Book
marketing is not something every author wants to do. Far more people would
rather write a book than promote it. But
today’s writer doesn’t have the luxury of choosing whether his or her book gets
marketed. No, the writer of 2017 and
beyond only chooses whether to pay for help or not, but if he or she wants a
book to gain readers, book marketing is a must.
For some authors, it may be a matter of clearing up misperceptions,
fears, or concerns regarding the art of book marketing. Once a writer has a clearer understanding of
what book publicity is all about, he or she may feel more inspired, confident,
and assured about how to go about marketing a book.
Here
are 10 negative views about book marketing and new ways to put them in
perspective, so they don’t hold you back from doing what really needs to be
done:
1.
Some will see me
as desperate
Not
at all. Promoting your book is an art
practiced by millions of writers.
There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself out there and seeking
attention for yourself. Do it in a
professional and classy way and you should come off in a proper light.
2.
People will see me
as a bragger
Others
will see you as rightfully tooting your own horn for something worthy –
provided you don’t come off sounding as a self-centered know-it-all. Besides, Trump became president by bragging,
so maybe there’s no longer shame or stigma attached to highlighting one’s
assets. Look, if you don’t call
attention to yourself, who will?
3.
Some in my
profession will see me differently
Yes,
in a positive way. They may even feel
jealous of your success and notoriety, but you’ll only gain credibility with
every story or interview put out by the news media.
4.
I don’t know how
to hype myself.
You
don’t have to exaggerate, lie or present yourself in a distorted way. Just put your best foot forward and present
your strongest points and credentials.
5.
I’m fearful of
being in the limelight
Don’t
get a swelled head. Not everyone cares
about you or even notices the media coverage that you get. You likely won’t become as famous as a real
celebrity, star athlete or politician – but you can get exposure for your
brand and book in a meaningful way.
Don’t worry, chances are, even with a successful PR campaign, your
anonymity to the general public will remain.
6.
I’m not a natural
marketer
Look,
if you can make a phone call, write an email, or speak in front of 20 people
you can do this. If you’re really shy,
skip public appearances but be active online with social media and other areas
of marketing. With some practice, prep,
and focus you can do a terrific job promoting your book.
7.
I lack sex appeal
– in my looks or my book
Not everyone has to be beautiful or write about something glamourous to get
attention. Sure it helps to be
attractive or to write about things people find fascinating, but take what you
have and make the most of it. Look, even
a book on tax strategy becomes sexy if the reader needs or wants good tax
advice.
8.
By raising my
public profile, I come under greater scrutiny
This
is true, but why is it a problem? Are
you doing something wrong or illegal? If
you have a guilty conscience, book marketing is the least of your
challenges. Assume you are always being
watched by competitors, enemies or crazies.
Assume the government scrutinizes you.
Act professionally, fairly, ethically, and pleasantly and fear nothing.
9.
I don’t have
enough time to marketing a book
Either
hire someone to help, prioritize your time better, or stop writing books.
10. I don’t want to give away books,
information or resources
You
don’t have to give away a lot, but you need to be willing to share some ideas,
experiences, or tools to help others and make them feel you are helpful. Whatever you give away in content you will
make back many times over in book sales, networking, branding, media exposure,
and possibly clients (if you sell a service, are a speaker, or are in sales).
All-New 2017 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit
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 2016 ©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in
Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby
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