Salesmanship and book publicity campaigns are a part of an author’s life. However well written or gripping your novel is, you cannot rely on the book to sell itself! A well-conceived publicity plan is imperative for the success of your book. Your book should be easily discoverable on various platforms such as social media, book review websites, local book stores etc. Advertise your book through all possible channels so that it gets the visibility that is required for success.
Whether you do it yourself, or hire book marketing services from a reputed firm, there are a few things you will need to understand before you go ahead.
Create a plan
Good publicity does not happen by accident. There are no lucky stars – it’s always lots of hard work and careful planning. So, create a plan that includes the message you wish to get out about your book, the method you will use for book promotions, the pitch you will use and the venues that are suitable for your type of book such as local book stores, book fairs, exhibitions etc. Your plan should also include your public appearances and social media campaigns. Finally, decide the timeline for your campaign. Create a plan that covers at least 3 months of publicity so that your book reaches a wide target audience.
Prepare your promotional material
The next step is to prepare your promotional material. The very first task is to create an ‘Author’s Bio’. Next, prepare a synopsis of the book and decide how many sample chapters you would like to give interested readers. Make sure that all these are available in the digital form too.
Prepare a press release
A press release announces your book to the media. Ideally, if you hire a publicist or avail marketing services, they will write the press release for you. But, you will have to revise it to ensure it sends out the right message. A press release should contain an introduction of the author, details of the book, why and what makes it unique and why should a user read it. So make a compelling copy of a press release for your book marketing campaign.
Create a website
A website serves as a place where you can display your work, engage with your existing readers and give them more information about your upcoming books and work. It could contain links to your online book seller’s page or your publisher’s site. You can also add excerpts from your book so that readers develop an interest.
Social media
Do not ignore the power of social media. Share information about the book. Create compelling content that attracts your readers to your book.
Create a mailing list
Create a mailing list of your potential readers. Book marketing agencies and publishers are experts at creating these lists. Even if you do it yourself, you can get data from your social media fan base or simply include your family, friends and acquaintances. Create a copy of the material that you would like to promote via emails. Emails are a great way to get your book noticed.
Exhibitions and book fairs
Book fairs and exhibitions are a great way to reach a huge audience within a short time. Check out exhibitions and book fairs where you can include your book for display.
To sum it up, book publicity does not happen overnight. You need to plan and create a compelling campaign to get your book noticed!
