Guest Blog: Marketing Takes More Than Guts
INDIETRIBE is pleased to guest a post from Kathryn Jones
MARKETING TAKES MORE THAN GUTS
By
Kathryn Elizabeth Jones
Ten years ago, when I began marketing my first book, I did a lot of things that took guts:
1. I sent off my book to reviewers who I knew would either love my book, like my book, or hate it.
2. I did some books signings where I had to speak to people I didn’t know.
3. I spoke at elementary schools, in classes, and as a keynote speaker.
But I didn’t know anything about what blog reviewers could really do for me, how an interview could bring in readers or how a video retains interest on a website or blog. In a nutshell, I was doing some pretty fearful things, but I wasn’t as organized as I should have been; I also didn’t know my options.
Allow me to share a few of my insights since then:
First, do some research. A great marketer by the name of Lynne Klippel has some great pointers on organizing your book marketing. In her article, Before, During, and After Techniques to Market Your Book, Klippel explains how writing things down can help in knowing when to market your book. She gets specific about what people should know before the book is out, what they should know during the time of book promotion, and what readers should know after they finish reading your book.
Organization will keep you focused. It will also keep you from forgetting something in your marketing that you wanted to do.
Once you have a plan, step it up. If you’ve planned some book signings, do more than sit behind the desk. Read from your book, do some giveaways, have a party. If you’ve set up some speaking engagements, make them fun! Don’t just lecture, get the audience involved. Use all of the attention getters: video, questions, answers and hands-on opportunities such as book making opportunities.
Keep the momentum going. I read recently that if an author puts out 5 marketing plugs a day, (such as a blog post, a speaking event at the library, social networking on twitter, a note to a reviewer requesting a review, and a blog interview), book sales will increase substantially because of the extra media exposure generated.
Don’t give up when things get tough, and they will. This is the guts part, but it is also the stick-to-itiveness necessary to keep that momentum going. When you get a bad review, go on. When someone won’t let you do a book signing in their store because your book is “self-published,” move on. A writer with guts keeps moving forward. Consider that those people that are meant to be a part of your life will show up to help you with your book, all others were meant to travel somewhere else.
When it comes to marketing your book, don’t let fear get in the way of doing what you feel you need to be doing. It takes guts to get going, but it also takes picking yourself up when things get tough.
Yes, you will make mistakes in marketing; this is a part of learning, but you will also have success. Take it from me. I have done both, but what I’ve learned is that I will never quit, and that I will take the successes and implement them into the next book I publish.
Kathryn has been publishing her work since 1987. Her newest book, Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013, will be available March 21. Click on the image opposite to buy it from Amazon.com.
You may also want to visit her at: http://www.ideacreationspress.com.
Also available from Amazon.co.uk
I hope all our INDIETRIBE members and guests find this Guest Blog useful. It has been our pleasure to introduce you to yet another way of promoting yourself and your books.
If you would like to guest your blog in this series, join INDIETRIBE GOLD and we will liaise with you on
a suitable date for publication
