Will You Take The 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge?

 

Authors need to craft and execute a book marketing campaign for life. If they plan to write and sell more than one book, they must come to the realization that their success rides on their ability to market books. So, what should an author do to kick-start his or her book marketing crusade?

Day 1. Learn About Book Marketing

You can’t do much if you don’t know what should be done or have any understanding of how to do it. Learn about marketing books via books, magazines, and blogs like www.BookMarketingBuzzBlog.blogspot.com.  

Day 2. Develop A Short- And Long-Term Book Marketing Plan

Plan ahead -- by days, weeks, and months. What needs to be done now to get you what you need three, six, or 12 months from now? Make a list. Schedule your time accordingly.   

Day 3. Determine What You’ll Do, Outsource, |Or Ignore 

Doing nothing is not an option. Doing it all requires more time, money, and skill than you have. The logical solution? Divide and conquer -- do what you can, outsource some things, and dismiss the less important things that simply won’t get done by either you or someone else.  

Day 4. Develop a Website & Buy The Domain Name 

It doesn’t have to be fancy, but every author needs a website. This is your home, your store, your resume all rolled into one. The goal of all authors should be to get people to their site. Then, books or other items/services can be sold. 

Day 5. Create Profiles On 2-3 Social Media Platforms

Successful authors really need to be active on social media. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore it. Pick two platforms, maybe three, and fill out a strong profile on each one. Choose from Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. Consider exploring alternatives, such as Tik-Tok or Clubhouse.  

Day 6. Define Your Brand or Elevator Speech

Can you summarize who you are, what your book is about, why you wrote it, and how it benefits someone? In 30 seconds or less? Work on it, over and over, until it sounds terrific.   

Day 7. Join Dozens Of Groups On Your Social Media Platforms

Facebook and Linked In have tons of groups that you can join, each relating to books and your genre -- or to your subject matter and area of expertise. Join them to gain knowledge, support, resources, more followers, and a place to cultivate sales.  

Day 8. Invite Your Contacts To Join Your Social Media Platforms

Whomever you know: friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, alumni, churchgoers, hobbyists, club members, etc. Send them an email to invite them to follow and connect with you on various social media platforms.  

Day 9. Develop Your List Of Key Words

Search Engine Optimization. SEO. No one really knows what it is, but the idea here is that you prepare your website, blog posts, and social media posts with the right keywords (what people search for). It’s similar to using hashtags on Twitter.  

Day 10. Take A Break

Take a time out. You deserve some do-nothing quiet time. Recharge your battery and come back stronger.   

Day 11. Submit Your Book For Paid Reviews

The book world is evolving into a pay-for-play space. Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, BookTrib, Clarion Foreword, Midwest Book Review, and others all have options to get reviews for money. Do it.   

Day 12. Submit Your Book To Book Reviewers

They are plenty of book reviewers at magazines, newspapers, journals, newsletters, websites, and blogs, find them and submit your advance review copy three to four months prior to publication for print media outlets.  

Day 13. Launch Your Blog, Podcast, Or YouTube Channel

The best way to market yourself is to produce content that gets circulated via social media. Start your own blog, podcast, or video channel now. Open accounts, create a catchy name, and learn how to use each platform.  

Day 14. Create Content To & An Editorial Calendar For Your Blog, Podcast, and YouTube Channel

You are now like the news media, so plan ahead as to where and what you will publish a new post or air a show. Think of topics to cover and research them ahead of time. Consider inviting guest blog posters and people to interview.  

Day 15. Join Writers Groups/Associations

Writers compete with each other, but they also cooperate with one another. Trade testimonials with another author. Agree to cross-promote on social media. Lean on them for emotional support, ideas, information, or to split costs, on something useful.  

Day 16. Explore GoFundMe

Many authors raise money for publishing and marketing on Kick Starter, GoFundMe, and other such sites. It can’t hurt to try.   

Day 17. Create A Press Kit

To reach the news media, you need to present them with information that will clearly highlight who you are, what your message is, and why they should talk to you about your book. Create your press release, biography, Q &A, photo, excerpts, and relevant stats/facts.  

Day 18. Craft A Speaker’s Kit

To inspire someone to have you speak at their event or place of business, you’ll need to give them a speaker’s kit, This document highlights who you are, what you’ll talk about, video of you speaking, testimonials and a list of where you’ve spoken!  

Day 19. Create Business Cards & An Email Signature

Even in the digital world, you need a good business card. Be sure to mention your email, phone, website, book title, and a tagline.   

Day 20. Create A Book Trailer

Most book trailers are mediocre to awful. Just make a 90-second video of you talking, perhaps while some visuals are shown, giving an impassioned, expanded, and energized elevator speech. Put it on your site to set the tone and make you more personable.  

Day 21. Scrutinize Where You Can Speak

Speaking, sells books. Any questions? Make a list of the type of venues/groups/businesses that you can contact. Then research specific groups -- bookstores, schools, churches, government agencies, non-profits, etc. Start contacting them and see if they will give you an audience to hawk your book to.  

Day 22. Figure Out Who You Can Barter With

Some things are free. Others cost money. Or you can trade something that you have for something of greater perceived value. For instance, if you do someone a favor that is no big deal to you may mean a lot to them and in exchange, they provide you with something that benefits you. Determine what to barter with and what you’ll trade for.  

Day 23. Analyze & Evaluate Your Progress/Challenges Thus Far

To have a plan is step one. Execution, step two. Reflect, analyze, brainstorm, and evaluate is step three. Lastly, alter your plans or efforts based on what you are seeing and experiencing. Call in an audible, if needed.  

Day 24. Take A Break

Refuel and then it’s off to the races!  

Day 25. Advertise

Experiment with Google, Facebook, and Amazon ads. Don’t spend much money until you test it out. Try different key words and offers. Print ads are worthless to most authors.  

Day 26. Find Something To Give Away

People love freebies. They get our attention and serve as an audition for people to determine if they will buy something. Make something of perceived value available. Have people register on your site so you can capture their email address in exchange for the downbloadable content.   

Day 27. Post On Social Media Daily

Yes daily. Not weekly or three times a week or whenever you feel like it. Twitter can even be several times a day. Frequency means relevancy and it increases your chance of discovery.  

Day 28. Research The Media

There’s a lot of media out there. Determine which type of media to pursue --radio, T.V, print, online; whom to approach -- which show, editor, producer; what will appeal to that person --based on reader-listener-viewer demographics; and which specific media outlets - i.e.:USA Today, GMA, Huff Post, All Things Considered.  

Day 29. Contact The News Media

The local, national, or international media awaits you. Pursue feature stories, interviews, book excerpts, book reviews, byline articles, and anything that gets you exposure in the media.  

Day 30. Engage Others/Respond To Comments

If people comment on your blog or social media posts, respond to them.  

Okay, so I cheated. This takes much longer than 30 days to pull off, but you get the idea. Plan out all of these things and come back to them. Build on a foundation and build your brand. Whether it’s a 30-day or 90-day or 365-day plan, take steps every day to market your book, grow your income, and share your message with others.

 

Need Book PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

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Do We Need Another Federal Writers Project? https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2021/08/do-we-need-another-federal-writers.html

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  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. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.