Marketing and the Writer – Where To Start
I used to think that getting a publishing contract was the finish line. The publishing house takes care of the rest, right? This is wrong…so, so wrong. You as the author need to take the reins of your own book publicity. You know your product best after all. Who better to get others excited about it? But where do you start? Not to worry. There are some easy things to get started right away that can really make a difference.
• First you need to educate yourself. Read a marketing book and come up with a plan you intend to implement. This is really great when talking to agents at conferences. It shows you are serious about the business side of publishing.
• Pitch yourself to local radio stations and give them segment ideas. Does your story revolve around a current controversy, event, or breaking news? Collect articles with Google Alert and get educated on the subject. It’ll make your interviews easier.
• Regional magazines often do reviews of local authors, offer them an incentive like a signed copy for a contest.
• If you’re having a book signing, call not only the local papers, but the free community readers. Print up inserts for bulletins and bookmarks for libraries, coffee shops, and other venues willing to promote book signings by a local.
• Online community calendars sell advertisement space, and you can put in your book signing date and a link to your book website.
• Go and physically visit your local book stores. Get to know the owners or managers and let them know that not only is your book coming out, but you’d love to come in and sign some.
• Create press releases and send them to local events, like Renaissance Faires, comic book conventions, etc…anything that includes people that are into your genre.
• Go to conferences and build relationships; this is a key item on any writer’s marketing list.
• Promote your book on Goodreads.com. It offers an amazing opportunity not only for unpublished authors to set up a profile page, but for published authors to set up links to their website, upload signing events, do giveaways, and even book trailers.
Writing the novel isn't the end of the journey, but the good news is that there are a lot of ideas and strategies that we can use to make sure all our hard work ends in sales success.
Raquel Byrnes writes inspirational romance with and edge-of-your-seat pace. Her first book in the Shades of Hope Series, Purple Knot, releases from White Rose Publishing.com later this year. Visit her at www.raquelbyrnes.com or on her blog – Edge of Your Seat Romance at www.nitewriter6.blogspot.com.
As someone who works in social media marketing herself, I can certainly attest to how important marketing is...whether it is a book, a product, or a service!
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