What’s the first thing people see before they find your book? Your newsletter, website, social media. You—your author brand.
The rule of 7 is a marketing principle based on the idea that someone needs to see your brand at least seven times before making a purchase decision. Seven times. That’s why first impressions are so important: they’re that initial step to building a relationship, to turning a stranger into a reader.
Think about some of your favorite authors. Immediately, you pair them with a genre and you know what type of book to expect from them. I bet you can even tie a mood and a style to them. And to take it one step further, you can probably get a sense of their passion and inspiration, without ever having them say it outright.
Because a brand isn’t your qualifications or even your experience. Your author brand is…
1. Your visual identity, vibe, and aesthetic.
Your visual identity consists of all the design choices: color schemes, layouts, logos, artwork, fonts, etc.
Vibe is the underlying element of your visual identity, it’s that common thread. It evokes feelings. It inspires. It describes. You can start with -y words: think beachy, moody, whimsy, dreamy, and go from there!
Once you nail your visual identity and your vibe your aesthetic naturally starts to form. Simply put: aesthetic = visual identity + vibe.
Mini assignment: go on Pinterest and create a board just about you and all of your fav things. What does it look like? Take note of the colors, styles, fonts, etc. Then ask yourself, what does it feel like? Mysterious and moody? Dark and gritty? Bright and cheery? Adventurous and woodsy? Try it and see what you can glean.
2. How you speak to your audience.
Voice is what you say to your audience and tone is how you say it. What do you want your brand to convey? Word choice, phrasing, and attitude all play a part in this. Remember, your book likely isn’t your first introduction to someone. It’s your newsletter, author bio, Amazon page, Instagram caption, blog post, etc. that hooks people—that gets them intrigued to know more about you and your work.
When it comes to voice and tone it’s important to remember that being distinct + consistent = memorable.
Mini assignment: Write down five words that describe how you want your brand to be perceived. Relatable? Friendly? Conversational? Humble? Once you have your key words write down five actions that will help incorporate these perceptions into your brand. For example, if a goal of yours is to be friendly, one way to achieve this might be by answering every comment you receive on Instagram.
3. WHO you are, WHAT you write, and WHY you write.
These statements peel back the layers and get to the heart of your brand, to the heart of YOU. The who and what might be more obvious but it’s the why that gets people to follow you on social, sign up for your newsletter, and read your books. Your why is an undercurrent that drives everything you do. It’s deeper than the heart, it’s the soul of your brand.
You never just list features of your book/brand, you tell people how it’s going to make them feel. And to get them to feel, you need a story. You need a why.
Mini assignment: Come up with your who, what, and why statements.
Creating a stand-out brand means putting in the work. To help with those assignments and get you one step closer to building your unique brand, here’s a free mini brand workbook.
I hope you enjoyed this post about how the building blocks of a strong author brand! If you’re looking for more self-publishing advice, check out this blog post that goes over 8 Pinterest misconceptions!
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