What does a Marketer do at a Publishing Company?

Hello!  My Name is Rachel Harrison Brown.  I have the privilege of coming to you as a guest blogger today.  My profession is in marketing.  I work for Legacy Press and we have published at least one title from each of the women who regularly author this blog.  As a marketer at a publishing company, it is my job to communicate to customers what our books are all about so that when they are ready, willing and able to buy, the books are easy to find and purchase.

So to market a new book, I must first ask myself: who is the customer(s) for this particular Legacy Press book?  Most of our books are intended for children to read.  But depending on the book, it can be written for someone from age2-12. That’s a pretty wide range.  I could never have the type of conversation I am having here with a 2 year old, could I?  So, let’s say I want to share our book with 11 year old girls.  What else do I know about them?  They are Christian, right? Right.  Now I look to stores who cater to:

1.      11 years old

2.      Christian

3.      Girls

 Bookstores? Yes.  Club Stores? Yes. Amazon? Yes (With an adult assist, right?).

But what about other ways we can tell people about our books?  Where do customers who fit the description above find out about new books besides in the stores where they buy them in?  Emailing? Internet advertising? Social Media?  Part of my job is to inform the Publisher which of our efforts works best, then to execute those methods. 

One method that works well for us is email.  I create all of the emails that people receive on behalf of our company.  I create them using a tool called Constant Contact.  It gives me guides for creating an email, sends it, then after it is sent it gives me information such as:

·        How many people opened the email

·        Did those who opened it, click on a link

·        Which link they clicked on most often. 

We use this data the next time we send an email so that the information we send most closely matches what the reader is looking for.  If we give them the information they need to buy a book, tell them all of the great information and stories they will get, and ask them to buy, there’s a great chance you (I mean ‘they’) will buy that book. 

Other areas I cover for the company include:

·        New product launches

·        Press releases

·        Website management

·        Blogging

·        Email marketing

·        Internet Advertising

·        Catalog advertising

·        Book Trailers

·        Tradeshows (This means travel.  I am taking my daughter with me to San Antonio Texas soon!)

One of my favorite things about my job is that it combines creativity and statistics (math).  I get to use math and statistics to determine which of the company’s effort work best and then I use my creativity to design emails, write copy, and build effective websites.  It’s a great career for me and I get to work with people like Kathy, Marilyn, Karen and Sherry.  People who care about Christian girls and write books to help them grow into the most amazing women they can be. 

It's Spring!

Hi! Sherry here. What do you think about when you think of spring? Flowers blooming? Birds singing? Frogs croaking? Easter? I think about all those things.

Now that the days are longer, I enjoy taking a walk after dinner. But sometimes the weather can be unpredictable in the spring. It rains a lot and in some areas it’s known to snow.  

What can you do to bring cheer and warmth while you wait for sunny days?

Buy or plant an indoor flower in a pot!

Here’s a list of flowering houseplants:

African violets—With careful watering, high humidity and bright, but not direct, light, it is possible to have several blooms every year.

Begonia—A simple pot of begonias can be planted for next to nothing and will yield a nice season of color.

Desert Cacti—There are many varieties of cacti available. Give your cactus lots of sunlight, hold off on the water, and wait for spring or summer for flowers to bloom.

Hibiscus—these plants insist on warmth, lots of light, humidity, and they are prone to several varieties of bugs. A flowering hibiscus is one of the most remarkable sights.

Orchid—These plants are the largest group of plants in the world, with some 30,000 known species and tens of thousands more hybrids. A careful grower should be able to get their orchids to bloom.

If, like me, you tend to kill houseplants, another idea is to draw and color a picture of flowers. Here’s a link that will help you draw just about any type of flower you can think of and get a step-by-step guide: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/how-to-draw-flowers-and-plants.htm

Have fun!

I’d love to know if you planted, bought, or drew some flowers for spring. Leave me a comment below.

Sherry

What Can I Do?

Hi, this is Marilyn! The year after I graduated from college, I lived in Kyoto, Japan. There I studied the ancient art of the Japanese tea ceremony (called o-sado or o-chado). I wore kimono every day and sat zazen style (on your calves on the floor) for hours at a time while I served and received ceremonial tea in my daily lessons. I had majored in Japanese, so I got to practice speaking the language, I immersed myself in the culture, and I made many friends. I loved going to the public bath every night, especially in the winter when it was so cold and the baths were so warm. And I'll never forget how beautiful the cherry blossoms looked as they lined the Kamo River, which runs through Kyoto. It was a wonderful time, and my heart is still very close to that country and the people who live there.

Ever since the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan a few weeks ago, Japan and its people have been on my mind and in my heart. I'm sure you've been thinking about what happened there, too, and wondering what you can possibly do to help. Even if you live far away or don't have much to give, there are many things you can do to help. Here are some ideas:

• Pray for the people of Japan. You can pray for those who have lost their family members, friends, neighbors, their homes and possessions, and their pets. You can pray for those who are struggling to live without power, heat, and food, or who need medical help. You can pray for those who have had to leave their homes for a while to be in a safer place.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil. 4:6 NIV)

• Comfort your friends if they're sad or frightened. Sometimes it's hard to find the right words to say, and it can feel awkward. But saying, "I'm really sorry," or "I'm praying for your family," or "This is a little scary--do you want to talk?," or just asking your friends how they're doing will make them feel better. If you say nothing, they might think you don't care, but saying anything will let them know you do.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." (Rom. 12:15)

• Talk to your family about donating money to an organization that is helping the people in Japan. Three wonderful organizations that are doing this work are the American Red Cross, World Vision, and Samaritan's Purse. There are many others. Maybe you could contribute some or all of your allowance, or organize your friends to contribute or have a sale or fundraiser to collect money to give to a relief organization.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" (Matt. 25:40)

• Prepare for an emergency where you live. You might not live where earthquakes happen, but natural disasters like hurricanes, blizzards, and tornadoes happen in other areas. Or the power could go out for several hours or even days. Knowing that you're prepared for an emergency is one of the best ways to deal with one if you ever need to. Put together an emergency kit of water, dried and ready-to-eat food, money (cash), a radio with batteries, flashlights and batteries, a first-aid kit, and phone numbers of people out of the area to call. If your family doesn't have a plan for where or how to contact each other if you get separated, talk about that as a family and make a plan. Type it up, print it off, and give everyone a copy. Chances are, you'll never need it. But if you ever do, everyone will be ready!

Take care, and stay safe, and God bless you!
Marilyn

Happy St Patrick's Day

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and I am Irish and I’ve been to Ireland (it really is very green)…

           

            Dreams of travel to far away places and dreams of what we’ll do when we grow up can come true, and it doesn’t matter where we start. St Patrick started out in a good home in a family that had some money, but he was kidnapped and served as a slave for years. After slavery he traveled and became a preacher. He was a Bishop. He went back to Ireland where Druids had enslaved him and shared about Jesus and the trinity.

            Wear green to celebrate how Patrick shared his faith.

                        Wear gold and dream of golden opportunities of future

career, family, travel, and ministry.

Decorate a cake

            Frost a cake white. Then use green and yellow sprinkles to form special designs. Cut bottom off 3 small paper cups. Gently press the open bottoms on the frosting, close together, to form a shamrock. Drop the sprinkles inside the cup, lift off the cups and you’ll have the top of the shamrock in green. Squish one cup to form a stem shape, press lightly onto the frosting at bottom of shamrock, drop in sprinkles to form the stem, and lift cup off. Roll a 2-inch square piece of cardstock into a small circle. Press one end lightly onto the frosting and drop in yellow sprinkles to form gold coins.

And enjoy how the world outside is turning more green again as spring approaches!

Spring Break and Mrs. Noah

Hi! It's spring break here. We'd planned to go to a park tomorrow where everyone could do what they most wanted--fish, wade, climb, hike.... But it's supposed to rain! I wish we could have our fun day out, but there are lots of things to do when it rains--play board games, play Wii (that gets everyone moving), read, watch movies and eat popcorn and so on.

I wonder what the Noah family did to pass time on the ark while it rained? Not only were they on there for the forty days it rained, but they had to stay on their floating home much, much longer while all the rain went down and the land became dry enough to live on again.

God looked down from heaven at the world he'd made and only the Noah family were trying to obey his commands. He asked Mr. Noah and his sons to build a large boat for their family and pairs of animals. How the neighbors must have laughed at and made fun of the Noah family. But they chose to say "yes" to God's plan anyway. That's how they ended up building a boat and being safe while everyone else was destroyed.

We hear about Mr. Noah in the Bible stories, but Mrs. Noah played a big part in the story too. She probably took care of the house and feeding her family while they were busy building and readying the boat. And once they were on board, there was still work to be done. The animals had to be fed and so did the Noah family.

But they still probably had a lot of free time on their hands. What do you suppose they did to pass the time? What's your favorite rainy day activity?

Kathy

Talking to God

Hi there! My name is Sherry Kyle and I’m the author of The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style. I love to journal letters to God. In fact, I still have books filled with prayers I wrote a long time ago. It’s fun to read through them and see how God answered each prayer.

Do you talk with God? I’m not asking about a quick blessing before a meal or a speedy prayer before bed, but instead a running conversation throughout your day.  

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Praying continually doesn’t mean we should have our heads bowed all the time. Otherwise, how would we eat breakfast, go to school, or play our favorite sport?

Praying continually does mean that we include God in every aspect of our lives, to think of Him during our day, and to come to Him with our requests.

In The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style, I have a section in each chapter where the main character writes a letter to God.

Here’s an example of what a letter might look like: 

Hi God,

Today was the worst day of my life! I missed my bus, forgot my lunch, and got a D on my math test. And to top it off, my best friend is mad at me. Sarah ignored me at recess and ran off with Chloe. It really hurt my feelings.

After I got home from school, I sat under the tree in my backyard and thought about what would make Sarah so mad. Then it hit me! My teacher wanted us to pair up to work on an assignment. I asked Jessica to be my partner since she sits right next me. I don’t think Sarah liked that. Do we have to do everything together? But then I thought about how I felt when she ran off at recess. It’s nice to have a best friend.

I know YOU are my best friend too. I can always count on you to help me through the day. The Bible says you will never leave me.

Think I’ll call Sarah now. I want her to know that it’s okay if we hang out with other people even though we’re best friends. Thanks for listening!

Love,

Me

Have you ever written a letter to God? Try it! It’s fun and helps us grow closer to our Heavenly Father.

Have a GREAT day!

Sherry

www.sherrykyle.com

Finding Your Voice

Hi, this is Marilyn. Welcome! I've been thinking for a while about how unique and beautiful and special each one of us is to God.

Ever since I was a young girl, I'd wanted to write. When I was in grade school and my teacher gave us a writing assignment, almost everyone else groaned, but I was excited. I kept journals and diaries, and I wrote stories and poems. In high school I wrote more stories and poems, and was editor of the school paper. In college I filled every elective spot with some kind of writing class. I went to graduate school and specialized in creative writing. I published poems and short stories, articles and columns, and books. I’m also a technical writer, explaining to people how to use computer programs to help them do their work more easily. I'm so happy that I can do what had been in my heart all my life. But sometimes I don't think it's very special. It's just something I enjoy doing and something I’m willing to work hard at.

Writers often hear the advice, “Find your voice.” A writer’s voice is his unique style of writing—the words he chooses and the way he puts the words together. It often takes a writer several years to find her voice, but once she does, her readers know right away that she wrote what they’re reading.

Finding your voice isn’t just for writers, though. It’s another way of saying, “Figure out what unique gift God has given you.” If you play softball, for example, your gift might be pitching or hitting or catching—or cheering on your teammates or loving your opponents. If you're a musician, your gift might be the ability to find uncommon harmonies or in the special rhythms you give the music—or singing just the right song at the right time for someone. If you’re a math whiz, your gift might be solving complex problems without using a calculator—or tutoring someone who struggles with the simplest equations.

It might take a long time to find the voice God gave you, but it’s an exciting, amazing adventure! But, finding it is just the first step. The second, and more important, step is to use that voice. It's so important to use the voice God gave you, because he gave that beautiful, unique, and special voice only to you!

I'd love to hear how you're finding your voice, and what you're discovering along the way!

Friends and Basket Fun

Friends are fun. If you have a friend who doesn’t live close it’s really great when you do get together. This week I get you be with several friends I don’t see often and I can hardly wait.

In God’s Girls, the second unit, I wrote about the joy of Mary and Elizabeth when tyhey saw each other. They were relatives and they shared something wonderful. They were both having babies.

This week one of the friends I will see is Kathy-another author on this blog. We are sharing the joy of this blog and getting to know many new girls. We will hug and we may jump up. I know we’ll chat about the blog and what we want to do here.

The craft of decorating a basket with artificial fruit went with the unit on Elizabeth.  Baskets are fun and I collect them. Decorate a basket or other container this month.

Decorate it for spring with flowers

            Fill it with paper petals of reasons to rejoice this spring

Decorate it for St Patrick’s Day with greens or green cloth, and fill it with names of people you are praying will believe in Jesus, and green shamrocks for friends who are Christians

Decorate it for lent with a dead branch, a cross (tie two cinnamon sticks together for a sweet smelling one), and a journal to write in each day. Write to ask Jesus to forgive you, write love notes to Jesus, and write verses you are learning during lent.

Decorate a friendship basket for a friend. Use her favorite colors. Decorate t with a bow, stickers, or flowers. Fill it with notes of why you like your friend, snacks for a picnic together, or a little gift.

Eve and Me

Hi! Welcome to our blog. When I was trying to decide what to write about for my first post, I had lots of ideas. I thought about writing about how I get ideas for books or how I actually write the books. I thought about writing about how I come up with craft ideas. Karen is really the craft expert. I'm kind of craft challenged. So if I can do the crafts in my books, anyone can!


But then I thought I'd write about some things I've been learning. This past year I've been reading about women in the Bible. Some are well known like Sarah, Deborah, Mary and Elizabeth while others are less well known like the five sisters who asked Moses to let them have their father's land, Caleb's daughter, and the midwives who saved many Hebrew boys by disobeying orders to kill them at birth.


The first Bible woman we read about is Eve. When we think of Eve, we usually think about her eating the forbidden fruit and having to leave the garden, but there is much more to Eve than that. She was the first woman, and God created her with a unique personality and a mission to fulfill. She was to be the mother of all humans. Since Eve was the only woman around, she didn't have anyone to compare herself too like we do today. She didn't have to worry about whether she weighed more or less than the other women or if her hairstyle was up to date enough. She just accepted herself as God created her.


Just like Eve, God created each of us with our own unique personalities and abilities. And he has a special plan for each of us. For some of us it's writing books. For others it's being doctors or nurses, computer programmers or teacher, athletes or musicians. You don't have to wait until you're an adult to live out God's plan for you. Just look around you each day and ask God to show you what he has for you that day.


There's lots more to say about Bible women, but I'll save it for another day.  Why not leave a comment and tell me who your favorite Bible woman is?


Today my daughter Jessica and I are driving to Orlando. We're going to spend a few hours at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventures and then go on to the Florida Christian Writer's Conference for a few days.

This is two of my daughters and myself on our last trip to Universal/Islands of Adventure. I'm in the purple shirt and hat.


Have a great week!


Kathy


(PS I write under the name Katrina Cassel because that's my legal name, but I go by Kathy)