If there is one thing that authors know better than writing, it is the fact that book marketing is as important as writing the book, if not more. The way you promote your book and how well you do it can either make or break your book's success.
Here are a few tips and strategies to help you take the first step,
1) Timing - Start promoting your book long before it is set to release. Involve potential readers in your writing process. Share snippets and developments to hold their interest.
2) Build an email list - Even before you start writing your book, you should start building an email list. This is more important than you can comprehend and can play a major role in making the initial sales happen. This is because those who subscribe to your blog or newsletter are genuinely interested in your writing, so it is safe to assume that they might also be interested in the book that you wrote.
3) Be active on social media - It is advantageous to build a reliable social media following. If you're not good with handling many platforms, choose one that suits you the best and stick to it. Be consistent with your posts and keep your following engaged.
4) Design a book launch plan - This should be a detailed layout of the steps you are going to take to promote your book, when are you going to implement them, and how you are going to do it. This is a crucial step in this long journey because it will give you clarity and help with the last minute jitters and anxiety.
5) Tours and Book launches - Plan beforehand if you want to hold book launching events, book signings, book tours - both virtual and real. Take into consideration the demographics of your audience, holiday seasons, and the weather.
6) Public speaking - Get in contact with local schools and colleges and tell them about the book you have written. Then politely ask if you could hold a session at their institution, as it would benefit their students. Keep in mind that your book should be age appropriate for the audience.
7) Interviews - Approach the local newspaper agencies and magazines and try to get your interview printed. If possible, then you can also do some television interviews.
8) Blog Tours - Get in contact with bloggers who run blogs on topics that are similar to your book, or if their audience is your target audience. Offer to write a guest post for their blog. If they accept, do it genuinely and put in efforts. Schedule to have your posts go live around the time of your book release.
9) Facebook page - You can create a Facebook page for your book and tell your readers about it. Over time, this will drive organic traffic to your book.
10) Hold giveaways - This will expose your book to new readers and strengthen the loyalty of the old ones.
11) Additional goodies - Have your book posters and bookmarks printed and distribute them at any events that you hold.
12) Build connections - Join any local writing group or even an online writing group. Be an active member and build connections and relations with fellow authors.
13) Be supportive - Promote the new releases of your fellow authors and buy their books. They will return the favor.
14) Online Ads - Hold a Facebook Ad campaign. Although, you may want to dig a little deeper in this aspect and then decide if you want to go ahead; Facebook ads work for some and do nothing for the rest.
15) Book reviews – Make a list of genuine book reviewers and contact them. Send a personalized and polite request, asking them if they could review your book. If they are interested, then send them an advance review copy. Ask them to post the review around the time of your book release.
16) Book trailer – Create a book trailer and post it on YouTube. This is a good way to draw attention to your book.
There are, at least, a hundred more ways to market your books. These were just a few methods to get you started.
This article is written by Kulsum. Kulsum is the bestselling author of The Bleeding Wounds Series on Amazon Kindle. Her debut novel Love of a Stranger is published globally.
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