Making the most of marketing

Let’s get you started in marketing. In this section, you’ll find a range of brief hints and tips on many of the key areas of book promotion that you might find helpful.

Social media marketing for your book

Creating an account with various on-line social media networks is simple and free. Open an account with twitter.com, wordpress.com, etc and start shamelessly promoting your book. The closest, easiest to use, and most effective marketplace available to authors is the Web. The Internet is the fastest-growing marketplace for books, and on-line book sales are poised to surpass sales through traditional retail outlets. As a published author, you’re in a great position to take advantage of the internet as both a marketing and sales tool.

Your own website or newsletter

One tool that some writers have used to promote themselves and their books is their own website or newsletter (usually as an email newsletter). You can use the newsletter to talk about your subject area and other things surrounding it. As long as you have the content and the time to put together a newsletter, it has a number of advantages. You help position yourself as an authority and you build a database of people who you know would be interested in your book. You’re also free to put a shameless ad. for your book in every newsletter!

There’s lots of good email newsletter software available on the Internet. Then all you have to do is link the software to your own website and get people to sign up. You could even carry out a small promotion campaign on your newsletter so that people know how to find it.

Start your own Blog

An extension of the newsletter idea is the Web Log. It’s an on-line diary that has gone from strength to strength on the Internet. Today, there is a blog for almost anything and there is a huge a huge army of blog readers. You could set up your own writer’s blog that talks about the struggles you have in finding time to write your book. Or, create a blog that discusses your own area of interest. If you have something interesting or irreverent to say, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you gain an audience. The more people that visit your blog, the more potential book purchasers you have. The only thing is you’ll have to refresh the content on your blog very regularly – daily if possible.

There are a number of blog providers on the Internet. The software is easy to use so you should be up and running in no time. You can promote your own blog but most search engines monitor blogs, which means that people can find out about you quite easily.

Planning your launch

The first thing to decide is how you want to sell your book. You can use Spire Publishing to change how publishing works by printing on-demand. If this is the case, you can launch your book immediately. Then you can build a marketing campaign that drives customers to your book. However, many writers want to use several different ways to sell their book.

The traditional book trade has developed to work in advance of publication. If you think about it, this is common sense as you need to inform people about your book and make sure that the people who are going to sell your book are able to order it. In fact, some publishers plan up to a year ahead. You don’t need to plan that far in advance but a few months is probably a minimum.

Dealing with stores directly

Let’s say you wish to deal directly with book stores. You can simply approach your local book store and try to persuade the manager to stock your title. Having a number of copies that they can stock immediately will be helpful. However, it may be that you don’t have the time to visit every store. In this case, you can send out copies of an Author’s Information (AI) sheet and follow this up with a phone call. You can then supply the shops that are interested. This can take a number of weeks but the book store will still want to know they are getting a new release.

Arranging book reviews

The best result has to be that book reviews start to appear as close to your launch date as possible as this will give a good boost to early sales. But it can take a number of months for reviews to appear. So, you have to plan your review strategy well in advance – especially if some of the titles you are interested in are monthly magazines. You can send out press releases much closer to your launch date but that may still need to be five or six weeks if your are dealing with monthly publications.

Making an impact in the press

Often the best way to create publicity around your book is to run your own public relations campaign. This could sound a little daunting but it’s really only about talking to people and giving them the information they want. Here is a brief guide.

Where to start

You should start by thinking about the content of your book and who it will appeal to. From there, you can work out what your reader is likely to read, listen to and watch. Then, all you need to do is a little desk research. Most libraries will have directories with all the media details you need. Although it is always worth calling up to make sure you have the name of the right person to speak with.

The press release

It is definitely worth sending out a press release. But, not one that is directly about your book. There are lots of books being launched so another new book isn’t much of a story. So, you’ll need to find a news angle. Was there something special that happened when you were researching your book? Did you make a great sacrifice or overcome any obstacles when writing your book? It could be that your local paper may be interested just because you’re the local teacher. Take a little time to think how your release can be different. Then weave information on your book into the release. But, try to keep the release down to a page or so – and always include contact details!

The book review

A good book review can really boost sales, and you can use it on other promotional material or, even, the book itself. However, there are a few things to note when planning your book review campaign. First, getting your book reviewed is not going to be easy – especially in those national publications that seem to be bulging with book reviews. Secondly, even once you’ve placed a review it may not appear. Thirdly, even if it does appear, it could take a few months before you see the coverage.

So is there anything you can do to increase the chances of having your book reviewed?

Start by doing some research. Think of all the media outlets that do book reviews and may review your book. If your book is on yachting, are there any sailing titles that might review your book? Remember that you can later use good reviews from smaller titles to encourage bigger ones to look at your book. Once you know where you want your review to appear, it’s time to pick up the phone. Get in touch with the right person and tell them about your book. Maybe send through some information or your AI sheet if you have one. Try to agree that a review will take place. Never send out your book without agreeing the review first. Once you’ve sent you book, ring up to make sure they have your book and have a discussion on when it will be reviewed and when that review will appear. You don’t want to hassle the publication but it is a good idea to try to get them to fix on a publication date. Once the review has appeared, it may be worth talking to the publication or broadcast outlet to see if you can reproduce the review for other marketing activities.

The interview

Here’s a little insight. There are many small, local titles that are very hungry for content especially if it has a good local aspect. So, why not follow-up your press release or simply call the editor and explain your story. Many writers have been surprised by the quality of the coverage that they have received by getting interviewed in their local press. The same is true of specialist press if your book has a specialist area. This may not be a tactic you should employ with national press but local and, even, national radio can be interested if your story is strong enough.

The submitted article

Ever wanted to be an expert? This could be your chance. Is your book about a specialist topic or a local area? If so, there is probably a title out there waiting for you to write an article for them. The article is unlikely to be about the book directly but rather about a topic that is of interest to the title and related to the content or your book. The best idea is to start with some research again. Once you’ve identified the title you’re interested in, you should approach placing an article in the same way as you would handle a book review – except, of course, you are going to have to sit down and write the article.
The call to action

Sorry if this seems obvious but other writers have been caught out in the past. Whenever you undertake any of the above activities, ensure that you have your contact and buying details prominently displayed. You want people to know how to get a hold of your book now they are interested. It may be that for submitted articles the best way to achieve this is to have a small biography that explains a little about you and the book you’ve just written.
Organising a book signing page

Everyone can have their own signing

You may think that it’s only best selling authors that get their own book signings but you should also be able to organise a book signing of your own. There are just a few things you need to think about.

Create a buzz

There is one precondition to be met if you want to have a book signing: there already has to be interest in your book. Shops want to know there’s a demand and that, if they hold a signing, people will come along and buy the book. At the end of the day, all they want are the sales. So, you’ll have to create the buzz. That could be anything but you could concentrate on the press. A good interview or review should be enough to gain the interest of a shop.

Decide where

This may sound a little odd. You are probably thinking the most likely place would be your local bookstore. It might be time to think again. Perhaps the content of your book is more appropriate for specialist bookshops. One writer decided that his book was perfect beach reading so organised his signings in airport bookstores. Maybe you don’t want a bookstore at all but another type of store or a more unique location is right for you.

If, at first, you don’t succeed…

Sadly, perseverance is the key to this game. It may be that on your first enquiry you are told that the store isn’t interested. You just have to keep going. Seek out other options. Maintain contact with the store and keep asking. If your book is gaining profile then they are likely to change their mind.

Don’t underestimate demand

If a store agrees to a signing, remember to bring enough books on the day. It’s better to go home with unsold copies than run out half way through your signing.

Promotion, promotion, promotion

The venue of your signing is likely to advertise the event. However, anything you can do yourself will always be of benefit. Would the local press put it in their listings section? Is there anywhere around the area where you could place a few posters? And, remember to ask the venue if you can put some posters up on the day. How about getting them to place a book of your bookmarks on their counter? That way, you can extend the impact of your signing past the day of the event itself.

You don’t get nothing for nothing

Or, sometimes you do. A tool that a growing number of writers that publish independently are exploiting successfully is the giveaway. It could appear galling to just hand over the work you’ve slaved over for nothing but it can reap impressive rewards.

Creating advocates

You want people to talk about your book. Personal recommendation is perhaps the strongest promotional element you can have. But how do you create it when no-one has ever heard of your book? You could think about giving copies of your book to selected readers. It could be friends or friends of friends. You could ask your friends if they know people who are insatiable readers. If the reader likes your book, you know they’ll tell their friends. And so it begins. Anything you can do to create advocates for your book is well worth the effort.

The leave-behind

One self-published writer said that she used to leave her book on the seats of buses or trains knowing that the next passenger was likely to pick it up. You might not want to go that far but is there anywhere that you might leave your book behind where it might be read. Is there a local coffee shop or pub where people could read it while waiting for friends or just passing time? What about your doctor or dentist? This is one where the more inventive the better.

The competition

Could your book be the prize in a small competition? It’s likely your local paper would be interested, and you’ll get a sizable piece of free publicity as well. But, the competition doesn’t have to be in the press. Are you a member of a club that would be interested?

This list is far from exhaustive and any other giveaway opportunities that you can think of would probably provide a good deal of benefit for you. However, there is one element to consider. A giveaway programme involves making an investment and so has to be seen as one of the more expensive marketing activities you can undertake. You have to decide if you will see the return that will justify your upfront investment.

Direct and to the point

Very few people can afford to advertise . Direct marketing can provide a more cost-effective means to achieve the same results. It can give you a large audience and can be quite targeted. You can announce your book to a large amount of people at once.

How do I get my mailing list?

There are many mailing list companies out there, you just have to find them. A little time spent on the Internet will give you a list of companies that can help you. Many of them will have lists of book lovers or people who have the same special interest of your book. The more targeted, the better. And, the good news is that the cost of these lists will not break the bank.

What type of mailer?

You may think that a mailer involves a whole lot of paper but it doesn’t need to. There are many companies that will perform email mailings. In many cases, if you supply the content, the mailing company will do the rest.

This makes your mailer very cost-effective compared with the paper, labels and stamps you’d need for a traditional mailing. However, people are happier with mailers through the post rather than via email. Yet, your paper-based mailer will be unsolicited while the recipient of your email has to opt into the mailing.

Tip. The key to success in mailing is to test. Don’t send out a big mailing. Send a small one first and measure the response you get. If you are getting the level of response you want then send out a larger mailer. Most mailing houses will let you send out a test mailing for very little money.

Creating your mailing

The best idea is to keep your mailing simple. Give your reader a brief and compelling overview of the book. You can include a small biography of yourself and don’t forget to include a call to action with information on how to buy your book. If your mailer is paper-based then you should include your front cover image. Some email mailing houses will allow you to this with an email as well – but you will be charged for this.

The door drop

This is a different approach to direct mail. It involves you simply posting a mailer about your book through the letterbox of people around you. This is probably best if your book is about the local area. It is a cost-effective – if time-consuming – way to tell people about your book. Again, it is better to do a small test to ensure you are getting the results you want.

Measuring success

With any form of direct marketing, measurement is vital. If you are getting no response and no sales then you should stop want you’re doing and rethink. In addition, you need to be sure you’re getting back the money you put in. On average, a well-targeted mailer should receive somewhere between 5 and 10% response. Although it can be that upwards of 30% of the respondents then buy. You have to work out if the sales you are making justifies the activity. So start small and build up.

Get yourself known

One way to promote your book is to promote yourself. If you have written a book on a specialist subject, there may be any number of opportunities for you to comment on that area and start to position yourself as an expert. Even if you have written a novel perhaps there are opportunities to talk about what it’s like to publish independently. Once people are interested in what you have to say, they’ll be interested in reading your book.

Getting into the press

The obvious place to start is the media. If you can get yourself interviewed in your local paper or submit an article into the magazine that covers your subject area, you can begin the process. If you prove to have interesting things to say and you are approachable and friendly pretty soon journalists will be calling you to get your opinion. All the time, remember to mention your book.

Talking at conferences

There are conferences and seminars on almost everything these days. It could be that you are already attending and/or speaking there already as part of your job. If not, find a conference that suits your subject and suggest yourself as a speaker. You’ll definitely have a chance to promote your book during your talk and sell it after you’re finished.