10 tips to help you with marketing your self-published book.
While self-publishing has given authors and writers all the tools necessary to publish a quality ebook or paperback, there is one element that remains a stumbling block. Getting a book to sell. Marketing your self-published book is tough, hard work, competitive and cut throat. If that’s not enough, it can also be very expensive.
Of course, we all hear about the ‘outliers’ that have got lucky such as Amanda Hocking and E L James, but these are rarities. However in saying that, they didn’t achieve success without a lot of hard work, and hard marketing, either.
Self-published authors have no choice but to face up to the onerous task of promoting themselves. However, traditional publishers are now cutting back on their book marketing budgets, so more and more of their authors are having to use social media to ‘flog’ their wares. It’s becoming a level playing field.
So what can you do to give your book a chance? Here are a few ideas that might help in marketing your self-published book.
1. Write a great book. It may sound trite, but it’s the very first ingredient in getting a book to sell. Knowing what readers will like isn’t easy, so don’t expect that just because you’ve written a book, that it will sell well. In my case, my favourite book of mine is my worst seller, so what would I know?
2. Social media is a must. If no one knows about you or your book, how will readers find you? Social networking is a ‘one thing leads to another’ tool, so by continually expanding your contacts you help build your author brand.
3. Have more than one Twitter account. Keep your personal account for interacting and adding a little marketing, but have one or two more that you can use for more direct marketing. You always hear that people hate ‘spam’ accounts on Twitter. Well, I have five accounts I regularly use for marketing only, with a combined following of over 100,000 so I don’t think the theory holds at all. The more people who see your name, the better. The adage that any publicity is good publicity is very true.
4. Set up accounts on all book related social media sites. Goodreads, AuthorDen, Shelfari or any others you find. Also, use sites such as Stumbleupon, Pinterest, Google+ and Facebook. All of these will add to your search engine listings and get your name ‘out there’. Set up a Google Alert for your name so you can be notified whenever your name is mentioned in a new search engine entry.
5. Have a great blog. While a website is a useful central resource for information about an author and their books, a blog is much better because it is more dynamic and should be the conduit through which all book marketing is driven. Having new blog posts circulated through a number of social networks is a great way to expand your reach and attract new readers.
6. Free books should never be seen as giving away money. Free ebooks should be viewed as an introduction to your writing and your name to new readers, and the more, the better. Even if an author has only one title, a free book offer can help build a base of readers for the second and third book. I use Kindle’s KDP Select programme, and when I offer any of my titles for free, I’m pleased if 500 readers download the book. I’m even happier when 5,000 do. And thrilled if 20,000 do. Again, the more, the better.
7. Pay for exposure, but within reason and your budget. There are many options available to buy advertising or promotion, and high traffic sites can boost exposure for your name and title. I’ve used a few sites to promote my free ebooks on Kindle and have to say that the number of downloads increased dramatically.
8. Always be positive and never enter into conflict. Arguing, criticising and being obnoxious are sure-fire routes to failure. Never ‘flare’ on the Internet as comments made in a temper will last forever on the Internet and tarnish your reputation. Ignore bad reviews, nasty comments and trolls. Rise above them.
9. Write a new, and better book. Your next book will always be better than your last.
10 Use your time wisely. Lastly, set yourself a time limit each day for marketing and don’t let it take over your life. Two hours maximum because you have a family and more books to write.
Its a given that many will fall by the wayside, once the reality of being an Indie hits home Derek. Its damned hard work if you want to have a modicum of success!
May I add one more? Get on TV as an interview guest. I coach authors how to get on TV and many of my clients are self-published. TV producers will book a self-published author just as readily as an author from a traditional publisher if you use the right system. TV producers want experts not authors, so the key is to position yourself as an expert. OK, thanks for the tips. Edward Smith.
Great post, but I, too, would like to add one another. I have a blast every time I’m invited—or invited myself—to a book signing, reading, or other function in which my novel is front and center, even for a short while. While it not reach as wide an audience, it’s a great boost to the unknown writer’s ego.
With the recent revelation of John Locke buying reviews and RJ Ellroy, giving himself good reviews while panning his competition, do you really think it’s good to pay for exposure? What sites would you recommend for promoting your ebooks. I seem to sell well on Barnes and Noble but nearly as good on Amazon. I enjoyed the post. Thanks for the information.
Another great article! Thanks for all the helpful information.
Hello. This is wonderful advise and a warning for those of us starting out. Thank you.
Indeed another great post Derek, and advice worth following. Thanks