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Sell books on Facebook: Editor's Notes #166 June 01, 2014 |
| Hello, I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true. --Debi Thomas In this issue: 1. Use Facebook to sell books 2. Tickled my funnybone 3. Interesting Web site ========== 1. Use Facebook to sell books How can I use Facebook to sell books? CAN I use Facebook to sell books, is the question you should ask first. The answer to the can question is maybe. For most writers, Facebook is worth a try. It is also not likely to be a magic bullet. If you are already on Facebook, you are certainly entitled to tell your real friends and family and your virtual friends that you have a book and where they can buy it. Pester them endlessly about your book, and you will not only not make sales, you will also likely lose some of those friends. In the next few issues, I'll share some insights about Facebook and other social media and how you can use them to sell books -- maybe only a few, but probably more than you would without the effort of Facebook. If you are not already on Facebook, you can join by setting up a free account at https://www.facebook.com Decide how many people you want to have access to what you say. If you want to sell, I suggest that be everyone. I also suggest that you keep as much of your personal information private as you can. Although Facebook asks for my phone number and birthday, no one can get them through Facebook. There are crazy people out there. There are crazy people walking down our streets, too, but I don't let that keep me inside my house. I just keep my wits about me when I'm out and about. So, set your privacy settings in a way that will let others see what you want them to see and nothing more. After that, reach out to a few people you know and ask them to be your Facebook friend. This can be difficult if your friends have common (or even-not-so-common) names, so at first, you may have to call or email those friends to ask for the link to their page. Once you have a few friends, check your page once a day just to see what others are doing. Interact if you want to, but there's nothing wrong with lurking at first. My final word to those who are really new to Facebook is that there are two places to check. At the top of the page, on the right, you will see your name and the word Home. If you click on your own name, you will see all the things you have posted and any replies of others. If you click on the word Home, you will see what your friends are posting as long as their settings allow you to see those posts. In both cases, you can simply click the Like button to let others know you saw and appreciated a post or click in the comment box to write something in response. In the next issue, I'll point you to the first of a short list of writers I think are using Facebook well, and I'll include other tips to increase your effectiveness. =========== 2.Tickled my funnybone MIDDLE AGE TEXTING CODES: ATD - at the doctor. BFF - best friend fell. BTW -bring the wheelchair . BYOT - bring your own teeth. FWIW - forgot where I was. GGPBL - gotta go, pacemaker battery low. GHA - got heartburn again. IMHO - is my hearing aid on? LMDO -laughing my dentures out. OMMR - on my massage recliner. ROFLACGU - rolling on floor laughing and can't get up. =========== 3. Interesting Web site For snippets of advice from those in the writing business about social media, see the Web page below. http://thewritelife.com/how-successful-authors- use-social-media-to-sell-more-books/ =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
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