Top 5 Marketing Tips: 1.) Spend at least 10 minutes a day marketing your book.
It's not a large commitment and you'll see the results.
2.) Be patient. The honest truth is, your book probably won't be a success overnight.
However, it can be a success in time.
3.) Know your target audience.
Yes, readers are your target audience, but what kind of readers? If you've written a self-help book, try promoting it
at a mind, body, and spirit convention.
4.) Spamming is never a good idea. It's
a waste of your time and people probably won't read the email anyways.
5.) The best
advertising is free advertising. Write a press release to your local or national newspaper or magazine, especially
the editor or journalist in charge of the Arts and Entertainment section.
Distribution
Press Releases
Places to List Your Book
Getting Your Book Reviewed
Book Readings and Promotional Events
Promotional Material
Websites
Distribution Most self-publishing companies offer a distribution component to their packages, usual to purchase at an extra price.
We recommend you check these out as, the more people that have physical access to your book, the better. Just understand what
it entails. For example, most distribution services will make your book available to thousands of retailers and wholesalers,
usually on a print on demand basis. This is a great service and should be considered, but it does not guarantee any retailer
or wholesaler will buy it. This is true for any and all distribution services. They simply make your book available to purchase.
Even if a distribution service guarantees your book will be listed with a certain retailer, such as Amazon.com, then it is
up to the consumer (reader) whether they will buy your book. That's why marketing, along with distribution, is so important. If you'd like to hire a distribution company instead of availing of a service offered by your
self-publishing company, we recommend the following companies: Atlas Book Distribution Midpoint Trade Books IPG If you'd like to distribute your book yourself, we recommend the Amazon Advantage Program and the Barnes
and Nobles Vendor of Record. Amazon Advantage Barnes and Nobles Vendor of Record
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Press Releases A press release is an article you submit to the media announcing news about your book (such as it's launch.)
Sending a press release to newspapers, magazines, and online newswires is essential as it informs the public about your book.
If an editor decides to publish your press release, it's like free advertising! The
first step is to write a great press release. Remember these tips: 1.) Make it interesting and newsworthy. What's special or unique about your book and its affect on either readers
or the public?
2.) Don't sell yourself too much. Editors are less likely to
publish a press release that is an obvious promotion. They want something that seems newsworthy.
3.) Edit, edit, edit.
4.) Write it like an article so that an editor
can literally copy and paste should they choose.
4.) Keep it under 800 words.
400-600 words is optimal. Sending a Press
Release Yourself
If you're approaching a newspaper or magazine yourself, you should include PR somewhere in
the subject line. Your best option is to send it to Book Editors, Arts and Entertainment Editors, Features Editors, Living
Editors, or, if none of the above is available, the Managing Editor. Press Release Service Providers
For large press release distribution, such as state wide,
national, or international, there are a lot of press release service providers on the web. You also search these sites if
you want to read sample press releases or want more press release writing tips. Send2Press
PR Web 24-7 Press Releases EWorldWide E-releases Rapid Press Release Transworld News Press Release Network Press Release 365 PR Newswire PR Free
I Newswire 1888 Press Release PR.COM ClickPress.com EcommWire.com Express Press Release Free Press Release Free Press Release Center NewswireToday PR9 PR-Inside PRBuzz PRCompass PRUrgent Press-Base PressAbout PressMethod PRLeap PRLog TheOpenPress
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Getting Your Book Reviewed Getting your book reviewed can be a helpful tool in marketing, providing excellent and respected quotes to put into
your promotional campaign and further draw readers to your book. But don't get discouraged if your book receives what
you believe a bad review. The truth of publishing is that not everyone is going to like your work. Yes, it's hard to swallow,
but even the greats have their critics. So if you do get a bad review, don't worry. You'll be laughing all the way
to the bank. The best way to go about getting your book reviewed is to approach a book reviewer
in a newspaper or magazine of your choice. It is best to query a book reviewer for permission to send a book to them. And
allow ample time for your book to be reviewed. You can pay to have your book reviewed, but make sure you do your research
before you pay for any service. Bookmarket's List of Newspaper Book Reviewers Book Reporter Book Page Reader Views Get Book Reviews Online Review
Midwest Reviewers List BookReviewers.org
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Book Readings and Promotional Events A great way to promote your book is to do a book signing, reading, or promotional event. It gives
you something newsworthy to report in your press release, and the location that you host your event at will usually allow
you to publicize the event in their venue, such as putting up posters or leaving flyers at the front counter. Some will even
publicize it for you! The posters alone are a form of free advertising for your book, even if numbers at the actual event
are low. You can even host a charity event and list you and your book as the organizer. Bookstores
that carry your book are th obvious choice for book signings and readings, but you can be creative here. For example, if your
book is about dinosaurs (such as Jurassic Park), you can host a book signing at a National History Museum. Just remember to
bring a sufficient number of books with you on the day! And remember to thank the venue that hosted your event. If it's
a success, you may want to use them again for your next book. Here are some websites that
you can use to help publicize your event: Book Tour Author's Track Bookwire Calendar of Events Event Brite (if you're selling tickets, such as for charity) Writer's World Tips on Book Signings Radio - Artists First
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Promotional Material You can use promotional material to publicize your book,
a promotional event, or to build contacts with retailers and wholesalers. Probably the best product you can create highlighting
your book is a bookmark. Give these for free to bookstores who carry your book to leave at the register. For
bookmark printing, we suggest Printing for Less. They offer the lowest priced custom designed bookmarks we could find. For example, you can get 500 bookmarks for about $90.
That's only $.018 cents a bookmark. Some custom bookmark printers charge anywhere from $1.50 - $2.50 per bookmark. Please
note: We were NOT paid to endorse Printing for Less. We honestly believe it the best value. Other great products to use in your promotion
or business ventures are business cards, rack cards, post cards, flyers, magnets, letterhead, and stickers. You can find these
at such companies as:
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Websites More and more people are choosing to buy their books
online. An effective website allows people to read information about you as an author, learn about books you've published,
and you can lead them to online and physical stores where they can buy your book. You can even sell your book yourself online!
Some important things to include on a website are: 1.) Book image
2.) Publishing Details including ISBN 3.) Synopsis, reviews,
sample chapters, excerpt 4.) List where people can buy your book 5.) Author photo and bio 6.) Press releases 7.)
A contact number or email address where the media can reach you 8.) Upcoming events 9.) Mailing List so you can keep people updated on you, your work, and upcoming events Mailing ListSpamming is never recommended. However, a reader can choose to sign-up for your newsletter.
If you are creating a mailing list, we recommend Your Mailing List Provider. It's very cheap compared to other newsletter services and makes it easy for readers to subscribe and unsubscribe. You
don't have to download any software, you just have to paste the HTML code into your website. Please note: We were not
paid to recommend this service to you, but honestly believe it to be a great service. Selling
Your Book YourselfIf you're selling your book yourself online through your
website, we you list customer service details including exchanges, returns, shipping costs, and a customer contact number
or email address. The following payment services for your customers to make purchases are industry trusted: Submitting
Your Website to Search Engines (i.e. Yahoo, Google, MSN)No company can ever
guarantee where your website will rank on a search engine. It's all down to efficient keywords (words that describe your
website), browser title (the title for your website that appears on a search engine list), and meta tag (what the search engines
use to find your site). Search engines periodically send out 'robots' to look for new sites, so your website could
appear on search engines without you having to do anything. However, submitting your URL (web address) directly to search
engines can speed up the process. These sites allow you to submit your URL: Website Providers
The key to a successful website is a great website design. Many website hosting companies
allow you to design your own website with templates and site builders, or you can hire a company to design it for you. Some
self-publishing companies even offer website services or provide a recommendation. However, be weary of how much you are being
charged. We've seen a few self-publishing companies overcharging. You can get quality website hosting for between $3-15
a month. If you're paying any more than this, you're probably paying too much. We recommend:
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