Most of the debuting authors consider getting their books published an achievement. Undoubtedly, it is an achievement to give your writing a concrete form. But as the concept of self-publishing has evolved, the number of publishers available in the market has increased by leaps and bounds. While many are ready to publish your book at the lowest of prices you could imagine, few are ready to take the pain of Promoting and Marketing the Book. A few know How to Promote Your Book for Better Sales. Some do, but most don’t. In the end, the author’s discretion makes the difference when it comes to book promotion and resulting sales.
- Write what readers want
- Make sure to have a perfect book cover and description
- Your friends and family: they would be the best!
- Get as many Amazon reviews as possible
- Endorsements are the secret ingredient
- Your profile on media would be the difference-maker
- Mention your earlier books with new launches
- Sponsored ads on social media for book promotion
- Being Tech Savvy matters!
- Offline distribution and the real experience it gives
Why Should You Take Charge for Promotions?
Promotion and Marketing are the first tools to spread the message of anything. But what is more important for promoting and marketing your book is to take charge. The reason is simple. No one will work as dedicatedly in promoting the book as you. Since the book you write is no less than your child, its marketing should also be done with equal care and love.
“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.”- Denis Waitley
Without putting in our hard work, we can not expect any result. You would agree, isn’t it?’
Ways to Promote Your Book for Best Results
- Write what readers want
Every writer has their own creativity, but the difference maker is the fact that the writer knows what his readers want to read. For example, the target audience has a greater number of readers who like science-fiction. Then political writings would not appeal to them. To know what the readers want, a little research on the bestsellers and popular books online would help.
Once decided, keep your eyes on Amazon Bestselling Books of the category you are planning to write. Do a little bit of research on those books that why they are performing well in the market. If you are wondering How to Become a Bestselling Author, you need to learn how and why other authors are already in that position.
- Make sure to have a perfect book cover and description
We all know the phrases “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but in reality, you most likely should.
Colors and images attract the human mind. It is a scientific fact. Hence, make sure the Book Cover Design is such that it attracts eyes and prompts a person to pick the book. Alongside, writing an interesting book blurb is again what can make the difference. Make sure the blurb does not give out too many details and rather leaves the plot in suspense with just the necessary revelation. Also, ensure that the blurb is not too long, resulting in the reader losing interest.
- Your friends and family: they would be the best!
We all would agree that our support system matters the most at all times. Hence, the contacts you have, your friends, and your family can also be helpful in book promotion and marketing. They could spread the message about the book being available and could give just the right number of details to excite the readers or even non-readers. If you have contacts among celebrities or public figures, you know what to do next. Their brief mention of your book in their circles would do wonders for your book for sure!
- Get as many Amazon reviews as possible
In our article Advantages of Book Reviews in book marketing, we discussed in detail the role amazon reviews play in book promotion. Reviews play a significant role in making your book seem authentic. Whether it is online or offline, both make a difference. The more reviews your book gets, the more chances are of its coming in amazon bestselling books and recommendations and on people’s screens based on their searches. It may be put in the category of “Most reviewed books” and the difference it will make is predictable. You could get reviews on various other media platforms like Flipkart, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, or any media which a wide user base.
- Endorsements are the secret ingredient
If your publisher is interested in promoting your book, you could ask them to get the book endorsed by celebrities and public figures. This is sometimes termed “Influencer Marketing.” When a book written by a celebrity gets record-breaking sales without any big promotions, so would a book which is recommended by them. Public figures have a follower base that would instantly go as per their recommendations. This one way will take your promotions to the next level.
- Your profile on media would be the difference-maker
Make sure you have an active and updated profile on social media accounts and on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, and all other sites where you as an author would be noticed. There are also many author groups on social media that you can join to know of events where you can mark your presence and advertise your book. An active media profile would make the difference and make you and your book appear more real and likely to make the difference.
- Mention your earlier books with new launches
As an author, it is likely that you would not restrict yourself to writing only one book. When you launch your next book, make sure to mention your previous books. Include them in your author information to make sure your readers know the most about your books. If it is a book series, then nothing better. Mentioning your earlier writings can also make new fans take your older books to read as an interest born for their new favorite author. Who knows how the promotion of one book would lead to sales of another?
Authors mainly use social media to get reviews and author interviews. It can also be used to run ads within a comfortable budget and generate leads (a typical marketing strategy). The ad would be run here, and there can also be a target audience. This audience would get to see your book cover and the blurb in the caption, and you could direct them to the link of your book on amazon. This doesn’t need the presence of a technical expert either. If you have a good social media following, you can easily run Social Media Sponsored Ads to Promote Book. This is an effective media strategy, and social media is always used for the promotion and marketing of all sorts of products too.
- Being Tech Savvy matters!
As times are changing, even books have trailers and poster launches. You may use these ideas and run ads online on not just social media but on websites related to books. Advertising the right way would make a difference in your book promotion and sales. If you know a little extra about technology, you can easily use it to your benefits.
- Offline distribution and the real experience it gives
You all can feel the headline already, I am sure! Having a book in your hands would prompt you naturally to buy it and keep it with you.
“Old is gold.”
The oldest and most traditional method to promote a book would be offline distribution. Our article on Offline Distribution of Books in India talks about how it will always be more effective than online distribution. It undoubtedly takes a toll on the budget, but good market research and smart hotspots would be of great help and proper utilization of the money you invest. Again, this can only be effective when the charge is in the author’s hands.
Good to go? Plan and start marketing your book today
Altogether, the promotion of books for sales does sound like a big amount of money is at stake. Still, it is all on the prudence and choices of authors and the strategies they follow for promotion because, without promotion, the book would only be a bunch of papers and would go unnoticed anyhow. Without promotion and marketing, even the best of books would not find their deserved recognition, and the deserving author would not be able to make any book sales. Hence, make use of the resources, take charge, and work towards promotion with all the resilience. We wish you luck!
