rowling to be a wizard or that James Patterson has committed any of the crimes that fuel his legal thrillers. However, when you proclaim the name of Christ there is an expectancy that you are what you are selling and promoting. If you’re speaking life you need to full of it and people should be able to recognize that.

Who are you and what are the markers of your brand?

Personally, I’ve known for a long time that I’ve got a way of capturing the grit or the pulp of life in words. During grad school my peers would say I’m good with the vernacular. I was offended at first, but then I realized that my brand of writing is gritty, grimy, and for the everyday person. Yesterday that was confirmed by Michlle Monkou of USA Today who said that, ” Gritty, inspirational, and powerful mark Lockley’s brand of fiction.” The grit is me and the inspiration and power have come from God’s redeeming and transforming power. While God makes all things new He is able to use what we were to influence those He wants to reach and touch.  Consider a couple of the authors of the Bible:

Luke the physician–a doctor. Someone good at describing things and who also has the skill to put things in laymen’s terms is the author of two very spellbinding books of the Bible–his own epistle and Acts.

Paul–formerly known as Saul who had a penchant for letters before His conversion. When he was Saul he used his love of letters to persecute Christians and when he gave himself to Christ the Lord used that same passion and letter writing ability to pen a majority or New Testament. He did need a little rebranding, but the Lord took him through that process.

We’re able to look at these men and recognize their brand and distinguish their writing from other books of the Bible. Now what about you–does anyone recognize the marker’s of your brand without you telling them? Are you a brand? Have you established of the basic tenets of branding to test the water? Regardless, of the answer let’s remember Coca-Cola, let’s remember that only one hundred and twenty were assembled in the Upper Room and look at how many have received the Spirit of Christ since then. This is only the beginning and you can always begin again. 

Post your work, an excerpt, a link to your work or some type of ad you use to promote your work/brand in the comments and let’s assess your brand.