Market a Self Published Book

Self publishing is on the rise and many people are bypassing the traditional route of seeking the affirmation of publication worthiness via commercial publishers and are striking out on their own, with a large dollop of self faith! Getting your book noticed, however, is a big challenge and without the resources and connections of a publishing house behind you, you'll need to do your own marketing and get that book out there! Here are some ways to do this effectively.

Steps

  1. Be sure your book is good. It is important to be certain that you are selling a good product before launching into the effort of promoting it. While it's tough, it's better to know in advance that your book is worthy:
    • Have friends and family read it and critiqued it? Have they given you honest, constructive feedback?
    • Have you fixed anything glaring that doesn't work in relation to your book?
    • Have you had any people of repute review your book? Think your old university professor, a local expert in the area on which you've written, a colleague with knowledge of the field, etc.?
    • Is the presentation excellent? Did you use a good designer or did you do a really decent job of your own design? Again, ask others for their opinion of the book's presentation before launching any further.
    • Is the price right? No good looking to sell the book if the price is unrealistic.
  2. Contact bookstores about carrying your book on Get-a-Self-Published-Book-Into-Bookstores
  3. Look for a little local media attention. Write to your local Get Great (Free) Publicity and explain that you're a local author who has written a book about X, Y, Z. This will probably be most effective if your book has local elements in it. It is a smart move to have a press release already prepared to shoot out with each request for a review or article about your book.
    • Do you know any journalists? Ask them if they can help you.
    • What about local newsletters, community bulletins, etc? Can they help spread the word?
  4. Go online. There are many ways to use the online world to help promote your book.
    • Be sure to set up a site that enables people to purchase the book. Offer Paypal and any other relevant payment options.
    • Sell copies on a renowned Make Money With Online Auctions. Keep the auctions rolling over all the time. Include an excellent description of the book and its contents.
    • Seek out bloggers to help you. Offer a free copy of your book in return for a review. Offer to guest post too but if the blog does offer you a guest post, make it clear that you are the author and therefore biased about your own book!
    • Get a Twitter account if you don't have one already. Tweet regularly about your book and where it can be purchased -- but don't expect the Twitter world to be interested in unrelenting promotion. Be interesting in other ways, and then you can slip in occasional posts related to your book.
    • Use Facebook to promote your book. You could even develop a page devoted just to the book.
    • Check out websites on a similar theme. Have a look through the site and see if there are places where you might be able to leave links to your book. Always ask if in doubt about advertising - you don't want to gain a poor reputation for Promote Your wikiHow Article Without Spamming.
  5. Contact magazine journalists. Send a copy of your book along with your press release and your request for a review. As with the local media, see what angles you can find that connect with the magazine in question, as this will make it easier for the journalist to decide if it's worth running.
  6. Use friend networks. Ask your friends to read the book and then spread its value by word-of-mouth. Have friends take copies of your book, press release, or posters, to various events, workplaces, functions, etc., where it would be appropriate to sell or advertise your book. Don't badger your friends though. Some people cannot stand being asked to do this sort of thing. If you get those signals, don't pressure them. It is better to stay friends!
    • Always go out of your way to make it easy for anyone helping you promote your book. Run off press release and poster copies, deliver copies of everything to their doorstep, offer to drive them to places if needed, etc. Facilitate their evangelism of your book.
  7. Hold readings. Get out into the community and hold reading sessions from your book. If you're good with a crowd, and don't mind entertaining people, this can be a great way to promote your book.
    • Have copies and change ready for sale. Be sure to display them as you are reading from the book. You could do this impromptu (say, in a park on a sunny day), or you could organize it in advance and book a room, place posters and notices around town, etc.
    • Be sure to meet all regulations about hawking wares if you are also selling - one way around this is to hand out cards with the website address for purchase.
  8. Get a stall in a local market. This can be a great way to sell self-published books. Some things to consider include:
    • Banding together with a few other self-published authors from the area, so that the stall is really inviting.
    • Having all of your self-published books available for sale.
    • Having an excellent display, including press releases and a willingness to yarn with the customers and draw them in!



Tips

  • Consider having a teaser chapter available for distribution in PDF form via email or publish this online on your website and other relevant sites.
  • If you've rented a table at a market or have a meet-and-greet event at a bookstore, you can break the ice by giving away bookmarks, which are typically part of a self-publishing package. Say, "Would you like a bookmark?" When the person takes it, you have their attention and can say, "My novel Old Friends is set in this area and is about two friends who rediscover their friendship 15 years later. Here, take a look."
  • There are many online publication sites that can help you develop and promote your book from beginning to end.
  • News is often slower during summer, so this can be used to your advantage.

Warnings

  • Remember that self-publishing is no easier than traditional publishing. In fact, in many ways it is much harder because you must be your own editor, publicist, cover designer, etc. You should exhaust all potential avenues of traditional publishing before turning to the DIY method.
  • Traditional publishers very often will not consider a self-published book because of potential complications with printing rights. By using a vanity press you may be closing the door to getting your book published by a large distributor.
  • Be patient. Journalists and reviewers are busy. If they are interested, they will need to read your book. And they will prioritize your request with many others. Don't be too hasty to dismiss their interest but do feel free to follow up after a month or so if you haven't heard anything.

Things You'll Need

  • Online access
  • Networks
  • Press release
  • Stall (optional)

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