These days writing and publishing a book has never been easier. With advanced technology and available help online, your dreams of becoming a published author can be realized effortlessly. The challenge that many writers face is how to generate sales from their efforts. Marketing a self-published book can be a problem and many writers would rather leave that up to someone else but unfortunately the pain of marketing your self-published book is best borne by yourself as its author. Whether you publish on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles or any other online platform, the marketing responsibility is still yours. These online platforms make your book available for purchase at no cost to you but they do not promote your book.
To make marketing a rewarding endeavor, you as a self- published writer must learn much more than the techniques of creative writing. You must get into the frays of marketing. This calls for a strategic approach. Firstly, you must know who your readers are. They are your target audience and it is towards them that you direct your marketing efforts. Secondly you must devise an online as well as offline marketing strategy that will help to take your books to your readers.
1. Know the Final Destination of your book
We understand without a doubt that your primary purpose for writing is to meet one of three objectives:
To express your creativity
Tell your story or
To share your knowledge and expertise in a particular field with others.
Whatever your reason for putting pen to paper, you must be clear about who you are writing for, and what you want them to learn from your written word. The ‘take-away’ from your work must be clear in your mind. This will determine who is your target audience and whether they will shell out cash in exchange for your wit or wisdom. If at the end of the read, your readers get that, then your objective would have been achieved. You must have this clearly defined before you go to market.
2. Produce valuable and useful content.
The quality of your writing is a strong voice that allows your book to speak for itself. Your aim is always to deliver high on content. Value is what you exchange for your audience’s loyalty and cash. Often, to wow your audience needs a deeper dive, a tighter grasp and a higher climb into the subject area of your book. If you are willing to put in the work, to be extraordinarily creative and confident in your output, you can work wonders for yourself. Give your target audience content that is useful. If you give the readers more than they expect you will always have their attention. Strong writing can also be aided by the word-of-mouth references of gratified readers. This is how you build a robust fan base of persons who will keep looking out for new materials from you and who will keep telling others about you.
3. Pay Attention to Aesthetic Appeal
If you are a self-published author it is likely that your name may not yet be known in the book circles. You therefore want your product to be very well thought out and presented. It is wise to enhance the quality of the physical book itself by having a product that is properly designed and laid out. The exterior must be visually appealing and the interior must be flawless. It is your responsibility to ensure that your manuscript is properly edited, and well laid out. If you must spend any money in the production of your self-published book it should be in the investment in a professional book editor and a professional cover design. An attractive book cover can have a strong pull and make a significant difference in whether a potential reader takes a closer look or moves past your work. Whatever you write on the cover of the book, whether the blurb or the bio of the author it must be authoritative and compelling. This is what will ensure whether or not the reader flips the first page and looks at the Table of Contents.
4. Create an Opportunity for face to face Engagement with your Readers
Whenever an author is present in the same space as his books there is guaranteed to be sales. People like the idea of meeting an author in person and of getting an autographed copy of their book, not only for themselves but as gifts for others. A book launch therefore is a useful tool for self-published authors. It is a way of to:
Announce the arrival of your book
Give you an opportunity to interface with your readers.
Engage in book signing autographing of copies not only for those in attendance but also copies purchased as gifts.
Readers who are physical present at a book launch are usually there to encourage and to support the writer. An in-depth analysis of the book given at the book launch should do much more than encourage, but should justify to a reader why he/ she must make a purchase. In this age of social media, a photograph with the author of a book posted online is also a promotional tool for the author. The most books you will sell at once will always be at a book launch where your family, friends and colleagues are present. Another way of engaging with your audience is to participated in literary festivals, book fairs, and other events where your readers are available, and where you can share your story and do a question and answer session where possible.
5. Utilize Your Social Media Platforms
As a published author you want your name and book to become known. That is the only way to drive sales among people who do not know you personally. You must therefore have an online presence. You should create social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn where you promote your book and a website where information about you and your book can be found. If possible books should be sold from your website or there must be a clear link from your site to the online platform where your book can be purchased.
6.Engage multiple Online Sales and Distribution Platforms.
To ensure you reach a wider audience you should publish your book not only on Amazon but also on other online platforms like Barnes and Nobles, and as well in E-book format such as Kindle or Nook. Encourage your readers who purchase copies of your book from Amazon to leave an honest book review. A positive review is a great confidence booster to potential buyers. If you are able to leverage your use of Social media, you can also organize promotional giveaways of free copies of your book for a limited time or at discounted prices to attract new readers.
7. Collaborate with Local Distributors
You can partner with book stores and supermarket for the sale of your book in exchange for a small commission. This would require you to deposit a certain number of physical copies of your book with their outlet. This collaborative strategy is a sure way to tap into the local market and to make your book available to those who may not have the ability to do an online purchase.
8. Engage in Interviews, Promotions and Paid Advertising
Where possible you should try to make an appearance on a popular local radio or social media talk show to promote your work. Most talk show hosts looking for new content would be happy to have you come on to talk about your book. This would be a massive free publicity for your book. In addition, if you want the message to go further afield, you could consider running online ads on your social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Amazon, to reach a larger audience. Bear in mind that marketing is a continuous process and results will take time.
If you found this blog post helpful, please leave a comment below. Also please share any other marketing tips that you may have so we can continue to learn from each other.
Written by: Ivenia A Benjamin
Ivenia Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Emmanuel Publishing House. She is an Attorney-At-Law. Writer, Editor and Blogger.
Comments