Today I’m pumped to have agent Amanda Luedeke with MacGregor Literary as a guest here on the MBT blog. Tuesdays are all about marketing around here…and if there’s anything Amanda knows, it’s marketing.

Well, that, and the awesomeness of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Which she may or may not appreciate me mentioning, but now that it’s out…

Anyway, before she entered the world of agenting, Amanda worked in marketing at a number of top companies and she just recently released her book, The Extroverted Writer: An Author’s Guide to Marketing and Building a Platform (available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble). Connect with Amanda on Twitter (@amandaluedeke) or on Facebook. She’s here today with some helpful Q&As.

1) So, let’s say a pre-pubbed writer comes to you and asks why they should think about marketing before they’re even contracted? How do you answer? 

For fiction, so much of it comes down to the writing and the story. So I can see how platform takes a back seat. But because marketing and promotions are such big deals these days, and because much of the responsibility falls on the author’s shoulders, publishing houses are always impressed and attracted to writers who navigate social media well, have an online presence, and can prove that they’re not going to shy away from the marketing angle.

So if anything, I’d say the case for having a presence BEFORE the book deal comes down to the fact that it increases the likelihood that you’ll make a good impression, and it might even help your project edge out over the others that the pub committee or agent is considering at the time.

2) What would you say might be the top three most important marketing strategies or efforts a writer should focus on? 

First, you want to know who you are and what you’re about. It’s hard to market yourself when you’re not sure what your angle is. And once you have your “brand,” it should permeate everything you do. It should be reflected in your website, your blog, and your social media channels. So that’s the number one thing: KNOW WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT.

Second, you want to form relationships with your readers or fans. In other words, if someone is excited about your book or your writing, don’t simply say “thanks” and walk away. Nurture that relationship. Groom it. You want to turn your fans into advocates—people who will do anything to get your books in the hands of others.

Third, you want to be present on social media, but you also want to be comfortable there. So, if you hate Twitter but love Facebook, then just do Facebook. Or maybe vlogging comes more naturally for you? Whatever you cup of tea, do it and do it well and don’t worry about the fact that you aren’t on every single social media channel.

3) As an agent, what do you look for in an author’s marketing plan? Is there any area authors tend to fall short?

Most authors fall short by not even having a marketing plan! They may line up a few guest posts and they may take to Twitter and Facebook like crazy the week of release, but beyond that, they’ve got nothing.

But for the authors who do put together marketing plans, I always encourage them to incorporate a schedule or calendar of events. Everything from their tweets to their status updates to their featured blogs to their in-store appearances should be on this calendar. The goal is create steady buzz over the course of four weeks or so (especially after a launch). Many times, authors will hit it hard for a few days and then fizzle out. A calendar helps you see the big picture and know how to move stuff around so that you generate the best, biggest impact overall.

4) I’ve heard many writers wonder (and have certainly wondered myself) how much time I should spend on marketing versus writing. I’m sure this changes depending on where an author is in the publishing journey, but do you have any general advice for writers looking for good balance? 

Because marketing is the main thing you can do to ensure sales, and because sales mean job security, then I truly believe that marketing should take a chunk out of your writing time. So, when it comes to your personal schedule, fight to protect the month or two leading up to a release and the three months following it. This is your window to hit it hard. During this time, I advise authors to dedicate half of their writing time to marketing (if they’re on a deadline. If they aren’t on a deadline, they could dedicate even more).

So, if you typically write 10 hours a week, aim to set aside 5 of those hours for marketing. During that time you can be writing guest posts, researching blogs and reader groups, organizing Twitter and Facebook campaigns, lining up interviews, putting together mailers to churches and schools, and so on.

5) And tell us about your book! What do you hope readers gain?

Marketing is such a huge part of the process, but few authors know where to begin! My book, The Extroverted Writer, is for the published and unpublished, social media veterans and newbies alike. I cover websites, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and more. And the best part is it’s really easy to understand and apply. Through it, I hope to help authors feel more in control of their marketing efforts…and therefore their writing futures!

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More about The Extroverted Writer: Literary agent Amanda Luedeke uses her background in corporate marketing to show readers that even if you’re an introvert you can have a great online author following by tapping into the reader-packed world of social media. From ideas to tips to absolute musts, THE EXTROVERTED WRITER builds on Amanda’s successful “Thursdays with Amanda” blog posts on ChipMacGregor.com. This easy-to-read guide breaks down the most popular social media sites and online options to give YOU the tools you need to be effective when engaging with your readers.