A lot of writers just want to write. The book will sell itself, they think. All they have to do is produce the work and the rest will be taken care of.
Sadly, they’re wrong.
If people don’t know about your book, how can they buy it?
Word of mouth is one of the best promotional tools in existence. People talking about other people and other products. Remember the old Faberge shampoo commercial with Heather Locklear? She says, “I told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends.” And so on. Wouldn’t you love for that to happen to you?
It can if you make yourself visible.
If self-promotion feels awkward or downright scary, start small. Don’t go diving into the pool. Dip your toe in the water. Share about your book in a casual, conversational way. Don’t try to sell, just share.
• Write a blog. Post once a week or every other week. Articles don’t have to be long. 300-400 words is good. And you can take your time crafting the article until it feels right.
• Join a small networking group. Look for groups of 20 or fewer people to start and get to know the members. It’s not about how many people you can meet in one session. It’s about forming relationships. Nurturing those relationships. Getting to know these people so you know who you can refer to them and vice versa.
• Attend local writers’ gatherings. Look into Meetups and writing clubs. And remember the tip about networking. Be interested in others and they’ll be interested in you.
If you enjoy talking to people, branch out.
• Schedule radio interviews. Blog Talk Radio and Radio Guest List are great ways to reach potential book buyers.
• Go to conferences. National and statewide conferences like Romance Writers of America (RWA) or the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators are great places to meet people and spread the word.
• Offer seminars, workshops, teleclasses, and webinars. You can do these in person or online.
These are just a few ways to promote yourself and your book. If you’d like to learn more about the basics of publishing and how to Avoid Publishing Pitfalls, visit www.avoidpublishingpitfalls.com.
Photo by Darren Cleare, PhotoXpress.com
Sadly, they’re wrong.
If people don’t know about your book, how can they buy it?
Word of mouth is one of the best promotional tools in existence. People talking about other people and other products. Remember the old Faberge shampoo commercial with Heather Locklear? She says, “I told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends.” And so on. Wouldn’t you love for that to happen to you?
It can if you make yourself visible.
If self-promotion feels awkward or downright scary, start small. Don’t go diving into the pool. Dip your toe in the water. Share about your book in a casual, conversational way. Don’t try to sell, just share.
• Write a blog. Post once a week or every other week. Articles don’t have to be long. 300-400 words is good. And you can take your time crafting the article until it feels right.
• Join a small networking group. Look for groups of 20 or fewer people to start and get to know the members. It’s not about how many people you can meet in one session. It’s about forming relationships. Nurturing those relationships. Getting to know these people so you know who you can refer to them and vice versa.
• Attend local writers’ gatherings. Look into Meetups and writing clubs. And remember the tip about networking. Be interested in others and they’ll be interested in you.
If you enjoy talking to people, branch out.
• Schedule radio interviews. Blog Talk Radio and Radio Guest List are great ways to reach potential book buyers.
• Go to conferences. National and statewide conferences like Romance Writers of America (RWA) or the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators are great places to meet people and spread the word.
• Offer seminars, workshops, teleclasses, and webinars. You can do these in person or online.
These are just a few ways to promote yourself and your book. If you’d like to learn more about the basics of publishing and how to Avoid Publishing Pitfalls, visit www.avoidpublishingpitfalls.com.
Photo by Darren Cleare, PhotoXpress.com
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