We’ve talked recently about the challenges of promoting two (or more) books of different topics/genres. I decided to devote this post to crossover activities—promotional activities during which you might include your nonfiction how-to, self-help, informational book and your novel or children’s book, for example.
1: Take all of your books to a book festival. While observing and/or chatting with visitors to your booth, you can easily determine which of your array of books they are interested in. But after they buy your book on parenting the autistic child, your memoir on finding yourself in the Bahamas or your how-to on weaving baskets, don’t let them leave without a bookmark touting your new romance novel.
2: Create a blog for each book topic or genre. I write books for authors. I established a blog to support these books back in 2005. A few years ago, I produced a book of cat stories and I created a blog related to cats. Since I started writing my mystery series that involves cats, I’ve begun using the cat blog to promote the first in the series, Catnapped. And I use each blog site to promote the other—as you’ve no doubt noticed. I may eventually start a blog dedicated to my fiction writing. If you decide to manage two (or more) blog sites, representing your different book themes/genres, cross promote. In other words, mention the fiction blog when writing your nonfiction blog and vice versa. You’ll see an example of that in this blog.
3: Always carry promotional material for both categories of your books. This might be bookmarks, postcards, etc. Let’s say you’re speaking to a group of dog owners about grooming techniques. When setting up your display of grooming books, also have a few copies and promotional material related to your WWII novel or your children’s book.
4: Design a catalog or 3-fold brochure displaying all of your books and hand it out at book festivals, offer it to audience members when making public appearances, mail it with book orders and so forth.
5: Maintain an email list and use it to promote each of your books when appropriate.
Use these 5 prompts to come up with your own ideas about how to cross promote your books that happen to be on different topics or in different genres.
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Cat Chat
I’ve revived my Catscapades blog. Today, I’m talking about seasonal prompts you can use to promote your book of cat stories, your cat picture book, your how-to or informational book related to cats or your novel featuring a cat or two. http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades