1. Build a marketing platform well before your manuscript is finished.
The key is to get your name out there AND have something on a personal website or blog. Cost $0, except a lot of hard work.
2. Enter contests so you have something to put in your Awards section of your site.
Cost is minimal, and again, a lot of hard work.
3. Build a website or blog before the book is published.
Again, the goal is to build a mini-brand of you. A website is a must. It is a forum where your readers and potential readers can learn about who you are, and provides them a way to communicate with you. Cost varies, but expect around $250. A Blog set up is $0, and easy to set up.
4. Wait to talk about your book until you are close to publication
– this will avoid a lot of stress and inquiries as to “when is the book going to be done?”
5. Publish essays and articles.
Include your bio and link to your website. This will pull in traffic to your site, boost sales and visibility. Cost $0.
6. Make sure your book is available on Amazon.
No matter your opinion, Amazon is still the leader in digital book sales – – you need to be there! Cost: $0, and set up is easy.*
7. Purchase an ad in your local paper.
Describe the book, and where readers can purchase, as well as a link to you website. Also, ask the paper if they would be interested in doing a profile on you and your book. Cost for ad varies depending upon your geographical location. Profiles cost nothing but offer tremendous returns.
8. Send out notices to your email list you are available for readings at bookstores, book clubs, school groups or libraries.
Even in a small group reading, you never know how your audience can help you. Cost: $0.
9. Contact every blogger you can think of and offer to send them a copy of your book in exchange for a review or ask for interviews.
Then, become a blogger (see get a website above). Blogosphere is an excellent way to get the word out about your book. Cost is about $3.50 to ship a hardcopy. However, sending digital versions of your book cost nothing.
10. Make a book trailer.
This is a definite winner. Easy to create and set up free on YouTube. Cost varies, but expect to pay around $600 for a good video. Of course you can use Animoto, which is fee – BUT, make sure the final product is professional.
NOTE: Don’t just have a subtitled-type trailer. Consider the hearing impaired. You ARE promoting a book, so let’s hear it!
11. Join Facebook (and other social medias).
Create a Facebook profile for yourself (the author) – not where you chat with your family. This should be all about you, what you are writing and your latest successes or failures. Create a fan page for your book.
12. Track your stats on your website.
If the number of visits to your website start to fall, do something to generate traffic and bring those numbers up. Above all, keep your name out there.
13. Participate in forum discussions.
Amazon, Facebook both are great arenas to get your name known.
*Set up for fiction is fairly straightforward. Consider outside help for books requiring tables, or other detailed formatting requirements. Amazon has a small charge per MB upload.
