By Scott McCormick –

Estimated studying time: 6 minutes

Doak Turner will not be a family identify, however that’s a part of what makes his story so inspiring. Doak Turner had what each first-time writer desires of getting: a profitable ebook signing in a packed home in his hometown library. Afterwards, his hosts advised him that twenty individuals often got here to those occasions, however he had smashed the file by having over eighty individuals present up — lots of whom drove over an hour to be there.

Not unhealthy for a first-time writer.

There was no magic concerned. Doak’s a advertising and marketing man. He merely used old style advertising and marketing know-how to make this occasion so profitable — and he has used the identical rules to promote books ever since.

We find it irresistible when BookBaby shoppers succeed — particularly once they have a narrative to inform. So, we wished to the touch base with Doak to get his recommendations on easy methods to have a profitable ebook signing, and the way first-time authors can promote books.

Doak (rhymes with “cloak”) had no concept what he wished to do together with his life after graduating from highschool in 1977. Then in the future he heard a radio station was hiring salespeople. This job modified his life.

Doak has since worn many hats (or, in his phrases, he’s had many identities). He’s labored in radio gross sales, sports activities advertising and marketing, the music enterprise, and extra. He particulars all of his adventures — and the teachings he’s discovered alongside the best way — in his ebook, A Loopy Journey (And Discovering My True Identification).

Let’s begin together with your implausible ebook signing. How did you promote this occasion?

The month-to-month occasion known as “St. Albans Writes,” during which the library board asks authors from St. Albans, West Virginia to return and speak about their books. They requested me in fall of 2024 to plan on an April 1, 2025 signing.

Fb has been one in every of my important sources to market my ebook, and I’ve two pages: Doak Turner and Doak Turner (Carolina). Every web page has over 4,500 followers. I posted the occasion on my pages and introduced the occasion to everybody by way of Messenger that I knew had been from the world. Then I adopted up two months, one month, two weeks, and the week of the occasion, inviting individuals to attend the occasion.

I additionally messaged my community of family and friends to ask them to the occasion.

A number of of the folks that I contacted by way of Fb had already bought the ebook, which grew to become out there in December 2023, and so they got here to help me on the occasion.

I additionally went to the St. Albans Fb group pages, posted the occasion, and talked about that I seemed ahead to seeing my pals on the occasion. I waited till a pair days prematurely for the St. Albans Fb teams.

Did you do any advertising and marketing or promotion apart from Fb?

I referred to as a contact on the native Charleston Gazette-Mail newspaper and managed to land an article within the leisure part the Wednesday earlier than the occasion. And the St. Albans Chamber of Commerce publication revealed a pleasant article with details about me, the ebook, and occasion.

Did you do something particular so that folks may have distinctive mementos of the occasion?

I did! I pre-signed over 50 books in silver ink — what I referred to as the Silver Signed Version — after which added the shopper’s identify on the occasion.

I’d performed an analogous promotion after I printed out the primary 100 copies of my ebook, solely these had been the Gold Signature Collection. And, you guessed it, I signed them with a gold Sharpie. Even used a gold “Thank You” stamp.

Folks appeared to actually benefit from the customization.

At what level within the writing and promotion course of did you begin fascinated by advertising and marketing? Was it whilst you had been nonetheless writing? Earlier? Whenever you had been performed?

After I first wrote the ebook again in 2020, I used to be simply getting these tales out of my head and was not fascinated by advertising and marketing. However as I used to be writing, I might publish photographs on Fb with tales and a teaser that I used to be engaged on a ebook. So, I assume that may very well be thought-about pre-marketing of the ebook.

I discovered about engagement on social media in Nashville from a pair individuals, together with Rick Barker workshops that he and I hosted for artists for a pair years. Rick was Taylor Swift’s supervisor 2005-2008.

Are you able to give us a few of your favourite pointers from these social media advertising and marketing workshops?

After all!

1. Ask questions with each one in every of your posts and reply again when individuals reply. This creates engagement with potential clients of no matter business you’re in. In spite of everything, you need to be greater than only a quantity in somebody’s pal listing on social media.
2. Don’t make each publish about you; put others within the highlight. Congratulate individuals on accomplishments, thank them for serving to you or shopping for your product, attending your occasions.
3. Be a useful resource. Assist others by giving info and ideas in your business.
4. By no means have a hyperlink in your publish. It’s much better to publish the hyperlink in feedback and say “see beneath for hyperlink.” Fb and different social media platforms scale back the attain of posts with hyperlinks. They like to maintain viewers engaged on their platform.
5. Make sure you embrace a picture in each publish — simply ensure that each publish doesn’t embrace an image of you. Be artistic.

Is there an total philosophy you have got relating to advertising and marketing?

I’ve been advertising and marketing and promoting in numerous industries for the reason that early ‘80s. Constructing relationships and believing in my product are my keys to advertising and marketing.

I keep in contact with individuals by the years. If we had been pals years in the past, when you had been a shopper or somebody I labored with, in any business, then we’re nonetheless pals. I’ve at all times stored up with previous pals. And now, with social media, it’s simpler to remain in contact.

If we join on social media, the purpose is to not simply click on “add pal.” I at all times attain out in messenger and say, “Hey, it’s nice to attach. What’s going on good in your world?” Which will result in a dialog proper then, or down the street.

Is there any distinction in advertising and marketing a ebook or advertising and marketing one thing else?

I consider that utilizing the information and sources I’ve discovered through the years, constructing and preserving relationships with individuals, and staying in contact is the important thing to advertising and marketing any product. Believing within the services or products is a should for me to promote and market any services or products.

Are you doing something proper now to market your ebook?

I’m continuously pursuing different talking engagements as properly approaching native bookstores for signing prospects. I nonetheless publish photographs and articles about my journey, and I ask individuals who order the ebook to publish about it on social media.

I even have a database of 30,000 individuals from my years within the music enterprise. So, I’m within the strategy of working by that listing and sending them details about my ebook. I’ll have a signed particular version and provide with the ebook.

Are you engaged on one other ebook?

I’m! It’s referred to as The Invisible Ladder, and it’s about ensuring you’re pursuing the appropriate objectives in life.

You may buy a paperback or eBook copy of Doak’s ebook on the BookBaby Bookshop.