Ready to Learn Mom

I am the queen of using all the free marketing techniques available.  These tips helped build my own company with a phone, computer and shoestring budget to a national platform; selling over 60,000 self-published books, being reviewed by over 700 mom bloggers and profiles on over 40 + social networking sites to become a top 50 Children’s Publisher for 2009. 

My top 7 marketing techniques:

1. Take “Google Alerts” out for your name and company and also on “keywords” that target your marketing niche.  I have Google Alerts on “kindergarten” and “Let’s Get Ready for School”.  Everyday Google sends me a list of free leads that tag all the stories and blogs that include my key word(s). 
2. Post genuine comments on those blogs contributing to the conversation, not “buy me, buy me, buy me.”  Such as, “I see you are worried about your son going to Kindergarten; I would love to send him a set of my books to enjoy!”  It works, and those 700+ mom blog reviews are priceless!  Yes, giving away products will come back to you!!! I want those bloggers to have my books to see and touch and share with someone else!  Those blogs are amazing, many with pictures of their kids with my books and actually quotes from the kids playing with them!  They will live forever on-line and increase, as I like to call it, your “Google Footprint” or the number of records on the search engines.  This is free and natural SEO.
3. Elevate your platform by networking with movers and shakers in your industry.  If you want to be an author, start reviewing your favorite author’s books on Amazon.   Put yourself in a position to network with and meet other authors!   I reviewed Jim Stovall’s Ultimate Gift and a few years later he emailed me asking if I would like an advanced copy of Keeper of the Flame.  A few weeks ago he sent me a nice note with The King’s Legacy.  PRICELESS connection that elevates my platform too!
4. Belong to all the free sites for media leads:  www.helpareporter.com; pitchrate.com; and reporterssource.com, to name a few.  I have been interviewed on hundreds of radio shows, over 30 parenting magazines, over 30 television segments and 15 newspapers!  Can you say free credibility?
5. Develop a platform to be bigger than you – for me it’s about educating preschoolers at the core to empower parents, kids and teachers to all be involved.  If you teach a child to wear their seatbelt they will re-teach and train everyone to wear it, too.  If you teach a child what they need to know for preschool, they will empower their parents to be involved in the process every step of the way!  “Mom, let’s practice shapes and colors because I need to know them for Kindergarten!”  I am creating a brand that will live long after me!!  When parents, kids and teachers think Kindergarten they are starting to think of my books!  So my goal is to be the Good Night Moon of Kindergarten!
6. Become the expert and pitch your local media to develop long-term relationships and start your media platform.  The local media can help you grow to the national media.  Many of my favorite local media stars are now some of my biggest fans!!  I would never have gotten this far without all their support!
7. Create social networking profiles on all the sites that match your target market as well as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  I am on over 40+ sites.  Even the sites that I am not active in get traffic.  I have one that has over 24,000 page views, another over 5,000, 6,000, 150 — now times that by 40 and that’s free exposure for YOU!  The more people than know your name, the bigger you will be!

Hope that helps!

Smiles – Stacey

Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”