You Need A New Author Mindset

 

Every author and book publisher wants to know the latest strategy, tip, or resource that will help sell books and get the word out. They may be looking in the wrong direction.

They search high and low, hiring publicists, marketing consultants, influencers, social media gurus, and advertising experts. They read marketing manuals, subscribe to insider newsletters, scour Publishers Weekly, attend seminars and webinars, and watch online tutorials. They buy all kinds of lists of customers, organizations, and media outlets. They make guesses and throw money and time at things that may never work for them.

So, what is the secret sauce to book marketing success? I have three answers for you.

First, there is no one-size-fits-all, guaranteed-to-work formula that one can just microwave for two minutes and expect to get good, consistent results from.

Second, whatever you do, know that you must do it. This means you should look nowhere but to yourself when it comes to marketing your book. You need to consistently approach marketing with an open mind, heart, and wallet. Yes, it will cost you time and money and mindshare. Embrace it and move forward with it. There is no way around it. Be prepared to do a lot, to hire help, and to rely on luck, timing, and place to break through.

Third, let your ideas and creativity lead the way. Pull on your natural resources — your brains, skills, connections, energy, attitude, and time to lead the way. Throw in some money and an open mind.

Try embracing some or all of the approaches below — your book will have a much better chance at success if you do!

I suggest that you:

1. Do what others don’t, won’t, can’t do. Don’t be like everyone else – go where others have not.

2. See opportunity where others don’t even look. Imagine one thing being different, and how what would come if that one thing were done or changed.

3. Try something new — or take a new approach to the old.

4. Take ownership of your marketing. You must never defer your fate to luck or others.

5. Look at other industries for ideas or tools to market yourself better. Copy what you like.

6. Ask for favors and play the damsel in distress. If you ask, someone will give to you.

7. Act as if you can do it and assume success. Believe in yourself and start by doing that which you would do as the new you. In other words, you don’t need to wait for everything to align and fall into place -- act as if they already have.

8. It is a numbers game. The more you try and put out there, the more you will get back.

9. Re-think and evaluate the foundational principles that you operate from. Maybe you operate from some faulty logic or stifling beliefs.

10. Learn the best practices and fundamentals of marketing.

11. Be ready to pounce on an opportunity presented to you.

12. Believe you can create an opportunity in any situation.

13. Beg, trade, pay for, or cash-in favors for help.

14. Discount your book or give your book away to get reviews and word-of-mouth buildup. 

15. Do not accept ‘no’ for an answer. That is just a temporary state. Try again and again. Present yourself in a different way or contact new people to win over. “No” is just a delayed “yes,” It just means that for the moment, you didn’t say or offer enough that someone would say yes. Change the terms of your offer, alter the way you state your offer, or try selling to other people.

16. Model those who are successful. Don’t copy everything. The world doesn’t need two of anything. Besides, we are not here to worship another; but rather, we are to take the most appealing bits and bits of many people or companies and incorporate them into our act.

17. Collaborate with those who have what you need. Offer them favorable terms and ride their coattails.

18. Feel optimism over negativity. Why not? There is no upside to being negative. Hope for the positive outcome and do what you can to make it happen. It is fine to be aware of when you should be cautious, but you should always trust that more wins come from smiles and enthusiasm than from fear, anger, and criticism.

19. Exude confidence and squash doubt. If you speak forcefully and act like you know what you are saying, people will believe in you.

20. Act instead of forever analyzing a situation. Inertia is a crime. It robs you of success. Move! Now. Always. Act with a sense of urgency, even when no deadlines exist.

 

Please Contact Me For 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 over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. 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 award-winning blog has generated over 3.2 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past decade, it 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 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.