We’re back to the marketing plan with this month’s topic being your Ideal Audience. Last month we tackled the dreaded budgeting for your marketing plan which gave some detailed pointers on setting a marketing budget. Now we’re moving on to find out just who that money should go towards promoting to. Let’s face it, some of that money will be going towards your ideal reader so it’s best to figure it out.
This is part two of a monthly series on Bound to Writing. I will be walking you through every single step of the marketing plan in as much detail as possible.
Ready to jump into the marketing plan by yourself? Head on over to the Bound to Writing Shop where you can purchase an instant download. It’s everything I’m discussing in these monthly posts, in a nice and easy to fill out PDF file. It can be printed or filled in digitally. Best part? You get it today without waiting for shipping!
But if you’d rather a hard copy, the Book Marketing Planner is also available in paperback on Amazon and in the Bound to Writing Shop.
This page may contain affiliate links. Click to read full disclaimer. I only promote products I support.
What is a marketing plan?
Let’s review what a marketing plan is. A marketing plan is a detailed outline of how you plan to promote your book. You set a budget, determine your formatting preferences, promotional ideas, advertisement plans, and so much more. This plan allows you to think through the entire marketing process before and after you publish you book.
What is an audience?
An audience is a group of people that will encounter your work.
What is an ideal audience?
An ideal audience is the audience you’ve determined would best be interested in your book. To determine your ideal audience look into these three factors: Gender, Age Range, Location.
Check out this past post about Figure out Your Target Audience on Bound to Writing.
Gender
The way a person identifies is important when you’re creating your ideal reader. You want to ensure that the elements you implement resonate with that person.
Age Range
Determine the range that ideally would read your book. Are you writing for toddlers or adults? Would young adults enjoy your book more? Typically, look at the age of your main character to help you with this.
Location
Be as broad or specific as you feel necessary. You want to pick a reader in a location that your book is going to speak to them. Take a fantasy book for example. Where are a majority of your readers that enjoy fantasy books? By doing the research into your specific genre, you may find that many fantasy readers can be found in Australia. (Used as an example only, not based on actual research).
In all, you want to develop a specific reader (think of it as a character profile) that you can spend your effort marketing too. That way it’s more niche and easier to develop a plan around.
Where can I find my ideal reader?
After you determine your ideal reader, you need to figure out where they hangout. If your ideal reader is between 16-20, check trending social media sites. An ideal reader over 65 may be easier to find in person. Take the time to find out the hangout spots of your reader. That way you’re able to spend your time in the appropriate place.
What intrigues my reader?
Find what draws your reader into books. Is it the way you interact on social media? Or maybe even a website that shares insights into how your book came to be. How can you get your reader to pick up your book? That’s the thing you need to answer with this question.
Who do I personally know that could be my reader?
Is there someone in your life that fits your ideal reader description you created? Write them down. They may be very interested in reading your book when it’s published.
Finding your ideal audience can be daunting. Follow the steps above and you will soon be on your way to finding the reader that you believe is meant for your books. And when you find that reader you will be able to market smarter to them instead of 1,000 people that will never pick up your book.
If you’re ready to continue working on your marketing plan, head on over to the Bound to Writing Etsy shop where you will find the entire PDF or paperback of Book Marketing Planner. The paperback is also available on Amazon. It includes everything from today’s Audience post and so much more information to make creating a marketing plan easy.
I wish you the best of luck on your marketing plan! Stay tuned for next month’s topic: Influencers. Until next time, keep writing!
This page may contain affiliate links. Click to read full disclaimer. I only promote products I support.
What questions do you have about finding your ideal reader? Is there anything you’d like clarified? Let’s chat in the comments below!
Getting to Know Your Audience – Introduction
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