Over the past 4 weeks dozens of Cedar Fort authors have participated in the 4-Week workshop aimed at helping them find and itentify their target audience. This blog is here here to document author messaging.
Who are you?
What value do you bring to your readers?
What do you hope to accomplish?
Your catch phrase should embody ALL this in one word or in one MEMORABLE sentence. This catch phrase should be consistently implemented in all marketing, in author bios and anything that references you or your product (intros, etc).
Leave a comment to post your catch phrase or phrase you are considering for feedback from others. Or look through others' catch phrases for ideas on how to create one for yourself.
REMEMBER: the purpose is to create a "slogan" that helps you and your target audience find each other. Examples: The Cyber Safety Guy, There's Always a Reason to Bake, The Queen of Paranormal Romance, Heroes Come Back Strong, No Day But Today, Just a Spoonful of Sugar, Mexican Food that Will Make You Breathe Fire, Top Hits on a Sax, The Noir King, Spice... With a Little Sugar, etc.
You may not know what any of those are referring to (I made up several of them just now), but you DO know after reading that catch phrase if you're interested in knowing more about the product. That's the point of your catch phrase. To hook your audience with interest from the first time they hear it until they seek you out, investigate you and buy you.
So all authors from Workshop 4, remember to do your homework and post your slogan, or slogan in process that will position you within your own genre.
LDS Fiction Inspired by Life
ReplyDeleteI'm trying 2. Not sure if it's what you mean or not.
ReplyDelete1) Family night advocate. No such thing as failure.
2)Family night advocate. The lemonade will surprise you.
Okay, so take out the period and it's one sentence for each. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteOr how about:
ReplyDelete"Each stage is eternal so bring on the light."
Anne--I like the "Each stage is eternal..." one.
ReplyDeleteI am working on two...
Infertility: Learn. Share. Live.
Living beyond infertility.
By the way...I am Kerstin Daynes and my first book goes to press in January 2010. It is about infertility from an LDS perspective. My website is ldsinfertility.org.
My favorite slogan has always been the one for McCann-Erickson (an ad agency): "Truth well told." I think I will tweak it for my books that are designed to help parents teach their children well from the scriptures. What do you think about "Truth well taught" ?
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
ReplyDeleteThat's a good one. Or, Scriptures Made Easy.
Nice thoughts, all!
ReplyDeleteRemember, your catch phrase should clearly identify yourself to your audience. "There's always a reason to bake" clearly defines the audience and what the author offers. Once your target audience reads your catch phrase they should be pulled in. The intent is not to make people think, "Huh?"
If you are LDS-specific, target LDS buyers with specific verbiage they connect with. The last 2 posts kind of tuned in to this with Rebecca Talley tuning in to the word "scripture" rather than "truth" for Rebecca Irvine. One word more clearly identifies what she offers her audience.
Another thought is to poke around in forums where you audience gathers and see what words they throw around. Doing that can spark great ideas as well!
On my book cover, is the line, "True beauty if felt more than it is seen." That's what I'm figuring is my tag, at least for this book. And all my speaking right now relates to that. So, how about that.
ReplyDeleteOkay, this is what I've come up with:
ReplyDeleteScriptural journeys through fictional stories
Sheralyn, Still working on mine. I mentioned your lunch-time discussion in my blog at where-the-sun-rises.com. Hoping to get some feedback from viewers on the catch phrase.
ReplyDeleteWhat flavor is your kiss?
ReplyDeleteI'm decisionally challenged. Here are some of my catch phrase ideas:
ReplyDelete#1 Mikey likes it! (what, you mean it's been taken?)
#2 Tolkien versus Star Trek.
#3 Elves versus Dragons - in outer space.
#4a Do the Havoc Stomp! (Whoo Hoo)
#4b Do the Havoc Stomp, dude.
#5 Sci-fi slams into fantasy.
I'm leaning toward #2.
Berin,
ReplyDeleteCan you give us a short blurb on your book?
I dunno, Berin... I kind of like "Mikey likes it!" Know anyone named Mikey? ;P
ReplyDeleteOkay, I finally decided. Here's mine because I write romantic suspense.
ReplyDeleteRachelle J. Christensen, Writing thrills for the heart.
I like that Rachelle. It communicates the idea of suspense and romance. Good job.
ReplyDelete