Do you ever pay to advertise your book? In my book, Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book and in my newest book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, I provide many, many no and low cost ideas for promoting your book. In fact, I steer authors away from paid advertisement as a means of promoting their books. It has been shown that paid ads aren’t very effective unless, perhaps, you can afford a full page ad in Publisher’s Weekly. And even then, I’m not sure that you would realize a return on your investment.
Kirkus Review is one of the major prepublication review magazines. A review in this and other prestigious library journals can generate a lot of sales. But only a select few books qualify. Kirkus is now offering a prepublication review program for others , however–but for a fee. I hear from colleagues that this, as with so many author/publisher services, is a big waste of money.
Are paid advertisements read by anyone? Do you read them? Sure, you sometimes notice ads. Amidst the constant bombardment of ads that we find in our faces every minute of every day—on our own Internet services, on practically every Web site we visit, in our newspapers and magazines. My gosh, you have to turn upwards of 100 pages of ads, in some magazines, before you ever find something to read. Some of the ads you notice, but most you do not. Then there’s the radio and TV. It gets easier and easier to tune out the commercial ads that interrupt your news programs, documentaries or favorite talk shows.
Does it do any good at all to advertise the traditional way—to pay for space in which to sell your book or your writing services? That’s a good question.
I think it is important to get word out about your book any way that you can. And, yes, sometimes that means paying for an ad. I advertise occasionally. In fact, this week, I have four or five ads running in various writing-related magazines and newsletters advertising my latest book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. I decided to do this in conjunction with my articles that these publications are running.
I am going for major exposure, right now. I am soliciting interviews at writing/publishing Web sites, having my book showcased, writing tons of useful articles, communicating with folks in writing/publishing forums, sending out emails AND I’m also doing some advertising.
The good thing about paid advertisement is that you are guaranteed a spot in the magazine, newspaper or newsletter. Also, if you pay for an ad, that magazine or newsletter editor is going to be more interested in publishing your articles. And articles are important means of free advertising because it gives you a chance to demonstrate your expertise (if you’re a nonfiction author) and your storytelling ability (if you write novels). AND you get to include your bio at the end of the article, “advertising†your book for free. Paid ads afford you additional exposure. It is said that it takes about eight instances of exposure for a book to entice someone to purchase it. Another reason to advertise is that it helps to support your favorite magazines and newsletters. Just a thought.
Those of you who haven’t yet ordered my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book, are probably about ready to do so. If you’ve been reading my Blogs, subscribing to Writers Weekly, Freelance Writer’s Report, SPAWNews, SPAWN Market Update, Book Promotion Newsletter, Authorship, PMA-Independent, Christian Writer’s Fellowship Newsletter, Absolute Write, Writing for Dollars, Byline and Writer’s Digest, you’ve been exposed to The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book dozens of times. It’s time to go to my Web site and order your copy at the prepublication discount. But hurry. This offer expires December 31, 2005. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html