30 Ways to market your book

Posted on January 8, 2018 in Writing books

There is a saying that ‘you can’t start marketing your book too early’, so let’s begin with some things to do before your book is published.

PRE-PUBLICATION

  1. Build a database/email marketing list, including family, friends, etc. Badger those that are willing/knowledgeable to write reviews on Amazon etc.
  2. Prepare a ‘factsheet’ with a high-impact graphic, which contains a summary of the content, your bio, how people can purchase, price and ISBN, etc.
  3. Get your key messages right (find the value to customers)
  4. Make sure you sell the benefits of your book, not the features – readers want a problem solved, their objective achieved, etc. How will your book help them?
  5. Position your expertise – be credible and specialise. What is your USP?
  6. Write a press release and get in touch with local media – they will want to know ‘your story’, more than about the book!
  7. There are media opportunities before you publish, when you publish, and after you have published.
  8. Look for speaking opportunities – groups plan their speakers 6+ months in advance (quite a lot of evidence that the conversion rate, ie books sold, can be high on these occasions)
  9. Look for opportunities in local newspapers … but also professional, business and community magazines etc (somewhat hard to do in Oxford, where there is nothing new to being a writer). Offer to write something for them, mentioning your book.
  10. Prepare your administration: dispatch notice, invoice, envelopes, stamps, etc.
  11. Contact independent bookshops and local libraries. Ask to stock, offer to do talks, etc.
  12. Also try writing groups, clubs and associations, specialist websites, etc.
  13. Plan your book launch – invite the right people as well as friends

 

ON PUBLICATION and POST PUBLICATION

As above, plus…

  1. Hold a book launch (partly just to celebrate the occasion, but also to invite people you’d like to influence).
  2. Advertise selectively
  3. Exploit free publicity
  4. Use networking opportunities: business, sport, community, school, employer, etc. Look for customers buying for themselves, and those buying as a gift for their family and friends.
  5. Share your expertise through speaking engagements
  6. Publish articles, mentioning your book
  7. Have a stall at relevant exhibitions
  8. Offer copies as prizes for raffles, to community events (gets you free publicity) etc.

 

DIGITAL

  1. What about having a website?
  2. Use social media
  3. What about a blog – virtual tours, interviews, reviews, feedback, etc.

 

AS SALES PROCEED …

  1. Measure what works
  2. Do more of what works – Tweak as needed – Stop doing what doesn’t work
  3. Promote any successes that you have, recording testimonials eg on your website or on a sales flyer, etc.
  4. Ask new customers where they heard about your book / Understand why people buy
  5. Make a connection with customers
  6. Learn to love selling!

 

Good Luck 

Not just a Copywriter - Also a Writing Trainer.
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