APW: The Book Marketing Minefield
I’ve written the book, it’s been picked up by a publisher, and now, I have to start thinking about MARKETING . . . and none too soon! Experts say that starting your marketing plan five to six months in advance of the release is ‘just about right.’
In days gone by, the big publishers had a department full of people who did PR and Marketing for authors. They had all the contacts in all the right places, and knew just where your book would do best. They provided the itinerary and sent you on book tours to just the right places at just the right time. All you had to do was show up.
Not any more.
IF you signed with a publisher that still maintains a marketing department, you MIGHT get a few weeks worth of help, but these folks are stretched to the limit and simply can’t devote the time to any one book that it deserves.
If your publisher doesn’t have a marketing department, about the best you can hope for is a spot on the publisher’s website that’s linked to Amazon or maybe Barnes and Noble. The publisher, or, in the case of the publisher I’m with, may a ‘group’ of authors doing marketing for all the authors with the publisher by broadcasting blurbs to the various social media frequented by the members of the group. It helps, but it’s only in addition to your own marketing plan.
Today, the biggest part of the marketing you falls to you – the author. Most of us have zero contacts in the media and zero experience doing anything relevant to marketing books. So, it’s reinvent-the-wheel time for every new author/book.
And, it’s a veritable minefield.
And, it never ends.
You can’t rest for a moment or you lose your momentum.
You need to do the research, read some books/ebooks on marketing books, make some decisions and formulate a plan.
Some of the topics you need to research are:
♦ Setting realistic goals for your Book Marketing Program
♦ Planning a Book Marketing Program
♦ Creating your personal and unique BRAND
♦ Getting you and your brand ‘out there’ in any way possible
♦ Letting readers sample your work
♦ Getting an audience BEFORE the book is released
♦ Developing relationships with key people
♦ Setting up a website/blog for the book(s)
♦ Finding outlets for your book(s)
♦ Capitalizing on social media, without losing your friends
♦ Finding the best reviewers and utilizing the reviews
♦ Writing and distributing press releases
♦ Planning book tours, for those with discretionary cash, or …
♦ Planning blog tours
♦ … and more!
Over the next several weeks, my intention is to look at these topics, and more, in detail.
However, Book Marketing isn’t the only topic of future posts. There will be other posts on other topics along the way, so don’t miss any of my upcoming posts!
Happy Writing!
Julie
PS: Please take a few minutes to read the Wedding Chapter from my soon-to-be-published book (2012) ‘Janelle’s Time.’ You’ll meet Richard and Janelle Grayson, the newlyweds, AND, meet Duke Logan Conor (he crashes the wedding) from my upcoming book, ‘Logan’s Time.’
The TIME Series – by Dayna Leigh Cheser
Janelle’s Time – Release: 2012
Moria’s Time – WIP – NaNoWriMo Project, 2011 Winner
Adelle’s Time – Planned
Logan’s Time – WIP
Posted on December 5, 2011, in Adelle, Adelle's Time, Amazon, author, Barnes & Noble, blog, books, Brand, DIY Interviews, e-books, Janelle, Janelle's Time, Logan, Logan's Time, marketing, marketing plan, Moria, Moria's Time, NaNoWriMo, reinvent-the-wheel, research, reviewers, reviews, Richard, social media, TIME Series, Wedding Chapter, WIP, writing and tagged Adelle, Adelle's Time, Amazon, author, Barnes and Noble, blog, books, Brand, DIY Interviews, e-books, Janelle, Janelle's Time, Logan, Logan's Time, marketing, marketing plan, Moria, Moria's Time, NaNoWriMo, reciewers, reinvent-the-wheel, research, reviews, Richard, social media, TIME Series, Wedding Chapter, WIP, writing. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Seems like you have your road map of what to do to market yourself. Question is, are there enough hours in the day to get that and your writing done?
Hi Kim!
Ain’t that the truth!!! What’s funny is that through my whole life of working, my writing took a back seat. Now that I’m retired, I’m busier than I ever was when I was working! Go figure! But, it’s a lifelong dream to write, and it’s finally happening! I’m loving every minute of it!
Have a great day!
Julie
Ah, marketing, branding, promoting, getting yourself and your book out there all while you are trying to write another book or more. So much to do and so little time but it sounds like you have a handle on the direction you should be heading. I wish you lots of luck as you market “Janelle’s Time” and all of the time series. It will be a time of testing your mettle and trying to remember why you wanted to be an author anyway. Ah, if authors could just write and someone else did all of the other work. As you said, those days are gone. Good luck in your quest.
Ardee-ann
Hi Ardee-ann,
When I considered a topic for the post, I thought, ‘Ah-ha! Marketing! Something I need to learn about anyway.’ Then, as I dug into it, I realized it’s a full-time job in and of itself, and if you don’t know what you’re doing . . . AND, the topic is so extensive . . . So, I ordered a few books, and found some relevant articles. I will indeed, over time, cover the necessary parts of marketing.
Should be fun, actually, learning about it and sharing what I’m learning.
Have a great day,
Julie