That's a perfectly valid question. If they've never heard of you, why should they buy from you? Well, of course, they may not - well, not right away at least. You have to build your reputation and online credibility and you can achieve this with just a couple of simple processes.
The most basic technique to get a reputation is to become a member of related forums and post useful answers to questions that other members post. Be as helpful as you can whenever you can.
Make your posts logical and thoughtful. Include the link back to your eBook in your signature and never stop marketing - do be subtle about it in forums. Where allowed (some forums don't allow this) add a linked signature at the end of all your posts.
The most powerful way to spread your reputation across the Internet is to give away an eBook with tips or steps to accomplish something, or solutions to common problems.
If you do not want to give away your first eBook, the one you wish to sell on your website, write a shorter one, or release a `leaked chapter' - a juicy sneak preview of your main eBook. Make sure it is very informative and give it to away to online colleagues so that they can distribute it to their customers or subscribers.
Why not offer your eBook as a bonus for signing up to your newsletter or blog? Do make sure you have links back to your main eBook, website and other products prominently displayed inside the giveaway eBook.
That free eBook will circle the globe in time - still carrying your name and contact information, including a link to your site. This could make sales for you for years after you wrote it. This is viral marketing doing what it's supposed to do...beautiful!
Make sure that you draw customers into your eBook world. A great way to do this is to add tests of their knowledge about your subject. People love to test themselves to see where they stand with their knowledge.
Be creative and get your customers to interact with you through your eBook. Make them part of the world of your eBook and you will have customers for a long time.
To your success...
Although you may never succeed in your brand-building efforts to the level of JK Rowling or Stephen King, as long as some editors and other buyers know your name, you will always have a long list of clients and will build a successful writing career.
It's very simple: the more people who know your name, the more people will buy your writing. Large companies understand the value of their brand; much of their advertising is solely brand-building - they want to get their name known, and they realize that they must constantly remind people of their brand.
Brand-building is Vital: People Do Business with People They Know
Writing is actually a very small world. People pass your name around. So if you've written for a magazine, an editor will pass your name on to another editor who's looking for a writer for a book.
If you've sold several articles to a Web site, another site owner will see your name and contact you. If you're writing a blog, many people will contact you to write for them.
It's been said that people have to see your name at least seven times before they'll do business with you, so the more you build your brand as a writer, the more writing jobs you'll get.
Brand-building for writers never, ever stops. If you understand this, you will succeed beyond your dreams.
So let's assume you're a neophyte writer, and discover how you can start building your brand.
It's a two-step process: decide what you want to write, and get your name in front of the people who can buy your writing. I tell my writing students that a writer's life is a simple one; there are just two things you must do each day - create, and promote.
1. Create: Decide what you want to write, and write
What do you want to write? Whatever it is, start writing. A writer by definition is someone who writes, and writes every day. So whether your writing is selling or not, you must keep writing.
If you're writing a book, send out proposals to agents and editors at publishing houses, and when you finish the book, write another one. It's common for writers to send out proposals for years, and finally get a multi-book contract. If you've only ever written one book, you'll never get to the multi-book contract stage.
If you're writing articles, send out queries to magazines, and keep sending them. Create a blog. Keep writing.
2. Promote: Get your writing out to people who can buy your writing
The second step (and remember that you do this every day, just as you create every day) is to promote - to get your writing out to people who can buy your writing.
Remember that people need to see your name at least seven times, before they're comfortable doing business with you. Whenever you contact an editor or other buyer of your writing, that contact builds a relationship.
Even if it seems there is no response (the editor or agent never got in touch), you're still building the relationship. Sooner or later, if you stay in touch, you'll get a phone call, and you'll have made a sale.
Have you started to build your brand as a writer? Whether you have or not, create and promote every day. And as you build your brand, you'll succeed as a writer.
Both Paula Brett & Angela Booth are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Paula Brett has sinced written about articles on various topics from About Branding, Email Marketing and Web Development. Paula Brett is a writer and internet marketer. You can Visit her popular blog at. Paula Brett's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.
Angela Booth has sinced written about articles on various topics from Article Writing, About Branding and Copywriting. Want to ? Angela Booth's writing class, "Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing. Angela Booth's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.