Some authors that I meet when giving presentations and during consultations are reluctant to go out of their way to promote their books. They say, in essence, “It’s a good book, isn’t that enough?” Sure, they want to sell a gazillion copies, but they resist the marketing process. They just want to write.
The truth is that, whether your book is self-published, you have a traditional publisher or you’ve signed with a fee-based POD “self-publishing” company, you must participate in promoting it.
In my book, Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book I outline a collection of no and low-cost marketing ideas. Granted, not all marketing techniques are for all authors. Each of us has our level of comfort. While I strongly urge authors to stretch beyond their comfort zones, there’s nothing wrong with starting the process in familiar territory.
By the way, I will be discounting this book “Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book” and The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book starting next week. Let me know if you’d like to be notified when the discount goes in effect. PLFry620@yahoo.com.
Here are five ideas for promoting your book while involved in the process of living your life.
1. Talk about your book everywhere you go. Show your book to your coworkers, clients, vendors, members at your gym, the waitress who takes your lunch order and your dry cleaner, for example.
2. Promote your book on the Internet. If you use the Internet to chat or conduct research anyway, why not do some promotion while you’re there. Go to the sites that reflect the subject of your book and get involved in chats, leave notes on bulletin boards, offer excerpts from your book for the site. A literary site may feature your poetry book on their author’s page. A gardening site would probably be thrilled to post information about your book on living wreaths.
3. Join clubs and organizations related to your book topic. Attend meetings and show your book around. Offer to give presentations reflecting your expertise. Donate books for special events. Get even more exposure by volunteering for some of the community service projects that these organizations promote.
4. Write letters to the editor. Watch newspapers and other publications for articles or letters that relates to the topic of your book. Then respond with information or opinions that reflect the content of your book. Be sure to include the title of your book in your letter.
5. Sell books on the road. Anytime you travel, take a dozen or so books with you to sell along the way. Arrange in advance with a bookstore or specialty shop to have a book signing while there. Send press releases to local newspapers announcing your event. Make sure the store has plenty of copies of your books to sell.
Here’s an idea: try at least one new marketing technique every month. Become a public speaker, for example, offer your book as a premium item, tap into the library market, create a promotional display to offer bookstores and specialty shops that sell your book or get added recognition for your book by entering it in contests.