Market Wisely
Do you already get multiple e-mails a day from people who want to put you on Tik-Tok or empower you on Amazon or even represent your book as a possible film? In the last month I’ve also had people who claim to be literary agents asking to represent me. This is not the way the publishing world works.
How do you know what’s legitimate and what’s a scam? Let these tips help you.
Here are some ways to avoid getting taken:
1. Check the e-mail address. If it’s from a gmail, the writer may not be affiliated with any organization.
2. Check the website. Look up the name of the person who’s supposedly sending it. If they have an e-mail, one with a company affiliation, this is not legitimate.
3. If you talk to anyone who sends an e-mail, make them be specific about what they’re offering you and what it will cost. I sometimes respond and say, “I’m not interested in spending money on this. Please take me off your list.”
4. Did you know that someone is offering classes to anyone who wants to be a literary agent? What would you look for in a qualified literary agent? As you probably already know, most legitimate agents don’t seek out writers.
5. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take a look at Writer Beware and see what they have to say. Check with your fellow writers too.
If you have a marketing budget, what should you spend it on?
1. Some people use Amazon ads. They can get you seen, but the bills can add up faster than the sales. The authors I know who’ve tried these ads have had varying levels of success. Google Amazon ads (link above) and see what you think.
2. There are also Facebook ads. Again, know what you’re getting into. Will your ad get you the results you want? If you google Meta ads or Instagram ads, you’ll see what’s out there. Fair warning. Please put limits on how many times you want the ad to run so you don’t run up a HUGE bill.
3. If you want help and are willing to pay for it, there are plenty of legitimate publicists. Fauzia Burke has sent me many books for review, so I believe she’s working in the author’s best interest. There are many like her. They charge fees, write articles, and send books out for review. I’m listing her because some of the books she’s sent are quite good.
Reedsy lists numerous publicists. While I’ve done some book reviews for Reedsy, I’ve never worked with one of their publicists. I know they’re an active organization and they have high standards for the businesses they list. Fair warning: There will be a charge, so get a contract that guarantees what they’ll do for you.
You might also like to check out the blog tours at WOW: Women on Writing. I had a couple of books on tour there, got to share some articles, and had bloggers write good reviews. I’ve participated in many of their tours and interviews with their authors have appeared on our Writing Advice and Marketing Advice pages. They’re a good organization.
Full disclosure: There is a charge. What’s your budget? Be sure to get what you pay for, okay?
4. There are lots of podcasters looking for speakers. Since many of them charge, I recommend looking for friends or local people to get you started at a low fee, if any, and recommend you to others.
If you have no marketing budget, where do you start?
1. You can walk into your local bookstores and libraries and ask about giving a reading there. They’ll want you to bring an audience, but they aren’t likely to charge you. Woo-hoo.
2. As soon as you have a publication a date, ask your local newspaper to share your good news. Or your local Patch. You’ll have to check and see if they charge, but if you talk to the local book reviewer and offer her something unique, she might want to print a Q&A with you.
3. I’ve had luck with local Rotary clubs. They’re often looking for speakers, and here in Northern California, the attendees buy books. Woo-hoo. If you’ve set up an easy credit-card way for people to pay, you’ll make more sales. Rotary clubs do not charge their speakers. Want to try other service clubs? I’d love to hear the results.
4. Do you belong to a book club? See if they’ll let you speak and sell books. Or ask your friends to ask their book clubs if they’d like to hear from a local author. .
5. By now, you’ve figured out that a lot of this is trial and error, right? So try. It’s your book. Don’t you want to share the words you’ve written with the world?
Questions? Please ask.
Observations and success stories? Please share. We’d be happy to post your success stories on You Can’t Make This Stuff Up. PLEASE check our criteria before submitting.
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