I
often think, when advising authors on book publicity, that I know what they need and want to help them succeed at promoting their books. But it has occurred to me that perhaps
authors don’t know as much as I think they do.
They may not even fully understand what I tell them because they have no
perspective to work from. How can they appreciate anything when they don’t
really know much about the world of publishing, the news media, or books?
So
let’s start from the beginning and see if I can help launch an introduction
into book publicity for the uninitiated but eager writer.
Rule 1: A book will not sell well without some combination
of publicity, marketing and advertising.
Further,
to properly market and promote a book it will take a collaborative effort
between the author, an outsourced publicists, and if available, the book
publisher. PR is an investment of time,
money, and mental mindshare. It’s work –
but the effort can have a short- and long-term pay off.
Rule 2: Know why you are publishing a book.
To
serve those needs, you will have to actively promote. Ask yourself what you hope to
accomplish as a result of executing a publicity campaign. Let your actions and marketing plans derive
from your foundation of knowing why.
Rule 3: You can never start too soon to brand yourself and
your book.
Dig
your well before you are thirsty. If
your book is coming out in six to nine months, use that advance time to set up
your website, build your social media, blog or start podcasting, develop a
marketing plan, seek out testimonials, identify sales prospects, craft your
press kit materials, and schedule speaking engagements.
Rule 4: Getting
pre-orders (advance sales before your official publication date) can help you
build towards hitting a best-seller list.
You
can market your book months before it’s actually available.
Rule 5: Check your ego.
Sure
it’s gotten you this far and we all have pride, but if you let your ego lead
you, that will only get yourself in trouble.
You can’t arrogantly expect things to happen for you or fall your
way. It takes hard work, street savvy,
luck, connections, skill, knowledge, a great book, and an understanding of
consumers and the media to succeed.
Rule 6: Temper your
expectations.
Most
books – that means at least half – never, ever sell 10,000 or more copies. Many authors are lucky to sell 5,000 copies
in their first 6-12 months. Shoot for
the stars, but don’t be delusional.
Rule 7: Social media is increasingly important for one’s
success, but don’t believe the hype.
You
do not have to obsessively live on social media to raise your profile or sell
books, but you do need a game plan.
Which platforms will you be on?
You can’t be on all of them. Will
it be Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or LinkedIn? Will you post regularly and
consistently? Will you also spend time
seeking to grow your number of followers and connections?
Rule 8: Network, now, tomorrow, always.
Connections
die, move away, switch industries, lose touch, or just prove to be
useless. Keep making new connections. You
can never have enough. To network, you need to do so via email, phone, in-person,
and on social media. Attend events or hold them. Ask people for referrals and introductions to
others. Work your contacts and give them
value. Human currency is available to
you – cash in.
Rule 9: You need to
be organized, prioritized, and informed to excel in life and certainly at book publicity.
Keep
good notes on what people tell you and follow-up accordingly. If you are scatter-brained just give up now!
Rule 10: Keep learning about marketing, publicity, and
advertising.
Observe
successful models. Ask people questions
to learn more. Experiment too. Attend
seminars workshops and conferences on PR, writing, and marketing.
I
hope these 10 rules jumpstart the building of your foundation as an empowered
writer-turned-marketer. You control your
fate and should feel you can overcome fears or obstacles
to market the heck out of your book and establish your author brand. Good Luck!
DON”T MISS THESE!!!
Unfu*k Your Book Marketing
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advertising copy that sells tons of books
So what is needed to be a champion book
marketer?
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