The Write Spot, LLC

#toyotafail: the Crisis that Wasn’t

Here’s my presentation from my session at BlogWorld Expo NY. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

#toyotafail: the crisis that wasn't

View more presentations from Anne-Marie Nichols

Join me at BlogWorld Expo East #bweeast for a panel on #toyotafail

I just got the word that my panel has been accepted to present at BlogWorld and New Media Expo NY 2011, May 24-26, 2011 in New York City!

Here are some details about the session:

#ToyotaFail - the crisis the wasn't

The panel will be on Wednesday, May 25 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm

The ambition of an inexperienced PR-wannabe and the reputation of a Big Brand crashed into each other magnificently on the front page of a popular mom blog in February of 2011.

As the surrounding traffic slowed down to witness the carnage and Twitter about it - one figure emerged from the chaos surprisingly unscathed. Toyota's preventative maintenance and fast reflexes kept their brand image intact through the actions of their Social Media team.

We'll examine the life-cycle of a brand-crisis from the blogger, PR and Brand perspectives by analyzing the #ToyotaFail incident and how Toyota's Social Media team averted a rapidly developing brand crisis by listening & responding on Twitter as it was happening.

Panel:

• Christopher Barger, Voce Communications
• Shelly Kramer, V3 Integrated Marketing
• Anne-Marie Nichols, The Write Spot
• Lucretia Pruitt, The Social Joint

Takeaways:

• How to use Twitter to handle a PR crisis
• How to turn lemons into lemonade
• How your PR and social media teams should work together, not against each other
• The dangers of newbies doing blogger outreach

Feedback? Questions? Let me know below in the comments.

I look forward to seeing YOU at BWE East soon!

(Details updated 4/23/11)

How to promote your book

Today’s WOW Blog Tour guest post is from Sybil Baker, author of the book Talismans, a book of linked stories about connection and making peace with your past.

You can learn more about Sybil by visiting her website at sybilbaker.com and reading her blog An Ex-patriate's Musings on Writing, Teaching, and Travel.

Promoting your book

It used to be that writers assumed if their book was published by a big New York publishing house, their work was mostly done once the book hit the bookstores. Their publisher might set up a big-city book tour where writers read to packed crowds in bookstores and sleep in four-star hotels. They might appear on a few TV shows and possibly do some radio interviews—all arranged by the publisher’s publicist. And then, after this whirlwind book tour, the writer could sit back and let the royalty checks pour in.

Even if this scenario was actually ever true or even likely, now it is certainly not the case. Whether writers self-publish, are published with a small press, or even a large commercial one, writers must work hard to promote their book. Unfortunately with the quickly changing world of technology, there is no one right or effective way to guarantee sales or visibility.

Using social media to promote your book

Social media outlets such as Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter are tools that many writers wonder if they should use. I do think most writers should have a website that people can go to to learn more about your book. It need not be fancy or expensive, but should have your bio, information about your work, and anything else potential readers might be interested in.

If you are a Facebook or Twitter user, you might want to think about how to integrate using social media into getting the word out about reviews, book signings, or other events related to promoting your book. However, if you are not a big social media user, then signing up for a Facebook account just to promote your book will probably not work well because you won’t be dedicated to keeping up your presence.

Blogging and virtual book tours

The same goes with starting a blog. It’s better to not start a blog at all than to start one that you don’t maintain or continue. A blog requires long-term dedication and consistency, and to be effective, high traffic. I have a blog on writing and travel that I’ve maintained for more than two years, posting once or twice a week. Yet even though I enjoy updating my blog, my traffic count is very small and I doubt that the blog has contributed to selling many copies of my book.

One option instead of having your own blog is to set up a blog tour—either formally with an organization such as Women on Writing, or on your own. It’s important to know what the demographic of your audience will be and find blogs that focus on those areas. For example, I write about women traveling in Asia, so I try to find blogs and other writers that are interested in travel and global fiction. One writer friend wrote a novel about the Iliad, and he has found an audience with people interested in Greek literature and mythology.

Readings, book signings and other opportunities

The more traditional way to sell books is through readings and book signings. Again, with brick and mortar book stores closing, it’s harder to find venues that have and promote book readings. I’ve found that when I read in cities or towns where I know a few people, I have a decent turnout and sell a few books. The few times I’ve read in towns where I didn’t know anyone, the turnout has been negligible, and I didn’t sell any books. Even writers I know who have books with major presses have the same problem, and only read in towns and at bookstores where they know some people who will bring friends.

Be open to opportunities that you might not have thought of. I’ve sold books by being a speaker at women’s clubs and meetings that are interested in hearing my stories about living and traveling abroad. When I was on two-week overland safari through Africa, I discovered that my fellow travelers needed reading material during our frequent day-long bus rides. I had not thought to bring my novel to sell to this captive audience, but I did convince most of the travelers to buy my book, which I then sent them when I returned to the States.

When developing a marketing plan, the most important thing is to remember that you sell books one at a time, and that word of mouth is the best way to promote your book. Encourage readers to post reviews on Amazon, recommend your book for their book club, and pass on their copy to others. Be open to possibilities, but don’t over commit to social media unless you already enjoy it. Remember to think outside the box.

About the author

Sybil Baker spent 12 years teaching in South Korea before returning to the States in 2007. During her extensive travels throughout Asia, she became increasingly interested in the allure and alienation of American travelers and expatriates, and this has heavily influenced her writing. Her fiction and essays have appeared in numerous journals including upstreet, Transnational Literature, and The Writer’s Chronicle.

Her debut novel The Life Plan (Casperian Books) has been called “a screwball comedy for the 21st century, a witty and winning romp through one woman's discovery that life, love, and liberty do not always go according to plan.” She lives in Chattanooga, TN, with her husband. Her website and blog on traveling and writing is www.sybilbaker.com.

Getting foodie with Sam's Club

Last month, I signed on as a Sam’s Club Food Ambassador.

I’ll be sharing Sam’s Clubs delicious and healthy food ideas and product news from their clubs in the upcoming months with my readers at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet.

Visiting Sam’s Club HQ

Last month I visited Sam’s Club headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. I was very much impressed with the quality demands Sam’s Club puts on their food partners as well as the extensive product taste testing they do.

Not only is Sam's interested in getting a good price point for their customers, they're also concerned with convenience - in the products they sell (are they convenient for busy families), in the way the stores are laid out, and in their packaging with their new "bag in a bag" frozen veggies or "mix and match" bakery offerings.

Sam's Club also aims to get the quality possible and backs this with a 200% back guarantee (twice as much product or twice the price back) on all their fresh food and meat.

Along with their sustainability efforts – from their stores to their headquarters – I have a new appreciation for the company. Or maybe it’s just the delicious international cheeses, the baklava, and those monster king crab claws?

Cooking with Sam’s Club

Stop by This Mama Cooks! to read my first Sam’s Club post: Planning a party? Cook up some healthy appetizers with Sam’s Club cheeses.

My SOBcon Colorado Goals

SOBCon Colorado was a social media conference with a mastermind format that featured 14 hours of learning and networking opportunities. It featured fantastic speakers that helped us focus on strategy and tactics for integrating online and offline social marketing.

We had some fun too, like how to have a happy butt. (And no, that has nothing to do with adding more fiber to your diet.) The delicious meals at the Renaissance Hotel in Broomfield were wonderful, too.

Unlike many other conferences I’ve gone to, I came away with a to do list of goals, homework and strategies for the next year. Even better, since I’m attending SOBcon 2011 in Chicago, I’m able to reevaluate my goals in seven months.

So here’s my list of the action items I’ll be working on until then:

• Evaluate where I am today. Decide where I want to be going. Figure out the difference and work on it.
• Read 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly.
• Wear less “hats,” stop spreading myself so thin and only pick events and conferences that I will benefit from.
• Find ways to work with writers and book authors.
• Find more speaking opportunities.
• Write an ebook (or ebooks).
• Create a detailed avatar of my perfect reader – and write it down.
• Know my value and ask for it. (If I find that I’m working too many hours to make what I want to make, I’m not charging enough.)
• Communicate my value to stand out from the crowd.
• Look at my influence and make efforts to increase it .
• Serve my readers better by telling a story in my posts. What story can I tell that addresses their needs and problems? What solution can I provide? Ultimately I need to be useful to my readers.
• Narrow my focus to be great in my niche.
• Use social media analytic tools on a regular basis and learn from the numbers. Figure out ways to measure my success.
• Work on supporting my virtual communities.
• Find out what I need to do to increase my numbers and influence:
  • post frequently and regularly
  • blog redesign
  • cleanup old content for SEO
  • work on my writing and photography
  • be more active on Twitter

If you’ve attended SOBcon or a similar event, what did you learn from it?