© 2020 Patricia Durgin
At a conference recently, a stranger asked, “Aren’t you Patricia Durgin? Your programs are so helpful. Thank you.” Service initiated those kind words.
Are you serving your audience? Not only via written words but also through live, interactive engagement?
It seems wise to “save” our knowledge for a book. Instead, I encourage all Christian communicators, particularly new authors, to step into the public arena—offline or online—and interact with your audience now.
Offline, consider gathering eight to ten potential or current audience members. Or conduct a live event. If you prefer connecting online, consider hosting a weekly FB Live program or a podcast. Being the host allows you to decide which part of your message to share and for how long, and you’ll be the expert responding to questions and comments.
You may reply, “But I’m a writer! I don’t want to interact.” Of course, you don’t have to, but consider this: you’re a communicator first, then a writer. You and I provide answers to our audience’s questions and solutions to their problems. Doing that live whenever possible allows them to know us, like us, and trust us—the first building blocks of our platform’s foundation.
The deeper and broader our audience base, the better. We help our audience find us faster when we interact with them live. Their questions, comments, and insights help us clarify our message, revealing sections that need to be removed and identifying areas that need further development. Biblical truths within our message never change. Our expression of those truths changes as needed.
When we begin serving our audience live, numbers are small. That’s a kindness from God. He gives us time to develop our unique process and for our audience members to find us.
I began studying online marketing in 1995, the year Amazon sold their first book. I’ve been an expert for many years. But no one was interested in my message until I began offering it live and interactively, not answering questions and solving problems generically but ones unique to their situations. The moment I helped them, they became interested in my message, the very goal I’d been striving to reach—unsuccessfully—for years.
Ask Christ if He wants to add live, interactive service to your author platform. If so, your audience will repay you with loyalty. They’ll buy your books and share your message, helping you build your stable author platform faster.
Ed. NOTE: Patricia is offering our subscribers a FREE resource to help you grow your platform. Click here or see her bio below.
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Patricia Durginbegan studying online marketing in 1995 from leaders in the field and spent countless hours adapting those principles for Christian writers and speakers. She served her audience by conducting 505 (60-minute) FB Live programs until Christ put the program on indefinite hiatus, giving her time to work on private projects. She and her husband live near Atlanta.
Considering adding a FB Live program to grow your platform faster? Patricia offers a FREE resource, IS FB LIVE RIGHT FOR YOU? 10 Questions to Find Out!