Book Marketing: Share Your Story with Those Who Need It
Finishing that last page and completing your book is a proud milestone for any author. But once your book has been written, edited, and is ready to print and share with the world, a new set of challenges arises. It’s now time to consider how to get your story into the hands of those who need it most through a book marketing strategy.
Book promotion can take a wide array of forms. If you work with a large and established traditional publishing house, then chances are that they will have the tools on hand to do most of the heavy lifting.
But maybe you are self-publishing, working with a partner publisher, or simply want to maximize your exposure. Then a little marketing knowledge will go a long way.
Thankfully, there are lots of online tools – from Facebook to Amazon – to help you create effective marketing moves without breaking your budget.
So once your book is in print and ready to be discovered, consider these essential tips to help you sell your book, and to ensure your marketing efforts – and your story – are a resounding success.
One of the most important steps of marketing your book takes place well before you have a printed book in your hands. This is your cover design, formatting, blurb, and other features of your book that will be the first introduction a new reader sees before they make a purchase.
As such, it’s essential to ensure that your book is eye-catching and grabs attention. Consider similar books in your genre, and peruse bestsellers that are similar to yours. Pay attention to the details like book cover design, font, formatting, and other elements that make you want to pick the book up off the shelves and make it your own.
Studying bestsellers of recently published authors in genres that are similar to your story will help you create a printed work that garners attention.
Having a standalone website for your story not only makes it easier for your audience to find and buy your book, but it also creates an easy way for readers, reviewers, the media, and the world at large to discover just what your story is all about. Plus, it’s easy to share via emails and your social media sites!
Again, take some time to look at what a successful author website looks like, especially with similar topics to yours. This way, you can see what works well, and what does not.
Happily, there are a number of online website providers and tools – like Squarespace or Go Daddy – that make it nicely easy to build a website from scratch and for little cost. You can also set up online payment tools, (like PayPal), to help turn your audience’s web browsing into book sales.
Pay attention to keywords and content, and to update your website regularly with blog entries, promotions, or additional information. A content-rich website tends to have higher visibility across the board, and is easier to find via search engines like Google.
Just as you should have a standalone website for your book, you should also use social media to keep the conversation and the momentum going.
Create a business page for your book on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even LinkedIn, and encourage your friends and family members to like and share the page. Link this page to your own Twitter and Facebook page, and tell everyone to “click to Tweet”!
Most importantly, include a link to your book’s website or whenever you conduct online book sales, so that your fans have an easy route to purchasing your book.
One of the most cost-effective and successful methods of marketing is to allow others to share your story, (also known as word-of-mouth marketing), and a great way to do that is to reach out to the media.
Create a press release about the launch of your book, and submit it to various publications and media outlets that may connect with your story, either by your location or your genre.
For example, if you are writing a historical novel about a particular time period or area, reach out to local newspapers in that specific location, or historical publications that focus on that identical time period. You can also connect with book reviewers who will also be able to give your book a boost simply by writing their own critique.
Or, is your book a compact story of how and why you started your business? You can even find events where your target audience might meet, in person or at online events.
Above all else, be sure that your press release and your submissions to newspapers, magazines, and media outlets outline WHY your story is important to their readers, so they can grow their audience as well as yours.
Amazon, the largest retailer for self-published and online books, has a number of tools to help boost your book sales, and many of them are nicely cost-effective.
For example, the KDP Select program enters your book into Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service for readers, and also provides marketing and promotional services.
Just note that if you go this route, online book distributors like Amazon may get a cut of your book sale proceeds, so be sure and read the fine print before signing on to a marketing program.
A book signing event at your local book store can certainly help you with a book launch. But you can also conduct your own special events via online forums that you can launch or produce yourself.
Consider hosting an “online reading,” a “Q and A session with the Author,” or another online event that can be accessed via Zoom, Facebook, or other readily-available meeting tools. Cost effective and easy to launch, special online events are a great way to generate interest, as well as make a deeper connection with your target audience.
If you have trouble with the technical details, or are new to both publishing and marketing, never forget that you can always reach out for help! A book coach or partner publisher can help you with some of the more difficult aspects of crafting your marketing strategy, and can even provide more insight on tools that will help sell your specific story.
Writing a book is a major accomplishment to be proud of, but what comes next can be just as challenging. So do your research and explore your many options online. You’ll find endless ways to build your audience and increase your book sales without breaking the bank.
You know you have a story that deserves to be shared to inspire, influence, and resonate with your readers.
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Take a huge step forward in creating a book that will inspire people for years to come, and sign up for Book Bound Online today. This program will give you the essential information to transform your ability to write and publish your book. Find out how Book Bound Online is your best right-at-home resource for sharing your story with the world.