Free Ebook
7 Steps to Writing Your Book and Getting it Published
Book Marketing Tips
Below I’ve listed ten vital tips to a successful book publicity campaign. I suggest that you include as many of them as possible into your own marketing plan and that way you’ll sell heaps of copies!
- Take no for an answer. It can be frustrating when certain media bodies aren’t interested in your book, but always thank them for their time and move on. If you try and argue with them you’ll leave a bad impression and your chances of working with them in the future will be slim.
- Start immediately! A book publicity campaign works best if it’s started six months prior to your book’s publication date. Begin publicizing your story to mainstream and industry media way before your book’s release, and target consumers once it is available to order.
- Create a press kit. Before you begin promoting your book prepare a press kit, including a cover letter, press release, author bio, Q&A page, sample interview questions, and articles.
- Know your target audience. Identify exactly who is likely to buy your book. The more focused you are when it comes to marketing your book, the better your results will be. If your book is quite main-stream, begin with a smaller audience and broaden your focus after you’ve saturated the first audience.
- Ask friends, colleagues, or anyone who likes your book to place reviews on Amazon. Amazon is highly influential and the reviews count for a lot, so encourage anyone who says they enjoyed your book to place a review. If there are a lot of reviews on Amazon (preferably four or five star reviews) other people who are interested in buying your book will be encouraged to order it.
- Offer sample chapters as free downloads on the website created for your book. Turn a couple of your best chapters into PDF files and let people download them for free. This is the equivalent of letting people browse through your book at a bookstore! Sample chapters ‘tease’ readers into wanting more and that way they will be motivated to buy your book.
- Review other books in the same field / genre as yours. Review these books on Amazon using your real name, accompanied by ‘author of the book ((title of your book here))’ Aim to review books in the same genre as yours that are higher up the sales rankings, and that way more people will have the chance of finding your book, as when people read your review a percentage of them will click through to your book!
- Offer some copies of your book as prizes. Local radio shows, magazines, or societies will often be interested in running competitions, and will provide you with valuable publicity if you give them a few books to offer to their audience as prizes.
- Build your website address into your book. When writing your book, include as many reasons as possible for readers to visit your website. Don’t just simply list your website address in your biography, or on the last page of the book. Present readers with an array of valid reasons to visit your site. You could offer downloadable versions of engagement tools, such as checklists and worksheets. Promise updated content; ideas and topics that occurred to you after you completed your book. If your book is in black and white but includes photographs or charts, post color versions of the visuals on your website. Don’t see your website as merely a promotional tool, but as an additional resource alongside your book.
- Encourage reader comments and questions. Use your website to create an interactive relationship with your readers. Solicit their comments and questions. Perhaps offer a prize for the best question of the month, and answer it on your home page.
Much Love
Your Book Angel xxx
Sign up for more book writing, publishing, and marketing tips from Your Book Angel. It’s FREE!
