Seven ideas for marketing your ebook - Lynne Garner

In last months blog post (Retelling Tales - It's Been Done Before) I hinted at my latest book. This month I'm pleased to announce my latest ebook featuring the rogue that is Brer Rabbit is now available for download from Amazon (UK - USA). The book contains eight retold tales all based on the original tales collected and retold by Joel Chandler Harris.

You may be wondering why I'm telling you this. Well using my monthly slot was one of the ideas I had to help me market my new book. I also had other ideas and wanted to share them with you (so I wasn't just marketing at you). So here they are:

One:
I've placed a blatant plug on my personal Facebook page and my author Facebook page.

Two:
I've decided to give Wattpad a go. If you've not heard of it basically it's a library you upload your work on to and people can download and read for free.  Some people choose to place entire books on there, a chapter at a time. Some like myself upload part of their work (in my case just one of my short stories) in the hopes someone enjoys their work so much that they are then willing to pay to read further work. I have no idea if it'll work but I'm happy to give it a go. In the first 24 hours my Brer Rabbit story was read by six people. I've also uploaded a story from my Anansi the Trickster Spider collection so I can see if the sales increase -  I'll let you know in a few months if Wattpad appears to pays off.

Three:
I've let the 449 people on my LinkedIn network know my book is now available to purchase. I also intend to let a few of the groups I'm a member of know about my new book. One of the groups has 3,774 members - so a quick mention can't hurt.

Four:
I also intend on blogging on my website and post on our company website (all my ebooks are written under the banner of Mad Moment Media).

Five:
I read somewhere that Pinterest has 70 million users, with 80% of those being women and apparently 70% of Pinterest members using the site as inspiration for their next purchase. So I'm going to create a Brer Rabbit themed board which will hopefully raise the profile of my ebook and even create a sale or two.

Six:
I've added the book to my author page on Goodreads. I'll be honest I've done very little with Goodreads, so over the next couple of months I'm going to learn as much about it as I can and try to discover if it can be used as a marketing tool. If you have a Goodreads author account and also wish to experiment then here is their official link that provides information on how you can use it to market yourself and book.

Seven:
Last but not least I'm going to create a 'proper' email signature. It's something I've never done (I've just been lazy) but I send 100s of emails per month. Apparently it shouldn't take long and I never know it may lead to a sale or two.

If you have any other ideas about marketing then I'd love to hear them, so please do share.

Regards

Lynne
P.S. If you fancy reading a Brer Rabbit story or an Anansi the Trickster Spider story then just follow the links.

Comments

madwippitt said…
I love Brer Rabbit! Way back when I was seven, our teacher used to read us a story each day and Brer Rabbit was always a favourite - the only stories that I can remember actually which is surely a test of quality? Hope this sells as brilliantly as it ought to!
Chris Longmuir said…
Great post and I hope the promotional tactics take off. I'd be interested in what works and what doesn't. I had a look at your link to GoodReads but couldn't see any sign of what it would cost to do adverts with them. Probably an arm and a leg as the information doesn't appear to be there. Good luck with Brer Rabbit, he's an old favourite.
AliB said…
Hello Lynne - some good ideas here and reminders of things I should have done. Somehow after Twitter and FB I have lost my social meeja mojo in getting to grips with Pinterest and Goodreads. Best of luck with your efforts.
Unknown said…
This is an intresting blog that you have posted, you shares a lot of things about Marketing For Authors, Book Marketing Company and Global Book Marketing. Which are very informative for us. Thanks
Excellent. I love Pinterest and have often thought that it is a very good means of publicising yourself and your work as a writer, especially when your work has a visual quality. And I don't just mean illustrated work - but fiction with a historical background for example. Also boards are very good for giving cover designers a 'feel' for the novel and how you see it.
Lee said…
Have you got a link for me to have a look, Catherine? I'm thinking of using Pinterest more effectively. Thanks.
Lydia Bennet said…
yes I've put location photos on Pinterest for my novels and pics of my installations on there too. I do pretty much all you've listed, Lynne, apart from linked in which I ignore! Can't say it all works but it makes you feel you are doing something! good luck with Brer Rabbit!
Lynne Garner said…
Many thanks for the good luck messages. I found Pinterest appeared to increase the sales of Anansi so I'm hoping it'll do the same with Brer Rabbit.

I've not looked deeper into GoodReads yet have three features to get out this week - but it is on my list.

I'm not sure ever those in big marketing departments really know what work. I think it's just a case of keep bashing away at it and keeping fingers crossed you raise some interest.
glitter noir said…
Well done and thanks for the tips on Pinterest and Linkedin. Do write a follow-up when the results are in!

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