If you're a self publisher and don't have a big budget you can market and promote your book on a shoestring, thousands have done it. Be careful about your promotion and marketing dollars and don't plunge into unknown waters -- test, test, and test some more. It's one thing to write a book, but an entirely different thing to write one that's saleable, viable, and marketable. This article will provide you with some easy, free, and cheap book marketing, promotion and publicity tips to get you headed in the right direction fast.
Learning to write and use powerful search engine optimized press releases can often drive tons of traffic to your website while providing multiple back links that can lead to increased page rank and numerous top ten search engine rankings for your targeted keywords. Using press releases for marketing or promoting your book or book's website has become increasingly popular as publishers discover the powerful benefits of using press releases. Mail a press release to all the trade journals in your field over and over again; you can use the same release.
Don't underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. When picked up by wire services, a press release can easily end up generating hundreds of mentions for your book. Send out at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month.
Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style that you can send out for the lifetime of your book. Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media.
When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows. Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books' genre, in trade for display ads on the same page. Every day it's important to focus on a variety of marketing approaches.
Be your own publicist and send a press release along with a review copy of your book to publications in your book's genre and to book review magazines. I've seen publishers lose a lot of money paying for expensive display ads, so beware if you do this; I don't advise it in the beginning -- get your feet wet first so you know what you're doing. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.
Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website. Place free ads periodically for your book's website on Craigs List in different categories to drive even more traffic to your website. Make sure not to overlook the Internet; get yourself interviewed or profiled for sites both about writing, publishing and about the topics covered in your book.
It's been my experience that book signings don't sell many books for most self publishers and is often a waste of time; better to spend it elsewhere. You might give away your book in a raffle at a local function to get more recognition for your book. Submit articles to online article directories that focus on your book's topic to drive customers to your website.
Build a web site that provides another avenue for ordering, a virtual online press kit and link exchanges with sites that relate to your topic. Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing.
If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don't assume it's already listed.
The success of any book marketing effort depends on having a good book and just plain hard work; its been done many times before and you can do it too. I hope this article has provided you with a few helpful tips to accelerate your book marketing and book promotion efforts. Don't delay another day if you've fallen by the wayside; make sure to focus on promoting, selling and marketing your book each and every day.
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