Recently, I was asked a basic question: should authors promote their books? Yes. Here are your options.
Options for Promoting Your Book
This post has two parts. First, it’s a regular post; see below. Second, it’s a first attempt to post a video where I’m talking and explaining something. The video is below, but here’s a critique of it. Skip this part if you just want to read about author promotions.
This video was a first attempt, and first attempts inevitably go wrong. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but I also knew that if I didn’t make a start, if I waited for perfect, I would NEVER post a video. So, deep breath, have courage, Darcy, I posted one. Here’s a critique of it:
First, what’s right:
- I tried.
- I said everything I wanted to say. Well, in the video I said there are four major ways to promote your work and here I say there are five. And I included things in the video not in the notes below. Instead of “personal appearances”, I said “personal experiences”. But overall, I’m pleased with the content.
- The equipment worked well. My “studio” worked well.
What’s wrong:
- The hardware worked, but I still had software issues. In particular, I had to reload the editing software on my office computer. That left me short on time, so I just created the video and sent it to YouTube. I should have added a title screen, and text screens with the info I was giving at the appropriate moments.
Lesson learned: create the video a day or so ahead, to allow time to edit.- Wow, I say, “um” a lot! I need to tape myself more and make sure my presentation is cleaned up and held to a higher standard.
Lesson learned: tape yourself and work to do better presentations.- A phone rang during the taping. Gosh!
Lesson learned: silence the phone while taping.
Basically, there are five options for promoting your book. Authors should choose from among these a unique mix of marketing efforts.
How to choose, what criteria will you use to decide what to include in your marketing plan?
2 Criteria for deciding on how to promote
Play to your strengths. Do what you like to do, what you’re good at.
Find your audience and play to their preferences, even if they aren’t your strengths. Where does your audience hang out and what media are they using? You gotta hang out there, too, and you gotta use the media they use.
5 Options for Promoting Your Book
- Print: flyers and posters, ads in magazines/newspapers/specialized publications, sample chapters, direct marketing, newsletter, interviews, business cards, slogans/pitches
- Audio: radio or online interviews, read samples of your work, give reader’s reactions and comments
- Web: website and/or blog, email marketing, online ads, sample chapters, RSS, feeds, bulletin boards or forums, ezine or newsletter, affiliate programs, online contests, webinars, advertisements (from Craigslist to GoogleAds), ebooks, podcasts, vlogging, internet memes
- Personal appearances: BEA, ALA, local library, bookstore signings, literary festivals, teaching, school visits, speaking engagements, seminars, conferences, asking for referrals, elevator pitches, personal PR
- Social Media: Facebook, GoodReads, Twitter, LibraryThing, delicious.com, StumbleUpon.com; spending enough time to become part of the community; using announcements, contest, giveaways
The Video: Should Authors Promote Their Books?
Social Media
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