The Promo Chain

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February 14, 2012 | 1 Comment

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As you can tell, I like visuals especially in marketing because I read something and go, “Wow. That’s really good,” and ten minutes later I can’t remember what I read or how to do what I read.  Sometimes I go over and over and over instructions because as words, for me, things don’t always stick.  So for today before we jump into the ways to package content and how to promo, I want to explain something else that makes or a breaks a marketing campaign.

I call it “The Promo Chain.”

This is the chain of events that must take place to turn a prospect into a client, a potential audience member into a reader, a visitor into a reader, or Average Joe into Your Biggest Fan.

It’s pretty simple really, but I’ll bet you’ve never given a lot of thought to how it actually works.  In fact, the crazy thing is you go through this chain thousands of times every day and you don’t even know it.  The trick is to know it and to use it, so you get results and not frustration.

The Promo Chain looks like this:

Let’s go through each part.

Hook — What hook do you give to the potential reader?  WHY should they read this promo or content? If you don’t hook, I don’t care how good the rest is, you’ve lost them.

Info — What do they need to know to become interested, to stay interested, and to decide to “continue the relationship”?

Request — Some people have a really good hook, they give great info, and people are eager to do more, but if you don’t make a request or give them a way to continue the relationship, they are gone.

How To — Tell them HOW TO continue the relationship.  You’ve gotten their attention, given them great info, you’ve asked them to continue the relationship, now you’ve got to tell them how to do that.

JUMP — This is where you’re trying to get to with all the others.  You want them to take the next step and choose to continue your “conversation” or “relationship.”  When you learn to do this effectively, you will begin to turn potential readers into subscribers and subscribers into readers.

Let’s look at The Promo Chain in action:

Here is a tweet.  Tell me where this tweet breaks down on The Promo Chain.

#Author @StaciStallings has released a new book.  It’s called DREAMS BY STARLIGHT. You should check it out!

I would tell you, it’s probably broken before you ever get started, but there are several problems.

1) Don’t START with the info.  I don’t care that Staci Stalling has released a new book unless I already care WHO Staci Stallings is.  And since this tweet should target NEW and previous readers, this is not very effective.

2)  You should check it out! That’s our request, so check one there.  But wait!  How do I check it out?  Am I supposed to write down the information, go to Amazon, and do a search?  What if it’s not on Amazon?  Don’t give potentials roadblocks if you don’t absolutely have to.  They should be able to read, click, read, click, read, click.  If it’s read, click, search and search and search.  Or worse, read and no click, you’ve lost them unless it’s a 100% pull message.

Let’s try another.

“I was obsessed with this book.” COWBOY by @StaciStallings Buy it NOW! via @Amazon  http://ow.ly/8oyQ6

1) Hook.  Pretty good hook.

2) Info.  Check

3) Request. Check (although this one seems a little in your face to me :)

4) How To (in some venues like blogs, you might want to make it even clearer like Click Here. Twitter doesn’t give you that luxury as you don’t have many characters to work with.  But everyone knows what a URL means.)

5)  JUMP.  Here’s the part that’s sometimes frustrating.  It may take someone as many as 10-12 imprints to jump.  Sometimes it doesn’t. If your hook and info are so good they can’t pass it up, they will click.  But just know that you will go through this process thousands of times to get an audience built up.  So keep writing!

*~*


“Staci Stallings compiled a gem in this book which guides self-published authors through the set-up and completion of a promotional free-day campaign through the KDPSelect program. I’ve recently purchased quite a few guides for Indie Authors and feel that this one is worth the money I spent on it.” –An Amazon Reviewer

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.

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October 20, 2011 | 2 Comments

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