Overwhelmed, squandering a great opportunity

[nursingaround]

I realise that Market Samurai helps you find niche markets, and tests them, but I want to figure a way to use the skills that are taught here, to market a product I already have. My book, which is about 200 on amazon.co.uk and in the top 100 on itunes UK, is doing really well, and it's a memoir about nursing. Fortunately my publisher has done all the hard work of promoting it, but he said anything I do myself can only help. So, what to do? All I know how to do is write, I've got two more books I'm working on now, I just can't find ways to use marketing stuff. I've never managed to get past module 3, it's so confusing. I still don't get twitter even. A few spammy people want to follow me, but I don't see how this would help me.

I also can't keep track of all the different things that are used. It's strange, as I know that the stuff here is good, but I feel it's good for everyone else, just not me. I just want to somehow leverage the fact I've got a major publisher, who wants me to write more. They even got me a woman from a PR company who loves my commentary on all things health related (in regards to the NHS) and I've now been on the front page of some major newspapers (some of my stories from my book). But I feel I could be doing so much more, but am just overwhelmed with all the social media stuff.

I don't know really what I'm asking here, it's more just a buildup of frustration that I've got a great opportunity, and I don't want to waste it.

Hell, I'm gonna shut up.

[hat]

I am so sorry to note the pain and frustration in your post - and can easily relate to it. That's why I'm here.

I'm brand new, so this is just a suggestion based on my take on how the system should work. I leave it to a moderator to correct me if I'm wrong.

As far as I can tell, it's all about getting traffic by getting a webpage on page 1 of google, then getting that traffic (people who then look at the page) to DO something and eventualy SPEND some money.

Ok you have a book on nursing.
Presumably you have people searching for that book (due to the Stirling work already done by your publisher)

Do the keywrod research on the title of your book - just to see if there is any data for people searching for it and whether it would itself meet the criteria for a winning keyword. Maybe not, but use the keyword suggestions to find a qualifying keyword that COULD relate to something in the book or about you. I don't know - different types of nurses or nursing under certain conditions - anything that has searches and fits the criteria. (Takes ages, I find, but mustn't skip this)

Write an interesting article ( or more if you find more keywords) around the qualifying word or phrase, and a couple more relevent articles for 'body'. You would add more later, sounds as if you already have material you can use. You could even do precis of parts of the book or something - or review other books you like and are happy to recommend. Lucky you- you can write!
Make a new twitter account and Facebook account for You as the Author, or for the book, or the genre.( Follow instructions in the Challenge)

When you are ready, make the website around the best 'jolly good' keyword or phrase*** and add like buttons and follow buttons for your new facebook and twitter accounts. Eventually I guess you would add an Amazon link to your book. (become an affiliate)
Then follow all the rest of the instructions for promoting The Website you just made which is so full of interesting stuff that everyone knows how lovely you are and goes on to follow you - and trusts your recommendations. So much so that they recommend you too. (and if they follow you theiir followers see your posts too - I think)
As far as I read it, That is the aim - the promotion of the book comes out of the promotion of You as a regular writer on Your website, in Twitter & in Facebook, with so much interesting and useful stuff that people want to stick with you. You are then in a very good position to promote the book, and the next book! - or info product - or instruction manual - whatever.

The Challenge is the ultimate example of such a website using that kind of strategy, Ed has things to sell - you hardly notice them but using his Incredibly valuable resource which generates trust and a certain loyalty means that when he does show you something you can buy, you are more likely to consider the purchase and even recommend it to others.

***Check with others here, but I think your website could be your name if you like, so that the url of the high ranking page would be say, www.nursingaround.com/the-jolly-interesting-top-ranking-keyword.php
Actually I'd like to know if that would be as effective too, can anyone answer that?***

Yours is an incredibly useful question as it made me think hard about how it all works, what I am trying to do and how to make a website work for me. Thank you and Good Luck

PSI haven't got very far yet, Module one, so can't tell you details of the extra promoting you can do - that's the job of The Challenge.

PPS I have always avoided Twiiter and Facebook too -thinking it all such a waste of time. Beginning to realise their potential but have to learn it all!

[Jack Doheny]

Hi Hattie...

That was an excellent response to her question... you have a good handle on what this is all about. She sounds to be very frustrated but if she takes her time and follows the instructions she will be in a very good position. I can understand where she would feel very pressured!

Well stated...
Jack Doheny

[Barry Unruh]

I'll give you a good starting guide for finding keywords to use for using the Challenge to promote your book. Go to Amazon, find the bestsellers in your categories (The same ones you are using for your book). Scroll down to the bottom of their pages and look at the tags the author, publisher, and readers are using for the books. That will give you a very targeted list of keywords to use.

Now, an added note. Since you are promoting a book, you are not as highly interested in targeting "only" low hanging keywords. You want to use some of the top keywords which would describe your book, also.

Remember to focus heavily on promotional methods which engage your targeted market. Where do they hang out on Facebook? What hashtags might they be using on Twitter? Who would they be following on Twitter? What forums would they be involved with? What types of photos and videos would they be interested in seeing?

I think if you asked Ed directly whether the Challenge is a good method to promote books I think his answer would probably be "Simply Brilliant".

[rebeccajacarandascott]

Hey Jack! Your here. I thought you were having trouble posting! Maybe hop over to the MEET UP section of the forum and talk to the MELBOURNE GROUP. Its 9.16pm here in Melbourne Australia and I think it might be the middle of the night over where you are in New Hampshire.... I need to look at the time conversion to see whether you will have to set your alarm to participate in our team SKYPE meetup which occurs at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on a Wednesday night. And we have ongoing comms via a private FaceBook Group.
Sorry everybody to talk about meetups on this thread but Jack was having trouble trying to post in the Meetups section.
Rebecca

[nursingaround]

Thanks guys, I've begun looking at the tags for 'confessions of a gp' the only medical comedy type of book in front of me. It's given me some keywords to research. I've decided to set up a webpage under my pseudonym (had to do this to help protect patient confidentiality) and what I'm going to begin doing is to start publishing the my commentary of the major newspaper stories. I'm already doing this for the PR company Harper Collins are using, so the stories are already written.
Fortunately I've got a brother who can make me a nice website.
I'll let you know how things go.