Sunday, October 22, 2017

Reasons Why Authors Should Actively Promote Their Books




Many authors simply want to write books and get published.  They hope to make money, but that’s not what drives them.  There is also ego, pride, and one’s legacy at stake for sure.  But most of all, writers want to impact the world through their words and to truly make a difference.  To achieve any of these goals, authors must actively promote theirs books and author brand. So why don’t many authors do just that?

Authors who do not seek out publicity will cite and or many of these factors:
·         Short on time
·         Don’t have a budget for publicity
·         Fear speaking to the media or groups
·         Don’t know what to do
·         Lack of marketing skills

These are very real factors but in the end they are excuses and they stand in the way of what authors truly need to do.

Authors need to effectively promote their books because:

·         It allows them to be branded as an expert.
·         It helps generate speaking engagements.
·         The media validates the author to a publisher or literary agent who gets inspired to take on your next book.
·         It allows you to be positioned as a paid spokesperson.
·         It can get one’s website traffic up – and help with getting potential consumers of other products and services offered for sale on the site.
·         It positions you to share a positive message with millions of people with impact and influence.

Quite simply, if authors don’t promote – or invest in the promotion of – their books, then who will?  For the self-published, they know book promotions and marketing fall 100% on them.  But for those with a publisher, they need a wake-up call.

The sad truth is that most publishers do not do much to promote their authors. Many do nothing at all.  Authors, if they are to improve their prospect of long – and short-term success, will need to take responsibility for the promoting, marketing and branding of themselves as a writer. If authors want to generate book sales and influence people, they need to actively promote their writings or hire someone to it for them.  Authors need to do their share, both in the budgeting of their time for PR and in how they spend for professional help.

For the past 18 years at Media Connect, where I am the chief marketing officer for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, I probably have helped over a thousand authors achieve book publicity, but there were thousands more whom I spoke to that ended up telling me they weren’t ready to invest in book publicity and admittedly were not up to the task of doing it themselves. Needless to say, most of these authors’ books did not fare well.

Authors should first think about all of the types of marketing and publicity that they could theoretically participate in and then figure out which ones make the most sense for them. But they can’t simply do nothing or leave things to chance. Here is a list of 15 things an author could do – and this is by no means an exhaustive list:

·         Send books out for review with traditional publications.
·         Share a digital galley with online book reviewers.
·         Secure radio interviews, by phone or in person.
·         Get interviewed by podcasters.
·         Guest-post on Facebook, blogs, and other social media.
·         Speak before an organization and sell your book.
·         Schedule book signings at bookstores, libraries, and schools.
·         Appear on local television shows.
·         Do a regional book tour, connecting with media, stores, and clubs in several surrounding cities or states.
·         Buy FB or Google ads.
·         Do an email blast to all of your contacts, asking them for help or to buy the book – or both.
·         Post provocative videos on You Tube.
·         Connect with readers on Twitter.
·         Offer your book for free for a limited time to create word of mouth buzz.
·         Seek out testimonials and endorsements.

The truth is there are endless initiatives one can do to promote themselves or their book, though some things certainly have a bigger pay-off than others. The main reason you should do publicity for yourself and your book is up to you – the rewards are many. Keep in mind that PR will pay for itself over time. Even years from now, the links and clips that you generate now will help position you as an expert. You can parlay that media exposure into some great opportunities – but you must start now! 


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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

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