AUTHOR PLATFORM
MASTERCLASS
Need to grow your readership to support your writing career?
You're in the right place
Are you struggling to sell books consistently?
Do you hate marketing and have little time for book promotion?
Are you confused by #AllTheThings everyone says you need to do to be successful?
Are you frustrated that marketing is a time suck that rarely generates the results you were hoping for?
Are you losing hope that you will ever achieve the success with your writing that you imagined?
It doesn't have to be this way.
Imagine how different things would be if you had a steady stream of readers buying your books and eagerly awaiting the next one.
Letting people know your book exists and making sales is the hardest part of being an author
There's a very simple reason why marketing is such a challenge for authors - there is a vast ocean of competition...
Did you know, for example, that around half a million books are trade published each year in the US alone?
And a further 1,000,000 books are self-published each year in the US.
The UK publishes more books per person than anywhere else in the world.
How is your book supposed to stand out from the billions of others and get into the hands of the readers who need it the most?
And even if your book does get noticed, how can you ensure it sells well above average, consistently, at launch and long after, when the average book sells just 250 copies in its first year, and fewer than 3,000 in its lifetime?
If you want to make consistent book sales, you NEED to build a platform
The greatest problem that any author faces is obscurity. If no one knows your book exists, they can't buy it.
Imagine knowing that when you launch a new book you have a system in place to effectively let readers know it exists, that you can promote your book without selling your soul or being overwhelmed by costly or time-consuming tools and tactics.
Imagine readers emailing you to ask you when your next book will be available.
Imagine having a community of fans ready and willing to help you promote your books.
Imagine having more time for new writing projects or your other commitments without feeling guilty about how little marketing you’ve done recently.
That's what having an author platform can do for you.
Hi, I'm Belinda K Griffin
I'm a Book Launch Coach and Author Publicity Expert at SmartAuthorsLab.
I help authors of all kinds launch and market their books with impact, so they can grow a thriving community of engaged readers, sell more books and make the difference in the world they care about making.
My specialty is making powerful marketing strategies simple and relatable so that authors like you can build a readership that’s passionate about what you do.
Growing a loyal readership and securing publicity through authentic relationship building and outreach is at the heart of everything I teach.
When I started working with authors in 2017, no one knew I existed. But through guest blogging, building relationships with others already a few steps ahead of me in the book marketing space and growing an email list of loyal fans - my own platform - I have become known as an author marketing expert.
Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, are self-publishing or have a trade deal, I want to show you how you can find your readers and be successful with your writing, whatever 'successful' looks like to you.
Introducing The Author Platform Masterclass
One of the biggest reasons why authors struggle with marketing is because they focus on pushing their books out to anyone and everyone and using every tool and tactic available to help them do so.
But everyone is not your reader and using too many tools is both ineffective and overwhelming, and often costly.
I have developed a different approach, one where we focus on growing a community of loyal readers - your author platform - and develop a reliable system for growing and nurturing your readership and selling books, so you can be more effective and efficient with your marketing. Perhaps most importantly, it is also more fun and rewarding for you!
I call this The 4Cs Method and it is the framework that underpins my Author Platform Masterclass coaching program.
The 4Cs Method
Connection
You can't sell your book if no one knows about it. The first step is to find a reliable way to get in front of your target readers, let them know you exist and invite them into your world. I will introduce you to some of the most effective ways of connecting with readers through outreach and support you as you start to implement what you learn.
Contact
Everyone tells you that an email list is essential, but how do attract subscribers, how big does your list really need to be and what should you be emailing - and how often? I’ll show you how to grow a list authentically, that people are excited to sign up for and less likely to unsubscribe from. Plus, I'll help you devise an email marketing strategy that you can fit into your routine and that actually engages subscribers and leads to more book sales.
Content
Once you have connected with readers, you need a way to keep them engaged and to let them get to know, like and trust you. Whether you like to blog, podcast or YouTube, or utilise social media, I will help you find the right content platform for you and develop an effective content strategy that you can stick to - you don't need to be everywhere, using every tool!
Community
With the Connection, Content and Contact pieces in place, you'll start to see your Commnity grow. Your community will support your success as an author - providing feedback and ideas, becoming beta readers, supporting your book launches, writing reviews and sharing about your books on social media. I will teach you how to communicate with your community the right way, to encourge engagement and support from day one.
Join Author Platform Masterclass Today
In my 1:1 book marketing training and mentoring program, Author Platform Masterclass, I'll show you how to take control of your book marketing and start growing a rewarding author platform that supports book sales, without letting it take over your life, zap your energy or blow your budget. You'll finally be able to get your books into the hands of more readers and make a greater impact with your writing.
Here's what we'll cover
When you join the Author Platform Masterclass, we’ll roll up our sleeves and implement each step of the 4Cs Method - Connecting you with more of your ideal readers, creating Content that engages and maintaining Contact with fans - so you can build a Community, improve your book exposure and begin selling more books as quickly as possible.
By the end of our 6 weeks together, you'll have a repeatable system in place that you can continue long-term as part of your author business.
You will get 6 live 1-hour Zoom calls with me, plus worksheets, swipe files and templates as necessary to help you take further action steps on your own. As a bonus, you'll also get direct email access to me between calls.
For a tiny fraction of the cost of a publicist or paid marketing campaign, you can take control of your book’s visibility and finally get noticed.
As this is a 1:1 coaching program, each of the calls will be tailored to you and what you most need support with, but we will cover the steps below during our 6 weeks together.
- 1One of the first things we'll do when we start working together is make sure you have your target reader dialled in, so you know exactly who you are trying to reach with your book marketing and how to communicate with them. With your reader in mind you can start to relax, as you no longer need to be everywhere, doing All. The. Things.
- 2With your target reader in mind, we can start thinking about where to find your readers hanging out online and how you can get in front of them to make a connection. We'll talk about outreach and publicity, and what tactics will work best for you, then I'll explain exactly what your next steps should be to move forward.
- 3Growing and nurturing an email list is an esential part of platform building. I will explain what pieces you need to have in place, how they fit together and how to create them. Then we'll devise a long-term email marketing strategy that will work for you and the time you have available.
- 4You can develop a very effective author platform with the Contact and Connection pieces alone, but the magic happens when you add in Content. This is the stumbling block for many authors who have had disappointing results from content creation in the past and see it as a time suck. I'll help you find what works for you and your schedule, and actually generates positive results.
YES, I'M READY TO JOIN AUTHOR PLATFORM MASTERCLASS
Take control of your book marketing and start growing a rewarding author platform that supports book sales, without letting it take over your life, zap your energy or blow your budget.
I landed 6 podcast interviews...
From the get-go, working with Belinda opened my eyes to new ideas to connect with my ideal readers, nurture new relationships, and enhance my exposure. During the 6 weeks we worked together, I landed 6 podcast interviews, updated my email sequence copy to bring it current and relevant to my book and teachings, and clarified my vision for my upcoming course/program. Above all, my inspiration and empowerment as an author rose considerably.
DR NICKI STEINBERGER // Wave Goodbye to Type 2 Diabetes
I was so impressed...
I was overwhelmed with all the book marketing options available to me, and that overwhelm had led to paralysis. There’s so much advice out there and much of it conflicts. I was so impressed with Belinda’s knowledge of the book marketing landscape, her awareness of what authors struggle with, and her ability to communicate which actions to focus on in order to get results.
ALEXANDRA AMOR // Cult, A Love Story
New and fresh ideas on how to market my book...
Belinda gave me new and fresh ideas on how to market my book, and how to bring it to the attention of those that matter most: readers. She is perceptive and assertive, she thinks outside the box, and she gets results.
NICK DUERDEN // The Smallest Things: On the Enduring Power of Family - A Memoir of Tiny Dramas
Join Author Platform Masterclass now!
How is Author Platform Masterclass Different?
Author Platform Masterclass is different to many other book marketing courses and programs out there because it is 1:1 - uniquely tailored to you - and yet underpinned by my proven 4Cs Method, so your coaching will be effective in moving you forward.
With my 4Cs Method, your platform will be built by connecting with real people and growing a community of loyal fans who love your work - we won't be trying to game the Amazon algorithm, learning any complicated ad dashboards or blowing your budget on promos that give you a spike but unsustained growth.
Instead, we will play to your strengths. There is no one-size-fits-all book marketing strategy, so we will concentrate on finding the best plan for you. After all, the most effective marketing is the marketing you will actually do, so it's not in my interest to encourage you to do things you don't enjoy and won't stick with.
Still not sure if APM is right for you? Feel free to drop me an email: belinda@smartauthorslab.com. Because I will be working with you personally, I'm not interested in 'bums on seats'. I only want to work with authors who are 100% committed and willing to take action, so I will let you know if I think this is a good fit for you or not.
How will it work?
- 6 weeks' support, including six 60-minute 1:1 coaching calls (we'll meet every week).
- You will also have unlimited email access to me between our calls to ask questions or request feedback.
- Platform: Zoom, live video sessions, from the comfort of your own home.
- Coaching sessions will be recorded and shared with you privately for you to refer back to.
- You will be able to book your coaching sessions for a time that's convenient for you via my online calendar.
- You will receive swipe files, templates and checklists as necessary to support your learning and implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'platform'?
How much time will this take?
Do you record the calls?
Will this work for me?
Who is APM for?
Who is APM not for?
Join Author Platform Masterclass now!
In the hands of over 1,400 people in one week...
Belinda helped me with decisions on everything from my mailing list building, to obtaining amazing testimonials, to getting people to buy. Of course I think my book is amazing, but Belinda certainly had a big part to play in getting it into the hands of over 1,400 people within the first week!
David Lowe // The Innovation Revelation: A story about how to satisfy customer needs
The ‘Spirit Guide’ for authors...
Belinda cuts directly to helpful advice and narrows in on manageable to-dos. I found my coaching with her to be encouraging, enlightening, and instructive. Belinda is the ‘Spirit Guide’ for authors who are tired of throwing mud at the wall, and ready for the clear path.
Penelope Jean Hayes // The Magic of Viral Energy: Spirituality Meets Quantum Theory
A clear vision and plan...
Before, marketing was an overwhelming activity that I threw a lot of time and money at, with not much return. Belinda taught me key marketing concepts that have made all the difference in feeling effective. I now have a clear vision and plan for how to have an authentic online presence.
brian kindall // Delivering Virtue
Take control of your book marketing in 6 weeks
Join me in this 1:1 coaching program to discover how to take control of your book marketing, without letting it take over your life, zap your energy or blow your budget, so you can get your books into the hands of more readers and make the difference in the world you’re here to make.
Recap, here's what you get
The Author Platform Masterclass is a 6-week 1:1 coaching program, where you will discover how to implement a reliable, authentic system for reaching fans, growing your author platform and generating books sales.
You will get 6 live 1-hour Zoom calls with me. Every session is intimate and tailored to you, and you’ll get to keep a recording of each call for you to refer back to. You will also have direct email access to me between calls. Plus, I will provide you with worksheets, swipe files and handouts as needed to help you take further action steps on your own.
YES, I'M READY TO JOIN AUTHOR PLATFORM MASTERCLASS
Take control of your book marketing and start growing a rewarding author platform that supports book sales, without letting it take over your life, zap your energy or blow your budget.
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