Phase 4:
Marketing & Audience Development
Building Visibility With Intention and Realistic Expectations
Phase 4 focuses on how creators connect their work with readers after publication. Rather than treating marketing as a launch-driven sprint, this phase emphasizes sustainable visibility, clear communication, and long-term audience development.
Marketing does not guarantee sales, rankings, or outcomes. Phase 4 exists to help creators understand their options, choose approaches that fit their goals, and avoid unnecessary expenses, pressure, or hype.
Support for Community Members
Community members receive guidance and resources designed to support thoughtful, sustainable marketing decisions, including:
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Author Page Guidance
Support for creating and maintaining author pages on publishing platforms and related sites. -
Free Author Page on the 9 Iron Media Site
A simple, centralized author presence that helps readers learn more about your work. -
Social Media Guidance
Practical direction on using social platforms intentionally—choosing what fits your capacity rather than feeling obligated to be everywhere. -
Ongoing Community Discussion
Shared insight from other creators navigating marketing choices at different stages, without pressure to perform or promote.
Marketing conversations in the community focus on learning and experience, not comparison or outcomes.
Optional Services
Need Additional Help?
Some creators prefer hands-on support as they build their audience presence. The following services are available as optional, paid support, but are never required to participate in the community or complete this phase:
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Author Website Design
Professional setup of an author website focused on clarity, credibility, and long-term use. -
Direct Sales Consulting
Educational guidance on selling work directly to readers, including platform considerations and practical tradeoffs. -
Lead Magnets & Email Lists (Kit)
Support for developing reader magnets and ethical email lists using Kit, focused on long-term communication rather than aggressive growth.
All marketing-related services are advisory in nature and do not include advertising spend, promotion guarantees, or sales commitments.
Why Phase 4 Matters
Marketing decisions often feel urgent, especially after publication. Without context, creators may feel pressure to adopt strategies that don’t fit their goals, budget, energy, or audience.
Phase 4 exists to slow that process down—so marketing choices are made with understanding rather than urgency.
Phase 4 is not about forcing outcomes. It’s about helping creators stay visible in ways that respect their work, their readers, and their own capacity. When marketing is approached thoughtfully, it becomes part of the creative process—not a source of pressure.