How many ways do you reach out to potential readers each day? Do you post a blog designed to educate, inform or enlighten readers? Do you hand out a few bookmarks with the cover of your book and ordering information? Do you talk to everyone you meet about your book? Do you visit directories of book reviewers and contact some of them to review your book? Do you include a “signature” at the end of your emails so that everyone receiving an email from you becomes aware that you are the author of such-and-such book? Do you have a great website full of things of interest to your audience?
Many authors are so busy trying to find time to promote their books or trying to come up with elaborate book promotion plans that they neglect to take the opportunities before them to actually promote it.
What are your plans for today? Will you be home—spend a couple of hours at your computer spreading the word about your book. Design a website, add a post to your blog, comment at other blogs related to the theme of your book, send your pitch letter to a dozen or so appropriate reviewers, write an article or two for related publications.
Are you going to work? Leave bookmarks in the break room, challenge a few coworkers to read your book, discuss it briefly with a client or customers where appropriate to do so and certainly, hand out bookmarks and talk about your book when you go out to lunch.
Are you running errands? Stop by local bookstores and see about setting up a signing. Leave bookmarks here and there for people to pick up. Visit appropriate specialty stores and other sites where you might be able to arrange for a presentation or demonstration. This might be libraries, schools, cupcake bakery, pharmacy, travel agency, children’s bookstore, kitchen store, Christian bookstore/church, auto parts store, airport or pet store, for example.
Once you become a published author, book promotion should become part of your daily routine both on the computer (researching opportunities, connecting with book reviewers and conference organizers, webinars, etc.) and in person (talking about your book).
If you need some real-life examples from me and dozens of other authors and processionals along with over 250 ideas for launching or jumpstarting your book promotion program, order my book, “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author” And for those of you who want to get out and speak to your potential readers at conferences, book festivals, at signings and you need help honing your public speaking skills, you must read “Talk Up Your Book.”
Both books are available at Amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio and at most other online and downtown bookstores. Also available here: http://www.matilijapress.com