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Get Seen and Be Heard with PR & Social Media Virtual Assistance

January 1st, 2019

Hiring a Virtual Assistant, Market Research, Public Relations, Small Business Marketing, Small Business Public Relations, Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistance

When it comes to offering your services online, you’ll notice that education is changing just fast as technology and keeping up with these changes is crucial for staying relevant, especially in the field of virtual assistance. I’ve recently had the exclusive opportunity to work with two of the best in Social Media Strategy and Online Public Relations in a small group setting through the Get Seen Be Heard Certification Program led by Christina Daves, Best Selling Author and DIY-PR Maven and Karen Yankovich, Social Media Evangelist.

This 8-week (no fluff) program was intensive and 100% focused on cutting edge social media and PR strategies for getting our clients more publicity, more opportunities, and expanding their sphere of influence online. Have you ever heard the term “PR on Steroids?” This phrase is exactly how I would describe the program and the results of what we learned in this 8 week intensive. By the time I finished the course, I had already created several new marketing packages as a result of this training and I’m excited to announce my official completion.

If you are already a client or you are interested in working together for the first time to combine the best of social media and publicity to generate massive buzz, please send me an email (Michelle@CTVirtualAssistance.com) or complete our C ontact Form and I’ll get in touch with you within one business day to set up a free one-on-one discovery consult.

To Your Success,

To learn more about CT Virtual and the Virtual Project Management, Marketing, PR, and Creative Services we offer – Schedule your free discovery session! Have a specific project management question, ask me on Twitter! Visit our Online Creative Portfolio!

Build Your Author Platform in 6 Easy Steps

By Michelle Anastasio

August 1st, 2015

Author Platform, For Authors, Freelance Writing, Hiring a Virtual Assistant, Self-published Authors, Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistant Resources

Building Your Author Platform

Sometimes it’s called an author platform, writing platform, branding, social media presence, or what have you, but essentially, all these things are based on the same principle: you need to create a solid foundation for your writing business in order to build awareness, sustain it, and sell more books.

The word “platform’ might seem terrifying, but if you know all the variables involved ahead of time, and break them down into actionable goals, building your author platform is easier than you thought. In this article, we will set you up with a plan on how to build up and maintain your author platform and connect everything, with small steps, so you can experience a gradual, steady increase in your visibility and reputation. So, let’s get to it!

Author Websites: Yes, you might think that in 2015 a website is not quintessential anymore because of other existing platforms – but it is. In fact, most book marketers believe, next to email marketing, your website is the most important entity of your Author Platform. You need a stable foundation for your online presence, one that you have complete and unlimited control of. Building a solid author website is not necessarily a huge burden on your time if you have great author website designer, but there are other options as well. You can hire professional designers, or create one yourself using Wix or Grid, without having to write a single line of code. Blog engines like WordPress or Blogger also offer beautiful templates, but a blog template site may not have all the features you want. In this case, you can hire a Virtual Assistant Company that specializes in WordPress to enhance your site and make it complete. Alternatively, you can register on a personal branding site network like me. These are not the same as completely functional websites, but it can do the trick until you have a real site up and running. As an Author, it is important that you buy a personal URL or domain under your author or pen name.

Contacts and List Building: Digital media offers a wide selection of tools to boost you author platform. But first, make certain to utilize your your personal and professional contacts, who can help you grow, give you feedback and spread the word, and create an opt-in list for them to join or for you to add contacts manually. This is referred to as your “Core Fan Base”. Next, make a list of people outside your network. This list should include your favorite authors (who write the same genre as your books), experts on the subjects you write about, and other stakeholders and media professionals. Now you can start looking for ways to use the first group to give the second group access to your author platform. Continue to build your lists by continuously sharing your opt-in list signup and by manually adding new contacts you meet.

Tips for Running an Effective GoodReads Giveaway

By Michelle Anastasio

February 1st, 2015

Book Marketing, For Authors, For Speakers, Hiring a Virtual Assistant, Self-published Authors, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized

Administrative, Marketing, & Creative Services for Authors and Speakers

These days, it’s important for any business to maintain a presence on social media, but when it comes to authors in particular, I believe that being active on book marketing sites and GoodReads is more cost-effective and a better use of your time if wanting to connect with readers and selling more books. One of my preferred strategies for generating book reviews, building a buzz, and converting readers into fans and buying customers is to host a GoodReads Giveaway. Read more…

What Do Literary Agents Look for in Self-Published Authors?

By Michelle Anastasio

January 1st, 2015

Book Marketing, For Authors, For Speakers, Hiring a Virtual Assistant, Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistant Resources

What Do Agents Look for in Self-Published Authors?

I need an agent!

Over the past few months, I’ve been asked (and tested) by many clients to answer this question. And although the answer is not as cut and dry as most would hope, the truth is more and more literary agents are opening their doors to the self-published community. This comes as no surprise with all the success stories posted online about how one author turned his self-published ebook into a best-seller, but it still doesn’t resolve the question.

In my pursuit for more knowledge and bettering the services we offer clients, I’m tickled pink to declare we’ve scheduled interviews with two top literary agents in New York (that offer representation of self-published writers) to throw more light on this subject. Don’t forget to check get back later in the month – we’ll post their Q&A sessions.

In the meantime, since we promote many self-published authors, I will share two areas you should be working to improve, that can facilitate selling more books and getting consideration from agents.

Amazon and Goodreads Reviews: I know I’ve said this in earlier posts, but I’ll say it once more. The more reviews you have on these two sites, the better your rankings will be. Take advantage of Amazon’s Free eBook Promotions or Goodreads Book Giveaway in the beginning. People tend to follow others, and the more people who hear about your book, the better your sales will be. Great rankings are impressive and agents view these sources before deciding if they will invest in an author.

Author/Book Promotions: Most self-published authors are confused where to put their time wisely or they haven’t yet put aside a marketing budget. While a national book tour or promotion campaign may fall outside of what you can afford to do, you will need a firm presence on Facebook, Twitter and especially Goodreads. There’s also a difference between standard website design and author websites. Before going off on your own author campaign or creating your own website, consult someone who knows your category and the publishing industry. It’s critical for authors to interact with others and their target readership, and having a creative plan and PR strategy first, packs a powerful punch in the final stages. Literary agents will also ascertain your previous marketing efforts.

For more information about our administrative, marketing, and creative services for Authors and Speakers – schedule your free 30-minute consultation today.

5 Techniques for Finding & Booking Speaking Engagements

By Michelle Anastasio

July 2nd, 2014

For Authors, For Speakers, Hiring a Virtual Assistant, Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistant Resources

When I first started working with Authors, Speakers and Coaches to source good speaking gigs; it felt just as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. As discouraging as it was at times, luckily I stayed focused and within a year, I am now able to streamline the process for my clients. If asking me “How does one go about finding viable leads for speaking engagements?”, below are my “Top 5 Techniques” to finding good contacts and getting yourself booked!

1. Define Your Niche: I can’t stress how important it is to find your niche early on. It’s not only important for your success, but it’s an integral part of marketing and representation process. How will any organization or industry know your value or worth, if you haven’t set yourself apart? By defining a clear niche immediately, you are making significant strides to becoming an expert in your field.

2. Define Your Target Audience: If you want to be hired and paid for speaking engagements and you’ve already established yourself as an expert in your field, you need to define your target audience. For example, if you are an Online Business Coach and work with Mompreneurs; you will need to target specific women’s organizations, networks, and groups. Technical associations can also be your target if helping these women to succeed in their online business.

3. Free Speaking Engagements: If you are not a paid speaker yet, but want to start earning money for the valuable advice you bestow; you need to start somewhere. There are great places locally and within your community that will help you build your roster. Check your local libraries, schools, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary clubs. Get involved or become a member. Most likely these associations and contacts will lead to a paid gig down the road.

4. Social Media Groups & Communities: Many gigs I’ve secured for clients have resulted from being active in groups and communities on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. These social media platforms have many valuable business networks where information is passed back and forth. There are information seekers and information providers. People can pose questions and experts can provide their advice. Social media is a great place for establishing yourself as expert in your field. Research groups and communities where you would find your target audience as well as industry related networks where other business professionals could use your expertise to share with their connections. Stay active and be consistent. Over time, the exposure will build.

5. Speaker Directories: In addition to researching gigs or creating your own speaker series, getting found online can be expensive and time consuming. The good news is there are websites that list speakers for free and that charge for listings. Event and Meeting planners will often go to these directories looking for a speaker on a certain topic. I prefer the directories that take the guess work out by providing “by program”, “by budget” or “by genre” directories. Here is one of many directories I use and recommend for my Author, Speaker and Coaching clients: http://www.speakermatch.com

If you seek assistance with securing speaking engagements, establishing yourself as an expert in your field online, or you need a Speaker Media Kit that clearly defines you and your brand – please contact Michelle Anastasio for your free 30-Minute Consultation.