Quid Pro Quo: What Do I Get Out Of It?
In regard to social media, I’m sure you’ve asked yourself this before, author: what do I get out of it? Well, the truth is everything. Our lives revolve almost entirely around the internet and social media in one form or the other. If you don’t have an online presence, you’re really limiting the amount of impact you can have.
Think about this in terms of quid pro quo, a “something for something” exchange. You put yourself on social media, play the algorithm game, and in return you get followers, engagement, and book sales. It’s not quite that easy, but you get the gist.
You can do the exact same thing for your website and newsletter (I hope you have a newsletter, author.). Your “something for something” can look like an exclusive sneak peek at your latest chapter in exchange for a follower signing up for your newsletter. You get something, and your fan gets something as well.
Cross promotion is another excellent way to promote a “something for something” exchange. Reaching out to similar genre authors, bloggers, and other social accounts to do a cross promotion is a great way to self-promote and lift up another author as well.
Don’t discount a collaborative giveaway, author. Teaming up with other authors or influential accounts to host a giveaway is a great way to gain engagement and followers. Everyone loves a giveaway; free stuff is the best stuff.
Extend the quid pro quo beyond followers and newsletters and into real life. What about an event at your local bookstore? They host an event and gain foot traffic, and you get to promote yourself within your local community. Don’t forget to reach out to your local libraries and favorite shops as well (maybe your coffee shop hosts an open mic night).
At the end of the day, putting yourself out there can be scary. Doing that with the help of someone else can make it a little less terrifying. And having some help, be it from another author, a follower, or a random person on the street, certainly makes things easier. Don’t be afraid of quid pro quo, it could be the best thing you do.
