Happy Saturday!
I’ve just stepped out in the sun, rockin' my shades, a white tee (fingers crossed I don't spill anything on it), some chill beach shorts, and flip-flops.
Man, I could totally go for some ice cream and hit the beach right now (lol just kidding, I wish I was near the beach).
Anyway, let’s get into this week’s issue.
But first, I need to let you know about a little change.
I originally planned for today’s newsletter to feature author Mary Nihn.
However, a teaser post I shared in the Children's Book Authors and Illustrators: Publishing, Marketing and Selling Facebook group about the newsletter led to me getting kicked out of the group.
I didn’t realize that Mary had upset some of the group members😔
If you’re part of the group, I’m really sorry if my post caused any offense, it wasn’t my intention🙏
So, I’m currently in the Facebook group’s jail😢
Wish me luck!
Today’s newsletter will feature a different author. Thanks for understanding!
This author sells over 15,000 copies every month.
And that’s just from one of her book series, My Superpower Books.
I got curious about her marketing strategies and decided to dig deeper into how she does it.
Alicia Ortego published her first children's book in the series, Kindness is My Superpower, in 2020.
Now, her series has 10 books.
Her books have achieved:
-#1 Amazon Bestseller in Children’s Books on Tolerance (UK)
-#1 Amazon Bestseller in Children’s Books on Manners (UK)
Here are 6 marketing strategies she uses:
Marketing Strategy #1: Blogs
Alicia's books teach kids valuable lessons about:
-Emotional intelligence
-Personal growth
-Empathy
Her blogs target parents, teachers, and caregivers looking for ways to teach these lessons to their kids.
She then subtly recommends her books or worksheets in her blog posts.
For example, in her article "How to Increase Your Child’s Attention Span":
1/ She talks about reading together as a way to boost a child’s attention span and then casually suggests her books.
2/ She mentions mindfulness activities like deep breathing and smoothly brings up her book "Breathing is My Superpower," which teaches those exact techniques.
3/ Her box set is displayed on the side of the blog post, just a click away for readers who are interested.
4/ She links to other articles on her site, each with a gentle nudge toward buying something she offers.
5/ If you’re not ready to buy her books, she’ll offer a freebie instead.
It’s a smart move because you get a useful worksheet, which helps build her reputation as a go-to resource and keeps her brand fresh in your mind.
Marketing Strategy #2: Quora
This is Alicia’s most creative strategy in my opinion.
She answers parenting questions on Quora that relate to her book topics.
Her answers are genuinely helpful, like advice from a professional coach, and at the bottom, she recommends her blog posts or worksheets.
Although it appears she stopped this. I guess she was doing this in her early days publishing just so her books gain some momentum.
Additionally, she posts in Quora groups whenever a new book is released and has optimized her Quora profile so anyone who views it can see her blogs and books on Amazon.
After checking out her analytics, I found she’s gotten 54.4k views just from these efforts.
Marketing Strategy #3: Mailing List
Alicia also has a mailing list. While I haven’t received any emails myself, I’d imagine she sends out offers or announces new releases to her subscribers.
She grows her mailing list through the freebies section on her website, offering worksheets in exchange for email sign-ups.
These freebies are tied to the values and lessons from her books.
For instance, her "Simple Acts of Kindness Ideas" worksheet, inspired by her book "Kindness is My Superpower," gives kids ideas on how to show kindness to others.
Marketing Strategy #4: Her YouTube Channel
Alicia uses her YouTube channel to post read-alouds of her books and fun children's craft videos.
What's really cool is how she ties her craft videos to her books.
For example, in one video, she makes a paper rocket using a toilet paper roll, inspired by her book “Confidence is My Superpower.”
She links to the book on Amazon in the video description.
This video ended up getting 24,000 views.
Marketing Strategy #5: Read Aloud Channels
Her books get a ton of attention on YouTube.
Other than the read-alouds on her own YouTube channel, several read-aloud channels feature her books and link to them on Amazon for viewers to purchase.
Marketing Strategy #6: Social Media
Alicia is super active on social media.
Her Facebook page for example is all about her work as an author.
She shares tips related to the themes of her books that are useful for parents, teachers, and caregivers.
She often links to her blog posts, which go into more detail about the tips she shares on social media.
She also shares updates about her books, including new releases, promotions, and events.
Additionally, Alicia posts engaging content about:
-Her writing process
-Insights into her characters
-Interactions with her readers
Her page is a great way for her to connect with her audience and promote her books.
One thing's for sure, Alicia is super creative when it comes to marketing her books and building her brand.
Which strategy did you like the most? Don’t be shy, feel free to share your thoughts!
And that’s it for this week.
You can view Alicia's:
-Website here
-Amazon Author Page here
See you again next week!
Alex Safari
Co-founder, Zuri Book Pros
Say hi 👋🏽 on Facebook
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