Sell More Books With Less Social Media

by Chris Syme

>>This book has a free comprehensive online course that accompanies the book. The course includes 12 modules with multiple lessons that include tools, videos, and more. The book and the course are on pre-order until Nov. 1 for $0.99<<

Are you struggling trying to be all things to all people on every social media channel to market your books? Learn how using less social media can actually help you engage more readers and sell more books.

Does social media marketing wear you out? Do you wish there was an easier way to reach your target audience in fewer places? Award-winning marketer Chris Syme has worked with hundreds of self-published authors to help them streamline and turbo boost their book marketing process. Let Chris show you how to demystify the process of selling books with social media so you can have more time to write.
This book is not for hobby writers; it’s for serious authors who want to make a living selling books and are looking to make smart business decisions about marketing their books. In her practical teaching style, Syme imparts all the necessary strategies you’ll ever need to market with social media backed up with marketing best practices and research. In this book you’ll discover:

• The missing chapter: The secrets to selling with social media that nobody else is telling you
• How to avoid over-marketing: How to match your platform level to the appropriate marketing strategies for maximum success.
• The big three: How to sell more books with just a website, an email marketing system, and a Facebook business page.
• How less is actually more: You will learn to designate one primary social media channel for engagement and leave the rest on auto pilot as outposts.
• Content is the kingdom: How to craft the right content and opens the doors to engagement.
• Email + social media = winner. How to turbo boost your email marketing with social media campaigns
• How to use the newest book launch strategies: Discover why social media blasts are not as effective for book launches as you might think.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Business

165 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2016

About the author

After many years in the communications and marketing sectors, Chris started a ministry aimed at helping women find a purpose in serving God in their everyday lives. Chris is now fulfilling a longtime goal of writing Bible studies aimed at helping women of all ages build a legacy of faith that will last for generations.

She and her longtime friend Diane Bradley co-hosts a popular weekly podcast called Women Finishing Well.

Chris is a frequent speaker on the national stage and the author of multiple nonfiction books including the SMART Marketing For Authors series. She is currently writing Bible studies under the Women Finishing Well umbrella. She and her husband farm in Montana in the summers and play golf in the desert in the winter months.


Connect With Chris: womenfinishingwell.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/womenfinishi...

Podcast: womenfinishingwell.com/podcast

Reviews

[W. Whalin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book Is Full of Important Insights

Whenever I read a how-to book, I want to get the insights from an expert—someone who has a track record of success in that particular area. Chris Syme is a specialist in the social media area of selling books. She understands there is mass confusion about what is effective and also the reluctance of writers to even engage in social media because it can be a massive waste of time.

Writers can be effective with their social media and sell books in the process. In the introduction, Syme writes, “The mantra of the system: you don’t have to be on every channel, just the right channel.” (Page 2)…”if you learn and implement this system, you will sell more books. But you have to be committed to the process…As a matter of fact, I’m going to tell you to pick one social media channel and then combine that with email marketing, and your website. Focus on those three until you are good at them.” (Page 2-3).

I learned a great deal reading this book and will be implementing many of the suggestions in my own social media in the days ahead. I recommend you read this book once, then go back through it again and apply the details to your social media marketing.

[Rod Raglin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A social media "how-to" book packed with examples and stats to back them up


Here's what I gleaned from Chris Syme's statistic packed book Sell More Books with Less Social Media.

The only really effective social media for book sales is a website, an email list and Facebook. Pretty much everything else is a waste of time.

There's lots of advice on how to use these three vehicles backed up with stats and endorsements from "experts", many of whom seem to have formed an marketing cabal if the solicitations I receive in my in-box are any indication.

Syme's approach is methodical, scientific and very detailed. It's also tedious and time consuming. Assistance can be found online by enrolling in one the classes presented by CKSyme Media Group "that help authors learn how to do their own marketing".

If you think social media is your ticket to best seller fame than I would recommend this book. However, Syme is not making any guarantees and advises that what was statistically the most popular site today may not be tomorrow.

I received this book free as part of an online promotion.

[Byron · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books where they give you a vague idea of what you should be doing and then have you sign up for some online course for the specifics. I wasn't even about to go download some videos to figure out how to promote my shit on Facebook, but I did like some of the suggestions, specifically the idea that you shouldn't sweat being on every social media site and you should focus most of your effort on the ones that are more commerce oriented.

[Marilyn Bardsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes a great deal of sense.

[Elaine Orr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. A fresh perspective.

[Sandy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love how it connects people and allows me to reach readers, but I never feel like I'm any good at it. I don't know what to do with all the social media channels out there, so I stick with my comfort zone, Facebook. But even then, I struggle to find things to talk about. I love interacting with readers, but I feel so boring sometimes. I'm a slow writer, so I don't have new books to release every other month or new covers to show off or new reviews or whatever.

Fortunately, some time in the last year, I came across either an article or a podcast that featured Chris Syme. She has over twenty years in the marketing and promotion business, has provided opinions to news organizations and online sites, and I think she handled PR for a college sports team at one point. She is a professional, and a couple of years ago, she made the switch to helping authors with their book marketing.

I read Chris's previous book SMART Social Media for Authors and loved what she said in that book enough to enroll in her online course, Mastering Social Media for Authors. I love the way Chris presents information and her view of what authors should spend their time on and what they shouldn't. She's also good about giving step by step instructions and she offers a ton of great and free advice in the Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast and also in her Facebook groups. In short, I'm a fan.

I jumped at the chance to read Sell More Books with Less Social Media, which Chris provided in advance. Since I've taken her course and read her previous book for authors, much of the information was a repeat for me. But all of it is something that I need repeated so that I actually sit down and get the stuff done. The Sell More Books book is a great, condensed step-by-step process to setting up SMART social media.

One of the best things about this book, and about Chris's approach to social media, is that she tells you exactly what you need: a website, a Facebook page, and an email list. It's that simple. Everything else you can do by choice.

Now, I feel like I should give you a warning. There is a ton of information in this book and in the awesome, accompanying video course. If you read it all at once, it might seem overwhelming and impossible, so I really do urge you to take it one chapter at a time. There is an up front time-cost in the system, but once you set everything up, you'll have the confidence that you're doing the important things that need to be done.

Aside from the hours of valuable video content, the book provides many great tips including posting welcome messages and pinning posts, setting up outpost channels (for all those social media channels you don't want to spend time on), and other lists of dos and don'ts. For someone who wants to build a long term writing career, this book is a great asset to have on your how-to-succeed shelf.

[Nathan Toronto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a new fiction author trying to break into the industry, and my marketing efforts were due for a real shake-up, so this book came along at the right time. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review, and I'm really glad I did. I post regularly on social media, but (given flagging sales numbers) I'm obviously doing something wrong.

I think Chris Syme tells me exactly how I can improve my social media marketing. Her "less is more" system is intuitive, and she gives some pretty compelling indicative statistics that the elements of her system will work. In addition, her writing is clear and straightforward, even folksy at times, like a wise marketing maven offering sage, loving advice: pull, don't push; choose your social media channels; use Facebook; build your list. I have to say, I'm a believer.

But I'm not completely sold. In my day job, I'm a social scientist, and I'm a die-hard empiricist. I didn't find any direct evidence that this methodology, as a whole, would work. Even some anecdotal evidence would have been helpful. Syme has been marketing for many years, and presumably marketing books for a good portion of that time, so I find it hard to believe that, if the system really works, she hasn't come across people that it's worked for. Her daughter, for example, is an indie author. Has this system worked for her? If so, in what ways? This book would have been even more convincing with a clear definition of how to measure success, followed by a comparison of results from authors who used this system versus those who did not, in order to isolate the "less is more" system's effect on book marketing success.

Perhaps this is too much to ask for from a how-to book. At $0.99 (until November 1st), this book is a real bargain. In fact, I'd pay $6 or $7 for this book, because the system makes sense, and because the book comes with a handy online course that reinforces the concepts from the book. If you're trying to market yourself or your writing on social media, I'd recommend reading this book. In an effort to test the "less is more" system, though, I'll be putting data on my website to track how effective the system has been for me. I have my central channel (a new author page on Facebook), and I'm establishing my outposts, so we'll see how well I do pulling people onto my platform!

[Carolyn Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sell More Books with Less Social Media. The name caught my attention. As an author, I want to spend less time marketing and more time writing. Frustrated by hearing other authors say, “Do this.” Or “This worked wonders for me,” I welcomed hearing from a marketing expert, who documented her marketing experience and gave me confidence that her methods were what I needed to target and reach the right audience to sell my books. She included the five steps a person goes through before buying, how to provide interesting content without hitting people over the head with “buy my book” messages, and the steps to follow to launch a book, to set up e-mail lists, to keep them interested, and how to engage them to continue to follow me, so they will listen when I do promote my next book.

[Melissa Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far more business minded than most guides for writers, but that made it different and helpful. It may be a bit too much for new authors but is fantastic for authors who have been at it for a while. I enjoyed it!

[Juli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has a few good ideas but believes too much in Facebook. Got a small amount of actionable ideas from it that I hadn't tried yet.

[Robin Barefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an author who has written two novels over the last few years, and while I love to write, I know very little about how to advertise and promote my books. I’ve read countless books, visited numerous websites, and signed up for every e-mail I thought might help me learn the secret formula to sell my books. I learned very quickly that I could spend a great deal of money for no or minimal results. Soon I became jaded and confused because the advice from one “expert” contradicted the advice of the previous “expert.” Then, I read Chris Syme’s book, Smart Social Media for Authors, and I felt I had found someone whose advice finally made sense.

Not only does Chris explain what works for promoting a book on social media, but she explains why it will work and provides a wealth of statistics to back up her statements. She even explains to authors how and where to do their marketing research to understand their audience and prepare a marketing plan. After I read Smart Social Media for Authors, I signed up for Chris’s newsletter. She sends out one newsletter a week, and her newsletters are never spammy but are always useful. Instead of deleting her newsletters as soon as they pop up in my inbox, I save them for reference.

I was very excited when I heard Chris was about to release another book, and since I am on her e-mail list, she invited me to read an advance copy and critique it. I was not disappointed! Sell More Books With Less Social Media is unlike much of the promotional advice I have read. In this book, Chris explains why it is not necessary for an author to be active on every social media channel, and she provides statistics to explain which social media channels work best for authors. She helps simplify the overwhelming task an author faces today by showing a presence on social media. Her advice is clear, organized, and easy to follow. This is a book I will reread many times and use as a reference book on the subject of promotion on social media.

Chris includes a free online course to accompany Sell More Books With Less Social Media, but unfortunately, I live in the wilderness in Alaska and have satellite Internet with limited bandwidth, so I was not able to try out the course. I’m sure the course would add even more value to her book, though.

In her book, Chris invites her readers to e-mail her if they have questions. I did e-mail her with a question once. I did not expect to hear back from her, but her return e-mail arrived less than an hour later and was full of helpful advice. If you are an author who wants to learn how to tame the social media beast, you need to read this book!

[EmKay Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Syme brings years of practical marketing experience that translates into practical strategies for authors, no matter what stage of their career they are at. I am a huge fan of Syme's marketing tips and strategies because of their simplicity and effectiveness. Rather than talking down to authors, Syme provides information backed by data, research and firsthand experience. Syme also provides additional support to readers via the online class that accompanies this book, podcasts and a Facebook group. Having these additional resources makes it possible for me to gain additional information on specific topis, as well as engage and share knowledge with other authors.

As an author just starting to build her career and readership, I'm excited to put into action some of the strategies outlined in Sell More Books with Less Social Media.

[Tara Alemany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Among the Best!

I have read (and written) a lot of author marketing content. And this book ranks among the best. Chris' clear style of writing is well-organized and has material that meets authors where they are, regardless of their marketing experience. Her suggestions are supported with information that explains not just what to do, but how and why to do it.

I did find that the repeated reminders to sign up for her free course got to be a bit much. The number of reminders could have been cut in half and still made the desired impression. But other than that, I enjoyed the book immensely.

[Leeza Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this is a good book. The first nine chapters were pretty basic when it comes to social media and marketing and was for me more of a review. But chapters 10 and 11 were very beneficial. These two chapters gave in-depth coverage on how to do book launches, what to post during the launches, and how to time the posts. If you're in the dark about how to go about your book marketing, then you should invest some time in reading this book and taking the supplemental online course content that is provided with the book.

[Sue Canfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid book marketing advice

Chris addresses social media marketing in a way that any fiction or nonfiction author can understand. Even if social media platforms change, the principles behind the advice will always be valid. I’d recommend any author read and understand these basic principles - even if they outsource much of their social media marketing.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savvy Marketing 101!
Chris Syme has become my go-to social media expert. She'll show you how to create your social media strategy and give you awesome advice on tactics and campaigns. She cuts through all the noise with straight forward, no nonsense advice – it's marketing with a proven recipe and best practices!

I've taken several of Chris Syme's online courses, and she's been pivotal in helping me devise a sound and simple marketing plan for my small writing business – and it's completely scalable as my backlist grows.

[Liza Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed full of useful strategies and information. The accompanying online coursework is invaluable, too!

[Devyn Jayse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, full of practical advice for new authors.

[Christy Bower · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains some helpful tips, such as using some social media types as mere outposts.

[lisa rosberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Insights into Marketing Your Books

Very helpful information on strategies to help you market your books. Easy read with simple steps to grow your audience and your revenue.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated Chris Syme's candor when she reveals that social media is useful but not the only tool in an author's arsenal. Most marketers either say it's a complete waste of time or that it makes or breaks your career. Chris takes the middle road and let's you know not only which sites authors must be on but which ones to avoid.

However, I disagree with her on the fact that there are really only two social media sites to care about. I think as time goes on and social media matures, there will be more niche sites as well as more competition for Facebook and the top dogs.

On another note, I was pleasantly surprised by all the extras like the video resources, along with the PDF downloads which made this book much more valuable than the four bucks I paid for it. Without hesitation I recommend this books for authors struggling with social media.

[Sekina · Rating 4 out of 5]

While what being said in this book is something that I'm already aware of, I just never thought the main social media I should be focusing the most is Facebook. Maybe it's nothing surprising to some people, but I just never thought how powerful Facebook is even after tons of algorithm change.

Other than that, I love the fact that the first few chapters are focusing on what is your current level. Doing so will allow you to find out what book marketing strategies will work best for your level.

I do recommend authors to read this book if they want to use social media to increase their book sales.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sell More Books With Less Social Media: Spend less time marketing and more time writing” by Chris Syme is a wonderfully practical and pragmatic approach to the use of social media for the aforementioned purpose. I am very aware of the onus on authors to distinguish themselves in a morass of material that is getting more and more crowded every day, and this step-by-step approach is honest and straightforward about the effort that must be put forth but gives great advice about what is involved AFTER the book is written. I am impressed that the author combines knowledge of selling and marketing to guide one through identifying the audience, using psychographics and demographics, letting them get to know you, and using a technique that is spelled out in a very straightforward manner.

I like books that are laid out in a clear and concise fashion, with easily understood goals and steps to achieve those goals, and this guide is excellent at providing that information. I also appreciate that the author doesn’t attempt to delude one into thinking that no work is involved, pointing out the difference between wanting a goal and committing to achieving that goal. There are masses of practical information contained in this book, as well as online resources to supplement the data and I think this book is well worth the investment of both time and money, if only because it makes one take a good look at how likely it is to achieve one’s goals and be honest about where one is on the journey to becoming a successful author. I will definitely be referring to this over and over again and looking for more titles by this author.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

[Mary Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book jam-packed with solid information about using Social Media to promote your book. Chris is an expert who has many years experience in marketing and continually keeps abreast of what's changing in the industry.
However, this book is not for the faint of heart! It is for those who see their writing as a business and understand how much work is necessary to be successful. I would say that it is probably most useful for indie authors, but as a traditionally published author I also found it very informative and helpful. I received the book for free in exchange for giving my honest opinion. I have also taken courses from Chris, which I found extremely valuable. She is generous in sharing her knowledge and genuinely wants to help people. She is not like some who publish an e-book with the goal of trying to make a fast buck. You will definitely get your money's worth with this. It provided a steep learning curve for me and I have not been able to implement everything she suggests, but with the book I can go at my own pace and continue to improve my social media skills and presence.

[Mindy Tarquini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and concise, this work takes an author through the basics of marketing on media most of us are probably already using. It also pinpoints the media most likely to get an author results. The free accompanying course is full of information and a great added value. The only reason this book doesn't get 5 stars is because...it's a course. To claim I enjoyed it would be like claiming to enjoy calculus. Yes, the book is interesting, and likely more useful than a discrete equation, but it's not like I hop out of bed saying, 'Gosh! Can't wait to get back to those complex equations!'

I also like the the author's 'no-hype' style, especially in a 'Get 10,000 email subscribers in 3 hrs! Sell a million books in one week!' stuff that bombards my inbox daily, for courses that cost hundreds of dollars. Chris Syme's practical, no-nonsense approach is a bargain. And useful.

I received a free advance copy of this book from the author.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When you use these SMART social media strategies, you will get more results in less time. You will have a plan that makes the best use of your time, resources, and skills to reach your goals proven by measures of success you have determined.” These are the bold promises author Chris Syme in her ‘Selling More Books with Less Social Media. ‘ Ms. Syme provides very specific information to help you develop a marketing plan and then implementing it. She doesn’t sugar coat it and tell you it will be easy. It’s work. But she takes you by the hand and walks you through the steps necessary to be successful. For someone like me, with no business background and not a lot of time, this book will be my marketing guide.

[Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an aspiring fiction author getting ready to pitch to agents within the next six months, this book provides a concise yet detailed outline of what works and what doesn't when it comes to getting your name out there and the work you need to do when it comes to self-promotion. It's not a quick read and shouldn't be. The steps are listed in a straightforward yet thoughtful way. I thought of it as a textbook for those who have no clue in navigating the author-self-promotion jungle. Which would be me. Highly recommended.

DISCLOSURE: I received this book in a giveaway promotion in exchange for a review.

[Bobbie Kinkead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sell More Books With Less Social Media. I needed Chris Syme's advice, knowledge, encouragement, and challenge about three years ago —> I made many horrid mistakes. Her book is easy to read with stories to bridge the gap between what is said and examples of how social media works. Best of all, I felt Chris talked to me while I read. She told me to plan carefully, watch for changes, go slow this is organic growth, and do what I can manage on social media. These are great words from a wise person, a social media specialist. Then better than best is Chris's website, which is full of tips, suggestions, and ideas for self-marketing for the indie author.

[Sheila Grinell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather than spending days and days reading about book marketing online, read this one short book and get all your basic questions answered, as well as actionable tips, for how to 1) think about book marketing if you've never done it before, and 2) take your first steps. I liked the fact that Syme explains the reasoning behind her advice--the WHY as well as the HOW. She also offers an online course, but you don't have to take it to get a lot out of the book. (I printed out a bunch of pages for ready reference.) Disclosure: I received a free PDF in return for an honest review.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book aimed specifically at marketing books using social media. It discusses, among other things, the relative effectiveness of the various social media platforms and how to use them effectively.

There is a free companion video training series that can be accessed from the book. There are action steps at the end of each chapter. These are reinforced in the video course.