“The kind of marketing that will get done is, for the most part, the kind that’s enjoyable.” – Lisa Velthouse
So Many Books—So Little Time
Whether you have an agent and a major publisher, you’re working with an indie or hybrid press, or you’re self-publishing, most of the marketing duties will fall to you. If marketing is not your forte, you’re going to need some help and guidance.
According to Smith Publicity, https://www.smithpublicity.com/110-book-marketing-ideas-to-sell-your-book/, “The wonderful thing about marketing yourself as an author is that there are virtually limitless ways to market your book, garner media attention, and use social media and other platforms to spread the word about your book.”
They’ve divided their ideas into categories including Author Websites, Ideas, Blogging Tips, Joining Forums, Using Social Media, Networking, Offline Tips, and more. They suggest ways to connect with your fans and have them help you with the work, using podcasts, and additional tricks of trade.
Have I piqued your curiosity? The link is above. Go take a look.
New York Book Editors, https://nybookeditors.com/2018/05/9-tips-for-marketing-your-first-book/, has some overlapping ideas along with some new ones. Their guide is geared for authors who are self or indie publishing.
If you want to go face to face at bookstores, there are some excellent business-like tips at https://riversanctuarypublishing.com/home/resources-2/promoting-your-book/. It’s important to offer them a sample copy, or offer to send them an e-copy if you prefer. Take a press release. Offer to do a reading and signing and tell them who you’ll invite.
abstract of open book flying as knowledge wisdom going to future
I have one more tip to offer, and we’ll call this the Writer Advice tip: Let your friends, writing peers, writing colleagues, writer’s groups, former teachers, current teachers, bookstores, book clubs, book groups, bookstores, and libraries help you. You need a pithy presentation, also known as an elevator pitch. The more you talk to people, the easier this will become.
Get to know people. Find out what interests them and how your book can help them. If someone’s not a match, move on. Every book is not for every reader. You can always talk to someone else in an organization later. If you can make it into a game, or better still, if you can find a way to make your book’s content like a gift, you’ll be doing a service at the same time you’re making a sale.
My husband does this with ease. He wants to learn everyone’s story, but he also shares his own. He often introduces me as “my wife, B. Lynn Goodwin, the writer.” Sometimes he says, “Are you a reader?” If the person laughs or shakes his head, he just moves on.
He’d tell you that if there’s more in the connection for you than for the other person, you can’t go wrong. He’d also say, “You don’t lose until you quit trying,” so get out there and try. What have you got to lose?
Contests for Independently Published Books
Take a look and see what will work for you.
Shelf Media Group
PenCraft Book Award
Indie Reader Discovery Awards
https://indiereader.com/product/indiereader-discovery-awards-entry-2023/
The Eric Hoffer Book Award
Independent Publishers Awards
https://secure.independentpublisher.com/cart/?program_id=4
The Benjamin Franklin Awards
https://www.ibpabenjaminfranklinaward.com
The Foreward Indies Awards
https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards
https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/
The Best Indie Book Award
https://bestindiebookaward.com/live/enter-the-best-indie-book-award/
The National Indie Excellence Awards
https://www.indieexcellence.com
I found these on https://indiereader.com/2018/01/self-published-book-award/ and have entered a few of the competitions.
Google “Awards for Independently Published Books” to learn more.
Do you have a marketing tip to share? Please send it to us using the contact box. You can include a link to your website if you like. Thanks for considering it!
