Can Authors Get Better At Marketing?

 

 

When it comes to marketing books, why don’t authors do the things that are right for them?  

Never mind, we know the answer.  

They lack one or more critical things, such as:

 

* Time

* Money

* Knowledge

* Skill

* Experience

* Connections

* Strategy 

But they may also lack:

 

* Courage

* Confidence

* Drive

* Resilience

* Inspiration 

Still, with all of the above listed, is there something else that really undermines one’s 

ability or willingness to succeed at marketing their books? 

Many people don’t do what would serve them best, like vote, go on a diet, be organized, be more tolerant, or curtail addictive behaviors. 

We can’t just tell people to do better: we need to show them why and how — and to encourage them. 

I wonder if more people would follow the 10 Commandments if they understood why they should honor them and are shown how to follow them. Yes, you would think it would be enough that many generations have lived by commandments to not lie, cheat, steal, or murder, but sometimes even the obvious needs to be explained, justified, and encouraged. 

Humans are wired to be their own worst enemy. We sabotage others and ourselves, whether it concerns our health, wealth, safety, or morals. Or our book marketing. 

Can you resolve from this day forward to be better, to do more of what is right and less of what is harmful, and to take ownership of your marketing? Of course you can. Make a commitment and then examine the exact steps that you will implement to achieve progress on the marketing of your book. 

Along the way, you will have to confront uninformed beliefs, baseless fears, true lies, misconceptions, misperceptions, and missed opportunities.  

You need to discover and remind yourself why you wrote your book, so that you are motivated to promote it. 

You must understand that your book will not market itself and the convenience of identifying purported excuses for your failures or lack of trying makes for an inconvenient reality: few book sales. 

You must understand not only what to do — but how to do. Awareness is step one. Action is the critical next step. 

You must be honest about your marketing shortcomings and then do something about it. Will you try harder? Work longer? Use a new tactic? Learn how to do better? Get help in executing a task? All of the above? 

So, how do you move forward and get your act together? Do an audit of your book marketing. Look at what you have done or want to do when it comes to: 

* Social media

* Book awards

* Advertising

* Speaking

* News media

* Networking

* Book reviews

* Testimonials

* Web site

* Give-aways

* Direct marketing 

If you find you need a coach or shepherd to help you plan a solid book marketing campaign, hire someone. If you need to learn something, take a course or use a book marketing consultant. If you need someone to carry out a task, hire a book publicist. Otherwise, it is up to you to know what to do, to know how to do it, and to in fact, do it! 

Can authors get better at book marketing? Absolutely. 

Will you? 

 

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum 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 5,000,000 page views. 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