Marketing & Publicity for Authors: Part 5

In this last (for now) post in my marketing and publicityseries I'd like to address the little things that your "street team" can do tohelp you.
First, what is a street team?
Your street team members are your dedicated readers: family,close friends, fellow authors, bloggers who have supported your work, readerswho can't wait to get their hands on your next book.
A couple of recent articles (here's one) have pointed toresearch that suggests that "word of mouth" (aka, personal recommendations,whether from friends, librarians, or booksellers) is the number one way thatpopularity of a book spreads. Publishers can enhance a book's profile throughadvertising and promotion; but midlist, debut, or little-known authors can usepositive street cred to help with promotion. This is where your street teamcomes in.
What can your team do to help you? Here are ways – and allbut one take only minutes and cost nothing. And none of these are dishonorable(as in, falsifying reviews. Don't do that. Ever.)
1.     Ifthey sincerely want to purchase a copy of your book, point them towardspre-ordering as soon as your book is posted for pre-order. Publishers basefirst print run numbers on pre-orders. You want as many books pre-sold aspossible to increase your chances of publisher support and word-of-mouth. (Thisis the only task that costs your street team members money!)2.     Askyour street team if they would be willing to visit their local indie and talkwith the owner about your book. Outfit them with bookmarks and/or postcards toleave with the bookseller.3.     Askthem to add your book to their Goodreads "want to read" list. Manybloggers/readers begin dedicated Goodreads' lists every year: i.e., "favorite YAreads;" "historical fiction for 2012." Your team members can like your book onthose lists, too.4.     Askthem to go to the Amazon page for your book and "like" the book.5.     Askthem to add tags to your book on its Amazon page. Tagging a book helps it toappear on appropriate suggested lists, so that when readers search for a newbook, yours might appear on the suggested list.
None of these suggestions will help a poorly written book –so your first job is to write as brilliantly as possible. Write from yourheart; polish and revise. There's a lot of competition in the marketplace andonly when you craft a book readers can't put down and can't wait to recommend,only then will you break out. But a little honest support from your street teamdoesn't hurt. 


Best of luck - and please share any and all ideas that have worked for you!