Writing a book requires you to pour in all your efforts, sweat and grit. Many of the authors are only excited and patient till this time but what they fail to understand is that book promotion is also an integral part of this journey. In case you have only written a book for self-satisfaction, your efforts for marketing can be less but in case you want to reach out to a wider range of audience and strike the chords of their heart, you will have to imbibe some of the key marketing skills.
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Maintain a blog/website of your own-
Your online visibility plays an important role in gaining publicity especially if you belong to a creative field. Gaining organic traffic with the help of engaging posts and articles can fetch you a lot of readers who might turn out to be your potential buyers. This might not be as easy as it sounds because to keep this alive, you will have to tap and engage your target audience at the same time. Your website/blog must comprise the following: –
- Your brief bio
- Your photo
- Some catchy excerpts from your book
- Link to buy your book
- An effective way to contact you
- Links to find your presence on social media
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2. Define your Target Audience and promote it on Social Media
Not everyone you know would be a part of your target audience. A specific amount of people constitute the real readers and your core should be centred towards them. Even if you are doing a social media promotion, get a sense check before announcing your online campaigns. Don’t pester the audience to buy your book instead use it to create a positive brand image that will certainly travel beyond boundaries. Try to be present consistently on all media channels. Giving interviews, being on a podcast, writing a guest column etc are some of the extended tools which can help you.
3. Reach out to different literary societies and book reviewers
This might sound cliché but if your book is discussed and reviewed by the right set of people, it has the potential to reach the ladder of success. Hunt for influencers, bloggers who talk about the genre of your book, gift them a copy and request them to pen their views about your book. Also, do not hesitate to participate in open mics, discussions where you can freely self-promote yourself. One of the great ways to do it can also be by inviting people to an online event hosted on Facebook or Zoom.
4. Offer a set of freebies to create a buzz
This idea might sound silly to some of you but it is important to offer some free goodies or value-added takeaways to your audience especially in the case of self-publishing. The freebies can be as generic as hosting a webinar where you can educate your audience about book publishing. In the end, you can always drop a sales funnel where the call to action can be defined as ‘Buy your copy…Today!’ The new set of free stuff can attract the end consumer and who knows it might carve the way to be successful.
5. Create an eye-catching cover
Do not try to do everything or attempt everything on your own. In order to get your book designed, you may want to seek help from a professional. Share your ideas but do not intervene in their creativity. A professional design is much more effective than you think. It is often rightly said that a book is judged by its cover. This is what will sell in the long run.
You must be really thinking that these are easy hassle-free tips and tricks but let me assure you that it is the implementation that creates all the difference. By taking these baby steps, you will realise that sooner or later you will be recognised as an author and the journey will help you learn a lot. Selling a book isn’t easy but with the help of these techniques, you will be able to sail through the odds. By practising and working in this direction, you will explore the joy of reaching out to your people and sharing your valuable insights. I am sure, this would be one of the prime reasons why you decided to be an author in the first place. Do not shy away from self-promotion and get set to go for a bumpy crazy ride.