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Building
on last month’s topic of sixteen ways to promote your book, I am
providing the details to each point. This subject is much like an
onion. If you peel a layer, you’re bound to find another layer to
explore and to master. And like onions, marketing has a tendency to
provoke tears.
#1 Press Releases:
To learn how to write a killer press release, download an eBook for
free at http://tinyurl.com/ykj3mn2.
Check out the list of free
resources at http://www.bauuinstitute.com/Marketing/Marketing.html
to
find a list of places you can submit press releases. You can also pay
to have them released by professionals. Press releases may be passé,
but if done well they can attract some attention
#2 Radio/TV shows:
Your book’s subject matter might be worthy of a radio talk show. Try to
land such a gig. You can always create your own radio show for free at
www.blogtalkradio.com. I started my own show in mid-February.
#3 Local newspapers:
Though larger newspapers may have an edict against writing stories
about self-published authors, if you live in a smaller community, you
should be able to sweet-talk the local paper into running a blurb about
your work; however, with the explosion of self-publishing, authoring a
book may become less of a newsworthy story.
#4 Social networks:
Join Facebook, MySpace, GoodReads, Shelfari, LibraryThing, AuthorsDen,
Twitter, Plaxo, and LinkedIn. Ning.com has many great social networks
specifically for books, readers, and writers. My favorite Ning sites
are EdgyChristianFictionLovers, BookBlogs,AllAboutGod, BookPlace,
ColdCoffee, IFog, ABookInsideForum, BookMarket, and
LivingInBlackandWhite. (All of these site addresses are ###.ning.com,
where ### should be replaced by the name.) Fortunately for the writer
on a shoestring budget, these sites are all free. You might mingle with
other authors on some of these sites. Bookblogs is the best I’ve seen
for mingling with reviewers and bloggers. A special plug is in order
for Shoutlife.com, which is a Christian site. You can interface with
lots of readers there. For sheer numbers, I think GoodReads is the
easiest place to get your book (exposed but not so easy on your
checkbook).. Social networks do have a downside. See my blog post at
http://tinyurl.com/ya7kzm7.
#5 Post videos
on Tangle.com and Youtube.com. Also post comments on other’s videos to
get your name in front of people. You might sign the comment with
“author of My Newest Book.” You can do the same on
people’s blogs, especially blogs about books. That will get your name
into the search engines —a very good thing to do when attempting to get
the public’s attention.
#6 Take a volunteer or
low-paying writing gig at an online site such as
EzineArticles.com, Examiner.com, etc. Do what you can to get your book
into the public eye through this channel. One thing though, this
platform might allow you to reach more people than your books ever do.
#7 Reviews:
Some reviewers charge money. I have used a couple of them. Apex
(www.apexreviews.org)
is excellent. They run specials periodically.
I’ve gotten a review and Book Trailer for $59 on a special deal.
AllBooks is another one I used (www.allbookreviews.com).
Here is a list
of people who review for free:
www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/free-book-reviews.html.
#8 Book Trailers:
See Apex above. They’re the cheapest I’ve found and do an adequate job.
You can certainly spend some big bucks on Book Trailers. I don’t get a
lot of views on mine, but I do believe Book Trailers is a key to
marketing.
#9 Blogs:
Sign up for a free blog with WordPress.com. Other free sites are also
available. Write about your books and books in general. Host other
authors and book tours on your blog.
#10 Book Tours:
Though book tours are not always easy and I haven’t taken this route,
it is another way of promoting your book and your name. You need to
line up people to host your book on their blogs.
#11
Self-pub Co-ops: Find
other self-published authors who have banded together to get more
exposure for the members. I belonged to one in the Washington state
area, which had a group book signing and a group Web site.
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#12
Your own Web site:
This is a requirement for any self-pubbed author. You can set it up for
e-Commerce to handle selling your books on your Web site. If you don’t
know how to do this, you will need to get a friend who knows how or
hire a programmer to do it.
#13 Newsletter:
Send out a newsletter detailing your writing activity with release
dates, subject matter, new reviews, and other tidbits that might
interest your readers.
#14 Bookclubs:
Find book clubs and offer them special deals on copies of your book. I
hope to start a Web site where people can register their book clubs and
interface with authors.
#15 Giveaways:
Make copies of your book available for online drawings. I give my
e-books away for free. Word of mouth is the most important marketing
tool in selling books. If you can start the snowball rolling down the
hill by giving a few copies away and getting people to talk about them,
you might end up with an avalanche.
#16 Speaking
engagements: Talk about your books at church groups,
community groups, and schools. The best venue is one where you can sell
your books after you deliver a brilliant oratorical performance for
your listening public.
More Tips
#1 Make a Kindle or other e-book
reader edition of your book.
#2 Read marketing books. I like 1001
Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer. He is the creator
of the BookMarket.ning.com social network. Steve Weber wrote Plug
Your Book. These materials go into details on some of the
more esoteric topics dealing with promotion. You might want to put on
your hip boots and a life jacket before wading into this ocean of
information.
#3 Take classes or attend
webinars. Karina Fabian has info at
http://karinafabian.com/index.php?name=Content&pid=24,
and
Jo-Anne Vandermeulen can be found at http://www.joconquerobstacles.com.
The most important thing you can
do in promoting is to be persistent. To paraphrase an old adage, “Faint
heart never won fair readers.” If you believe in what you’re doing,
you’ll have to keep beating your head against a wall until you
breakthrough the sheetrock. It may never happen, but in reality the
essence of human life is in the journey not the destination. I strongly
urge you to study the sheetrock so you know the best location for
breaking through to minimize the headaches.
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