Many
authors and publishers throw their hands up in the air out of frustration and fear
when it comes to proactively marketing a book.
Some do little or nothing but expect more results, while others do a lot
but not necessarily the right things.
And others do many things well but wish they could get more out of their
efforts. What is one to do when he or
she feels they hit a brick wall?
First,
truly take stock of what you’ve done and assess the results. Of the things you’ve done, what did what
exactly? Ask yourself where you can
improve things when it comes to the specific things you did. Could you do more of something, less of
another? Would you do it a different
way?
Second,
list other things you could do but have not done. Are you examining all of your options or have
you left some off the table, either accidentally or intentionally?
Third,
have you examined what your competitors are doing? What seems to be working for them?
Fourth,
question your thinking or your values system as it relates to book
marketing. Perhaps you’re operating
under some type of limited thinking, misinformation, or prejudice that is
interfering with what you do and how you go about doing it.
Fifth,
are you doing the right things – but at the wrong time? For instance, advertising your book in a
magazine of targeted readers might make sense, but perhaps you need to do
several other things before you’re up to that point. Or, in the case of sending books to reviewers
at magazines and newspapers, send them four months prior to publication, not
two months after your book launches.
Sixth,
maybe you did the right thing, but you just didn’t do it well. Perhaps you contacted 30 organizations to
inquire about lining up a speaking engagement, but you failed to write a really
good email to highlight why they should want you. Maybe you didn’t include the right links or
you offered a speaking topic that is off-target for the groups. Maybe your letter had an error or misspelling
that turned off the recipient. Go back
and see how you could improve what was already done.
Seventh,
ask others for guidance or help. Sometimes a second pair of eyes – or a
supportive voice – can help a lot. Reach
out to others without expectation and you may just be surprised at the results.
Eighth,
think about what can be done better or differently if you were to use a
professional. Instead of hiring a
college kid to contact bloggers –and instead of doing it yourself – you hire a
pro who specializes in book publicity.
Sometimes, an outsider can contribute greatly.
Ninth,
sometimes it’s not the book marketing that’s failing, but the book itself. Maybe you are trying to market a book with
limited potential. Perhaps the price is
too high, the cover’s ugly, or the title is confusing. Maybe the topic doesn’t excite people or the
book is simply not well written. If you
conclude the book is the issue – and not the marketing – stop everything and
move on.
Tenth,
sometimes you are doing what’s right – and doing it well – and things just
don’t go your way. It happens. In such cases you can persevere and keep
going, hoping that something will change and a breakthrough opportunity will present
itself. Others take a break and simply
try something new, hoping to shake things up.
And others may look to repackage or re-release their book in some fashion,
seeking to give it a second life. For
instance, they print a new edition with added materials, maybe change the
title, and give it a bit of a makeover.
They
key is not to give up, get angry or depressed, or to act as if you have no
control over your fate. With book
marketing there’s always a path to pursue, always a method to try. If the book’s good and you still believe in
it, you’ll find the marketing path that’s right for you.
If
not, donate your books to the nearest library and get started on the next book!
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