Writing a great book is not the end of an author’s job, marketing your book is important too. Traditionally, contacting large publishing houses was the only option and it involved a lot of trips back and forth trying to impress publishers and agents. It is important to understand that however tedious it is, you will need to promote your book if you wish to develop a huge fan base and large readership.
Here are a few tips to help you promote your new book successfully:
Identify your book’s genre
‘Everyone’ is not a potential reader for your book. People read specific types of books and are interested in certain genres. Some may like non-fiction and some people like science fiction. Some like to read management books and some might like spiritual ones. So, the very first steps is to identify what genre your book is and who your target audience are. Also, check the age-range that represents your readers. Narrow down and focus all your marketing efforts on this small group of people.
Book reviews
Book reviews are a great way to promote your book. Make sure that you gather some good book reviews online. There are plenty of websites that accept review copies and these sites are most frequently visited by readers who are looking for something new to read.
Sample chapters
Offer sample chapters of your book online. Allow people to download them for free. This will draw the attention of interested readers to either download your entire book or buy it from the local store. This is equivalent to allowing users to browse your book in a store.
Start early and don’t forget networking
Networking is the most important part of any marketing campaigns. It generates positive word of mouth publicity and increases the popularity of your book. Simple mentions at parties or other social events could generate enough interest in the minds of your potential readers. The idea is to start early, may be even before you actually start writing. Make special notes on who show interest or demonstrate genuine enthusiasm in your work. This could later on help in your email campaigns.
Approach a book promotion company
Finding the right people to help you with the marketing of your book is a great idea. The market is saturated with agencies and companies that promise a great deal. But make sure that you select the right one for your book. Check out their previous campaigns and make sure that they have worked on the genre your book represents.
Overall, if you are looking for promoting your new book, you will need to do a lot of homework to make sure that it reaches the right readers. An experienced book marketing company could be a good idea. Prepare all the marketing material well in advance so that your marketing campaign goes smoothly.
Lastly, remember that promoting your book is not something you can do in one day, but slowly and steadily you will see the results of your efforts in the success of your book!
