Consultations
Marketing Consultations
After running the New England SCBWI conference “NetWits” track, I realized that lots of people find all the promotional choices bewildering. Common questions are:
- What’s the best way to market myself?
- What are the top five (or more!) things I should be doing as an author?
- What’s the minimum I need to do?
- How do I find the time to do it all?!
- What if I’m not techy?
- What do I do at a school visit? How do I get them? What do I charge?
- What steps do I take to get published, either traditionally or independently?
- Should I have a web site if I’m not published yet?
- Why should I have a Facebook (fan)page, rather than just a (personal) profile?
- Will I be doomed if I don’t do anything?
- What are the dos and don’ts?
- What if I do it wrong?
The good news is I’ve learned a lot over the years since I was first published in 1998. In fact I even published a book about it called How to Promote Your Children’s Book: Tips, Tricks, and Secrets to Create a Bestseller. I’ve done hundreds of school visits and dozens of speeches. I’ve created and run workshops, and given keynotes and presentations at many national and local SCBWI , NAEYC, IRA, and Highlights Founders conferences, The American Association of University Women, and Connecticut Children’s Storybook Gala, among others.
Now I’m available for marketing consultations where I can support your specific promotion needs. The other good news is I am now available for consultations, guidance, brainstorming, TLC and general all around support for your publicity needs. I think outside of both the circle as well as the box and you’ll come away from the session with specific steps to take.
Services include (but are not limited to)
- step-by-step guidance (and hand-holding when necessary!) to set up online accounts for a blog, web site, Twitter, Facebook Pages, YouTube Channel, TeacherTube, Pinterest, etc.
- advice on how to build and design your author web site
- whether you need to, and how to hire a site designer and programmer
- advice on best book promotions for you and your budget
- personalized and specific idea sessions
- book trailer advice and critique – I’ll share the secrets I learned while creating my award-winning book trailers
- how to use YouTube to your best advantage (I am CRAZY about this, especially now that I’ve launched Video Idiot Boot Camp!)
- a downloadable PDF with answers to your questions, links to resources and actionable steps
Cost
$150/hour with a one hour minimum via Google+ hangout (so I can screenshare to show you resources and demo things for you. You’ll need to have a gmail account and download a plugin to be able to do a google+ hangout. If you don’t have a gmail account, or don’t know how to have a hangout, go here to get started). We can also simply talk on the phone.
If You Aren’t Going to Listen to My Advice Don’t Hire Me For My Advice! (AKA How to Get the Most Out of Your Consultation)
I want you to squeeze every juicy bit out of the time you get from me. How much you put into that will make all the difference. I can give you the best advice in the world,, but if you don’t follow through, my advice is as valuable as what you’d get from Cliff Clavin (you know Cliff, right? The guy from Cheers who thinks he knows it all?) Prep will get you more too.
- Send me your specific questions at least two weeks prior to our appointment
- Take notes!
- If I send you links and resources, use them!
How Will This Work?
- You’ll send me at least three dates and times that would work for you, and PLEASE send the ET time! I am good at many things, but time math isn’t one of them!
- Once we book it, I send you a Paypal invoice, payable upon receipt. Credit cards can be used – read carefully, it is an option.
- You’ll send me your questions. If I need to do reading, watching, listening, or viewing on your behalf, I do that.
- We’ll exchange contact info prior to our scheduled time and connect!
- You’ll receive a downloadable PDF with answers to your questions, links to resources, if applicable, and actionable steps for you to take.
What’s free and what isn’t?
I get lots of requests from people to help them with their social media and/or online promotion. In fact, so many people have asked for my help that I wrote a book about how to do it all. I also talk about what you can do through my podcast, Brain Burps About Books.
But people kept asking for my advice, so I decided to launch this consulting service. I still give tons of advice gratis through my podcast and my blog, newsletter, and YouTube channel. But there can be confusion about this, so here are my guidelines regarding DIY online and offline promotion. My thanks to Chris Brogan for the inspiration:
- Free: I give away anything I know (and can remember!) when I am speaking at a conference, on my podcast, YouTube channel, or writing my blog or newsletter. If I am able to answer a question quickly by email, I will.
- Not necessarily free: when you request specifics that apply to your particular business or want my undivided attention.
- Free: the occasional 20 min Skype session with classes, teacher/librarians, or book clubs.
- Not free: taking me out for coffee, drinks, or lunch in order to get info I usually give in a consultation.
- Free: a five-minute find-out-what-you-need call or Skype with potential clients.
- Not free: what we’d discuss in a consultation.
- Free: the charity work I do with organizations that stir my heart and conscience.
- Free: guest appearances on your podcast, blog, or program.
Recommendations for Katie Davis consultations
As a newly published picture book author of The Museum, it has been necessary to build my platform. Navigating the world of technology and utilizing it in a way that makes sense as an author has been a daunting task. In over my head, I reached out to Katie Davis for consultation and guidance. Katie was able to take all of my goals and outline a way to prioritize and attain them. As part of her services she created a “consultation packet” filled with information relating to each goal. Where to get stock photos, how to use social media, ways to get people to my website and how to keep them interested as well as information about school visits and author events. Katie’s wealth of knowledge and technological skill have been instrumental in putting me on the right path. I appreciated the way Katie provided options and ideas but always came back to what I wanted and what I could manage making my journey my own. I highly recommend Katie Davis’s services. She is efficient, knowledgeable, highly skilled and extremely generous. I am continuing my work with Katie as I go on this journey… next stop Video Idiot Boot Camp! Thank you Katie.
Susan Verde, author of The Museum, illustrated by Peter Reynolds
Katie Davis is a kidlit expert, not to mention social media wizard. I hired her to go over my children’s picture book Kickstarter campaign. She shared a wealth of information, which I implemented into my project. It’s now more clear and concise. Katie is warm and funny and lives her motto of reciprocity. It made my day when I heard her talk about my Kickstarter project on her podcast. Thank you, Katie!
Cheers, Sue Shanahan
Last year I drove over 2 hours each way to hear Katie Davis speak about social media and I was not disappointed. So when I was matched with her for my NetWit Social Media and Promotion Consultation, I eagerly anticipated an informative and interesting meeting. As I expected, she was very helpful and in a short period of time, I learned a variety of new things I could implement. Katie explains things with a “can do perspective” that is very encouraging in a somewhat daunting arena – taking on the latest in technology to market my books effectively. I highly recommend her!
Debbie Blackington, Author/Illustrator
