By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com
Maybe you’re a new author venturing into this crazy world of
publishing, or maybe you’re established, and the pitiful advances you’ve been
receiving, have you throwing your hands in the air, and wailing. Perhaps, you’re
thinking of breaking into this crazy writing world and wondering how you can
get some exposure. No one knows who you are. You have no name. How can you sell books?
Well, I’m here to tell you, marketing yourself can be free, or
you can do so on a minuscule budget. Even a newbie can create a buzz if you’re
willing to do a little work.
Let’s say you’re thinking of writing that book, or you’ve written
one and need to get the word out, but you’re clueless about the steps you need
to take. You’ve put all your attention and
energy into writing that book, and if you’re an Indie you may even have spent
some money to publish it. You need readers to buy that book, so you’ll need to
promote, and I don’t want to hear the excuse you’re not good with technology,
because that's what nieces and nephews, or that failing, neighbors are for. Just think, you may not even have to pay them minimum wage. That young, age group
grew up using an iPad or laptop, and they’re fearless.
Now that we’re ready to go, you’ll need to find fans, and the
best place to search for them is on good old Facebook. So, you’ll need to create that Facebook page. You’ll want to share with your readers and
fans a bit about you. You’ll want to post your best picture or upload and emoji, as
some authors do. Don't be shy about reaching out. Connect with groups. “Friend” authors, Make
friends with book lovers, get chatting on sites, but be sure to “friend” those who read in the genre you wrote, or your hard work might be pointless .
Now, you’re probably wondering why even go through the
trouble to reach out to these people. Established authors have followers, and
they’re doing the same thing you’re doing. They’re looking to connect any way they
can. Readers groups are always looking for new authors. These groups often have
dates on which you can promote. And all that is free. You can market yourself by participating in online discussions, and that’s before the book’s even released. You can post excerpts
of your work and your attractive cover. You can sign up to be a guest
blogger, and you can build your mailing list. there's Instagram and Twitter. This is a great way to encourage everyone you
know and meet to join that ever expanding mailing list. It doesn’t hurt to give away a book or
two.
Why would you need a mailing list? You’d want to send out a newsletter. That
newsletter need only be one page long. Still, it’s a place to promote. Here you can tell readers
about your book. You can post that attractive book cover. You can run contests. Give
something away to build reader excitement. People like free. And you can
do all of that before your new book is even published.
Another marketing opportunity that is entirely free is
Pinterest. Creating storyboards are fun. In pictures, you can tell the reader
all about your book. You can describe the town the book is set in, you can post
character look-a-likes, you can show the reader the town’s buildings and introduce
them to new hobbies. Pinterest is a
great place to build reader buzz.
Say you’ve allotted a small budget for advertising, and you
have to be careful as to where it would be better spent. Try Facebook Ads. I
once set my spend at $12 a week and saw a substantial uptick in reader
purchases. Another suggestion would be to invest a little money in building the
readership of your newsletter. There are companies out there who specialize in
getting you names and email addresses. This helps get readers on your list.
Make librarians your best friends. Libraries are often
looking for speakers and workshop presenters, and libraries carry books. The
more visible you are in the cyber or real world, the more likely you are to get
your books bought. Build a following, and always remain personable. If going the traditional publishing
route, visit the brick and mortar stores and make the sales associates your best friend. Sales people are asked for recommendations. They hand sell
books.
Last, and not least, do not underestimate the power of author
friends; those you have made in person or online. Authors are great resources and support each other. We know how tough it is out there. You just might pilfer a fan or two, and get yourself a mentor while you're at it.
These are opportunities that cost nothing. Get out
there and make yourself known, and those books will fly off the shelves, cyber or otherwise! And don't forget to Tweet!
About
Marcia King-Gamble
Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble
originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the
same mesmerizing shade of blue. This travel industry executive and current
world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National
Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free
time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her
animal family.
Be sure to join her mailing list:
4 comments:
Great ideas, Marcia!
Thank you Judith. I am always willing to share.
You make this all sound so easy! Maybe my problem is over-thinking it.
No need to overthink Sarah, just carve an hour or so out of your day for promotion. Doesn't cost much but time.
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