Perplexing Promotions!

Promoting anything can be difficult. This includes promoting a novel. The crazy thing is, what works for one person doesn't work for the next. For example, a friend of mine has book signings often and the are successful but in my area it is tough to even get a place to allow it. So, what are we to do?



I think promoting a book is like sculpting. You chip at it continuously until you get the result your looking for. I don't believe there is one grand slam theory to promoting a book. No, it is a combination of a number of things that work in unison for the common goal which is to get the attention of readers.



Everyone knows you need an Internet presence for just about everything and that will be true for a very long time. But that isn't enough, you need to reach out further. You need to think outside the box to broaden your audience. I know, you've heard it before but it's true.



But, like everything, promoting a book takes money and not many of us have a lot of money. As we all know, it takes money to make money but we don't have to spend a mint to promote our titles. Remember, it only takes a spark to start a fire. This is important to keep in mind.



The key to promotion is gaining attention and being in the eyes of readers. Who are the readers? Everyone. The bill collectors, phone operators, shoppers, people at gatherings...everyone is potentially a fan and reader. How do you reach them?



Look for reduced price or free items - cards, magnets, business cards, bookmarks, car magnets, banners...anything you can think of. Do your research, search for discounts and spend your money wisely. 500 business cards can go farther than 25 magnets.



How you use your new swag is important to think about too. I don't recommend leaving 25 business cards on a magazine rake in a grocery store. Most likely they will get thrown out. No, think of things with a better chance of someone actually seeing it.