A Goodreads user
asked
Shannon L. Peel:
how do you market your books? what is your favourite tool to get your books "out there"?
Shannon L. Peel
Marketing is the biggest job a writer has. You get your book finished and you think, ah now I'll have time to read, visit friends, maybe even take a nap. Nope. The real work has just begun.
I made a marketing plan that started with online marketing, building my platform, generating a following, and getting reviews.
Social Media is huge for reach online and to get people excited about your book. I have a Facebook profile, a Facebook author page, I joined Facebook groups, and paid for Facebook ads. Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, pinterest, instagram, all had to be built and managed by engaging with other writers, readers, publishing industry people, and my target market - teens & their parents.
A website is at the hub of my online marketing bringing all the information, reviews, etc into one place.
I give away books. My goal is 100 digital books given away to readers, bloggers and reviewers. I have 54 books left to give away. Giving away ebooks is the harder than I thought, but slowly people are downloading it.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view... use promo code: ME85L (good 'til Sept 30, 2015)
I approached Bloggers and reviewers. Some bloggers did interviews, the odd one reviewed it.
Good Reads Giveaways of my paperback have given me lots of quality reach and exposure. My goal is to get onto 500 want to read shelves, I'm almost there.
Now the hardest part of my marketing plan is starting - the real world. This is where I send out press releases to traditional media outlets, approach stores, and find other ways to get people to notice my book.
It takes money and one has to be smart about how they spend their limited resources getting their books into influencers hands. Giving away books to local media people, local teachers, and local stores costs money. Renting tables or booths at craft fairs and trade shows costs money.
Things that don't cost money in the real world are: Press Releases, Library talks, Book signings. - They also don't provide much in the way of results.
I hope these ideas help you.
I made a marketing plan that started with online marketing, building my platform, generating a following, and getting reviews.
Social Media is huge for reach online and to get people excited about your book. I have a Facebook profile, a Facebook author page, I joined Facebook groups, and paid for Facebook ads. Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, pinterest, instagram, all had to be built and managed by engaging with other writers, readers, publishing industry people, and my target market - teens & their parents.
A website is at the hub of my online marketing bringing all the information, reviews, etc into one place.
I give away books. My goal is 100 digital books given away to readers, bloggers and reviewers. I have 54 books left to give away. Giving away ebooks is the harder than I thought, but slowly people are downloading it.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view... use promo code: ME85L (good 'til Sept 30, 2015)
I approached Bloggers and reviewers. Some bloggers did interviews, the odd one reviewed it.
Good Reads Giveaways of my paperback have given me lots of quality reach and exposure. My goal is to get onto 500 want to read shelves, I'm almost there.
Now the hardest part of my marketing plan is starting - the real world. This is where I send out press releases to traditional media outlets, approach stores, and find other ways to get people to notice my book.
It takes money and one has to be smart about how they spend their limited resources getting their books into influencers hands. Giving away books to local media people, local teachers, and local stores costs money. Renting tables or booths at craft fairs and trade shows costs money.
Things that don't cost money in the real world are: Press Releases, Library talks, Book signings. - They also don't provide much in the way of results.
I hope these ideas help you.
More Answered Questions
Jason Howell
asked
Shannon L. Peel:
If you're a writer, chances are you're also your own marketing & promotional team. Do you find conflict there? Between the creative work and the hustle? Or do the two mostly merge for you? Without going into the nuts and bolts of your approach too much, can you talk about how you view these things?
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