What happens if you write a great book, but nobody knows about it?
Nothing.
To be a successful author, you need readers to discover your creative work. This comes down to marketing your self-published book effectively, even if you’re working on a tight budget.
Below are eight tips for promoting your work that will help you get your books into the hands of your target readers:
1. Set up an author’s website: Establishing an online presence will be critical to marketing your self-published book. It will serve as a hub where potential readers can learn more about you and your work. You can set up a simple, one-page site using Instapage or Leadpages, or a more robust, multi-page site through Wix or SquareSpace. All these options are relatively cheap and easy, even if you don’t have any web development experience.
2. Create an e-mail newsletter: On your author website, include a contact form where visitors can sign up for email updates from you. Then, provide subscribers up with regular updates, information and insights related to you and your book. You can do this using a “drip” email campaign, through which recipients get a series of pre-written and formatted messages after they sign up.
3. Seek book reviews: Create a list of book reviewers and send your book to three or four of them each business day. While this may cost you a little money in postage, it can be a great way to get influential people to read and share your book. Just be sure the reviewers on your list accept review copies unsolicited.
4. Develop a media kit: Your media kit should include everything you want members of the media and bloggers to know about you and your book. This includes your bio, a book synopsis, a high-resolution headshot and a photo of your book cover. You may also include a frequently asked questions section, links to your social media profiles and a press release.
5. Write and distribute a press release: Speaking of press releases, be sure to create and distribute one announcing the launch of your book. It’s usually best to work with a press release service, with writers who know how to create content that grabs the attention of reporters, editors and bloggers. You can then distribute your release nationally and/or to a specific media market and trade publications.
6. Be active on social media: Create an author’s page on Facebook and Twitter—and perhaps LinkedIn if you’ve written a book that professionals should read. Social media offers nearly limitless opportunities for marketing your self-published book. You can hold a contest on Facebook, for example, and give away a free copy to the winner.
7. Write a guest blog post: Find out if there are any bloggers who write about topics or issues like those covered in your book. If so, ask them if you can write a guest post on something of value to their target audience. This can be a great way to expand your presence and create content that links back to your website.
8. Make use of Goodreads: The largest browsing library available with more than 2 million members, Goodreads allows you to see other users’ bookshelves, post reviews, join discussion groups, start a book club and even post your own content.
Marketing your self-published book can help you share your work with readers across the globe. Fortunately, we live in a time in which promoting your book is easier and more affordable than ever before—even if you don’t have a lucrative publishing contract.
The writers at ProPRcopy work closely with authors and publishers to help them market and promote their books.