Where’s Your Literary Megaphone?

You’re a published author, but who knows this and why should they care?

In order for people to notice your work as a writer, you will need a literary megaphone – a means to amplify your brand and message.  So what will you use as your soap box?

Authors may believe their words do the talking, but if no one gets to read their books, those words remain silent.  Writers need to become carnival barkers and stumping politicians, alerting the masses that a great book exists just for them.

There are many, many methods to get your message out there.  Will you seek to be interviewed by radio shows across the country via phone?  Should you get by-lined articles published by targeted publications or key websites?  Shall you physically tour a dozen cities and secure bookstore signings, local media, and library appearances?  Will you rely on an advertising campaign to do the trick?

Maybe it’s all of the above – and then some.  You choose.  You’ll have to determine a game plan, one built around your goals and needs, your time, money, and message, and one based on your skill set and passions.

Here’s an overview of ways to build your megaphone:

Media Coverage About You

Have the news media cover you – maybe a feature newspaper or magazine story; a local television interview; a national radio interview; a web site covering your book event.

Provide Media With Content

Social media is key.  Tweet, post on Facebook, craft videos for You Tube, or share content on Linked In, Instagram, Pinterest, and the like.  Blog often.  Post new content to your web site.  Host your own webinar or create your podcast.

Active Online

Participate on Good Reads, Amazon Author Central, Net Galley and other key book community sites.

Speak Out

Make public appearances, not just at book stores, libraries, or schools, but at non-profits, writer conferences, events, and business meetings or retreats.

Do A Deal

Check out places like Book Bub, Book Gorilla, Kindle Nation Daily, Ignite Your Book and other give-away services.

Advertise

Target who your reader could be and buy ads that reach them.  Look digitally (it’s cheaper) and think about Facebook or Google ads, as well as others.

Branding

Take control of the things that you can use to promote yourself.  Fix up your web site, business card, email signature, social media profile, and anything that can highlight your book.

Guerrilla Tactics

See if you can do a grass-roots campaign.  Involve everyone you know and ask them for help, advice, or any favors they can pull to promote or sell your book.  Your uncle can ask his friends at the temple to buy some books.  Your neighbor can invite you to speak at his church.  Your colleague can write about you in her blog with 600 followers.  A friend can introduce you to a friend of a friend who can deliver your book to the town mayor.  Your favorite coffee shop will allow you to do a book signing and the corner deli agrees to hang your book flier in his window.

Go find your megaphone!

DON”T MISS THESE!!!

Celebrate National Thesaurus Day

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/celebrate-national-thesaurus-day.html

Have You Set Your Book Marketing Goals?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/have-you-set-your-book-marketing-goals.html

The Book Marketing Strategies Of Best-Sellers

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-book-marketing-strategies-best.html

Book Trends For 2019

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/book-trends-for-2019.html

Step out of your book marketing prison

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/step-out-of-your-book-marketing-prison.html

Do authors have the right attitude to succeed at book marketing?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/do-authors-have-right-attitude-to.html

While popularity of social media grows, traditional media still leads the conversation

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/while-popularity-of-social-media-as.html

Authors should see book marketing like going to a gym regularly

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/authors-should-see-book-marketing-like.html

How to model success of authors for your own book publicity

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-to-model-success-of-authors-to-help.html

How to be persistent when marketing books effectively

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-to-be-persistent-when-marketing.html

How authors convince media of their uniqueness

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-authors-convince-media-of-their.html

How authors can communicate better when promoting a book

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/how-authors-can-communicate-better.html

How authors can sell more books

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-authors-can-sell-more-books.html  

No. 1 Book Publicity Resource: 2019 Toolkit For Authors -- FREE

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/all-new-2019-book-publicity-marketing.html

Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.