Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valerie Thompkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Valerie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I have loved to read since I was a kid.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have always loved to read. Looking back, I realize I wasn’t being represented in most of the books I was reading. I wrote and published my first children’s book, Girls Like Me, which explores the different careers and professions that children can grow up to pursue. The characters were inspired by my friends and their professions: a doctor, lawyer, engineer, scientist, and other careers that girls aren’t traditionally encouraged to pursue. I realized there is a much faster timeline with self-publishing and I used Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark to self-publish my first book. I used social media to market my book and gain and audience of readers. Now, I offer consultations to help other authors publish and market their books.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I built my social media following by offering information people could benefit from. I am transparent about sharing my process, my lessons learned, advice on how to find affordable vendors, etc. I advise people to share what feels comfortable and natural. Don’t force it, share things that come naturally that you would find value in. Find a way to make an impact in less than 60, 30, and 10 seconds.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think it helps that I show up as my authentic self. I am consistent and transparent. I create marketing and publishing content, sharing information that most would charge for. It builds trust and shows that I truly want to help others win. There should be no competition amongst authors. Most parents don’t buy just one book, they work to build a library. There is room for all of us to win. I would also do weekly lives with other authors to answer questions about publishing and marketing.This also encourages people to book one on one video consultations with me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.authorvaleriethompkins.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorvaleriethompkins/
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Girls-Like-Me-Valerie-Thompkins/dp/1736182900/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=girls+like+me&qid=1638758593&sr=8-1#detailBullets_feature_div
Image Credits
Valerie Thompkins