Marketing Your Book
Writing and launching your book is only the beginning. Now it’s time to sell your book to readers, a process known to authors as marketing. Marketing your book is all about making people aware of your book so they become engaged with your writing and buy it.
Your marketing plan needs a three-prong approach. The first prong is for short-term strategies. These are quick but short things you do to make your book visible. A week-long Facebook advertising campaign is an example of a short-term strategy. Other quick strategies might include:
- Hosting a book signing event
- Organizing a blog tour for your book
- Advertising your book release on Instagram
- Releasing a short podcast series about your book
- Announcing your launch in a Facebook Live video
- Sending out a press release to your local newspaper
The second prong of your marketing strategy should be long-term strategies. Often, these strategies don’t result in a rush of buyers. But they do slowly build your author brand and cement you as a leader in your niche.
When you’re focusing on long-term strategies, remember that many customers have to be shown a product several times before they make a purchase. This may mean that customers only start buying your book after your seventh email or maybe the twenty-fifth mention of it on social media.
Some long-term strategies for marketing your book might include:
- Creating a book trailer and uploading it to video sites
- Building your list of email subscribers
- Giving away promotional items with your book title and website
- Nurturing a Facebook group of members who are in your target demographic
- Attending live networking events
- Teaching workshops or speaking at seminars
The final prong in your marketing plan should be networking with other authors. This isn’t about getting other authors to buy your book. It’s about growing your circle of influence and becoming friends with other writers.
As you develop these relationships, you’ll find your writing friends promoting your books even though you didn’t ask them to. Of course, you should return the favor and promote other authors, too. Don’t be afraid to do this—there’s more than enough room in the world for more amazing books.
Marketing your book and the tasks associated with it can be daunting, but don’t let it get you down. Create a weekly marketing plan and stay on track. If you have trouble coming up with fresh marketing ideas, you can ask your writing friends for support and inspiration.