How many of you promote your books based on your comfort zone rather than what actually sells books? Maybe you haven’t figured out, yet, which promotional method or activity works best in selling your particular book. But are you giving each one a good try? And are you trying new ones out?
Or are you doing what so many authors do—market “my way” instead of the way that will actually sell your books?
What is the best way to sell copies of your particular book? Do you know? Are you still experimenting?
Have you visited the sites of other authors who have books in your book’s category or genre? You especially want to check out the sites of authors who seem to be most successful. If you spend some time at these sites, you will get an idea about how they’re marketing their books. You’ll get some clues as to which methods are working best for them (those they are featuring on their site and blogging about, for example).
When I explore the promotional activities of the most successful professionals in my books’ category (writing and publishing), I discover that they are all making personal appearances. They are offering a lot of information for free. They have incorporated additional ways to make money from their “brand” through seminars, tele-seminars, by offering services and by developing add-on items to offer for sale. And they make sure they are putting themselves in front of their public constantly, through writing articles, soliciting interviews and so forth.
Not one of my colleagues, who is selling books, is avoiding personal contact with his/her readers. None of them are settling in and settling on the status quo. They are all out meeting people, getting involved and attempting to provide their public with more of what they want/need. They’re seeking out new venues for their presentations, creating new programs, writing new books and developing new services and other offerings.
And authors whose novels are selling well are also reaching out to their audiences in many creative ways. They’re offering more than the next novelist (a free chapter, a discount, a bookmark, an autographed copy, contests, games, tee shirts, the opportunity to get involved in their sequel…)
We all need to remember that marketing/promotion—while definitely considered aspects of business—require a personal touch in order to be successful. As consumers, we want to feel as though the products we’re being offered are in response to our own needs. We respond to ads and commercials that seem to be speaking directly to us and that address our needs and desires. We want to know that the product (or book) will benefit us in some way. It is the author’s job to convince his/her audience that the book is worth reading—that it has information they need, that it will make them think, that it will entertain, thrill, frighten, excite or educate them in some way.
Readers first need to be aware of the book (that’s where the bells, whistles and exposure come in). Then they must believe that it was written for them (the personal touch). And they want to know that they will benefit from reading this book and how.
Folks, selling books is not just writing a good book, letting a Pay-to-Publish company quickly slam it together for you and then sending out a gazillion press releases to an un-targeted list. Start this weekend giving your promotional efforts the personal touch and see what happens.
I’m writing an article on this subject and would love to include some of your stories. Send them to me at PLFry620@yahoo.com or leave them as a comment here.