Book Marketing Buzz: Book Promotion & Publicity Tips: How to Promote Your Books is a continuing series to help authors learn how to promote their books. If you would like to be a guest blogger for our book promotion and publicity series, click here.
Today’s guest blogger is Barbora Knobova, author of Tales for Delicious Girls.
Guest Post:
Whether you’re writing your first book or your tenth, the process is never easy. It’s full of challenges, obstacles and frustrations, but every author knows that writing is probably the most fulfilling and rewarding activity in the whole world. Many first-time authors think that after they’ve finished their masterpiece, they can relax, sit back and enjoy the fruit of their labor. However, getting your book to readers is the most difficult task that every author faces.
Good book marketing needs a plan and you should start planning your campaign even before your book is published. I suggest you read two books that taught me everything I needed to know about book publicity: Red Hot Internet Publicity by Penny Sansevieri and Book Promo 201 by Nikki Leigh. When I first read these books I found them totally overwhelming because I felt like I had to do at least two thousand things every day. However, not everything works for every author and for every book and you should give it some time, think about it and discover what really works for your book, for your genre, and what doesn’t.
Build a website. Your website is your internet business card and your homepage is your billboard. Your website should contain all the necessary information but it should not overwhelm and stress visitors. Some websites have endless menus and so much information that visitors find the whole concept confusing and leave the site without even reading your information. Keep it clear, keep it brief, keep it friendly. And don’t forget to add your media room with updated information and downloadable files. You can check out my website http://www.barboraknobova.com for inspiration. I’ve been getting lots of praise on it and I think it contains everything that a good website should contain. At least that’s what I’ve been told.
Start a blog. A blog is the easiest way to get your message to readers, it’s easily maintained and updated. Make sure to publish new posts regularly (usually when I have some time on my hands, I write a few blog posts in advance for future use, it saves time). Blog about your book, post excerpts, blog about what it is like to be a writer. There are so many options.
Use social media. I’m not sure whether social media like Twitter, Facebook and others really sell books but they definitely expose you to your niche if you use them wisely and they fill the internet with your message. Nikki Leigh, a social media expert (http://www.nikkileigh.com), has taught me so much about social media and about how to use them wisely and effectively. Her knowledge and expertise is priceless.
Get reviews. Many authors say that getting reviews is hard but it’s not as hard as it may seem. There are many keen readers that blog about books and are happy to review yours. Search the internet and also look for Amazon reviewers that review your genre. Most of them have a blog where you can contact them and ask them to read your book. Paid reviews are also an option, and not a bad one. Many people think that paid reviews are worthless, which is a common misconception. If you pay for a review it means that you will receive an honest review, it doesn’t mean that you will receive a positive review. It’s frustrating to pay for a review and then receive a bad one but that’s how it works. At least it creates a buzz around your book and makes people curious.
Get on the radio. I love Blog Talk Radio. There are so many wonderful hosts that interview authors and talk about books. When you see a show you like, contact the host and ask him/her to consider your book. You can also contact Kelly Wallace (http://www.authorautobahn.webs.com/), a wonderful lady who not only hosts her own show but also organizes radio show tours for authors. She will choose the right shows for you, contact the hosts and take care of the details. She also offers lots of free promotion opportunities and other services that are worth checking out.
Use Amazon.com to market your book. Amazon offers many opportunities for authors to get in front of their readers. Build your Author’s Page and blog, be active in discussions about your topic. Review books that are similar to yours. Be creative, Amazon is a great networking place for authors.
Organize a Virtual Book Tour or have it organized by those who really know how do to it. A VBT is a unique and very effective way to connect with your readers and generate sales. I work with Dorothy Thompson from Pump Up Your Book (http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com) on my tour and I’m nothing but impressed. Dorothy is diligent, creative, helpful, she goes the extra mile. She understands authors, she understands books, she understands the market and she understands her job. Besides, she’s such a sweetheart and a wonderful friend.
Be reasonable about how much money you spend on book promotion. Start learning as much as you can about book marketing and soon you will find out that you can do many things yourself. This may save you thousands of dollars. Every author needs to invest into book marketing but it doesn’t mean you should use your life savings and end up broke. Set aside a budget and stick to it.
There are three important things I’ve learned about book promotion and I think every author should keep them in mind. One, don’t sell the book. Sell what your book can do for the reader. Two, be polite and never forget to thank those who have reviewed your book, hosted you on their blog or radio show. Make sure they know you appreciate their effort. And three, have fun with your book promotion. If you have written a good book, sooner or later it will find its way to readers.
Barbora Knobova is a writer, love coach and expert in Delicious Life. A world traveler, she is one of those rare world citizens who live everywhere and nowhere. Barbora is a firm believer in female friendship, loyalty and bonding. She writes hilarious, sharp-witted, caustically apt, ironic, moving, true books for strong, independent, smart, fearless women. Barbora has also written several self-improvement books and teaches women about the importance of self-love in relationships and life in general. Barbora speaks eight languages and has found her home away from home in New York, London and Milan. She is always on the move, accompanied by her beagle Brinkley, the nasty dog from her new book Tales for Delicious Girls.
http://www.barboraknobova.com
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