Top 10 Tips for Book Marketing by Wendy H Jones

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I recently spoke, at a writing conference, about Marketing for Authors. Today I would like to share my top 10 tips for anyone new or reluctant when it comes to marketing books.

1. If you think you can't market then change your mindset. You may not be able to market in the same way as everyone else but you can market your book in your own way. You just have to find the way which is most suitable for you.

2. Marketing is fun. Yes it really is. I have done book signings dressed as Jack the Ripper and as a a smiling santa. You may be thinking, I couldn't do that, but what could you do? What lends itself to your genre or time of year.

3. If you haven't done anything to market your books then something is better than nothing. If you do one thing a week to market your books then that is 52 in a year. Two a week, 104. One a day... You get my drift. Doing something could move your book sales forward exponentially.

4. Dare to be different. I decorated my book signing table to match my genre. with a noose and bullets amongst other things. This gets me noticed at book signings but it also got me mentioned on The Sell More Books Show podcast.

5. Talking of podcasts that's my next tip. Listen to podcasts such as The Sell More Books Show and The Creative Penn. They are choc full of hints, tips and ideas for marketing your books. 

6. Still on the theme of podcasts. If you are asked to guest on, or be interviewed for, a podcast then grab it with both hands. This sort of exposure is golden.

7. Read marketing blogs. Also guest on as many blogs as you can. Many bloggers are looking for authors to interview or to fill in guest spots. When you do guest make sure the content you offer is of value. This blog has guest bloggers at the end of the month. 

8. Work together. It has been proven time and time again that if authors work together marketing is easier and they sell more books. Find some local authors and put on an event or book signing. I have done this a few times with one to three authors. 

9. Use social media wisely. Share photos, blogs, interesting articles and anything else which might interest readers. Do not endlessly post buy my book on every social media group and site that you know of. Social media is called social for a reason. It is for interacting.

10. Start now. Yes I do mean right now. After you have read this blog do one thing to move your marketing forward. This could be ask a coffee shop if you can do a book signing. It could be posting a photo of your books on the shelves in your local bookshop. Whatever it is do it, and pledge to yourself that you will carry on. 

Remember every journey begins with a single step. You need to take that step, then add another and another. Before you know it you will have moved your book sales forward several miles. All the very best with the marketing. 

My one buy my book slot. Yes you are allowed to do that at appropriate times. You can buy Power Packed Book marketing from my Website or Amazon






Wendy lives, and writes, in Dundee Scotland. Her first book, Killer's Countdown, was published in November, 2014. The second book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries, Killer's Craft, was released on 20th July, 2015. The Third book, Killer's Cross, was released on 16th November, 2015. Power Packed Book Marketing: Sell More Books was released on 12th March 2016. Killer's Cut, the fourth book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries will be released on 18th April, 2016





Comments

JO said…
I should do more, I know I should - but I just don't enjoy it! I'd rather be reading - or writing the next book! Having said that, I take little encouragement to talk travelling, so I suppose I could call that marketing!
16 April 2016 at 09:24
Catherine Czerkawska said…
All excellent advice, Wendy. And we have to do it if we want to sell books. You can build something wonderful but if nobody knows about it they're not going to beat a path to your door. I think trad publishers expect authors to fully engage with all kinds of marketing these days as well, so this applies which ever route you choose. If we don't care whether the books sell or not then it's a different matter and a fairly enviable position! I wish all these Creative Writing courses at universities would teach their students a bit about marketing and the whole business side of writing. Some do but a great many don't.
16 April 2016 at 09:37
Dennis Hamley said…
So much interesting stuff here, Wendy, absolutely none of which I have ever done. But I will try, I will, I will. But one or two things puzzle me. How can you get asked to do a podcast? How do you manage to do book signings regularly? I've signed books twice in two years and one of those was at a launch party. 47 people came, said it was a great party (which, though I say it myself, it was), ate all my food and drank all my wine but only twelve actually bought books. I gather even that was not a bad haul!
16 April 2016 at 11:58
Lydia Bennet said…
You are a powerhouse of writerly energy Wendy! I see your books are coming out twice a year, and writing more books is also often advised as a way of boosting sales overall. You obviously enjoy the whole process!
16 April 2016 at 15:54
Jr. Williams said…
What is CRM in general? Customer relationship management..
"שלמה קוגן דואר ישראל"
16 April 2016 at 19:03
Wendy H. Jones said…
Dennis, I network and invite people on to my blogs. This get amy name out into the wide world and I was asked by a couple of different people about being interviewed for their podcasts. I also support others, not be cute I want anything in return, but because I genuinely want to help.
16 April 2016 at 20:03
glitter noir said…
Well done, Wendy. It's getting increasingly challenging to keep up with your output. But the challenge is well worth the effort. You've inspired me to revamp and split into two parts a small book I did a while back about writing.
20 April 2016 at 14:35
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