If you’ve finished writing a book, your next step is to publish it. You can choose between going to a traditional publisher or publishing the book by yourself.
And then there’s the challenge of promoting your book. You have to convince your target readers that your work is worth buying and reading.
For self-published writers, marketing can be a huge headache, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are five tips you can use to promote your book and make it a best-seller:
Tip #1: Building Your Online Presence
Creating a blog or website helps readers find you even before you launch your book. Having a website may bring you income in addition to what you’ll earn from book sales. It also enables you to keep information about your target audience, which is helpful for your marketing list.
Before your book launch, build your expertise on your subject or genre. Post blogs and articles related to your book’s subject, scattering insights about your work. If you wrote a work of fiction, write topics related to your genre, plot, or characters.
Improve your visibility through online marketing. You can ask professionals to help optimize your website.
Tip #2: Don’t Forget Social Media
Having social media accounts helps you engage with your target audience. Be on the platforms your fellow writers and target readers use. Besides Facebook and Twitter, Goodreads is an excellent place to start.
Engage your followers by liking, sharing, and commenting on posts related to your work. You can also generate buzz about your book by holding contests and giveaways.
Tip #3: Ask People to Review Your Book
Like any product or service, books rely on word of mouth to influence their sales. Find people who you can request for a review of your work, like:
- Top book reviewers on social media
- Fellow authors
- Readers on your mailing list
- Online publishers
Ask if you can give them a copy of your book, so they can review it. Keep your message friendly and professional.
Tip #4: Write a Killer Blurb
A blurb is a summary of your work that appears on the back of the book cover. It needs to describe what your book is about and must attract your target readers into buying and reading it.
For non-fictional work, the blurb must include your core concept. If you wrote fiction, it should introduce the main characters and the main plot. Write a few versions of the blurb and get feedback from friends and contemporaries on which is the most effective.
Tip #5: Maximize all distribution channels
Even if you don’t go through the traditional publisher, you’ll find a variety of ways to sell your book. You can:
- Talk to bookstores and ask them to place your work on their shelves
- Work with distribution channels like Amazon to sell your book online
- Have your work published as an e-book
- Record your work as an audiobook
You want to reach as many readers as possible. Some of them prefer a physical book, while others settle with e-books. Audiobooks are increasing in popularity, especially for fictional, historical, and biographical works.
When you decide to self-publish, finishing your work is half the battle. You also have to figure out how to promote your book without help from traditional publishers.
The task may seem challenging, but it’s possible. As long as you know how to communicate your book’s core message and make it available on many platforms, you can reach your target readers.