So
what’s ground zero for an author’s publicity and marketing?
Well,
it depends on what you are promoting – and when.
If
you have not yet been published but seek to be, you need to take control of
your brand and do the following:
·
Create
a website for you as a writer.
·
Create
social media platforms on various platforms.
·
Begin
to post on your blog or air episodes on your podcast.
·
Look
to get more followers and connections on social media.
·
Create
a business card and digital stationery.
·
Develop
an elevator speech of 20 seconds that perfectly describes who you are and what
your writings cover.
·
Research
which organizations, associations, and trade groups – either for writing or
your industry – that you should join.
·
Network
with other writers, journalists, and people that you believe can advance your writing
career.
If
you’ve done some or all of the above, as you know, some of it is not a one-time
thing, but a long-term thing. You can
never have enough followers or post enough current content online to
share. But once you’ve begun developing
your brand, it will eventually become time to promote something specific, such
as an upcoming book. This is when your brain goes into overdrive and you must
do the following:
·
Add
a section to your personal website about your book, including a summary,
excerpts or a sample chapter, testimonials, and a pre-order buy button.
·
Revise
your social media bios to highlight your upcoming book.
·
Reprint
business cards with your book being mentioned on one side, cover on the other.
·
Rework
your digital stationery and email signature to include your book.
·
Six
to nine months prior to your book’s scheduled release, start seeking out
speaking engagements with non-profits, schools, trade associations, industry
groups and those that book speakers way in advance, especially if it’s for a
conference.
·
Three
months out contact bookstores, libraries, churches and temples and businesses,
seeking to schedule a book signing appearance or to schedule a talk.
·
Four
months prior to your book release, send advance review copies, with press kit
materials, to TV morning shows like GMA, CBS This Morning, Today Show
and Fox and Friends; book reviewers at major daily newspapers and
magazines; and book review publications such as Publishers Weekly, Kirkus
Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Foreword, etc.
·
Increase
your social media activity – make more connections, post content more often, and
start referencing topics that tie into your upcoming book.
·
Blog
regularly, anywhere from weekly to daily.
·
Podcast
bi-weekly or weekly.
·
Monitor
the news cycle to see what you might tie into with a message about your book.
·
See
what upcoming holidays, anniversaries, honorary days, or seasonal events can
link to your book when contacting the media.
Whether
you have a book coming out in several months or one is newly minted, or you are in between books or
remain unpublished, branding and promoting yourself is important. Wherever you start, build from there and
always strive to get your name out and to connect with more people. You will build your well before you’re
thirsty.
In
addition to branding, marketing, and publicity, give thought to
advertising. Set a budget, determine
where you’ll advertise – such as Facebook or Amazon or in a publication – and
create whatever you want to go in the advertisement. You would only want to advertise when you
have something to sell and you’d want to target people that you believe are the
right demographics. You wouldn’t
advertise a Christian parenting book in Playboy and you wouldn’t push ads
about pet cancer on business websites.
Lastly,
you should look to go the extra mile and do something that seems different,
unique, or even weird. There’s more than
one way to market and advertise your book or yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you something is stupid
or sure to fail. Don’t let the past performance of others serve as an indicator
of your future success. Sure, be smart
and grounded, but be willing to take a chance or put yourself out on a
limb. You may just get lucky – and then
others will line up to copy your success.
DON”T MISS THESE!!!
Unfu*k Your Book Marketing
How Authors Get A Yes Out Of Others
How to write powerful, effective book advertising copy
that sells tons of books
So what is needed to be a champion book marketer?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.