Marketing Advice That Saves You Time, Money, & Stress

                             

 

Authors have asked me for the secret sauce to marketing a book successfully ever since I began promoting books 35 years ago. Although there is no one way that authors have to follow to achieve their goals, there are some proven best practices that the vast majority of accomplished authors utilize. 

 

Here, have a look at what many accomplished writers have done when it comes to marketing their books:

 

 1.     Have a detailed marketing plan

 

ID your reader and find where they exist online and in the physical world

 

Set goals and deadlines for your publicity and marketing efforts

 

Be aware of timelines that are set by others that you must heed

 

Zero in on what moves books:

 

— Social Media

—    Your Own Blog, Podcast, or Video Channel

— Your Website with Articles

— News Media

— Book Awards

— Speaking Engagements

— Book Reviews

— Book Clubs

— Direct Marketing To Your List

 

2.     Diversify your marketing efforts

 

-- Consistent, scheduled marketing outreach

-- Time management

-- Outsource some things and do other things

 

3.     Failing to learn or gain knowledge

 

Consume strategies, resources, ideas, and information from:

 

·         Writer Conferences

·         Book Blogs

·         Marketing Webinars

·         Books on PR

·         Publishing Industry Magazines & Newsletters

·         Writer Associations

 

4. Don't fall for scams and BS

 

--Ignore film deal offers where you need to pay something

--Don’t waste your money on SEO campaigns promising top Google rankings

-- No need to focus on getting “likes”

-- Avoid blowing big bucks to land online influencers

-- Understand marketing terms and what people are actually offering to do for you

--Use common sense on the numbers that are told to you, such as a television show purporting to reach 50M households, or a podcast with 30 million listeners, or how your press release will reach 50,000 journalists. 

 

It is all nonsense.

 

5.     Have an elevator speech

 

If you can’t succinctly and powerfully state what your book is about, who it’s for, why it’s special, and who you are in about 30 seconds, don’t leave the house until you can.

 

6.     Know your media story angles

 

If you are fortunate enough to speak to someone from the media, such as a radio show host, a newspaper feature editor, or a book blogger, do you know which story angles you would pitch to them? You should.

 

7.     Choose the right cover and title

 

Let’s face it, what you name your book and how your cover looks will immediately set the tone for a conversation — or dictate if one is to be had. Don’t screw either one up because you are married to a dumb idea or because you think something is meaningful but strangers feel no connection or familiarity to it.

 

8.     Don’t buy the wrong things

 

Don’t waste your money on buy things that sound cool but don’t have a pay-off. That would include things like full-page print ads, email blasts to lists that you rent but can’t verify, book conference displays other than London or Frankfurt Book Fair, pay-per-click ads for a solo book, and buying likes and BS online stuff.

 

9. Check your ego

 

Get out of your way. Do not think you deserve attention for your book unless you are prepared to work for it. Your book may be good, but is it really great? Even if it cures cancer, be prepared to roll your sleeves up to get the job done.

 

10. No need to wait on marketing your book

 

Don’t wait for things, like ad results or book sales, to come before you act and invest fully in your book marketing. It is a Catch-22 thing — if you don’t do something, nothing happens; if nothing happens you can’t respond by doing nothing.

 

11. You must take ownership for creating discovery

 

Don’t wait for luck, well wishes, prayers, or karma to kick in — it is up to you to make your book a success. If you have a publisher, don’t rely on them to do everything and anything. You drive this boat!

 

12. Don’t look for one knockout punch to put you on the map

 

The Today Show, NYT Book Review, Joe Rogan Podcast, Reece Witherspoon Book Club, Influencers, or TikTok are highly unreachable or very expensive.

 

13. Seek affordable PR 

 

Know what your publisher is doing and then do what needs to get done. Outsource to others, if needed. Let the things you won’t do go. Trade, beg, share, borrow, and fundraise to get what you need done to market your book.

 

14. Develop an opportunistic, take-charge mindset

 

Join writer associations to

-- network

-- get blurbs

-- learn

-- receive discounts

-- feel moral support

 

Avoid shiny and new marketing toys. Go for practical and logical over pie-in-the-sky stuff.

Create content that you can share (op-eds, blog posts, fliers) rather than waiting for permission from gatekeepers at news media outlets.

 

15. Set a reasonable marketing budget

 

Buy paid book reviews, create a basic website, and enjoy free social media, Reach out to local and targeted news media, and seek out free speaking engagement opportunities.

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, 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. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, 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 www.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 director of publicity positions 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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.