How Do Authors Set Book Marketing Priorities?

Just as no two books are exactly the same, no two book marketing plans are twins. But, there are best practices for how an author can approach marketing a book.  

First, assess your views of what book marketing is to you. What is it exactly and who does it? Is it advertising, getting book reviews, making speaking appearances, hitting book clubs, doing social media, and applying for book awards? Yes. And much more.  

Second, get over the fact that the reality is your book won’t succeed without you driving the marketing of it. Ego or ignorance is not a defense for you. Nor is lack of skill or desire. Your book’s fate starts and ends with you. Know why you wrote the book and why it needs to be marketed. Embrace the discovery that you are to be the hero of your own story.  

Third, make a list of what possible methods to market exist out there. This requires you to do a little research and use common sense. Think about broad areas like social media or advertising and start to list specific opportunities that will be weighed by you. For instance, for ads, the logical questions are: when, where, and how much? 

You have so many choices. Amazon, Facebook, and Google have a variety of ad campaigns. So do book review magazines like Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal. So do local newspapers and other forms of traditional and digital media. There are email blasts, influencer posts, billboards, pay-for-review opportunities, and discounted deal sites like BookBub — and so much more.   

Fourth, narrow down the things that seem worthwhile and achievable — and that fit into your budget of money, time, energy, and mindshare. They have to complement your personality, schedule, lifestyle, and personal situation. If you say you don’t like social media or public speaking, you have three choices: don’t do it but prepare to suffer consequences/lost opportunities and seek to make up the deficit by being stronger in other areas; suck it up and do it and stop whining; outsource it for a fee. 

Fifth, identify who can help you. Who has resources that can assist you — will someone volunteer their time, share information, make introductions, or provide inspiration? Can they invest in you — a gift or donation, purchase books, loan you funds? Who owes you a favor or with whom can you ask for a favor? Make a list of everyone that ever entered your life. Figure out what you want to ask of them. They need direction and to learn how they can help you. Yes, commoditize your family, friends, alumni, neighbors, church congregants, work colleagues, and anyone you know. Love them and enjoy them, but when it comes to your book, you wear a different hat and see everyone through a new prism, filtered by your needs and their ability to fulfill them. 

Sixth, what are the deadlines to execute different aspects of your marketing campaign? Break it down into smaller, achievable steps. Some deadlines are set to move things along and to start getting results. Other deadlines are real and set by the outside world that you simply can’t miss, such as when to submit for a pre-publication book review or a book award.  

Seven, regularly evaluate your actions and results against the marketing plan. Set goals and see if you achieved them. Set new goals and make adjustments based on what you experience and come to learn.  

Eight, while you set your priorities, always seek the low-hanging fruit. No reason to pass up easy opportunities. You can build on that success and form a good foundation. So, to set priorities, be realistic about the:  

·         Risk or lost opportunity of not doing something

·         Risk or cost of its pursuit

·         Risk that comes after achieving something

·         Investment of time, money, mindshare, energy needed 

·         Reward and benefit of achieving  

Ninth, your marketing needs to have short-term and long-term goals, especially if you plan on publishing more books. You are building a brand, not just promoting a single book.  

Lastly, have fun with this but understand that marketing is hard work, it will frustrate and confuse you, and you will end up spending thousands of dollars, and it will take up the equivalent of a month’s worth of office hours. But it will be worth it. And you have no choice other than to choose to let your book die.  

Do You Need Book Marketing & 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 like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your 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 5,000+ 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, BookCAMP, 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.