I have a new book out—it’s a little over a week old now. And, in the midst of all of the promotion I’m doing, I’m also getting a lot of invitations, requests and propositions. So how should a busy author respond? By saying, “Yes.”
The requests for interviews and review copies; the invitations to speak, to sign books, to be a guest blogger, etc. need to be acknowledged now. You must say yes and you need to follow through.
It’s never too late to promote your book. In fact, book promotion is ongoing for as long as you hope to sell copies of your book. But it’s during those first weeks and months, when the book is new, that you should focus on promotion almost exclusively.
If you cannot spend hours every day promoting your newly published book for several months, then you should probably table the book until you do have the time. Those authors I know who could only give their books a smidgen of attention for a week or ten days, are not selling books. I know one author who got nice write-ups in two newspapers and that was it. She is sitting on boxes and boxes of books because she just doesn’t have the time to spend promoting it.
Not every potential customer will purchase your book the first time they hear about it or see it. People do not remember. We have to be reminded over and over again about your wonderful book. You don’t reach every potential customer with one or two attempts. Your customers are all over the place and they each respond to different messages, presented different ways, in different venues. Some may be very interested in your book, but not today. If they never see or hear about your book again, they may never consider purchasing it again.
However, if this individual sees your book on growing medicinal herbs in your kitchen, at the pharmacy and again in a write-up in the newspaper and from you when you speak at her garden club meeting and then again in the nursery she frequents and at the local farmers market, she’s bound to eventually buy a copy. If she likes it and she continues to hear about it and see it, she might purchase copies for gifts throughout the year.
What happens if she doesn’t see the book around town or hear about it? She will forget about it, right?
Some authors are afraid of or they resist spending money. Hey, if you go into any other business, you will expect to spend money on advertising, advice/counsel, supplies and so forth. Don’t lose sight of the fact that publishing is a business and, if you want to succeed, you must probably spend a little money. On what, you might ask? I’m sending out a lot of review copies right now. The publisher sent quite a number of them, but I am responsible for the review copies that go out from now on and each book that goes out costs me money. Is it worth the cost? Sure, if you’re sending books to the right reviewers.
Consider, where will the review appear: In a magazine or newsletter, at a blog or website, at amazon.com? Is this publication or other venue read or visited by your specific audience? How many people will likely see the review? It might help if you would follow-up on the posted or published review by offering to be a guest blogger, by submitting articles to the publication, by participating in or launching a contest at an appropriate website where they featured your book.
If you need additional help, suggestions, ideas, tips and resources to guide you in creating your marketing plan, read my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for Enterprising Authors. Order your copy at amazon.com now. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia