If you are reading this blog, you are either done writing your book or just want to know how to sell your book in the market.
Regardless of your publishing path, whether you are publishing traditionally or self-publishing, all authors need book marketing when publishing a book—even the big publishing houses expect their authors to be involved in the process of marketing.
As Heather Hart, the author of The Intuitionists, has quoted, “Book marketing should be a planned process, an art if you will,” and we totally agree!
Picture it as diving into the ocean—the faster you swim, the more likely you’re to exhaust yourself. Slow and steady has always won the race.
Therefore, just even approaching a book, where you put as much energy into planning and executing the book marketing of it as you do the writing of it, does the job.
A lot of people publish the book and just hope it does well - without planning how it’s going to get into many people’s hands. Now, this can be troublesome!
The overall process is quite overwhelming, and with so much information to digest, it may seem all over the place.
Don’t worry because this blog breaks it all down for you.
So, how can you market your book?
Keep on reading to find out!
In this blog, we will:
Discuss what is book marketing
Talk about how you can market your book in different phases
Answer do you need book marketing services
Let’s get the ball rolling!
What is book marketing?
The process of putting your book out to the public to generate as many sales as possible is the basic explanation of book marketing.
The main objective is to reach as many readers as possible.
To increase book sales and reach a target audience, book marketing strategies are important. The bottom line is that there’s no formula to it. Whatever works best for you is what you should opt for. If you are a debut writer, you might want to focus more on discoverability – getting your book into as many hands as possible.
How to market your book?
From hyping it up to making it the talk of the town—you need it all!
Regardless of how good the book is, unless it is marketed the right way, it’s never going to fall into the right hands.
There is no hiding from the fact that with so many book marketing techniques at your fingertips, it's easy to become a lost soul about what to do and when to imply the best marketing strategy. The process of marketing a book is complicated and requires careful planning.
Why should the readers buy your book? What makes it stand out? Does it catch the eye of the target audience while it rests on the shelves of every bookstore? These are the questions you should be asking yourself – and must have instant answers.
If you want your book to perform well, you have to participate in book marketing.
Period.
You surely must have worked hard writing your book. Therefore, you should work equally hard in marketing your book too! It might seem scary and unnatural because, often, as writers, we are creatives and not necessarily marketers.
So I get it. It might feel a little out of place, but if you are publishing a book, whether it is self or traditional publishing—you are a business! Treat your book as a product and consider how you can market it effectively with your target audience in mind.
Let’s break it down into the basic phases:
Phase 1: Before writing your book – the Attraction and Promotion Phase.
Yes, you read it right, marketing strategies are to be sorted out before the start of your book. It is not supposed to be an afterthought! The earlier you start, the better. It's never too early to start spreading the word about your book.
Ideally, you should start building your brand while you’re writing – especially if you are starting from square one and have little to no internet presence.
Identify the target audience and genre
This is the cornerstone of your marketing.
You cannot effectively market to your readers if you don’t know who your readers are! It is impossible to address everyone. Therefore, you should focus on the audience that is more likely to buy your book. When you focus on an ideal reader, you can get very specific within your content.
Always keep your audience in mind when writing. This will not only aid you in the writing process but also with marketing and, ultimately, with gaining reviews.
You can hone in and make the reader go, “Wow! They are directly talking to me,” thus making the readers feel more engaged.
To make it easier, identify and select your genre.
You should have a clear understanding of where your book falls within the different genres because this is one of the key ways we categorize novels. Readers look for specific features related to each genre, and your book is expected to stick to certain stereotypes.
Build your Author Brand
Having an author brand is very important.
Essentially, you want to market yourself and provide value to the community you have built surrounding your book. You don’t want to post a bunch of stuff about your book when people don’t know who you are and don’t care.
It may sound harsh, but trust me. You need to provide value first to connect with your readers.
Build an Online Presence.
This is your professional spot on the internet. A general audience—especially readers—must be able to come to your website or social media platform and learn about you and your books. It can also include how they can contact you and anything else you offer.
When it comes to creating an author website, you could offer several things. These include,
i) Self-signed copies of your book
ii) Sell merchandise
iii) Have an FAQ section
iv) Shout-out about books you are currently writing
v) Offer press kits
vi) List a press/media page to contact you for interviews or conferences.
vii) Have links to all other things (retailer websites, social media, newsletters, etc.)
Having social media does not replace an author’s website. Rather it is something you do in addition to it.
One strategy is creating a smart hashtag unique to its topic. The author can create their own social media profiles and engage with followers and readers there.
With any following you have on social media, a website, or a podcast, let people know you are starting the book-writing process. By doing this, you are seeding ideas that a book is coming later.
By planting this seed now, you will have much more success down the road.
People also love to see behind-the-scenes—how things are created—making them feel more invested. You can do this wherever you have an audience. Therefore, an online presence matters!
Hire a Cover Designer
Your book cover is the biggest marketing tool for your book. Everyone judges a book by its cover. It is also the reader’s first impression when they see your book.
A good book cover can potentially be the deciding factor in generating sales. It must be appealing, readable at small sizes, and accurately convey the book content that is featured inside.
Create Promotional Material
Essentially, this is to create promo images or videos that will showcase on your various social media platforms. These include:
&) Cover images with a hook
&) Cover images with a publication date
&) Countdown to the publication
&) Quotes from the book
&) Reader reviews
&) Endorsements from other authors or industry professionals
It is recommended to post these throughout the publication process to create buzz and keep the readers off their seats!
Phase 2: Book Launch – The big day!
Lo and behold! The time has come!
Lift your glass, make a toast and celebrate because it is time to host a book launch party.
You can host an in-person at a library or bookstore. It can also include giveaways and other incentives for other people to join you.
Moreover, you can share the reviews you have gained on your social media and attract more readers.
It's a wonderful opportunity to show appreciation for your efforts and spread the excitement of becoming a published author. This occasion frequently marks the completion of your book marketing campaign and the start of your long-term marketing strategy.
Additionally, you can hold meet and greets, live book signings, and engage PR for your book.
No matter what, make your book become the talk of the town.
Phase 3: The Follow-Up
This is one of the best times to keep continuing your sales and make your book reach new heights.
Chat! Boast! Scream!
Talk your head off about it – not literally – but don’t let the hype die down.
You have created all the hype in the months leading up to your book's release, so do not lose that momentum. Even if you are writing your next book, keep promoting your previous book with it. Keeping sharing positive reader reviews or endorsements from influencers.
One great way to market previous books is to write new books. The sooner you publish a new book, the more likely your previous books will get some new life as well.
Do you need book marketing services?
In our opinion, yes.
Book marketing services are professionals or agencies that make the hefty process of book marketing more light on your shoulders. Don't assume you can relax and take it easy just because you have experienced some early success.
Remember, your book has an infinite lifespan, so continue marketing it by opting for book marketing services.
Success drives success, but only if you put in the effort. The best marketers are always aware of the latest strategies to hit the market and aren't hesitant to try new things. Book marketing services can also benefit authors in gaining awareness through blog tours, press tours, and book reviews, but writers need to be very clear about their goals upfront. That will decide who to hire and the strategic plan of the book marketing.
Working with a book marketing services is, above all, a fantastic learning opportunity—a professional marketer will teach you more than trying to do it yourself.
Just like hiring an editor helps you improve your content, you can never go wrong with a helping hand.
Although, it is to be considered that budgeting properly is important for authors because hiring a marketing agency does come at a lavish cost. Almost every marketing company will have its products, sometimes on an individual product basis. Depending on the book marketing services and the length of the campaign, prices can vary. So make sure to opt for what works for you in your budget.
Final Thought
Nothing stands in the way of successfully promoting your book.
There are many methods to benefit from how easy it is to engage with your target audience in the online environment. You may quickly generate interest in your book by developing an author website, filling out your social media profiles, and interacting with your following.
Additionally, with the option of book marketing services, your book will have the capability to soar to new heights and potentially be a best seller.
The possibilities are endless.
Good luck and Happy marketing!