You probably have a social media account on which you have some regular readers who engage in your posts. By engage I mean, ‘like’ your posts religiously or occasionally leave some comments on them and if they are feeling generous, share it on their accounts.
There can even be a few who follow you on all social media accounts, subscribe to your email list and read many of your books. These are readers and followers who have been with you invisibly and supporting you in your efforts. This is the gold mine which you can keep leveraging and adding on it for a very long time.
So what more can you do with the loyal fanbase you have?
Well, you can engage with them to start with.
Readers Are Your Most Prized Revenue
In these challenging times when every single person you see is begging for attention and ready to grab the attention of someone else’s, these loyal followers have been staying with you as an indirect form of support. As they have been following your journey, they will have better insights into a lot of your works, including the way you promote and the books you write.
You may never know what kind of surprises they may throw at you when you converse with them. Also, as mentioned earlier, it is best to let your followers know that they are being noticed and respected to ensure that you retain your loyal fanbase in the times when we forget quickly.
However, engaging with your readers and followers just for the sake of your benefit is artificial. Keep in mind that you are nowhere without them and every single one of them has made some kind of contribution to help you grow. So, show your thankfulness and engage with them as you speak with your friend. This will help them open up and be honest with you and even grow to like you even more!
How Can You Truly Engage on a Deep Level?
Cut the Fake and Be Real
Many think that it is tough to engage with readers and get a response from them. Let’s understand one thing. Your readers and followers are highly perceptive. They can smell a fake engagement post just to get some publicity from a real post that wants to talk to the person behind the screen.
So, if you have been trying to talk artificially, then it’s time to stop it. Be real; be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show them how vulnerable you are. This only makes them see you as human beyond the author.
Maintain a Conversational Tone
Again, remember that these are also people interested in striking up real conversations. So, instead of some generic talks that you see many authors do, you can actually have a real conversation with the followers and readers. Don’t let the conversation hang in the middle. Engage with every one of them who engaged on your posts and you will soon see the numbers of your engagement grow.
Engage on Multiple Levels
Don’t just keep your focus on engagement on your books or your author life. Yes, that’s the main reason these people followed you, but you can occasionally show them that you are just like any other. Keep yourself grounded and show them how relatable you are. This will make the followers like you even more and make them more comfortable with you.
Be Honest and Brace Yourself for Some Honesty Too
If you want to make real conversations, then you should be ready to hear some brutal truths. There will always be haters prepared to pull you down or make you feel low. It’s during such times that your patience is put to the test. Don’t stoop down and show them how you can manage your haters in style. This will further grow your image in front of your readers too.
Engaging with readers and followers is one of the most hyped-down marketing tactics. So grab on to this amazing opportunity of knowing really what your followers think. It may be the best thing that could happen to you as an author!
Want to know the different mediums through which you can engage with your readers and followers? Click here to know more about it.
