I responded to an email from the author of a novel who is confused about book promotion this morning and I thought I would share parts of it with you. I told this author:
“Promotion is the hard part—that’s for sure. You mentioned some of the things you are doing on the Internet to attract readers. You are definitely going after wide exposure. Yes, there are a few things you can do additionally to maximize your Internet presence, but I’m not sure it will have any greater effect than what you are already doing. Just look at the competition for space and attention on the Internet. It’s fierce. You’ve probably seen that commercial on TV where everyone is trying to get ‘Marcel’s’ attention—trying to get him to watch their show. It’s that way on the Internet. Everyone is so busy trying to get attention that there is no one paying attention to what others are offering.
However, here are a couple of additional ideas for getting exposure on the Internet:
1. A virtual tour. This is a one-time blast, and I’m not sure how effective they are. You set it up with other bloggers to be guest blogger at their sites during a one-day or one-week blast of promotion for your book. You might also post stories at related sites, comment at other blogs, advertise something free from your website and anything else you can think of to become known among your potential audience.
2: You can become known on websites related to your genre. Get your book listed as recommended reading, etc. This means spending a lot of time searching out and visiting websites.
3: Get book reviews—lots of them—online at appropriate fiction sites, as well as book review sites. If your book has elements that would be conducive to reviews by a garden site, autism organization site, girl biker site, etc., consider that, too. The sites you choose would depend on the subject matter or theme of your novel.
4. Get book reviews in literary magazines and other magazines and newsletters that review books like yours.
5: Get involved with public appearances. This, in my opinion, is still the best way to sell books. Book signings—are they successful? They can be. You may not sell a whole lot of books at each book signings, but you are meeting your readers, you are getting press and all of this equates to exposure. Without exposure, you will not be noticed. I would also go out and give unusual and interesting presentations. Have audience members help you act out scenes, etc. Find ways to make presentations memorable. (Request a copy of my article on how to have a more successful book signing.)
Maybe it would help you to get more organized and to create a more reasonable marketing plan if you took my online book promotion workshop. Check it out at http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookpromotion.htm
Keep in mind, that book promotion is ongoing for as long as you want to sell your book and it can be intense. But, you can’t do it all and you shouldn’t try to. At first, book promotion may be sort of a smorgasbord—you test and taste several activities. But, as a survival tactic, you really do need to pare it down—choose those activities you can handle and that seem to work best for your book and spend all of your efforts in that area.”
PLFry620@yahoo.com