SIX
Marketing MustsFOR AUTHORS
By Ingrid Ricks
If there’s one clear message
to come out of my
research into the state of today’s publishing world and
the best way to take my own newly finished memoir
to market, it’s this: If you, as an author, actually
want your book to succeed, you better embrace your inner-marketer self
–
because the job of marketingand promotion is falling on you.
In today’s tumultuous marketplace, even big publishing house
s are pushing the job of marketing onto authors and aren
’
t willing to risk even making an offer on a book unless theauthor has already demonstrated that he or she knows how to build an audience and cangenerate both immediate and ongoing book sales. While it takes continued work and can feeldaunting, the good news is that the global reach and viral power of the Internet and socialmedia has leveled the playing field for authors, making it easy to launch a broad-reachingmarketing program on an author-size budget.There are six key ingredients to any successful author marketing program
–
each of whichinterconnect to maximize success. Taken step by step, the marketing strategy outlined belowwill help you ensure that your book gets the
exposure it deserves in today’s new world of
publishing. And if you want to go the traditional publishing route, this plan will give you theaudience-building foundation you need to help land an agent or publisher.
1. Put Up a Web Site
: A web site is your window to the world and the foundation of any goodonline marketing and promotions program. Launching a book/author
web site doesn’t have to
be expensive. In fact, a customized Word Press powered site can be set up for the cost of a
domain name, a hosting package and a little patience and applied brain power
–
or can beoutsourced for a few hundred dollars. Beyond having a professional looking site that sharesinformation on you and your book, make sure you site has these components: a) Bloggingcapabilities that enable you to continually post new content; b) Content management systemthat makes it easy to handle your own updates; c) Your own URL. Rather than signing up for afree web site on Word Press
or another blogging service, it’s worth spending the $50 to $60 a
year for a hosting package and a URL of your own (e.g. www.johndoebook.com vs.
www.johndoebook.wordpress.com). Along with being more professional, it helps ensure searchengines find your site and push web traffic back to it.
2. Start Building Social Media Networks:
The viral nature of social media, combined with theinstant, two-way interaction it affords, makes social media networking a powerful andnecessary way to build awareness and engage new prospec
ts. If you haven’t already done so,
you should immediately set up a presence in any social media network that makes sense foryour target audience. Start posting excerpts on Scribd, a social media network for readers and
writers. Launch a Facebook page for your book. Begin Tweeting.Kick off a group in LinkedIn.
Consider posting videos to YouTube and stay on top of any other emerging new social media
platforms. And then get busy making posts, engaging fans and seeking out new contacts.
3. Post Interesting, Relevant Blog Content
:Blogs are important for several reasons: 1) Theyprovide fresh content that can be pushed out through a variety of social networks to help youstay engaged with readers and help expand your audience; 2) They generate search enginetraffic to increase exposure and visits to your Web site; 3) They provide two-way interactionwith readers; 4) They open the door to fun, interactive promotions (i.e first person whocomments on the blog post wins free signed copy of book.)
4. Reach Out to Book Bloggers:
The fact that there are now several conferences andconventions devoted to book bloggers should hint to the power book bloggers now wield.There are thousands of book bloggers covering every book genre possible, all reachingaudiences interested in learning about new books. One great resource for connecting with bookbloggers is bookblogs.ning.com,which hosts numerous groups devoted to book blogging and
provides plenty of opportunities to get your book reviewed.
5. Send Out Press Releases/Story Pitches:
Think of your book as a news story
–
then write apress release with a news hook that will attract the attention of editors and bloggers. A generalpress release about your book should be sent out over a reputable online distribution servicesuch as PRWeb to generate online pickup. But you should also put together personalized story
pitches targeted to local publications and radio stations, and to niche market publications that
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Six Marketing Musts for Authors
By Ingrid Ricks: Want to succeed in today's new publishing marketplace? You had better embrace your inner-marketer self – because the job of marketing and promotions is falling on you. Here are six key steps for success.
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