What I Learned from Book Marketing 101
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My Sisters in Crime chapter hosted Book Marketing 101 recently with Mary Burton, Mary Behre, Tina Glasneck, and LynDee Walker. These amazing writers are a wealth of information. Here's what I learned.
- It is all about discoverability. You need to make it easier for your readers to find your book in a sea of books. You also need to find the best use of your time and resources while trying to reach the most readers.
- NetGalley and Book Funnel are good tools to use to get electronic ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) to your early readers.
- Offer street team/early reader group membership to super-fans. You need to keep your team energized.
- You own your mailing list. Build your list. Take a clipboard for sign ups to EVERY event.
- Facebook parties are a great way to celebrate your publication date. Be aware of the different time zones when you're scheduling yours.
- When you know your publication date, work backwards and create a six-week calendar for promotions.
- Newsletter swaps are a good way to cross-promote. Find another author, and you create a newsletter for her list, while she does one for yours. It's a way to get information out to a new audience.
- Write your next book. Your back catalog helps sell your current book and vice versa.
- Google Mark Dawson. He is a good resource on Facebook marketing.
- Make sure you have an author page on Amazon and BookBub.
- Readers want an experience. Reach out and talk to your readers. Create an experience for them. They'll come back for another book.
- Add a sign up button to your Facebook page for your newsletter.
- Book clubs are the new book tour. Add a link to your web page for readers and book clubs. Let them know you'll visit or Skype with book clubs.
- PicMonkey and Canva are good tools for creating social media graphics.
- Readers love bookmarks. Sign them with a Sharpie if you leave them on a table or at an event.
- Decide what your marketing budget is and where you are going to spend your dollars. have a plan.
These ladies were full of great ideas. There are so many ways to market your book. You need to find what works for you.
