Write. Publish. Repeat. (The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success) by Platt Sean & Truant Johnny B

Author:Platt, Sean & Truant, Johnny B. [Platt, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Realm & Sands
Published: 2013-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

Deciding on Your Brand and Your USP

Branding gets a bad rap in the minds of many who don’t really understand what it is. Brands are not necessarily corporate, stale, dry, or impersonal. Your brand, simply put, is the coherent impression people get of you and your books whenever and wherever they encounter you or them, nothing more and nothing less. Whether you want or cultivate a brand, you have one. We think it’s a lot smarter to get in front of yourself, consciously decide what you stand for, and work hard to make that impression consistent and firm across the breadth of your reach.

Brand has a feel. Done well, it conveys one or a few primary ideas. Volvo’s brand is all about safety. From top to bottom, end to end, Volvo has done all it can to become synonymous with smart automotive engineering that keeps families safe if the worst should happen. Disney — especially their parks — is about a pleasant family experience. Disney parks are well known for being clean. Think that’s just because they want clean parks? Nope. It’s because it’s part of the brand — visitors equate a spotless park and friendly employees with an overall stellar family experience that feels safe and leaves a lasting memory. Disney does nothing by accident. Look into the parks’ history and you’ll see how much specific thought went into (and continues to go into) enhancing that one particular impression.

But hey, Disney and Volvo — those are big corporations, right? Single writers don’t have much to learn from the likes of them. Not true. Think about Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code. His brand is largely plot-driven, religious-themed thrillers. Just as people expect safety when they buy a Volvo, they expect a highly plotted, fast-paced adventure when they pick up a Dan Brown book. If you still think Dan Brown is too big and unrelatable, our friend Joanna Penn also happens to have a similar brand. Joanna has actually put a slightly finer point on it: She says her books are “Dan Brown meets Lara Croft.”

But there’s more to a writer’s brand than the kinds of things they write. There’s also their public image, their perceived approachability and friendliness (or lack thereof), and other things. Hugh Howey, author of Wool, has a very positive brand; just do a search, and you’ll find videos of Hugh doing dances to please his readers, surprising a random teen reader in a bookshop at the boy’s parents’ request, and various appearances on shows and podcasts, including ours. By all impressions, he always answers e-mails no matter how big he gets. Now: If you’re a Hugh fan, doesn’t that matter to you, and doesn’t it bond you better with Hugh and his books?

Your USP, or unique selling proposition, is largely an outgrowth of your brand. Your brand is who the public considers you (and your publishing company, even if said company is just you) to be. Your USP is the corresponding reason your readers should have for buying from you rather than anyone else.

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