Afleveringen
-
In this episode, Matt & Lauren tackle the upcoming holiday season. Theyโll discuss best practices for getting your books ready, optimizing your site or bookstore, speaking to gift givers instead of your target audience, and reviewing your social media for book promo opportunities.
Dive Deeper๐ก Check These Resources
Make Books Make Bank PDF DownloadMcKinsey on US Holiday Shopping 2023Forbes on 6 Trends From The 2023 Holiday Season That Can Shape 2024๐ก Read These Blog Posts
Sell More Books With A Holiday Social Media StrategyDiscounting Best Practices and Biggest BlundersBlack Friday & Cyber Monday Holiday Sales Planning9-Point Book Sales Checklist For Holiday5 Ways To Get Your Lulu Direct Shopify Store Ready For The Holidays๐ก Watch These Videos
Webinar | Make Books, Make Bank: Your Guide To Holiday SuccessWebinar | Boost Fall Book Sales With A Stellar Marketing Plan๐ก Listen to These Episodes
Episode #31 | Your 7-Step Guide to Building an Online Bookstore Episode #11 | Email Marketing for Authors and CreatorsEpisode #13 | Earning Free Publicity for Your Book๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt tackle some common pain points entrepreneurs and ecommerce store owners struggle with. Weโll talk through solutions and tips for collecting sales tax, setting up shipping and managing shipping issues, and providing proactive customer service for your shoppers.
Dive Deeper๐ก Sales Tax
Lulu Knowledge Base | How Do I Configure My Lulu Direct Products to Collect the Correct Taxes?Spotify | How to Charge Sales Tax in the USWooCommerce | Setting up Taxes in WooCommerceEconomic Nexus Threshold MapTaxJarAvalara
Luluโs Pricing CalculatorGetting Your Ship Together in Lulu Direct (Shopify and WooCommerce)International Book Shipping: A Guide for Self-Published CreatorsLulu U Tutorial | Setting Up Live Shipping Rates in ShopifyLulu U Tutorial | Setting Up Shipping Rates Manually in ShopifyLulu U Tutorial | Setting Up Shipping with Lulu Direct and WooCommerceLulu U Tutorial | Setting Up Shipping in Wix
๐ก Shipping
Customer Service and Your Ecommerce BusinessThe Life of A Book
๐ก Customer Support
Jump Ahead to Learn About๐๏ธ Understanding Sales Tax โ 4:46
๐๏ธ All Things Shipping (Ship Mapping, Expenses, and Troubleshooting) โ 16:51
๐๏ธ Proactive Customer Service Strategies โ 28:43
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Self-publishing might be a DIY publishing model, but there are plenty of tools and resources to help you get your book from manuscript to market. In this episode, Matt & Lauren discuss a debatable number of tools to help you draft, edit, format, design, market, and ship your book.
Dive Deeper๐ก Learn More About
FictionaryVellumAtticusBublishLuluโs Order Import ToolWritten Word MediaBookFunnel
Vellum Review: Simple Page Layout for Self-PublishersAtticus Review: The All-in-One Writing and Formatting Tool for Indie AuthorsDropshipping for Entrepreneurs & Creators With Luluโs Order Import Tool
๐ก Read These Blog Posts
Webinar with Fictionary | Editing Essentials: Edit Like a Developmental Story EditorWebinar with Bublish | Boost Fall Book Sales With A Stellar Marketing Plan
๐ก Watch These VideosJump Ahead to Learn About
๐๏ธ Fictionary โ 1:52
๐๏ธ Atticus & Vellum โ 7:41
๐๏ธ Luluโs Cover Design Tool โ 15:53
๐๏ธ Bublishโs AI Author Toolkit โ 22:23
๐๏ธ Luluโs Order Import Tool โ 27:58
๐๏ธ Written Word Media and BookFunnel โ 37:19๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt review strategies for getting your self-published book into indie bookstores, including participating in consignment programs, pitching yourself for author events, and making your book available through retail distribution.
Dive Deeper๐ก Read These Blog Posts
Selling Your Book on Consignment With Indie Bookstores5 Visual Indicators Your Book Is Self-Published๐ก Watch How to Get Your Book into Bookstores
๐ก Check your bookโs global distribution eligibility with our Pricing Calculator
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [15:44] โThese bookstores have a standard to uphold. Which is not to say that every traditionally published book and every book available in an indie bookstore or any bookstore is a good book. We all know that's not true. But at the very least, they want people to be able to look at your book and think it's a good book.โ
๐๏ธ [25:34] โYou're not just an author or creator, we've said this a thousand times. You're a business, and as such you need to be building trust and relationships with people.โ
๐๏ธ [32:49] โIt's important to understand that your book can be available to be bought from an indie bookstore or a bookstore in general if you are in distribution, it just won't be sitting on the shelves as ready inventory.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt and Lauren take listeners on a journey through self-publishing and traditional publishing. Weโll look at where those paths overlap, where they diverge, and what to expect on your publishing adventure.
Dive Deeper๐ก Jane Friedmanโs The Key Book Publishing Paths
๐ก Listen to These Episodes:
Episode #2 โ Is Self-Publishing the Best Path for Today's Creators?Episode #8 โ Self-Publishing is a Team SportEpisode #20 โ Do You Need to Hire Professional Editors for Your Book? Episode #10 โ Marketing Your Book Pre-Launch, At-Launch, and Post-Launch๐ก Read These Blog Posts
The Publishing Journey: Traditional Publishing vs. Self-PublishingUnderstanding The Publishing Gatekeepers๐ก Watch These Videos
Which Publishing Path is Right for You? | Publish Your Purpose Press x Lulu WebinarSound Bites From This Episode
๐๏ธ [10:17] โIt used to be that if you said your book was self-published, or if people knew your book was self-published, they were just like, oh, that's got to be garbage. They did it themselves. It can't be a good book. These days, obviously nothing's further from the truth than that statement.โ
๐๏ธ [23:10] โBut the point is you don't have any control over that in traditional publishing, and in self-publishing you have total control over that.โ
๐๏ธ [45:14] โAll of this is only relevant in so much as what your goals are for the book itself.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt dive into what makes a successful go-to-market strategy for your book. Learn how to pick the right launch date and products, choose the best sales and distribution platforms, and craft effective pre-launch and post-launch sales strategies.
Have a question about self-publishing, selling direct, Lulu, or any of the weird tangents Matt & Lauren like to meander through? Email us at [email protected] to submit your question for our upcoming AMA episode!
Dive Deeper๐ก Listen to These Episodes to Learn More Aboutโฆ
Marketing Your Book Pre-Launch, At-Launch, and Post-LaunchDetermining the Right Retail Price for Your BookThe Indie Author's Guide to Thriving Without AmazonYour 7-Step Guide to Building an Online Bookstore4 Reasons Creators Don't Sell Direct (and Why You Should)Crowdfunding Your Self-Published Book With Kickstarter5 Things to Know Before You Start PublishingSound Bites From This Episode
๐๏ธ [12:35] โDon't get too married to all this stuff in the beginning. When you're able to step back from this go-to-market plan and really take a look at it holistically, you might see some areas where you need to go back in and change a few things so that everything kind of works seamlessly and harmoniously together.โ
๐๏ธ [29:04] โHaving that sales and distribution and strategy laid out and understanding where and when each format and variation of that book is going to be released and sold is really important. And it'll extend the sales lifecycle of that book as long as possible.โ
๐๏ธ [42:01] โRegardless of whether or not you're selling direct, no matter which sales and distribution platforms you're going to move forward with: customer data is invaluable. Whatever kind of customer data you have access to from these different sales and distribution channels, you're going to want some way to track it.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren attempts to convince Matt (and the listeners) of the power of a well-written book description. Listen in to learn how to craft a compelling book description that will help you hook new readers.
Have a question about self-publishing, selling direct, Lulu, or any of the weird tangents Matt & Lauren like to meander through? Email us at [email protected] to submit your question for our upcoming AMA episode!
Dive Deeper๐ก Listen to Episode #13 | Earning Free Publicity for Your Book
๐ก Read These Blog Posts
How to Write a Book Description That SellsHow to Earn Media Attention: Essential PR Tips for Authors๐ก Watch These Videos
Lulu U | How to Write a Book Description That SellsWebinar | PR for Authors: Building Buzz Around Your Book๐ก Check Out the Books
Masters of Death by Olivie BlakeMy Best Friendโs Exorcism by Grady HendrixSound Bites From This Episode
๐๏ธ [11:14] โTo Matt's point that you could use ChatGPT to write your book description for you if you want to. I'm going to say that you could, but you still need to know what to tell ChatGPT to use to write the book description.โ
๐๏ธ [24:12] โIt's a really succinct way to tell me who the book is for, what they're going to get out of it, and what goals you're going to achieve by doing it or by reading it, but without actually giving any of the information away. So I have to keep reading to learn more about what I'm actually going to get out of this book.โ
๐๏ธ [34:15] โIf people are like at a bookstore where you're not there, or online, they're browsing and they see your book the thing that's gonna catch their eye first is the cover. Your elevator pitch is what you're gonna do when you're talking to somebody in person.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share ideas for repurposing your existing content. Hint: it's by turning that content into a book. We share ideas for both nonfiction and fiction book projects, including options that require little to no new writing.
Have a question about self-publishing, selling direct, Lulu, or any of the weird tangents Matt & Lauren like to meander through? Email us at [email protected] to submit your question for our upcoming AMA episode!
Dive Deeper๐ก Read These Blog Posts
6 Ways To Publish a Book Without Writing a BookFrom Blog To Book: How To Turn Your Content Into a Published BookHow To Turn Your Video Content Into a BookHow To Reach a New Audience With a Book Based on Your PodcastHow To Create a Workbook: Tips To Enhance Your Online CourseWhat Is Fanfiction and Why Does It Matter?๐ก Watch These Videos
What Should I Publish? 10 Ideas Using Content You Already HaveLulu University playlist on Content MonetizationSound Bites From This Episode
๐๏ธ [3:51] โOne of the best ways to identify what aspect or which topic of your content would necessarily lend itself best to a book, or a book project, would be to just go back and look at your metrics, right? Figure out which of your blog posts or podcasts or YouTube videos or whatever got the most views and the most engagement.โ
๐๏ธ [14:58] โPresentations can be very one-sided where it's literally just the speaker speaking at an audience of peopleโฆ this is a great way to turn that one time event attendee into somebody who's going to continue to come back to you, continue to participate in the conversation and continue to think of you when they're thinking about the subject matter that you were presenting on."
๐๏ธ [25:55] โIf you are a digital first fiction author and you're publishing your ebooks, whether it's on Kindle Unlimited, you're doing serial fiction on something like Kindle Vella, BookFunnel, whatever platform that you're using, why are you not selling print editions of your books? If you are, great, love you for it. If you're not, please do.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt & Lauren review five things youโll need to know before you start on your publishing journey! We share insights about knowing your content, knowing your goals, knowing your limits, knowing your audience, and knowing your publisher.
Also featuring a meandering detour into graphic novels and an ongoing discussion about crying (now or later).
Have a question about self-publishing, selling direct, Lulu, or any of the weird tangents Matt & Lauren like to meander through? Email us at [email protected] to submit your question for our upcoming AMA episode!
Dive Deeper๐ก Check Out Jane Friedmanโs Key Book Publishing Paths
๐ก Watch our Start Here! Playlist
๐ก Read These Blog Posts
How to Get Started PublishingHow to Find Your Target AudiencePrint-on-Demand: Breaking Down the Costs for AuthorsThe Publishing Journey: Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing๐ก Listen to These Episodes
Is Self-Publishing the Best Path for Today's Creators?What is Print-on-Demand?Self-Publishing is a Team SportCan You Really Support Your Business With Just 1,000 True Fans?Author Branding 101: Building a Brand Beyond Your Books๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode Lauren & Matt talk through the 7 essential steps to building your own online bookstore. From choosing the right platform to launching your site, weโll cover everything you need to know to sell your self-published books directly to your readers.
Dive Deeper๐ก Step 1:
ShopifyLearn More About Selling Your Book With Shopify and Lulu DirectWooCommerceLearn More About Selling Your Book With WooCommerce and Lulu DirectWixLearn More About Selling Your Book With Wix and Lulu DirectSquarespace๐ก Step 2:
Shopify | How to Choose the Best Domain Name in 2024๐ก Step 3:
Lulu Blog | What Is an Author Brand and Why Does It Matter?๐ก Step 4:
Lulu Blog | Customer Service and Your Ecommerce Business๐ก Step 6:
Lulu U Playlist | Lulu Direct for ShopifyLulu U Playlist | Lulu Direct for WooCommerceLulu U Playlist | Lulu Direct for WixInfluencer Marketing Hub | Top 14 eCommerce Plugins to Power Your eCommerce Site in 2024๐ก Step 7:
Lulu Blog | Canโt-Miss Tips for Building a Better Ecommerce StoreLulu Blog | Optimized for Mobile: The Future of Bookselling๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt & Lauren debate the distinctions between author and reader communities, discuss the value of participating in either, and share some suggestions for how to bridge the gap between them.
Dive Deeper๐ก Check Out These Online Communities
Enter the LuluniverseMeet the Nonfiction Authors AssociationLearn More About Novelists, Inc.Explore Inkers ConListen to the State of the Nation podcast episode on Story Wars at Author Nation๐ก Read These Blog Posts
How to Grow Your Author Network7 Online Writing Communities for Authors๐ก Watch These Videos
How to Build a Community of True FansWebinar | TikTok, Booktube, and Instagram, Oh My!Sound Bites From This Episode
๐๏ธ [9:36] โI think that they're also like, as we're talking about the distinctions between them, I think that they are inherently different in that author communities tend to be more focused onโฆ craft and education, and this is a learning experience for me, how do I do this? Crowdsourcing how to do things, whether it's how to write, how to publish, how to get an agent, whatever. Reader communities tend to be echo chambers of opinions.โ
๐๏ธ [27:45] โIf you're looking for a way to be a part of an author community or a writer community or something like that, there are plenty of opportunities out there to find them, whether they are big nationwide communities or small local bookstore, coffee shop, library, independent groups.โ
๐๏ธ [42:45] โAnd that's really what this podcast is, is us talking in circles around the very clear, like one sentence that we could have said.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share their insights from attending dozens of author events to set you up for success. Hear tips for preparing sales strategies and inventory, promoting the event to your fans, and maximizing your presence at the event.
Dive Deeper๐ก Learn More About These Events
CEXAuthor NationNINC๐ก Read These Blog Posts
How to Pitch Your Book for Earned PromotionWhat is an Author Brand and Why Does It Matter? How to Grow Your Author Network๐ก Watch These Videos
Webinar | Speaking to Sell Books: โโโโโโโBreak into Professional Speaking to Reach More ReadersPlaylist | How to Find and Grow Your Target Audience
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [7:29] โAnytime you can get in front of people and speak, regardless of the topic, that is some of the best publicity and advertising you could get for yourself.โ
๐๏ธ [15:25] โUnderestimating your audience is the worst thing you could do. And underestimating what they'll purchase or where they'll go to see you, or even how much they like you, you're only going to hurt yourself.โ
๐๏ธ [34:30] โThis is your opportunity to make a really good in person impression on fans, followers, readers and potential new readers. Let's not just show up, throw a few books on the table and sit down and wait for them all to come because it's not going to happen.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren is joined by Joe Solari, Managing Director of Author Nation, for our first-ever Publish & Prosper interview!
Get excited for the Author Nation event coming to Las Vegas this November, take an inside look at CEX 2024, and hear Joeโs thoughts on the future of indie publishing.
Dive Deeper๐ก Learn more about Author Nation
๐ก Listen to Author Nationโs State of the Nation podcast
๐ก Catch what you missed at CEX 2024 with our Digital Pass
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [10:29] โThat's part of the journey is doing all that to have that ownership and to know that while it might not be a fast path, everything there is yours.โ
๐๏ธ [15:07] โThis whole thing about going direct and doing things that this way isn't about what I think people think it's about. I think it's a biggerโฆ a bigger, more strategic plan to make sure your business is hardened against what might be a really logical decision for Amazon and its shareholders.โ
๐๏ธ [27:41] โSo as a person that creates content, it's not just about what you can do today. It's about what we're going to be able to do in the future.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
Thereโs a fine line to balance when youโre setting the retail price for your book! Too high, and you might discourage potential new readers. Too low, and readers might question the value of your content - or worse, you wind up losing money on every sale.
In this episode Matt & Lauren discuss how to determine the optimal list price for your book and what factors to consider.
Dive Deeper๐ก Luluโs Pricing Calculator
๐ก How Do I Set the Retail Price for My Print Book? from the Lulu Knowledge Base
๐ก Breaking Down Print Costs for Authors from the Lulu Blog
๐ก School Library Journalโs 2023 Average Book Prices Chart
๐ก Self-Publishing School on How to Price Your Book: Balancing Sales and Profit
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [18:32] โIf you don't care about the why and you don't care about all the mechanics behind everything and you just want the quick TL;DR answer to how do I figure out how to price my book correctly? The answer is do your market research.โ
๐๏ธ [24:20] โAnd that's kind of the point of this episode too, is to help people better understand the economics of books so that they're not out there pricing things based on just seeing something on Amazon and going well, I have to do it this way. Like, I have to try and compete with that price. You may not be able to.โ
๐๏ธ [32:12] โThere's definitely some psychology behind that, some consumer and behavioral psychology around how you price things. It's not a bad idea to pick up a book or two about this and learn more about it.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
As authors, writers, and creative types, itโs easy to get caught up in the perceived importance of customer reviews. But do those reviews actually help you sell more books? In this episode, Lauren & Matt debate the value of book reviews for increasing your sales, boosting your bookโs discoverability, and providing social proof for new readers.
Dive Deeper๐ก Barnes & Noble Press Blog on The Power and Importance of Book Reviews
๐ก HubSpot on The Psychology of Social Proof
๐ก Trustpilot on Social Proof: What is it, and why is it important for eCommerce?
๐ก Jane Friedman on Are Paid Book Reviews Worth It?
๐ก Statista data on Online Fake Reviews Removed in 2021
๐ก Customer Review Plugins Loox, TrustReviews, and Trustify
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [17:22] โYou as a writer or a creator or anybody else for that matter, who's trying to placate or play up to the algorithms, it's a lost cause right now. The best thing you can do is just forget about that. Keep trying to create good, valuable content.โ
๐๏ธ [22:36] โI don't know about you, but I don't think one single review has ever been the thing that made me decide to buy a product. But I can tell you for sure that one single review has been enough to make me not buy something.โ
๐๏ธ [35:55] โAnd then the credibility and trust thing, again. Underneath it all, that's what a review is forโฆ It's the whole reason why some people even publish a book, is to get some credibility and authority and trust. And so the reviews can help to further solidify what that book was even created for in the first place.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore author brands. Listen now to discover the power of your author identity, why it is so important, and how to create and maintain a brand for your long-term marketing and sales success.
Dive Deeper๐ก Read These Blog Posts
What Is an Author Brand and Why Does It Matter?Complete Book Marketing Plan for Creators and Authors
๐ก Watch Lulu Universityโs Author Branding Playlist๐ก Learn more about Why Authors Shouldnโt be Hiding Behind Their Books: What it Means to Build an Author Brand from Written Word Media
๐ก Check out Armen Adamjan and Creative Explained
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [2:46] โI think a lot of the time a lot of the issues that authors run up against when it comes to long-term marketing can be boiled down to they haven't done the groundwork with their author branding and developing their brand.โ
๐๏ธ [16:19] โWhat you really need to remember is that whatever you do, whatever branding you apply, whatever name you choose, you need to be consistent across all channels, including when we talk about things like pay and organic search and stuff like that, so that you continue to build brand recognition, which is what fuels the machine for you to sustain that business long-term, regardless of what that business might be.โ
๐๏ธ [36:05] โI think the key is to just - you have to recognize that and you have to understand that if, if this is something you want to do long-term as a career, whether you've already started down that path or not, you have to have this component. You have to have some branding in order to sustain a long-term trajectory.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
Super fans! We know them, we love them, we want them for our own. But how do you turn your casual fans into loyal, dedicated super fans? In this episode, Lauren & Matt discuss strategies like diversifying your products, demonstrating the value of your content, and creating a community for your fans.
Dive Deeper๐ก Read These Blog Posts
5 Ways You Can Sell Your Book To Find Readers and FansThe 1,000 True Fan Theory: Sustainable Income for Creators๐ก Watch These Videos
How to Build a Community of True FansWebinar | How to Create a Multi-Million-Dollar Business โโโโโโโFrom Your Business Book with Joe PulizziWebinar | Building Your Audience: How To Turn Followers Into Fans๐ก Read These Articles
AgoraPulse on Pat Flynn and How to Turn Customers Into Superfans (and Why You Need to)Social Media Examiner on How to Turn Fans Into Engaged Superfans using a Brand Engagement Funnel
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [7:38] โI think that in talking about how you might want to go about turning fans and followers into super fans, you do need to look at and think about things like an expanded product portfolioโฆ to create a super fan, you're going to need more than one thing.โ
๐๏ธ [19:47] โHaving that opportunity to connect with your fans is one of the ways that you're going to be able to take casual one-time purchasers that came to your website, bought your book, and then left, turn them into loyal, true super fans of yours.โ
๐๏ธ [31:24] โThe best marketing values human impressions over digital impressions. We talk about this all the time. And so while the digital stuff can help and these tools can help by automating certain things, nothing will ever garner as much results and success as taking a more human approach to the way that you market and interact with your fan base.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt & Lauren share their favorite survival tips for attending author and creator conferences! From packing essential supplies to putting your health first, hear our teamโs must-haves and must-dos for anyone trying to maximize their time at a conference.
Dive Deeper๐ก Read more about Why Creator Events Are a Must for Creators & Entrepreneurs
๐ก Watch Sessions from CEX 2023
๐ก Learn More About Some Events Weโll Be Attending in 2024
Content Entrepreneur ExpoCraft + CommerceAuthor Nation
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [8:23] โYou should always go as yourself and be comfortable. But again, if yourself is a blazer, a t-shirt, jeans, and some tennis shoes, then you should take a hard look in the mirror.โ
๐๏ธ [26:22] โWe've talked about one of the benefits of attending events is networking and having those networking and connecting opportunities. And if that's something that, like me, you dread the idea of doing that, having the chance to schedule networking opportunities ahead of time kind of takes some of that pressure off of just approaching strangers.โ
๐๏ธ [38:38] โWhat are your goals for attending this event? Don't lose sight of that. It's easy to get to an event, especially if you've never been to it before, and it turns out to be a really cool one. You kind of lose sight of why you're there and you get sidetracked with a lot of things and just try to remember why you're there, what you're hoping to get out of it.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Matt & Lauren discuss the most valuable tool in any creatorโs arsenal: customer data. Whether youโre tracking book sales and behavioral data, collecting customer information through direct sales, or reviewing your key social media and email marketing metrics, understanding your customer data is essential for long-term brand success.
Dive Deeper๐ก Read These Blog Posts
Unlock Your Content Business Potential With User DataTracking Your Marketing Efforts With UTM Tags Social Media 101 For AuthorsMastering Email Marketing for Authors: A Comprehensive Guide๐ก Watch This Video on Leveraging Customer Data For Your Ecommerce Business
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [10:31] โGathering customer data and using the customer data that you have access to regardless of whether you're selling direct, selling third party or whatever, however you're gathering this customer data, whatever you have available to you, it is unilaterally useful for any type of author or content creator.โ
๐๏ธ [20:34] โHaving your own data to compare against what is being put out there in the world about your industry or your genre is extremely helpful because without it, you're just gonna take some of those people at their word. You're just gonna look at their data, which represents maybe a large group as a whole, but doesn't represent you as an individual creator or author. And you may just take that as gospel because you don't have your own data to compare it to.โ
๐๏ธ [41:43] โNever bring an opinion to a data fight.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. -
In this episode, Lauren & Matt take a look at best practices for book design. Weโll review key design elements that often get overlooked on book covers, what to include inside your book, and whether or not we think itโs worth the cost to pay for book cover and interior design.
Dive Deeper๐ก Download Luluโs Free Guides & Templates
๐ก Check Out the Professional Designers on Our Hire A Pro Page
๐ก Read These Blog Posts
5 Visual Indicators Your Book is Self-PublishedAtticus ReviewVellum ReviewAffinity Publisher Review: An InDesign Alternative๐ก Watch This Book Formatting Playlist on YouTube
Sound Bites From This Episode๐๏ธ [10:15] โI do think that if you're a very creative individual and you're using a tool that doesn't have a steep learning curve, you could probably create a cover that's good enough. But again, if this is something that you've put a lot of time and effort into chances are you don't want something that's just good enough.โ
๐๏ธ [26:09] "Something to keep in mind as you're figuring out your cover design and figuring out what you want to do with that, consider how it's going to look with the rest of your books and consider how it's going to look with your own professional branding."
๐๏ธ [35:27] โI think one of the most important things you can include, especially for those of you who have not been listening to us, or everybody else out there right now, about trying to sell direct. Back matter is the perfect place to try and drive people to your author platform, to sign up for your email newsletters or whatever that might be.โ
๐ Canโt wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
๐ Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
๐ Email us at [email protected]
๐ Sign up for our mailing list. - Laat meer zien