How Do You Sell More Books?

Authors and publishers should come to see their book’s readers as clients and market efficiently to them. A book, though special, is a product, just like a pair of shoes, television set, pizza, or a hammer. Once you set a book that way, you will have a clearer mind when selling it.

 

Start to answer these questions:

 

·         Who are your targeted clients (readers)?

·         Where can they be found – online, in-person, elsewhere?

·         How will they perceive what you are offering?

·         When are they likely to want or need such a book?

·         Why is your book better than the other options available?

·         How will you engage with them?

 

Begin thinking about developing these multiple strategies simultaneously:

 

·         Advertising strategy

·         Social media strategy

·         Web site strategy

·         Speaking strategy

·         Direct marketing strategy

·         Networking and partnership strategy

·         News media and book review strategy

·         Distribution and pricing strategy

 

How will you communicate with your potential client?

 

·         Email newsletter

·         Blog

·         Podcast

·         Social media posts

·         Postcard mailed

·         Flier handout

·         Speak at an event

·         Referrals or repeat customers

 

Will you offer deals and incentives, such as:

 

·         50% off the cover price

·         Buy one, get one free

·         Package your book with someone else’s

·         Free if they bring you a paying customer

 

Entertain giving out free books so you can:

 

·         Build word-of-mouth

·         Obtain book reviews

·         Draw people’s attention to your backlist

·         Use the book as a lead-in to sell other services or products

·         Establish your brand

 

Lastly, have you considered these other factors?

 

·         Outsourcing marketing tasks that you lack the time or skill or know-how – or the interest to perform well

·         Have a detailed short – and long-term book marketing plan

·         Be organized, focused, and invested in what you do

·         Use a customer relationship management tool (CRM) to build up a mailing list or database of potential clients – try MailChimp, SalesForce, InfusionSoft, or Aweber.

 

Being an author is being an entrepreneur. You wear many hats and must take ownership of your book’s fate. Now you get out there and get some customers!

 

 

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four 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

This award-winning blog has generated over 4.7 million pageviews. With 5,400+ posts over the past 14 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.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity 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.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

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. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

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.

 

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.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum